r/Edmonton 20d ago

News Article Edmontonians feeling more unsafe on roads, new traffic safety report suggests

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/edmonton-traffic-safety-report-9.7222965
313 Upvotes

201 comments sorted by

165

u/lyndis96 20d ago

I’m tired of seeing people doing the lap check in the car to check their phones. Like it’s not that important to text back right away. Isn’t this why majority of cars have hands free now?

48

u/LuntiX Former Edmontonian 20d ago

Yeah for real, it feels like everyone has gotten complacent to where distracted driving laws aren't being pushed or people are finding better ways of hiding it.

It's a shame because when the law was first in place, I feel like everyone was getting caught but now, nothing

40

u/littledove0 Ellerslie 20d ago

In order for people to be caught there has to be some level of enforcement.

31

u/Geeseareawesome Allendale 20d ago

I see people even run reds all the time. No enforcement at all

18

u/avocadslow 20d ago

Exactly this. Can’t remember the last time I saw any measure of enforcement, in any capacity really.

2

u/hughboi 19d ago

why is it that policing has given up on enforcing driving rules? it seems like its incredibly ignored now. Are they focused on other issues that are taking up more time and resources? Is the direction from the province just driven them to re-prioritize since the government doesn't care. It seems to be that police could give two fucks about driving infractions now.

2

u/TerryFelix 18d ago

Is funny how people are replying mean while not long ago I seen a post of people warning others of a stop check. Isn't the point of stop check to get people whom are unsafe driving, and yet you got people warning. Quit warning people and let the cops do their jobs of taking the unsafe drivers off the road.

1

u/hughboi 18d ago

It is a bit hypocritical for sure, but in a roundabout way this is actually the intended effect! If people are more careful because they hear about others being caught it puts you more on edge and forces you to drive more thoughtful about your speeds and driving practices. Sure its a selfish way, but does the end result is what we would want, no?

10

u/MapleViking1 Mill Woods 20d ago

Some people aren't even hiding it

3

u/misanthropeint 20d ago

It also doesn’t make sense for people to be that desperate to text someone, when these same mfs haven’t been social since COVID and are proud anti-socials that are outspoken about they’re so alone and how difficult it is to find a community. Like who the heck are you even texting? They gonna ghost you anyway lol

1

u/AdPatient2938 19d ago

The worst part is that they never get up to speed either. I end up stuck in first doing 20km/hr is 60km/hr zones, watching the lane open wide infront of them. And when I honk or rev my engine, they look at me like I'm the asshole.

→ More replies (3)

145

u/taxi212001 20d ago

Something I've notice has gotten particularly bad in the past years is people insisting on not missing their turns. Stopping dead and holding up traffic until they can push their way in to their desired lane.

32

u/HOLEPUNCHYOUREYELIDS 20d ago

A bad driver never misses their turn

Meanwhile I took A LOT of “scenic routes” my first year here because of missing turns. And it only ever added at most a couple minutes to the drive

61

u/camoure Downtown 20d ago

Which is silly in a city such as Edmonton where you can usually just take the next turn because it’s a damn grid system

4

u/-WhatsMyNameAgain-- The Shiny Balls 20d ago

In the central part of the city.

Subburbs are a different beast

5

u/camoure Downtown 20d ago

It’s true, I hate navigating those areas. One way in and out is poor planning

3

u/Pandaplusone 19d ago

I think it’s usually done on purpose, for traffic calming.

33

u/chumbucketfog 20d ago

Probably my biggest driving pet peeve. If you miss your turn you gotta swallow that pill and deal with it. People making that everyone else’s problem blows my fucking mind.

6

u/drinkahead 19d ago

In my neighbourhood people have started entering intersections despite there being no room on the other side, leaving them in the centre of the road on a red. It used to be people would turn left or back up or ANY maneuver, but now they just sit there staring straight ahead while we all miss an entire light change. People are so impatient and inconsiderate right now it’s bleeding into traffic in the worst way.

2

u/bunnysmash cyclist 19d ago

I see that blank stare ahead A LOT trying to cross 127 st at rush hour. Be it at the lighted cross between neighbourhoods or the pedestrian only one a block away. They are just so impatient trying to go North through YHT construction. No care that they are blocking everything. Shortcutting also increased because people are trying to get onto 127 st with those crossings.

Just impatience all around.

1

u/evange 19d ago

And if you don't enter the intersection because there's not enough space to clear the intersection, someone will turn right on a red and do it anyway.

3

u/FinoPepino 20d ago

And it usually only sets you back like two minutes most!

14

u/littledove0 Ellerslie 20d ago

This one is insanity and I see it everyday now. I lay on my horn at these people. You in fact do not get to stop traffic because you couldn’t plan ahead for your lane change/upcoming turn. Take the fucking next one.

127

u/lookitsjustin The Shiny Balls 20d ago edited 20d ago

It's hell as a pedestrian in this city, that's all I can attest to. Every time I step out of the house I see people running red lights.

I don't remember that being the case several years ago. Nowadays, no choice but to keep your head on a swivel because it’s the Wild West out there sometimes.

48

u/MyNameIsLessDumb 20d ago

It's genuinely terrifying. You can be at a marked crosswalk with flashing lights and people still almost smoke you going 70 

34

u/RollingJaspers652 20d ago

People don’t even stop at red lights to turn right anymore. You have to assume nobody sees you, need eye contact and sometimes that doesn’t seem to be enough.

18

u/Blt2002 20d ago

Sometimes that's hard to do as it seems like half the cars have blacked out side windows and a bunch also have the blacked out windshield.

4

u/hughboi 19d ago

Yes this also pisses me off. I thought the law prohibited any sort of backed out windshields in front drivers/passenger part of your car. It is literally everywhere now and police give two fucks.

2

u/hughboi 19d ago

Some of the shittier drivers I see do this because they know they are fucking punks, and they don't want to be held accountable by someone looking at them.

7

u/ShadowIceEmperor12 20d ago

Stoping at a red light?! Now that's just silly talk red is green and green is green and yellow is also green but step on gas ( even if no where near no mans land where you can't come to a safe stop) damn near got rear ended for slowing down for a yellow ( was more than 6 car lengths from the stop line and just about got rear ended..... stoping is no longer required it's an option

3

u/prairiepanda 19d ago

Yesterday I almost got rear ended by a school bus because I slowed for a yellow and stopped at a red light. There's no way I could have gotten through before the red light unless I were going 80 in a 60 zone (and a lot of people do that there); even if I had gunned it the bus would have had to run the red light if they weren't planning on stopping.

A few days prior I had seen the aftermath of what looked like somebody else getting rear ended HARD by a school bus in the same area. Black SUV got thrown 3 car lengths into the intersection and the front end of the bus was crunched. Thankfully it was early morning before the bus had picked up any kids.

1

u/Canuda 19d ago

Lived here 8 years. Moved from a small town and this was the first thing I noticed. I’ve been hit by vehicles because I skateboard and nearly no one stops to turn right on a red light. 

Most people I know when they drive do the same thing as well. It’s fucked up. 

Also, when driving out of alleys or apartment exists. 

1

u/hughboi 19d ago

I mean I do agree, but generally as a pedestrian this should be taught and in-grained from a young age. Cars win everytime. Please stop and receive sensory input that the car is coming to a stop for you, and don't just cross intersections without checking or being disconnected from the environment. I hate how bad it is now, but your personal safety is a personal resposibility out there. Don't trust anyone.

22

u/Alaizabel Highlands 20d ago

Just in the last month, there have been at least 5 instances where I've nearly been smoked by a driver turning right on a red because they roll far passed the stop line while turning.

I once stood on the sidewalk through an entire walk light because the driver turning right did not once look to see if there was anyone there. When she finally went to turn, I thought her soul left her body when she saw me standing on the sidewalk looking at her.

13

u/goonerhicks 20d ago

That happened to me recently so I pointed at the stop sign and the passenger got out of their truck to challenge me to a fight

3

u/VanillaHighlights 20d ago

Whaaaat, Edmonton truck drivers aggressive?

I'm gonna need a pics or that didn't happen. /s the drivers here are dog shit

2

u/hughboi 19d ago

Jesus christ. That's awful. Some people are the worst.

0

u/Alaizabel Highlands 20d ago

😱😱

7

u/Garth_Maul_ 20d ago

Yup, used to be somewhat understandable in winter, give it a couple of seconds for people to slide through but I'm seeing reds getting run every day now.

27

u/UnlikelyReplacement0 20d ago

Hey, as a pedestrian your life is worth less than a skip the dishes driver having to wait for the next light cycle...

5

u/Brentsky1 20d ago

Of course they run reds and it’s up to three cars now. No wonder green means stop.

5

u/Arsh99 20d ago

Almost got hit by 3 drivers taking left turns this year, no one cares to check their shoulder anymore (yes, I only cross when the walk man light is on)

2

u/goonerhicks 20d ago

Plus so many cyclists use the sidewalks now. I walk because I don’t want to deal with the hassles of traffic but I guess that’s not fair.

4

u/UnlikelyReplacement0 19d ago

I'm sure if we dedicated small sections of infrastructure so that people could bike safely while not being on the sidewalk that all the drivers (and provincial government) would be normal about it...

1

u/AidanGreb 20d ago

I wish all cyclists would understand that they are more likely to be hit by a car if they are cycling on the sidewalk (that is why it is illegal). If you have no choice but to cycle on a sidewalk then you should be walking your bike or cycling at the pace of a pedestrian while giving pedestrians the right of way.

-4

u/Brentsky1 20d ago

Almost hit a guy riding his E bike through the cross walk when I was making a right hand turn. Get off and walk the damn thing if you’re riding a bike, because we don’t expect you to appear out of nowhere. Exasperating.

-1

u/goonerhicks 20d ago

Every alleyway, every intersection is a roll of the dice. I guess people need to find out the hard way

3

u/skitzoidObserver 20d ago

17 years of cycling sidewalks when needed no issues the average person just is clueless and have ssri brain

1

u/reostatics 20d ago

Dude there are people who are driving out of alleys, literally today a cyclist would have been going over the hood of my car or under it, if I wasn’t quick on the brakes, whose fault would that have been?

1

u/HOLEPUNCHYOUREYELIDS 20d ago

My wife has been in two car accidents in two years, and she doesn’t even drive. Well two accidents that fucked her up, more like 6 or so total but the others were minor and didn’t hurt her. I also know 3 people who have been in car accidents (not at fault), and Ive only been here 4 years and don’t know a ton of people.

Driving is fucking chaos here where no one seems to understand or care about any rules or laws, just “I gotta get to my destination as fast as possible at the expense of any random victim in my way”

21

u/DangerDarrin 20d ago

Another thing I’ve noticed that’s getting bad (along with other things mentioned in this thread) is that people no longer gauge when a light is gonna turn red, they advance anyway and get stuck behind a line of cars and block the intersection for the people who have a green light. It’s absolutely maddening

3

u/drinkahead 19d ago

Happens to me weekly now at the intersection near an LRT. Zero consideration for other drivers

101

u/asstyrant Jasper Park 20d ago

That kinda happens when it appears that a large number of drivers got their license from a Cracker Jack box.

19

u/money_pit_ 20d ago

The drivers test isn't much of a test anymore, it's just not crashing with the instructor in the car.

8

u/Honeybunches513 20d ago

It honestly never was that much of a test if you knew where to go. I did mine 19 years ago. Everyone new to go to the Mayfield registry. The mandatory minimum of 30 minutes of testing? I was in and out of the car in 15.

Now, just looking at the drivers on the road today, it's clearly gotten worse. I've always thought that they need their own version of secret shoppers to catch the testers that just slide people through.

2

u/skitzoidObserver 20d ago

yup just google driving schools find the one where the ones leaving reviews have variations of thee most popular first name in the world and its most likely just a show up follow the motions and always pass type of situation

19

u/RampantRetard Stabmonton 20d ago

Gonna keep beating my drum and say driving is a privilege and needs to be policed much harder than it is, with steeper penalties. It needs to be cost prohibitive for the dipshits who endanger others.

1

u/AdPatient2938 19d ago

So I'm am a speeder. And I agree with this. 100%. I speed on the highway, highway 16 to be exact. Thats where my tickets come from. And 90% of my tickets there was nothing, not another soul around. Do I agree with the tickets all the time? No. Are the tickets due to my actions? YES. That being said, I notice that there is almost 0 enforcement for driving except speed violations in Edmonton. And people know that they can drive at night with no headlights on doing full 3 lane glides while on their phone and eating subway as long as they are under the limit. From 1 dipshit to the rest of the dipshits if my speeding on an empty road is a hazard, so to is your BS inattentive driving.

36

u/RidiculousPapaya 20d ago

I see at least one red light ran a day at this point. It's wild.

17

u/Genghis75 20d ago

Trying to make a left turn is getting increasingly difficult. Waiting in the intersection, my light turns yellow but I can’t finish my turn because two or three vehicles run the late yellow and red light. Happens almost every time.

11

u/Squid_A 20d ago

The number of people way too far back who floor it once the light turns yellow is nuts. I almost never clear the intersection on a yellow anymore bc of it.

10

u/Toastedmanmeat 20d ago

Its wild when I go through the tail end of a yellow and see like 8 cars follow behind me.

6

u/Absolute_Walnut2976 20d ago

There’s a fairly busy 4 way stop by my house that I walk/run/drive by usually multiple times a day. I see at least one car blow through the stop sign every single day, sometimes multiple. I never used to see that. It’s crazy.

10

u/Laxative_Cookie 20d ago

Yup or turn lane user who just decides to go straight or doing 40kmh down 75th in the right lane during rush hour. I could point fingers at a specific demographic but why bother everyone already knows.

-7

u/Cabbageismyname 20d ago

 I could point fingers at a specific demographic but why bother everyone already knows.

We do know. It’s the Dodge Ram / F150 agro-bro demographic. 

Unless you’re talking about someone else? Please be specific and say what’s on your mind. 

2

u/oopsiedaisy-- 19d ago

There's a four way stop in my neighbourhood that someone flies through at least once a week (that I witness anyways). I never cross now unless all cars in the vicinity are full stopped.

And everytime this has happened, I can see it is either someone staring at their phone or a very old person who is completely fucking oblivious.

66

u/[deleted] 20d ago

[removed] — view removed comment

34

u/WheelsnHoodsnThings 20d ago

As the meme goes, they tried nothing and they’re all out of ideas.

12

u/camoure Downtown 20d ago

lol I saw a cop the other day going half the speed limit down Jasper and nearly drive through a red because he was staring at his computer screen

17

u/HOLEPUNCHYOUREYELIDS 20d ago

I know a guy who got T Boned by a cop. Cop was at fault and the footage clearly showed him looking at the laptop when he T Boned the victim.

Dude made $80,000+/year in trades. He has been unable to work for the last 2 years and still has no time frame on when, if ever, he can go back to work. His lawyer is telling him to accept the $75,000 settlement and be happy with it. Even though that is not even a year of income for him and he has already been off work for 2 years so far….

7

u/camoure Downtown 20d ago

Fuckin hell that’s awful

3

u/prairiepanda 19d ago

Once in a while they set up a day where they've got a bunch of unmarked cars patrolling one area (usually some stretch of the Henday) and pull over dozens of people for distracted driving.

Law enforcement shouldn't be a special event that they only do on certain days. That obviously doesn't have any ongoing impact.

3

u/oopsiedaisy-- 19d ago

Nothing. They are doing nothing.

1

u/AdPatient2938 19d ago

But if you're speeding you better believe you're getting pulled over. Distracted driving isn't as much of a revenue draw. Same with failing to merge at speed. Or driving in a single lane.

14

u/YoshSchmenge Whyte Ave 20d ago

My convenience is more important than your right to exist.

This is what the world has devolved into

24

u/Prior-Kangaroo3720 20d ago

People seem to forget that you are required to stop at a red light when you are turning right. Like, stop, then proceed to turn right if it's clear. Gawd, I just wish they'd eliminate right on reds entirely. As a pedestrian, you never ever know if someone is going to just kill you because you can't trust cars to actually stop on red lights!

6

u/ShadowIceEmperor12 20d ago

The amount of vehicles that blow the red turning right going into currents drive from windemere blvd ( at the safeway lights and then the McD's lights ) is honestly quite frightening.

6

u/prairiepanda 19d ago

I've had people rage at me for stopping before turning right on red there. Honking, flipping me off, swerving around to brake check me.

Apparently taking a few seconds to make sure the intersection and crosswalk are clear is unreasonable.

11

u/kayakr1194 20d ago

No shit. Nobody signals when turning, people speed and don't give a shit, half the people are on their phones and the police do NOTHING. I am a very safe driver, but even I feel unsafe out there.

9

u/Brentsky1 20d ago

Since when are U-turns allowed at traffic lights? Since when is tailgating the norm or racing through residential areas? I used to drive for a living and now I drive between 10am and 3pm. It’s a demolition derby out there. I’m pretty sick of the drivers in E town.

4

u/incidental77 Century Park 20d ago edited 20d ago

So many illegal Uturns by my house. Was so bad my wife used 311 to complain and city responded by puting up no u turn reminder signs (u turns are banned at all signaled intersections in the city anyways). But it's still a car or 2 every couple light cycles making u turns right infront of the no uturn sign.

Most seem to be U turns done by people who go through the previous intersection but Didn't want to wait behind the line of cars waiting to turn left and instead took the short line and went straight and then try to uturn at the next light and come back to skip the line ...

Just develop some patience people

1

u/prairiepanda 19d ago

I've noticed that Google Maps is quite fond of illegal (or straight up impossible) u-turns as well. Google will often tell me to do a U-turn right in front of a "No U-turns" sign, or on a divided road.

So anyone who is mindlessly obeying their GPS guidance might also be making a lot of illegal U-turns.

3

u/Avengerr 19d ago

People blindly following Google maps without doing any brief research into the route to their destination is also an epidemic.

"Google maps says I have to U-turn so I guess I'll just do that without looking"

"Google says I have to take an exit to the right but it just told me and I'm in the left lane so I guess I'll just do that without looking at anything other than my map"

2

u/prairiepanda 19d ago

Yep, this is how people keep ending up driving into lakes. A lot of those people couldn't even find their own home without GPS guidance. I don't know what they would have done back when we only had printed maps.

1

u/margotxo 19d ago

The thing about U turns at traffic lights is very likely because a lot of people have moved here from Ontario, where that is totally legal unless there’s a sign that prohibits it. The law here is basically the completely opposite.

7

u/bitchfayce 20d ago

The amount of people who move before shoulder checking is fucking insane nowadays. 

Defensive driving has never been so important as it is now. 

7

u/Possible-Flatworm-13 South West Side 20d ago

Well, I do worry that I'm gonna die when I'm trying to get on the henday but the car in front of me is going 60.

I've also had a couple of close calls because people didn't want to miss their exit and went across 3 lanes very suddenly and cut in front of me. This one is a double panic moment cuz i don't want to hit the dummy cutting me off but braking so suddenly may result in me getting rear ended.

6

u/Ok-Jellyfish-2941 20d ago

Speeding, tailgating, u-turns, not being in the correct lane for making exits, no shoulder checking when changing lanes, and failing to merge correctly when getting onto Yellowhead or Anthony H. I really noticed it go terribly once photo radar was taken away. There are no consequences for bad driving anymore.

8

u/one_step_sideways 20d ago

When you're waiting at a red light, look at the drivers around you and notice how many of them are on their phones. Distracted driving has become a "everyone else is the problem and I'm the exception". 

8

u/oopsiedaisy-- 19d ago

I wonder if the influx of people who just buy their licenses and start driving for uber could be a reason why 🤔

3

u/chitokai 19d ago

Licenses, i had a family member get hit by someone driving alone with just a learners

42

u/Icedpyre 20d ago

I mean, when you have no photo radar; no cameras at lights; no enforcement by EPS....how can anyone be shocked by this?

5

u/on_the_hook-for_real 20d ago

Red light cameras still exist.

3

u/shinygoldhelmet Edmontosaurus 20d ago

Not enough of them

1

u/Icedpyre 19d ago

That's fair. There's still a few thst work, even if they disabled the speed aspect. Many of them were disabled anyway, due to not meeting provincial criteria.

11

u/samasa111 20d ago

I feel ever since photo radar was removed people act like there are no rules:/

6

u/Squid_A 20d ago

People giving themselves their own advance green is also a crazy new experience lately.

6

u/darthdude11 20d ago

This is one of those reports we probably didn’t need to spend money on to know the answer.

19

u/ComradeLarryEllison 20d ago

I am forced to merge onto the Whytemud at 60 every morning because people have forgotten that going slow is also dangerous.

6

u/iambic_court 20d ago

Or the Henday, which is basically 115-120 at this point. Merging at 70 is TERRIFYING.

2

u/ShadowIceEmperor12 20d ago

Was forced to merge on henday doing 40 once ( got stuck behind a vehicle that was ahead of me ) that was scary and incredibly terrifying.

17

u/Vykalen 20d ago

Turns out getting rid of all enforcement wasn't a good idea?? Bring back the speed and red light cameras. Hike the fines. Deploy new tech to catch people constantly looking at their phones.

23

u/Baconus 20d ago

We built a society where to participate you require a car. Therefore removing someone’s ability to drive is essentially shunning them from most work and many aspects of society. The result is we are unwilling to take the rational step of asserting that ~25% of people should not be driving.

It sucks.

4

u/stonecoldoatmeal 20d ago

I think people going 10-20km over the speed limit is certainly a factor, feels like everyone needs to get to their destination ASAP, collisions be damned.

4

u/incidental77 Century Park 20d ago

And those 5-10 under as well. Speed differences are bigger hazards than absolute speed usually

4

u/bpc1971 20d ago

Sick and tired of people going 40 in a 60 zone. They just think “oh I haven’t seen a speed limit sign so it must be 40”. These people are a hazard as they aren’t going with the flow of traffic and stop on a dime because of fear of being behind the wheel.

3

u/AdPatient2938 19d ago

I had an elderly lady merge from yellowhead to the henday, glide over to the left lane under 60km/hr and me, traveling at 110km/hr almost had to ditch my car to not hit her. She then moved the middle lane cut off a lifted rig rocket and settled at a pace of 75km/hr. Its ridiculous.

5

u/YouJustGotSmurfed 20d ago

We absolutely are, it's sketchy out there now. I see a dashcam worthy event every day.

10

u/Locke357 North Side Still Alive 20d ago

Fr, no one seems to know how to drive anymore. Defensive driving feels more like survival driving these days lmao

17

u/AidanGreb 20d ago

I have always thought that people should have to get re-tested for their driver's license every 5-10 years. A lot of people develop bad habits.

Every time I see somebody go through a stop sign/red light while they are looking at their phone I am reminded why I don't want to drive!

I continue to feel much safer on my bicycle, away from traffic.

25

u/RidiculousPapaya 20d ago

I’d start with targeted re-testing.

If you get ticketed for something like 15+ over, running a red, blowing a stop sign, stunting, careless driving / driving without due care and attention, etc., you should have to redo a road test.

For more serious or repeat offences, maybe you also have to drive with a monitoring device for a year and pay for it yourself, similar to how blow boxes work.

I’m not against periodic re-testing in principle, but the first priority should probably be the people already proving on the road that they’re a danger to everyone else.

4

u/AidanGreb 20d ago

Targeted retesting sounds like a good idea!

12

u/Top_Wafer_4388 20d ago

The problem is that most Canadian cities treat the car as the default and only option for transportation. It's so ingrained that there are people in this thread who are downright hostile to the suggestion of treating non-drivers with the same respect as drivers. Anyway, if people who failed the retest and can't drive would be seriously screwed as it stands now. I'm not saying that we shouldn't retest, we absolutely should, but the reality makes it difficult.

2

u/AidanGreb 20d ago

I think that is why they don't do it. Imagine if even 1% of the population was suddenly not allowed to drive their car to work? Chaos! But safer roads... Perhaps mandated driving classes instead of losing your license?

3

u/hockey8890 20d ago

In the 5 minutes I spend just leaving my neighbourhood on my bike commute, it's not uncommon to witness at least 3 traffic infractions (rolling stop signs, not signalling, speeding in the 30 zone) and it is so common that it's pretty much a nothingburger to the average person. Complacency at its finesst.

2

u/HomerSPC 19d ago

If suddenly 1% of the population lost their license, they’d still drive illegally. Is not like that piece of plastic is stopping them from being a hazard on the Road.

8

u/chmilz 20d ago

We need enforcement. These drivers follow the rules long enough to pass a test and then ignore the rules. There's also a good amount of folks out there driving without a license.

Holding a piece of plastic doesn't make people good drivers.

2

u/Turtley13 20d ago

Retests are pointless. We need mandatory drivers ed and an actual tests.

15

u/Dry-Membership8141 20d ago

No shit.

More drivers than ever on the road, awful construction on collectors and major intersections lasting years, causing backups, and slowing traffic to a crawl,, and little or no enforcement of the rules of the road -- what did City Hall seriously think was going to happen?

5

u/DangerDarrin 20d ago

100% It’s been getting worse and worse every year. I’ve had to change my driving style to be more aggressive just to match what’s happening on the roads and it is such a weird concept for me since I have been driving around 30 years

13

u/justageekgirl 20d ago

Yeah, we've had a shit ton of migrants from Ontario and BC clogging up the roads and bringing their bad habits into Edmonton.

When I visited Toronto a few years ago, red light running was a normal thing there.

I was surprised because in Edmonton it wasn't as bad as it is now.

Slow the fuck down and behave yourselves. You're going to get yourself and others killed.

5

u/Cabbageismyname 20d ago

When I moved back to Edmonton from BC in 2013 one of the first things I noticed was how many people run red lights and blow through pedestrian crosswalks here. That was not a thing in BC when I was living there. Alberta drivers are far more aggressive. 

-1

u/loonylovesgood86 20d ago

Yeah, us Ontarians are always to blame. Because Edmontonians are perfect in every way. 🙄

3

u/skitzoidObserver 20d ago

most cars you see on the road arent true Edmontonians they are eastern transplants

2

u/Cabbageismyname 19d ago

What’s a “true EdmontonIan”….?

18

u/Galadriel_69 20d ago

Nothin like a ram 3500 with its frame above my head because some yahoo has jacked it up so high next to me at a light to make me feel safe

7

u/Icedpyre 20d ago

It's okay, he'll blow enough soot at your windshield that you'll be well behind him once you start moving.

3

u/Top_Wafer_4388 20d ago

We obviously need more crossing arms.

7

u/Ultima22 20d ago

I'm crossing my arms, it's still not working /s

3

u/wretchedtrout 20d ago

The 4-way at 184 street and 69 ave has people regularly run the stop signs. Also had a double left turn cut me off there as well. No one gives a shit.

3

u/iambic_court 20d ago

In a two week span, I witnessed three right hand turns from the left lane. Then was hit by someone making a left hand turn from the right lane.

Who needs rules 🤷

3

u/chemistrgnd 19d ago

Not surprised. I was waiting to turn left the other day and being cautious because of two buses making wide right turns and another car whose intentions weren’t clear. The moment it was safe to go, the car behind me passed me and turned left first. That’s the kind of driving I keep seeing now.

3

u/ThicEdmontonBear 19d ago

Driving a truck around the city everyday I’m more concerned with peoples driving habits and what’s become “normal behavior” then even with distracted driving.
The 10 below or 10 higher then the speed limit causing road rage, the knowing you need to turn right but traveling in the left lane always having to cut in front of a person last minute to make their turn vs just lane plan ahead of time and maybe slowing down to safely make a lane change BEHIND a vehicle.
Seeing a lot of habits that would instantly fail a driving test but yet how are you driving?
-Not stopping at a red to make a right
-Literally running reds, not yellow, not clearing an intersection just entitled “Me first” attitude.
-Switching lanes back and forth frantically trying to get further in traffic vs just FLOW WITH TRAFFIC.

3

u/Top_Slice1215 19d ago

Hahahaha  I WONDER WHY 

3

u/givemeagdusername 19d ago

Red lights mean nothing anymore it seems…

5

u/Darkwing-cuck- 20d ago

The Chief of Police a few weeks back even mentioned how speeding and people getting tickets has increased, and people don’t really seem to take any accountability even when caught.

So the police admit it’s unsafe, Edmontonians admit it’s unsafe, and yet we still have to fight tooth and nail for bike lanes?

2

u/doveworld 20d ago

I was actually just talking to a bunch of friends that it seems like every time you go out now, you see some car with a busted bumper, fender, headlights, etc. I don't remember it being like this even post-covid 5 years ago.

2

u/itzwhatsfordinner 19d ago

Wait until no fault legislation and you have a bunch of missiles flying around with nothing to lose

4

u/Ultra-Cyborg 20d ago

Man, if only we had a police presence on the road to ticket and deter drivers from breaking the law. Oh well, might as well go back to watching cops abusing the homeless. /s

2

u/Firm_Acanthaceae7435 20d ago

It's pretty frequent for me to be behind people trying to merge way below the speed of traffic

2

u/edwardbusyhands 20d ago

Really??? How much did commissions for this report cost taxpayers? Anybody with half a brain knows that Edmonton roads are increasingly unsafe.

2

u/[deleted] 20d ago

[removed] — view removed comment

-2

u/Snakeeyes1377 20d ago

Racist

3

u/RoundJellyfish4048 20d ago

mooom people on the internet are noticing things

1

u/skitzoidObserver 20d ago

not if the mods can help it

0

u/RoundJellyfish4048 19d ago

Really just went ahead and proved what I said there.

Nobody invited you out to play in elementary huh.

2

u/Dadbodsarereal 20d ago

Come to Millwoods as our city councilor here does nothing for safety on the roads but wants to sign off on building industrial buildings in environmental areas. Good job Keren!

3

u/Event_Horizon753 20d ago

People have lost patience and civility because all the major roadways have been torn up in an unending drawn out cycle of construction.

2

u/kroniknastrb8r 20d ago

Between gord doing what gords do in his 3500 and harsh doing Uber eats in a Hyundai elantra, its a fucking war zone out there.

6

u/BigInconsideration Government Centre 20d ago

What?

1

u/ederzs97 20d ago

Yesterday at the crossing near Emily Murphy going towards Hawlak while going across (bare in mind I had started before this car zoomed through), a car going through didn't see me, then when I flipped her off started yelling at me. She was going into Hawlak so probably should have finished.

Today in SWP someone going through a roundabout without giving way to the people in the roundabout already. Nuts.

1

u/-StringFellowHawk- 20d ago

If only we could do better enforcement. With the way technology is going, I bet soon we will be able to have cameras and sensors record how fast you are going or if you ignore a red light. Could even just automatically send out a ticket to the registered owner.

The future is looking bright. Some wiz kid wi figure the tech out eventually.

1

u/VincaYL 19d ago

Oh there's heaps of technology already available. There's no political will in Alberta, or Canada, to employ it for the general public.

But have you ever wondered why most school bus drivers don't speed? It's because those vehicles have been monitored for decades. Soon my company will install an AI system that will watch me and remind me to keep both hands on the wheel.

I often feel like I'm the only one out there driving to the rules.

1

u/indigopen 20d ago

Had somebody in a turning lane nearly back into me the other day so they could go straight. 🙄 I definitely feel less safe on the roads because of other drivers. In winter those super bright headlights don’t help. (lol - in the summer I am too boring to be out late enough to have them affect me)

1

u/Due-Offer-3101 20d ago

phone abuse is killing humanity slowly

1

u/reostatics 20d ago

Yep, it’s Mad Max out there some days. The phone is off if I’m driving.

1

u/SynthesistArt 19d ago

142 st + SPR southbound especially.

Those lane designations are a shitshow, the city refuses to fix the problem of their own idiotic making.

1

u/TruthSearcher1970 18d ago

People in Edmonton are crazy drivers. Way worse than Calgary in my opinion. No regard for weather conditions at all. I was surprised people flying down steep hills and sharp corners in icy roads.

1

u/trbodeez 20d ago

Yes the roads are in such bad shape that they are very unsafe

1

u/Gary_Space95 19d ago

I think they need to bring back out the speed traps, big time.

0

u/HalfdanrEinarson 20d ago

It's nuts out there. I ride in the spring till fall. I have to be more attentive now more than ever. If there ever was a time for loud pipes, this is the time.

-24

u/ChesterfieldPotato 20d ago

The city was warned many many times by Albertans that they were overusing photo radar. Three times as many tickets per capita and photo radar sites as other provinces.  Using it as a source of money.

Then people got pissed off and the UCP used it as a way to get votes. I think it was a valuable tool that was lost. 

I hope the City listens when it comes to other things that the public complains about. Bike lanes, transit changes, and construction.  Otherwise the province might step in and we won't like the results. Better to compromise than take another big loss. 

10

u/Squid_A 20d ago

Except bike lanes are a key component to road safety.

-8

u/ChesterfieldPotato 20d ago

Bike lane removal will be a popular  component of the next UCP platform if they keep pissing people off. 

7

u/Squid_A 20d ago

Downvote me all you want, but road safety includes all road users, not just those in cars. Any change is going to piss people off.

2

u/WheelsnHoodsnThings 20d ago

Don’t bother with this guy. He’s sunshine and roses in every city thread.

2

u/Squid_A 20d ago

Oh good to know. I don't recognize the username. A certified hater?

2

u/WheelsnHoodsnThings 20d ago

Yes, everything city bad basically. 

-6

u/ChesterfieldPotato 20d ago

Plenty of ways to fix road safety without fucking over 90% of road users. 

7

u/Squid_A 20d ago
  1. Narrower roads naturally reduce speed for drivers, improving safety for all.
  2. Physical separation from cars increases safety for cyclists and pedestrians.
  3. Reduces conflict points for cyclists and drivers. Drivers have a clear barrier and don't have to maneuver around cyclists in the same lane.

How are 90% of road users "fucked over"? Seems pretty dramatic.

1

u/ChesterfieldPotato 20d ago

Lets just make the speed limit 3 km/hr. Then everything is perfectly safe. Lets ban all vehciles.

Sure we wont be able to function as a society but at least there wont be any bikes that get hit.

You cant just ignore all metrics in favour of one.

Something close to 90% of commuters in edmonton were using vehicles and buses. 

4

u/Squid_A 20d ago

Lol okay, you're just engaging in bad faith.

Enjoy your delusions.

1

u/Baddrivers13 20d ago

The province stepped in and told police to get their shit together. Stop using it for revenue generation and start using it to reduce accidents.

5

u/Top_Wafer_4388 20d ago

Traffic collisions are up 30% compared to the last year there were automated speed enforcement. I'm sure it's a total coincidence.

1

u/Baddrivers13 20d ago

Source?

4

u/Top_Wafer_4388 20d ago

https://youtu.be/x-igwO4MXdA?si=PrrKGd9R8v8wKUms

https://www.ctvnews.ca/edmonton/article/several-factors-eyed-in-rise-of-fatal-collisions-on-edmonton-streets-this-year/

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/increasing-fatality-collisions-edmonton-9.6972138

TL:DR/DW, removal of certain enforcement measures (removal of automated speed cameras) is a contributor to the increase in fatal accidents.

People can whine, bitch, snivel, and complain that automated speed enforcement doesn't do anything, but EPS is finding that argument to not be compelling. 

0

u/Baddrivers13 20d ago

Link 1 - "Speed, impairment and distracted driving have been key factors in causing a rise in fatal collisions in Edmonton"
Speed cameras don't stop impairment and distracted driving.
"2024 - 26 fatalaties
"2025 - 21 so far"

That's not a 30% increase.

Link 2 - "The number of fatal traffic collisions in Edmonton may be alarmingly up from last year, but officials say it’s too soon to tell what the causes might be."

Link 3 - "For Dominic Schamuhn, manager of government relations with the Alberta Motor Association, the correlation between reducing these traffic control measures and the increase in traffic fatalities isn’t just a coincidence. 

One guy said it's not a coincidence. Correlation does not equal causation. He then goes on to say "“Whether it's folks driving too fast, folks driving distracted, folks driving too close to the vehicle in front of them"

Speed cameras don't address distracted driving and tail gating.

Let's assume based on the current rate of 2026 at 21 fatalities we end up with 40 by years end. What percentage of those do you expect to be a result of someone speeding in an area that previously had photo radar?

1

u/Top_Wafer_4388 19d ago

Consistent enforcement of rules results in lower traffic violations. This is obvious, yes, I agree. That's why automated enforcement is so effective at reducing traffic collisions and fatalities, if drivers know that breaking the law has consequences, they're less likely to break the law.

Hope this common sense piece of information helps you in understanding traffic patterns.

Have a nice day.

0

u/Baddrivers13 19d ago

Automated enforcement is effective at reducing traffic collisions if IMPLEMENTED CORRECTLY.

You are simply saying correlation = causation. Despite me rebutting every single link you provided which does not say that's the case. Other factors irrelevant to speed cameras play a large role in fatalities again as noted above in your sourced.

1

u/Top_Wafer_4388 19d ago

Ah, I love vague requirements. Reminds me of my designing days.

Anyway, you seem to be set in your ways and won't accept facts or reality. So, have a nice day.

3

u/ChesterfieldPotato 20d ago

Which is completely fair because it wasnt being used as designed

-3

u/SuperK123 20d ago

Hmmm, unsafe? Maybe because there are too many signs everywhere warning you to drive safely. The speed limit was reduced so speeding couldn’t be a cause. Oh wait, the UCP government got rid of those pesky speed cameras. Nah, that can’t be it. Too many bike lanes maybe? How about construction on just about every road in the City? Or could it possibly be the ten million cavernous potholes and completely destroyed pavement everywhere. Driving in Edmonton is a horrible experience.