🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <q9rsru0hgmb6i68fltnh90u4nicv91vn7s@4ax.com>, beergut
<dondoherty@canada.com> wrote:

> On Tue, 29 Oct 2002 06:49:03 GMT, Norman Gall <gall@spookyhill.net>
> wrote:
> 
> >In article <3DBE2D60.5A17DEB8@yourisp.net>, Ray <ray@yourisp.net> wrote:
> >
> >> > I can drive for half an hour anywhere in town and not see a single
> >> > moving violation: except speeding. They do drive fast.
> >> > 
> >> 
> >> no way.  Winnipegers drive too slow.  
> >
> >Agreed. I was talking about Calgary.
> 
> Winnipeggers, for the majority, do not drive too slow. They drive, as
> you have noted, prudently, defensively. There is no other choice. We
> have a large part of the population that are aging, and in no hurry to
> get anywhere. They just keep re-nuing their licenses every year with
> nary an eye test. I just renewed mine, and I can't see the numbers on
> the back of a sports jersey clearly anymore. Then we have the dot.com
> generation that seems to be in a hurry to get everywhere. The two just
> don't mix. 

There is no 'dot.com' generation in Winnipeg. There are older people
who cannot well because they are afraid of traffic, know they cannot
see well enough, and are unable to handle the power of the vehcile they
pruchased and those that can drive decisively and skillfully. There are
young kids who are hesitant and 

> The older generation knows how to drive, we've just lost some of our
> reflexes and powers of observation as we don't venture out in rush
> hour traffic anymore. The younger generation, surrounded by airbags,
> and ABS systems, just drive with the false confidence, that newer
> technology in vehicles gives them, and the ever dangerous attitude of
> being immortal.
> 
> For the first time that I can remember, we have had 10 car pileups. We
> never had this before. It's people driving the way _you_ advocate,
> that causes this. Changing lanes with a space too small, causing
> everyone to follow to close. 

I don't advocate changing  lanes with a space too small. I am
advocating changing lanes into a space that is adequate procided that
the guy following does not take offense at you being in front of him
and close the gap.

> You stated earlier that if you could get
> into a space with your car and have an extra 3-4 meters, that people
> would think you've cut them off. Well I don't think having 5 feet of
> room in front and back is enough! 

You are quite right, unless traffic is going 20km/h. You will note that
at 50km/h 10 - 12 feet front and back is more than enough.
Nevertheless, having someone change lanes too close to you is not being
'cut off'. Take your foot _off_ the accelerator once in a while and
people all of a sudden have all kinds of room. 

> You, of course can be forgiven, as
> you were trained to drive in Ontario. Here in Winnipeg, we INSIST that
> if you pull in front of someone, they must be enough room to see your
> back license plate, 

That's 6' for most cars. Perhaps a large pickup needs more. For _my_
van, it is 6 inches in front and 4 feet behind: I've checked.

> and _you_ must be able to see the vehicle's, in
> front of you, plate also. This requires more then 3 meters of
> distance.

Actually, it doesn't.


> PS. You can now delete my blog entry  ;)

I'm leaving it in. :)

Norm

-- 
"No man was ever taken to hell by a woman unless he already had a 
ticket in his pocket, or at  least had been fooling around with timetables." 
-- Archie Goodwin