I want to speak to Americans who travel up north and my fellow Canadians on this topic. Driving habits of your average Canuck is a topic that has been bothering me for quite some time.

It seems to me that Canadian drivers take more risks than American ones do. The following is from my perspective having to commute to school everyday. We speed constantly, going at rediculus speeds through school zones and residential areas. We are impolite, we don't give fellow drivers enough room and cut them off. We do wreckless things like run red lights, try to beat trains, cut the corners, etc. I'm trying to figure out if this insanity on our roads is just a local problem or spreads nation wide. I also want to hear the American perspective. Being to Miami recently, which is probably not much bigger than Toronto, I noticed people were more polite while driving. They leave enough room and are generally courtious. Many other people I know who travel frequently to the US agree that they are more polite than us when in their cars.

I didn't know that DominicanRepublic, Trinidad, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Venezuela (and a host of other places) were in Canada!

My main experiences with Canadian drivers are with those that travel through/to Orlando ... generally I see their Quebec plates as they fly by.

My last visit to the US was some 8 years ago so things might have changed. I believe the speed limits are higher now. Generally, I found the drivers polite & courteous which made driving less stressful & a pleasure I had long forgotten in my own country. Mind you, I find that being courteous myself rubs off on other drivers. I rarely have a problem around my home town.

I've never visited Canada so can't comment.

lol Will, i have already warned my instructor that should anyone decide confrontation is the way they want to go i wont back down because i am a learner.apparently it has happend before to a few of her students where they have made a small mistake or stalled at lights or whatever that may have cost a little more time and someone has gotten out and started yelling at them at the next set of lights. I dislike those who do decide to cheese it past you on corners, but theres little you can do, and i have generally tried to just keep well out of the way

I agree that it is not always the fault of the experienced driver but it is not always the fault of the learner either.  Two days ago i was driving at about 30mph down a road which had a 30 limit.  Ahead of me there is a side road on the left hand side with a car waiting to pull out.  When I am about 15 yards away the car pulls about a foot clearly trying to get out in front of me.  The road was not busy (there was nothing behind me) so I continued at the same speed and moved out slightly to go around him.  As I got level with him he leaned on his horn then pulled out behind me giving me an education in finger signals.  He over took when we were coming into a 20mph zone and nearly got all four wheels off the ground when he hit the first speed bump.  My example is as extreme as yours but this kind of thing happens every time i go out.  I have been learning to drive on and off for nearly 12 years.  I had a motor bike for two years, if I could take my test tommorow I could be reasonably sure of passing (I hate tests!).  When is the right time to have lessons?  Early in the morning (7-9) is rush hour and school drop off. 9-4 most learners are at work and school.  4-6 is rush hour again and school pick up.  After 6 most DI's have quit for the day and everybody hates to be delayed by a learner whether they are going to work or going to buy a pint of milk, it makes no differance.  I guess I must be one of the unfortunate few who didn't spring forth from my mothers womb with the ability to drive a car already there, oh well

Will

i have to agree about the instructor on that one, he shouldnt have really allowed it to continue, and perhaps just switched seats after the first two attempts, would have saved both her confidence and alot of time to go another day when more practise has been given. me an my instructor have always agreed one where i can and cant drive right night, she will ask if i feel i am ready for said roads and i will say yes or no depending on how busy it is. Although i am usually to cocky and confident for my own good:) add the stubborness to it aswell, i am likely to find myself in a position i prob dont want to be to quickly.
but its just  a shame its no fun to drive. i have heard it used to be and would like to know what fun driving is:)

howdy hagar. what i meant was its a dual desicion, she only asks when she thinks i am ready, but instead of making me go because she thinks i am ready she will ask if i think i am ready personally. i could be the best driver in the world but if i lack the confidence to do an up hill start at a set of traffic lights i could end up like that girl you encountered, whether i am ready in skills or not. and since there is a place exactly like that in bristol, where i have been told i will have to learn at, its a really busy set of lights on the main corner into the center of bristol, which i am personally dreading getting to.

Have driven in the UK, US, Canada (Niagra/Toronto) and most of western Europe and don't have any problem with US or Canadian drivers. You try driving in say Paris, Milan or Barcelona in the rush hour...

Not to mention taking on the average white van driver around Hyde Park Corner.

Drove in NY again in April and EVEN cab drivers gave way. Don't get that in London!

actually andrew, every single person i have asked and have had tell me, have said that stickshift is the better way to start, you dont get into bad habits and you dont have to worry about learning it later on. i have had many arguments with people especially my parents about wanting to start on automatics, but always get the same chewing out for it:)
do you have two seperate licenses over there? here we have on for automatic and one for manual, obviously if you have a full license for manual you can drive both, but if you only have automatic license you have to get one obviously for manual to drive them

Well, when I first began to learn how to drive, just right out of Driver's Ed, I was given the chance to drive a Manual. Let me tell you, I had the hardest time keeping up with everything PLUS shifting gears.

I think that for a total beginner who has never driven before, driving a Stick in traffic is too much for the first time. But that's just me

I think the better way to go is to learn and practice driving a stick on your own private land, and once you start driving on the public roads, you will already be somewhat comfterable with a stick

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Nice idea but I don't know anyone with any private land, if i had the money to have private land I would have been able to afford lessons years ago and wouldn't be moaning now.

Will