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Roads: Ontario/GTA Highways Discussion

Neutrino said:
Blew a tire today after going over a ridiculously bad pot hole I didn't see in the dark. What's the process for filing a claim against the city?
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www.toronto.ca

Pothole Claims

When making a claim against the City for pothole damages it’s important to note that the City will not be responsible for your property damage if it has met the Provincial “Minimum Maintenance Standards for Highways in the City of Toronto” (MMS). Ontario Regulation 612/06: Minimum Maintenance...
www.toronto.ca www.toronto.ca

I've had to do this before. If you can, go back to the spot and take a picture of the pothole (do this before filing the claim, because the city will send a repair crew as soon as you do). Make sure you have the address where it happened as well (if it's already been fixed the city will have records of having repaired it).
 
BurlOak said:
How does a minimum speed work? Is it essentially the as having a minimum speed that is simply "unreasonably safe", compared to having a fixed number (i.e.70 km/h). In either case, a slow driver would argue the conditions weren't ideal, there were potholes or pavement cracks to avoid, or whatnot. After all, I don't think we expect vehicles to travel the minimum (i.e. 70), regardless of the weather.
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I have no idea how the legislation reads in the jurisdictions that have them (I forgot that some also have night speeds - or at least used to).

The problem with enforcement with Ontario's 'unnecessary slow driving' section of the HTA is that it is poorly worded. There was a case up here a few years ago where a driver was charged for toddling along at 40 in an 80 zone (or something like that) and it was tossed because the driver convinced the JP that they were not comfortable driving on a highway so therefore it was 'necessary' (being a lousy driver is a defence apparently). That is a problem with enforcement with a lot of our driving laws; some judges/JPs simply won't convict. It is almost impossible to convict somebody with 'following too closely' in the GTA unless there is a collision. There is no precedent law in the lower courts and this stuff never get appealed, but when the cops keep getting their charges tossed, after a while they just stop trying,
 
It depends a lot on context. If we have two people on the 401, one driving 50 in the right lane with their flashers on, and another driving 95 in the left lane, the driver in the left lane is a bigger problem than the one in the right lane. There's a lot of totally valid reasons for someone to drive slowly, as long as they do so in a way that's mindful of all the other cars on the highway (i.e. putting on their flashers, staying all the way to the right and getting off the highway as soon as they can).
 
Steve X said:
The 400 north of Barrie should really be 130 km/h in day times. Slower limit at night to reduce collision with wildlife is necessary. There's barely any traffic there.
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On problem with higher limits in the more remote areas, such as Hwy 400 north of Waubaushene is that this is no practical alternate route and so has to tolerate more mixed use. I'm also not sure about higher limits on a road without full paved shoulders.

As mentioned, one problem with wide-spread variable speed limits, in addition to the costs of signage, networking, etc. is who or what makes the change decisions. Regardless of the criteria established, it implies the cost of a network control centre(s). I'm also not unclear how enforcement works.
 
lenaitch said:
On problem with higher limits in the more remote areas, such as Hwy 400 north of Waubaushene is that this is no practical alternate route and so has to tolerate more mixed use. I'm also not sure about higher limits on a road without full paved shoulders.

As mentioned, one problem with wide-spread variable speed limits, in addition to the costs of signage, networking, etc. is who or what makes the change decisions. Regardless of the criteria established, it implies the cost of a network control centre(s). I'm also not unclear how enforcement works.
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It can be much simpler. I recall driving in France and seeing variable speed limits set with a photo of a sun and a 130 limit and a rain cloud with a 110 limit beside it. If you want lower night limits it's the same thing - sun for the day limit, moon for the night limit.
 
amnesiajune said:
It depends a lot on context. If we have two people on the 401, one driving 50 in the right lane with their flashers on, and another driving 95 in the left lane, the driver in the left lane is a bigger problem than the one in the right lane. There's a lot of totally valid reasons for someone to drive slowly, as long as they do so in a way that's mindful of all the other cars on the highway (i.e. putting on their flashers, staying all the way to the right and getting off the highway as soon as they can).
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I'll agree that context comes into your scenario but, properly, only in the short term. A vehicle that experiences a mechanical problem (or an emergent driver problem) can be allowed to slow down so they safely exit the roadway (travelled portion). Ideally this would be the right shoulder but could be the left if that urgent. Outside of some areas of the 401 through Toronto, this should take a few hundred feet. Somebody doing 50 with their flashers on because they are heading for the next interchange, or because they are scared (the 'knuckles and eyeballs' driver), or pulling a beat-up trailer, or any other reason, is neither safe nor acceptable.
The vehicle doing 95 is only a "bigger problem" than the one doing 50 because of its inherent energy and the differential between the two.
The reality is that limited access highways are designed, intended and used for high speed traffic; to get traffic quickly and safely from one point to another. In terms of safe traffic flow, the expectation is that all vehicles will, generally, be travelling the same speed. If one wants to go to Windsor at 50k, there are several other routes. There is a reason they don't allow bicycles and motorized wheelchairs on the 401, no matter how many flashing lights and flags they may display.
 
innsertnamehere said:
It can be much simpler. I recall driving in France and seeing variable speed limits set with a photo of a sun and a 130 limit and a rain cloud with a 110 limit beside it. If you want lower night limits it's the same thing - sun for the day limit, moon for the night limit.
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Quite possibly. No doubt, variable speed limits are in place in other nations and they apparently work. It all depends on how the enabling legislation is structured. In your example, is the speed limit 110 when it's raining? When a rain cloud is visible (does it need to be a "rain cloud" or does generally overcast count)? Lightly spitting rain? Drizzling? Downpour? These are the things that need to be addressed (I assume French drivers and the gendarmiere know what the symbol means). 'Day' and 'night' are easier concepts - they are defined in the Act, although I would hazard a guess most drivers don't know what they are.
 
ssiguy2 said:
What they could do is have 120 during the spring/summer/fall and remain 100 during the winter months. Dec21 to March 21 which is officially winter would be a very easy time frame for people to remember. Certainly having electronic variable speed signs up would be ideal but also extremely costly having to put up electronic signs every km in the huge 400 series.
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The Netherlands does that, with speed limits that vary by lane and time of day, lane closure notifications, etc. Of course they're not afraid of a little extra tax here and there to pay for such luxuries. They 'get it' in a way that we just don't seem to over here... :(
 
110 km/hr is the norm in Western Canada outside the core of the big cities even on non-freeway roads like HWY#1 on the Prairies and BC even has 120 on the Coquihalla. BC has however seen an increase in accidents since Krusty raised the limits but most of that has been on the Coquihalla/Okanagan Connector which goes thru the mountains with very steep in/declines.

An electronic variable speed limit system would be ideal but would costs a lot to implement. Netherlands may have it but it is a very small country where you are basically always in an urban zone. I must admit I've never understood the need for those signs in congested areas. Even if you want to drive at 150, the traffic level dictates how fast you can go.
 
BurlOak said:
How does a minimum speed work? Is it essentially the as having a minimum speed that is simply "unreasonably safe", compared to having a fixed number (i.e.70 km/h). In either case, a slow driver would argue the conditions weren't ideal, there were potholes or pavement cracks to avoid, or whatnot. After all, I don't think we expect vehicles to travel the minimum (i.e. 70), regardless of the weather.
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I was driving in Quebec when i noticed they also have minimum speed limits on major highways.
speedlimits.JPG
 
ssiguy2 said:
Netherlands may have it but it is a very small country where you are basically always in an urban zone.
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Like everything between London and Oshawa.

I must admit I've never understood the need for those signs in congested areas. Even if you want to drive at 150, the traffic level dictates how fast you can go.
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That's where it absolutely shines. There's a gantry every few hundred meters with a sign over each individual lane to tell you the limit for that lane, if you need to move left or right, or if it's completely closed. There's no waiting for a police car or blocker truck with cones to respond to an incident. I'd take it over what we (haven't) got any day of the week., shut up and take my tax money.
 
Looks like Hwy 407 will be expanding lanes again. This doesn't appear to be a listed project on 407ETR's website. The section between Hwy 401 and Hwy 410 has no left shoulder as the barriers have been moved up against the left lane in both directions. I was quite amused by the "No left shoulder next 17 km" signs as I was driving along. Some preparatory works appear to be starting in the median. This section is currently 4 lanes each direction.
 
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