Expressway Construction

[u/Patient-Gold-9583]

It’s a 70 zone right? I’m not crazy? The signs say 70 when passing through the Victoria/Frederick part of the highway. Everyone driving through there goes at least 100, many people go 110 or 120, even though this is considered stunt driving (40km/h above limit, up to a year license suspension).

How come people are oblivious to the 70kmh speed limit here. It seems unsafe for the construction workers and even for the structure being made at Frederick.

[u/Yolo_Swaggins_Yeet]

People aren’t oblivious they’re just used to driving that area at those speeds and most people are still doing it so they follow suite.. Also there’s like 0 enforcement from what I’ve seen driving in the area

[u/alexandurp → u/Yolo_Swaggins_Yeet]

Seen a cop with a radar once since they started, and I drive past it every day to get to work

[u/bylo_selhi → u/Yolo_Swaggins_Yeet]

This is Ontario where the speed limit signs means in practice, "You can do up to 20km/hr over the posted limit and no one will care, not even the cops."

One strange thing about this is that if a cop car does 100 on the 401, few cars will pass it. Then once the cop exits everyone resumes their 120+ speeds, Stranger still, when I've passed cop cars slowly at 105 few people ever follow me. And yet again, as soon as the cop exits everyone resumes their normal speeds. Crazy.

[u/get_hi_on_life → u/bylo_selhi]

It's not even no one will care, you will be honked and high beams flashed at if you don't also go 20 over. It's insane.

[u/Yolo_Swaggins_Yeet → u/bylo_selhi]

Yep pretty much this, 5-10km over on city streets, ~20 over on highways. Typical for me and I’ve never even been pulled over before, driving for 15 years

[u/EDtheROCKSTAR]

I'd put it down to the 'people drive to the condition of the road'

In a 'normal' construction zone, there are no barricades and its possible that a worker could step into the active lane as part of their process.

On the expressway, there are the large concrete barricades present, so there is next-to-no chance that someone would step into the highway. Making it 'safer' to travel at higher speeds.

all that and zero enforcement.

[u/BetterTransit]

Speed limit signs are meaningless unless there is effective enforcement and there is very little enforcement

[u/stampedebill]

While work started a year ago, there has been relatively little work being done out there .

I feel contractor barrier work needs a huge overhaul and not just this work site. I often see barrels and lane closure signage on roads when there is no reason for it . I feel like the general motoring public starts to disregard all of it

[u/Xarkar]

Welcome to the Region of Waterloo.

When was the last time anyone saw ANY type of traffic enforcment? Stop signs those are merely suggestions at this point.

I dont get why they do not enforce the expressway. They could literally set up radar and be charging people with 40-50 over all day long. I slow down to 80 and feel like I am doing 70 on the 401 lol.

[u/Brutal-Fam8804 → u/Xarkar]

Isn't automated speed monitoring (ie radar) now illegal in Ontario? I'm curious if Doug wants more collisions, more deaths, more suffering because its better for business across the board.

[u/MikeTheCleaningLady]

I drive through it every night on the way to work, and yes most people are doing 110 to 120 even though it's a posted 70 km/h zone. I'm not oblivious to the posted signs, but I will keep up with mainstream traffic. Driving at the posted limit instead of the flow of traffic can easily get someone killed on an expressway.

It's not really a huge danger to the workers or bridge structure, as they're fairly well protected by concrete and steel barriers. And at times when the risk factor is high, they will post an OPP cruiser or two at the site toe further encourage motorists to slow down.

[u/superbad → u/[deleted]]

They are white. Orange speed signs were mostly phased out several years ago specifically because they weren't enforceable.

[u/Super_Hans2020]

If i see workers I'll slow it down, but until then i just join the flow. If you want to keep doing 70, do it in the right lane

[u/8rnalOptimist]

Add to that the Fairway and Lackner 40 zones, extended now past the new high school at Old Zeller. Fairway used to be 60 through there, and it seems like I'm the only driver aware that it's now 40. People fly up behind me doing more like 80, flash their brights at me, swerve around and pass me without braking, all the fun ignorant dangerous driver behaviour. If cameras hadn't been banned by Dougie Mobster, there'd be way better behaviour, but “cash grab!!1!”

[u/JM_Amiens-18 → u/8rnalOptimist]

I find that area in particular is especially bad for psychotic and impatient drivers, ironically right around the school.

[u/no1SomeGuy → u/8rnalOptimist]

That's because 40 on those zones out there is ridiculous and stupid. It should still be 60, despite the new school.

[u/Fuzzlechan → u/no1SomeGuy]

They shouldn’t have put the 40 zone on that side of the school! I see no reason why it couldn’t have been on Thaler like it was with the old school.

[u/Brutal-Fam8804 → u/no1SomeGuy]

It should be 60 so you can drive 80, right?

[u/no1SomeGuy → u/Brutal-Fam8804]

It should be 80 so I can drive 80.

[u/Brutal-Fam8804 → u/no1SomeGuy]

It should be 80 so people can drive 100 without being pulled over. That's the culture.

[u/AiryGateaux]

Welcome to post pandemic driving. I hate it too

[u/MasPisco → u/AiryGateaux]

This isn't really new behaviour though

[u/Brutal-Fam8804 → u/MasPisco]

Pre-pandemic, yes we lived in a culture of haste and entitlement, but yea it really is challenging to tell if it's worse or not post-pandemic.

[u/Mflms → u/AiryGateaux]

Did you not drive before the pandemic...? It's the same.

[u/AiryGateaux → u/Mflms]

No, it's about 10km/h faster, but people are more aggressive on top of that

[u/Mflms → u/AiryGateaux]

Not my experience.

[u/robtaggart77]

Forget the speed limits, anybody see the bike in the middle lane of the expressway by fairview Rd exit yesterday around 12:30? I witnessed two vehicles smoke it head on! This is the second bike I have seen in less than a week on area highways. How stupid are people that can't properly secure a load? Stay off the roads please!

[u/dee90909 → u/robtaggart77]

I've seen a scooter 2x! I also noticed someone set up a blue tent right beside the highway yesterday lol

[u/robtaggart77 → u/dee90909]

Crazy!! I did see the tent as well. Interesting location

[u/simonsays-11]

Like how often do you see OPP there? There is virtually no enforcement.

[u/RedditFandango]

Have yet to pass when a construction worker is present and the sign always says 70

[u/noodleexchange]

Weren't we promised giant effing speed limit signs to replace the speed cameras that were ripped out? You know, the 'common sense' solution?

[u/robtaggart77 → u/noodleexchange]

They were done, at least in my area. Flashing lights and everything. Pretty nice actually, seem to be working just fine

[u/noodleexchange → u/robtaggart77]

Not according to OP. Its literately virtue signalling

[u/No_Display9613]

When I’m on Full Self Driving my car drives 70 in that zone…

[u/Brutal-Fam8804 → u/No_Display9613]

I purposefully drive 70 in that zone, but I'm starting to feel like a hazard and danger to other drivers not choosing to slow down.

[u/Negative_Fruit_6684]

The answer is that there is almost zero enforcement of highway traffic act laws, and so these days people do whatever the fuck they want, even though they're endangering others lives.