Shoulder check

[KeeponDragon]

In the Okanagan, drivers don't signal, they cut you off instead.
yearly, we see at least a dozen MC related accidents, at least a third end as a fatality.
We also have our share of "new to Canada" drivers...

One instance of literal Merge Rage...I was waiting for traffic to clear a good enough space for me to turn left across oncoming traffic, in a merge lane. The jackass behind me, laying on his horn, decided he wasn't gonna wait...He opted to go around my right hand side, drive over the curb, almost T-bone a car in oncoming traffic...all whilst flipping me the middle finger salute...the driver...some mid 20's rig pig in a lifted F350 rolling coal...

this...this is why I am planning to relocate...because if I don't...I will do something out of my own frustration...that will put me at direct odds with law enforcement.

 

[slow-poke]

In Richmond BC, the most popular car is a BMW, the second is a Craftsman Collision courtesy car.

Try Cairo.

I had a driver, I clearly didn't understand the cues as to who was the Alpha and who would yield. Best guess it was based on GVW. Every trip I was bracing for impact when we weren't avoiding the Shepard and his flock.

 

[whydontu]

In Richmond BC, the most popular car is a BMW, the second is a Craftsman Collision courtesy car.

Third most popular car is a Toyota Corolla, labelled as a driving school vehicle, on its way to the Motor Vehicle Branch, where the student driver will bribe the driving inspector.

 

[Dan Dubeau]

Speaking for motorcyclists everywhere. Please continue to shoulder check. Thank you.

 

[DPittman]

Speaking for motorcyclists everywhere. Please continue to shoulder check. Thank you.

Ya don't worry motorcycles don't usually cause any damage to your vehicle.

JUST KIDDING!!!

 

[mmcmdl]

Best view of the GTA is in your rear view mirror.

I have to agree , specially when pulling a loaded trailer from Blue Jays Way !

 

[ChazzC]

North Wales, UK:

• Sheep are stupid, they don’t care about cars or horns.

• Narrow doesn’t come close to describing secondary roads (country lanes?).

I drove myself, but very cautiously.


Guayaquil, Ecuador:

• Lane markings are considered suggestions - 3 marked lanes, 5 (sometimes 6) cars filling the available space.

• The nanosecond a traffic signal turns green, cars as far as 10 back start honking.

I left driving to the locals.

 

[slow-poke]

Speaking for motorcyclists everywhere. Please continue to shoulder check. Thank you.

When there is a motorcycle anywhere near me I try to move away. Nothing against them some of my friends ride bikes, I just don't want to be the guy that bumps him under any circumstance. I witnessed and then provided first aid twice for MC accidents while waiting for ambulance and hope I never have to do it again, one excellent outcome and one not.

 

[Dan Dubeau]

I started a car game when the kids were little called spot the motorcycle. It was my hope that they grow up to be drivers subconsciously looking out for motorcycles at all times when on the road. Breaks up long car rides, and actually gets them looking out the window in stead of screens too.

 

[SomeGuy]

I just put my foot down, especially when in the Porsche, don't need to shoulder check when you accelerate past the vehicle beside you lol

Honestly though, it really depends on traffic, I keep pretty good spatial awareness of what's around me and try to time lane changes in quieter areas or plan ahead about what lane I need to be in long before it's necessary to move over, so I can take easy opportune lane change opportunities. When things start getting tight or lots going on or I'm not 100% sure, I still do a blind spot check, I don't rely solely on mirrors or the blind spot monitors (both my vehicles have them). The thing about blind spot checks in heavy traffic are the sudden stops in front of you while your eyes are off the road for that split second...those ones will get ya.

 

[Downwindtracker2]

A number of inspectors got caught in Richmond B.C. I'm sure their replacements were more careful.

 

[Chicken lights]

The problem with motorcycles is when they lane split, especially in heavy traffic. I might have a mental note that there's a grey car (or whatever) beside me and then be watching the road ahead of me, but then they try to squeak by and I'm not expecting it

Or, if I'm passing a truck, moved over to let a truck on, etc, then signal to move back and a car or a bike pops out of nowhere to pass me on the right

So yeah, I try to watch for bikes but bike owners can be....a colourful adjective

 

[PaulL]

I even shoulder check as a passenger. Yes, I'm that guy.

 

[Tom O]

The problem with motorcycles is when they lane split, especially in heavy traffic. I might have a mental note that there's a grey car (or whatever) beside me and then be watching the road ahead of me, but then they try to squeak by and I'm not expecting it

Or, if I'm passing a truck, moved over to let a truck on, etc, then signal to move back and a car or a bike pops out of nowhere to pass me on the right

So yeah, I try to watch for bikes but bike owners can be....a colourful adjective

I don’t see that too much anymore I think it’s because of water cooled bikes now in the earlier years everything was air cooled and as the traffic increased engines would throw off a tremendous amount of heat while waiting for the traffic to get going especially in the summer.

 

[Elektrishun]

Shoulder checking and turn signals are driving 101 in my opinion.

Taught all three of my kids how to drive in preparation for their driver's license exams and you need to do both to pass. After that, time will tell if you are a good driver or not. So far, only one accident on an icy road where my son was cut-off and he spun out of control after applying the brakes on the '91 Ford Escort. All season tires, no ABS, and a lack of driving experience likely contributed.

When I was teaching them to drive there is one stretch of road where you have to cross 3 lanes very quickly to get to the turn off for the Home Depot.

Turn the signal on in advance to communicate that you're switching lanes, shoulder check, and switch lanes when safe to do so.

And if necessary come to complete STOP if the mother hubbards won't let you in. I ain't gonna miss my turn because people don't respect the turn signal.

 

[Elektrishun]

Both my 19 Subaru and the 24 Yukon have the side traffic detectors that do a better job of it than I do with lights and audible warnings.

My son's 2010 Mazda 6 has the detectors, too. Maybe the tech has improved?

On occasion he gets a false alert when near an object like a concrete boulevard.

I was with him on one such occasion where he was switching lanes and assumed the nearby concrete boulevard that he was getting closer to was setting off his detector. I instinctively shoulder checked and alerted him to a fast approaching vehicle.

He went back to shoulder checking.

 

[Susquatch]

So far, only one accident on an icy road where my son was cut-off and he spun out of control after applying the brakes on the '91 Ford Escort. All season tires, no ABS, and a lack of driving experience likely contributed.

I had a rule when my kids were growing up. Nobody drives in the snow or ice until they have taken skid training with dad.

We offered a police driving school for quite a few years and police staff would come from all across Canada to attend. It was alot of fun but it always amazed me how many couldn't drive in the snow and ice at all.

 

[Elektrishun]

Shoulder check in a parcel van? Not possible. I was taught to drive as if everyone else on the road is trying to kill me. And to adjust the mirrors to get the widest possible view of the road beside me, as @slow-poke describes.

And I drive in Richmond BC, >50% of the drivers near me didn’t learn to drive in North America. Best one was a driver pulled over for speeding, when the officer asked for their license and registration the driver explained they were using the family license and didn’t need to have their own license.

I worked with a gentleman from Nigeria. After he returned from a trip back home I asked what some of the differences were between there and here.

One example he gave was when he got back home he had to adjust to the aggressive and chaotic approach to driving where pedestrians risk their lives crossing the streets.

Then, after being there for a month, he came back to Saskatchewan and needed to adjust again to driving with rules and politeness.

As they say, "It's all relative."

 

[Elektrishun]

I just put my foot down, especially when in the Porsche, don't need to shoulder check when you accelerate past the vehicle beside you lol

Honestly though, it really depends on traffic, I keep pretty good spatial awareness of what's around me and try to time lane changes in quieter areas or plan ahead about what lane I need to be in long before it's necessary to move over, so I can take easy opportune lane change opportunities. When things start getting tight or lots going on or I'm not 100% sure, I still do a blind spot check, I don't rely solely on mirrors or the blind spot monitors (both my vehicles have them). The thing about blind spot checks in heavy traffic are the sudden stops in front of you while your eyes are off the road for that split second...those ones will get ya.

Years ago the family and I were driving back from the lake along with the rest of Saskatchewan on a late Sunday afternoon.

The highway at that time was single lane.

In the rear view mirror I could see someone in a sports car darting in and out of the oncoming lane as they were trying to move ahead of everyone. This person caught up to me and was behind my Chevy Lumina van (looked like a dust buster with wheels).

Naturally, when they thought the coast was clear, they passed me and I could see it was a Porsche. EXCEPT, the coast wasn't really clear and I had to slam on my brakes to let them back in front while at the same time hoping the vehicles behind wouldn't be piling into the back end.

It worked out well for everyone and I probably taught my kids how to swear that day.

 

[SomeGuy]

Years ago the family and I were driving back from the lake along with the rest of Saskatchewan on a late Sunday afternoon.

The highway at that time was single lane.

In the rear view mirror I could see someone in a sports car darting in and out of the oncoming lane as they were trying to move ahead of everyone. This person caught up to me and was behind my Chevy Lumina van (looked like a dust buster with wheels).

Naturally, when they thought the coast was clear, they passed me and I could see it was a Porsche. EXCEPT, the coast wasn't really clear and I had to slam on my brakes to let them back in front while at the same time hoping the vehicles behind wouldn't be piling into the back end.

It worked out well for everyone and I probably taught my kids how to swear that day.

LoL I assure you I don't drive that recklessly...