Tag: driving

Categories
Cottage Life

Ontario government proposes fines for overtaking snowplows on highways

Photo by Shutterstock/Benoit Daoust

Passing a slow-moving snowplow may cost you, if the Ontario government passes its newest bill.

On April 3, the provincial government introduced its Less Red Tape, Stronger Economy Act 2023. The bill includes 42 initiatives that, if passed, are intended to improve public services, grow businesses, and save people time.

One of the proposed initiatives is an amendment to the Highway Traffic Act. The amendment would make it an offence to overtake working snowplows in a diagonal formation on a multi-lane highway with a posted speed limit of 80 km/h or higher. The fine for passing would be between $150 and $1,000.

“The proposed amendments are intended to reduce unsafe passing maneuvers and collisions occurring by motorists overtaking snowplows performing winter maintenance activities on these roadways. Fewer collisions with snowplows will result in improved safety for snowplow operators and the travelling public, fewer snowplows being placed out of service, and less impact on snow clearing activities on these highways,” the province said in a statement.

Drivers would only be allowed to pass the snowplow if a full lane was available to complete the maneuver. This means that if plows are working in each lane of the highway, you can’t maneuver into an oncoming lane to get around them. In fact, the government says that passing a working snowplow even if a lane is available can be dangerous.

Visibility around the snowplow is often reduced due to blowing snow and the snow ridge created by the plow. And while most plows discharge snow to the right, there are some vehicles that discharge to the left, blocking passing lanes. Plus, it’s likely the road ahead hasn’t been cleared.

Instead, it’s recommended that you wait until plows have cleared your route before hitting the road. But if you do get stuck behind one, stay approximately 10 car lengths back and be patient.  The plow may pull over and let you pass.

The provincial government is asking the public to weigh in on the snow plow amendment before the new act is voted on. You can leave a comment here until May 18.

Feature Video


Categories
Cottage Life

New study reveals September is the busiest month for moose and deer collisions

Photo by NelzTabcharani316/Shutterstock

A study from the British Columbia Medical Journal has revealed that collisions with moose in the province are most frequent in the month of September.

Researchers compared the outcomes of moose-vehicle and deer-vehicle collisions in B.C., and they found collisions with these animals peaked in certain months. Seventeen per cent of moose collisions happened in the month of September, and 25 per cent of deer collisions happened in August, with December and June also being high frequency periods for both animals.

Researchers also looked at how patients were treated in hospital after colliding with the two animals, and found that drivers who collided with moose typically suffered more severe injuries. They attribute the severity of the injuries to the large size and high centre of gravity of the animal. “When a vehicle strikes a moose, the point of contact is usually the moose’s legs; thus, the torso of the moose often lands on the hood of the car and slides up and through the windshield and across the dashboard of the car, coming in contact with the upper body of the motorists,” they said.

Drivers who collided with moose were far more likely to have their airbags deployed and be admitted to the hospital via ambulance than those who collided with deer, according to the study. Once in the hospital, only seven per cent of drivers who collided with a deer needed specialty medical treatment, while 27 per cent of drivers who collided with moose required the same.

Jadzia Porter, a spokesperson for the Wildlife Collision Prevention Program, says commuters can take steps to avoid dangerous driving collisions with moose and deer. “Almost all wildlife vehicle collisions are preventable with safe driving,” she says.

Wildlife collision prevention can start before entering the car, says Porter. Drivers should make sure they’re not too tired or distracted to give their full attention to the road, and they should also ensure their vehicles brakes, mirrors, and lights are all working properly. 

Once they’re in the car, drivers should adhere to speed limits and be on the lookout for wildlife and wildlife warning signs. If possible, travelers should consider alternative routes to those with high wildlife traffic. Commuters should also drive slowly, especially when visibility is low or at dawn and dusk, when these animals are most active. 

In most cases, it is better to break than to swerve to avoid wildlife, Porter says. Swerving can veer you towards other equally dangerous obstacles like medians, barriers, and oncoming traffic. “If you’re driving slow enough you can likely use your brakes to avoid an animal in the road and not feel as though you have to swerve,” she says.

There are important steps to take in the event of a collision, says Porter. These incidents should be reported to authorities regardless of outcome, but drivers should contact the RCMP if there are injuries, there is vehicle damage over $1,000, the animal is unsafe to move, or if the animal is in an unsafe spot on the road. 

Categories
Cottage Life

Five tips for travelling with your dog

It’s true that bringing Fido requires extra packing, planning and training, but having pets along offers some benefits, too. Dogs can create some of the best memories on a holiday.

While I dream of buying the perfect vacation property in the future, the perks of exploring various rentals have given me the chance to test out features and amenities without a significant financial commitment. 

After travelling across Canada with two husky mixes since they were adolescent puppies, I’ve learned a few things about how to make the most of our trips. Cottages and cabins are my preferred style of rental with dogs, because they offer more privacy, soundproofing and easy exits for those late night potty breaks.

Of course, we’ve had some ups and downs. It is undoubtedly more work to bring two fluffy squirrel chasers into the wilderness, but I wouldn’t trade those memories for anything. The enthusiasm dogs show for the outdoors is infectious, and through them I am inspired to visit places beyond my comfort zone.

Here are my top 5 tips for travelling with dogs:

Dog proof the space (as best you can)

When I first check into a rental property, the huskies wait in their kennels until I do a thorough sweep of all tempting items that would be costly to replace. As they’ve gotten older and wiser, this has become less important, but my rascals used to nibble remote controls and still love to counter surf. If there are any welcome goodies, I put them away and out of paw’s reach. If there is a fenced yard, check it for gaps a dog might be able to fit through, especially if their recall isn’t the best.

My little escape artist once popped out of a tiny gap in the gate to chase after deer, bouncing through the forest after them as if she were one herself. That was an invigorating chase, but not one I would care to repeat (especially for the deer’s sake). The lesson: bring tie down stakes and a mallet, in case the fence just can’t be trusted.

Keep up the training

My dogs are rescues, and our travels have offered many training opportunities for new and novel experiences. That being said, a holiday isn’t the best time to work on the basics. When you travel with dogs, kennel training is your ally. Not only does it keep them safe and out of trouble, but it helps with potty training, too. Wiping up messes indoors isn’t exactly how I love to spend my vacation.

Know the local wildlife

Part of the appeal of a cabin or cottage is, of course, the location. Whether the property is deep in the woods, on an island, a lake, or up in the mountains, it’s important to be conscious of what else you and your dogs are sharing the environment with. Family pets can even attract coyotes, bears, and cougars, who might be tempted to approach if they think they have a chance at food. Predators are part of the outdoors, and we are sharing their space when we visit, so don’t leave your pets unattended. A bell fastened to your pup’s collar can help keep from catching  larger critters by surprise, but I also carry a deterrent horn if needed. 

Have an emergency kit

It’s great to get away into the wilderness and enjoy the peace of secluded locations. Your dog will thank you! However, the downside to places, both for humans and our furry friends, is the limited access to emergency services and healthcare.

I bought a generic first aid kit for dogs years ago, but here are some extra additions you don’t normally find in them that I added to mine:

  • Dog safe allergy medication (for bee stings)
  • A carry sling in case your pup injures themselves away from the car
  • Activated charcoal as a backup home remedy in case Fido eats a toxin
  • Pain medication
  • Anxiety treats

Sometimes, a kit isn’t going to cut it, and you may need to rush your dog to the vet. Once you have your stays booked, check ahead of time to find out where the closest vets are and keep their phone number, address, and hours of operation at the ready, in case cell service and wifi aren’t available.

Prepare for messes

Accidents happen, even to the best of dogs. An upset stomach can lead to all kinds of unpleasant substances inside your cabin. I always bring my own additional supplies, because sometimes the ones provided are not enough for the mess. I learned that in a less-than-fun way. So, do yourself the favour of packing extra towels, cleanup fluids, and gloves. 

Dogs like to bring the outdoors in on their paws and coat. A penalty cleaning bill is always a damper on the travel budget. Not to mention, I would want anyone using my property to respect it, and I take my guest ratings seriously. Both me and my dogs get 5+ reviews from hosts, which makes booking a breeze.

Pack smart with these hacks

I swear by packing cubes! They come in all kinds of shapes and sizes and work to tame the chaos in your cargo. Waterproof cubes are perfect to store food, treats, toys, blankets, a first aid kit, those cleaning supplies, and any extra gear. My other trick is bringing compact roll-up dog beds. They preserve cargo space while giving your special furry friends a place to sleep after a long fun day of adventures with you.

Happy travels!

Categories
Cottage Life

What the new gas tax cut in Ontario means for your cottage commute

Photo by Shutterstock/Beearter

With a trip to the cottage costing you $100 in gas (give or take, depending on your vehicle) heading north is becoming cost-prohibitive for cottagers and renters alike. To help combat the soaring gas prices, Ontario Premier Doug Ford cut the gas tax by 5.7 cents per litre on July 1. The tax cut will remain in effect until December 31, with the possibility of an extension if prices remain inflated.

“People and businesses are feeling the pinch of high gas prices and grocery bills,” says Peter Bethlenfalvy, Ontario’s Minister of Finance, in a statement. “Our government is cutting the gas and fuel tax rates to put money back in people’s pockets and help keep costs down.”

On July 1, when the Ontario government implemented the gas tax cut, prices dropped 11 cents overnight to an average of $193.9 cents per litre. This came as much-needed relief for drivers after gas prices hit a record high of $2.15 in early June.

The province’s dizzyingly high gas prices are the result of low supply and high demand. “We’ve got crude oil inventories down 13 per cent—according to the last U.S. government report—which is not good,” says Roger McKnight, chief petroleum analyst for En-Pro. “That’s why prices went up.”

The reopening of the economy after the COVID-19 pandemic and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has put constraints on the global supply of gas and oil, driving up inflation rates.

Gas prices in Canada have also been hiked by the federal government’s carbon tax, which was bumped up to 11.05 cents per litre on April 1.

Despite concerns over Ontario’s record-setting gas prices, McKnight says they aren’t likely to last. As of July 7, gas prices in Ontario dropped another 12 cents per litre to $1.79. Again, a relief to drivers, but the underlying cause for the price drop is concerning. Economists are predicting a recession, McKnight says. “Unless there’s some glimmer of hope or some optimism on Wall Street that this recession will not happen, then prices will continue to fall in the short term.”

If a recession does hit, which is possible considering the Bank of Canada continues to raise interest rates, then demand for gas will drop as people lose jobs and attempt to save money.

A recession is a possible outcome that people need to be prepared for, McKnight says. But for the time being, if he were a consumer watching gas prices drop 12 cents per litre or more, “I’d hop in my car and get on with this driving season. I don’t know how long it will last…I can’t see prices spiking or reversing anytime in the immediate future. So, have some fun.”

Feature Video

Categories
Cottage Life

These are 2022’s worst roads in Ontario, according to CAA

Photo by Shutterstock/94Mark

Tighten those hubcaps, drivers! The Canadian Automobile Association (CAA) has released its 2022 list of Ontario’s worst roads, and there are a number of pot-hole-infested hot spots not far from cottage country.

Topping this year’s list is Hamilton’s Barton Street East. Residents nominated the road, which runs east-to-west through the northern section of the city, for its large potholes and severe cracking that causes the pavement to resemble alligator skin.

“Barton Street East has been on the list before,” says Teresa Di Felice, assistant vice president of government and community relations at CAA. “With no funding announcements being made and no immediate fixes to the problem, it went from fifth place in 2019 to third place in 2021 and now first place in 2022. As time goes on, the infrastructure gets worse.”

CAA’s Worst Roads campaign is run annually and is designed to bring critical road infrastructure to the attention of government officials. The goal is to make the roads safer, Di Felice says. Poor road conditions contribute to accidents. In the case of potholes, people often try to swerve around them, veering into other lanes, or damage their vehicles by hitting one.

Most roads on CAA’s list are overseen by municipalities, but Di Felice says the list is meant to attract the attention of all levels of government. Even if a road falls under municipal jurisdiction, it’s often the provincial and federal governments that can create funding programs for municipalities in need of road repairs.

Di Felice recalls the mayor of Timmins encouraging residents to vote in the Worst Road campaign because he needed funding to tackle critical road infrastructure within the city and wanted to highlight the project’s necessity to senior levels of government.

Residents can nominate a road through CAA’s website, detailing why it’s the worst road in Ontario. This can include issues such as traffic, poor signage, lack of sidewalks or bike lanes, or plain old potholes. The nominations are then voted on, whittling down the list.

Once CAA has a working list, the organization partners with the Ontario Road Builders’ Association, an advocacy group devoted to improving transportation infrastructure in Ontario, to assess whether the roads are as bad as residents’ say they are.

Last year, a Prince Edward County resident put signboards up along Victoria Road, encouraging people to vote for the road through CAA’s website. At the time, Victoria Road was a main thruway for tourists, riddling the road with potholes and cracks.

“[Victoria Road] actually ended up getting so many votes that it climbed to the top of the list,” Di Felice says. It has since managed to remove itself from 2022’s list.

Besides listing the top 10 worst roads in Ontario, CAA also uses its voting system to create a regional list, highlighting the worst roads in eight regions across the province. This year’s regional list includes a number of spots in cottage country, such as Laclie Street in Orillia, Barker Street in Prince Edward County, and Algonquin Boulevard East in Timmins.

This year, 182 municipalities had roads nominated. Drivers accounted for the majority of votes cast, followed by cyclists and pedestrians. Eighty per cent of voters cited potholes as the reason for selecting a road.

The Worst Road campaign has been running since 2003 and has helped sway a number of politicians to take action on poor road infrastructure. Last year, for instance, the mayor of Windsor committed $8.1 million in funding to the Lauzon Parkway, which was named on 2021’s regional list.

“It was a multi-million dollar project that needed to be done,” De Felice says, “and he announced that he was putting the money towards [the road] and that he wanted to see Lauzon off the list.”

Here’s this year’s list of the Top 10 worst roads in Ontario:

  1. Barton Street East, Hamilton
  2. Eglinton Avenue West, Toronto
  3. Barker Street, Prince Edward County
  4. County Road 49, Prince Edward County
  5. Carling Avenue, Ottawa
  6. Eglinton Avenue East, Toronto
  7. Lake Shore Boulevard East, Toronto
  8. Finch Avenue West, Toronto
  9. Bronson Avenue, Ottawa
  10. Queen Street, Kingston

Here are CAA’s worst Ontario roads by region:

  • Central— Laclie Street, Orillia
  • Eastern— Barker Street, Prince Edward County
  • Halton-Peel-York-Durham— Hurontario Street, Mississauga
  • Niagara— Brookfield Avenue, Niagara Falls
  • North— Algonquin Boulevard East, Timmins
  • Southwest— Plank Road, Sarnia
  • Western— Speedvale Avenue West, Guelph
  • Ottawa— Carling Avenue, Ottawa

Categories
Cottage Life

5 ways to spend less on gas

Photo by Syda Productions / Shutterstock

With fuel prices escalating of late, now is the ideal time to revisit fuel efficiency with a few helpful tips on how drivers can spend less on gas by making fewer trips to the pump.

Tip #1: Do your maintenance

A properly maintained vehicle will consistently outperform a neglected unit, and therefore use less fuel. Regular service is essential but there are several do-it-yourself tasks which owners can, and should, perform on a weekly or, at a bare minimum, monthly basis. If possible, set a regular scheduled day for this, perhaps the 1st weekend of every month.

First, check the fluid levels under the hood (oil, coolant etc.). Also, this is the perfect time to top off that windshield washer fluid.

Second, monitor your tire pressure—underinflated tires are one of the leading causes of poor fuel economy. In fact, a drop of just a few pounds (lbs) of air pressure could reduce your fuel economy by as much as 10-15%. It is also a serious safety issue which can lead to accidents. Typically, recommended pressures are to be found on the decal inside the driver’s door or on the driver’s door pillar. Failing that, they can be found in the owner’s handbook.

This task should be performed when the tires are cold and, if possible, refrain from using gas station gauges as they are notoriously inaccurate. Personally, I use a quality dial style pressure gauge (available at any good automotive store) and my advice is don’t cheap out.  A quality brand product might cost a little more but it will supply years of service. I also carry a small portable compressor in my vehicle, just in case. Again, I would recommend purchasing quality (I carry a cordless battery-pack DEWALT unit). Should you go this route, a rather accurate pressure gauge is already built into the unit.

Tip # 2: Learn to drive smoothly & efficiently

Drivers tend to believe that it’s their accelerator pedal which burns all the fuel, yet unnecessary use of the braking system can certainly waste fuel. Why use up all that forward energy by hitting the brakes unnecessarily?

So keep your eyes up and read the road ahead—if that traffic light has been green for a while now, there’s a very good chance that it will soon turn red. Be prepared for this. In fact, a quick glance at the pedestrian countdown numbers used on many intersections today is a great indicator of when that change might happen. Coasting smoothly to a stop will not only save on your fuel bill, but also the wear and tear costs of your braking system.

When pulling away, try to roll gently onto the accelerator pedal rather than stab at it. Smoothness truly is the key to greater fuel economy. In fact, master the art of smooth driving and you could realize savings of as much as 20 per cent or more, depending on the size and type of your vehicle.

Many years ago, I was trained as a chauffeur and this is what I was taught during that training; visualize your grandmother sitting in your back seat sipping on a glass of sherry and drive accordingly. Try it, it works!

Tip # 3: Declutter your vehicle

We all do it! Throw items in the trunk and forget about them. I had a friend once who carried a full set of golf clubs, just in case! That’s like constantly carrying an extra person in your vehicle! So it’s a good idea to go through your vehicle every now and then with the mindset of decluttering and discarding unnecessary weight.

This particularly applies to racks and roof-mounted storage boxes. While useful when you need them, if you’re using them less than once a month, I‘d suggest that the few minutes required to remove them is well worth it. The wind resistance/drag alone from these can easily cause a drop of between 5-10 per cent in fuel economy, again depending your car’s size and type.

The best roof racks for cottagers on the market, according to experts

Tip # 4: Don’t be idle

Sitting in an idling vehicle gets you nowhere, but it does burn fuel. So whenever possible, the golden rule is, 60 seconds or more, switch off your engine. I’m particularly mindful of this when it comes to drive-through restaurants. My own rule is, more than 3-4 vehicles in the lineup, I simply park up and go inside.

Idling a vehicle is possibly the greatest waste of fuel. When you truly think about it, it is 100 per cent inefficient in fuel terms, so there are considerable savings to be had by reducing this.

Tip # 5: Use the tools you’ve got

Most modern vehicles have a host of features designed to assist drivers (eco mode etc.) and one of my favourites is the instant fuel economy display. Drive utilizing this feature and you’ll soon learn how to save fuel.

In town, it will teach you the foolishness of being heavy footed and, on the highway, you will learn precisely where your vehicle’s sweet spot is (all vehicles have a “cruising sweet spot”). The difference of a few kph can produce a huge change to fuel economy, especially over a long distance trip.

Make use of this display and watch those numbers for just a few weeks and you will most certainly become a far more fuel efficient driver.

Safe driving tips for Canada’s varied landscapes

For your drive: Reader picks for where to find Ontario’s best butter tarts

 

Categories
Mobile Syrup

UBC study indicates more Canadians are driving high following cannabis legalization

A study from the University of British Columbia (UBC) published in the New England Journal of Medicine (via Complex) indicates that more Canadians are driving after using cannabis than before it was legalized.

Researchers analyzed blood samples from 4,339 moderately injured drivers treated at four B.C. trauma centres between 2013 and 2020. They detected THC in the blood of twice as many injured drivers following legalization. Specifically, 3.8 percent of drivers had blood THC concentrations above the Canadian legal driving limit of 2 nanograms/ml before legalization. After, that percentage rose to 8.6.

Moreover, the proportion of drivers with higher concentrations of THC (above five nanograms/ml) rose from 1.1 percent to 3.5 percent after legalization.

“It’s concerning that we’re seeing such a dramatic increase,” said Dr. Jeffrey Brubacher, associate professor in UBC’s department of emergency medicine and the primary researcher of the study. “There are serious risks associated with driving after cannabis use. Our findings suggest more is needed to deter this dangerous behaviour in light of legalization.”

Interestingly, the study found that the most significant increase was among drivers over the age of 50. Further, the study didn’t find any substantial changes in drivers testing positive for alcohol, either independently or in combination with THC.

Dr. Brubacher said that he hopes policymakers will use the findings to create public information campaigns and enforcement measures to encourage drivers, especially older ones, not to use cannabis and drive.

According to UBC, blood THC levels typically peak at upwards of 100 nanograms/ml within 15 minutes of smoking cannabis. However, those levels can drop to less than two nanograms/ml within four hours after smoking. When ingesting edible forms of THC, levels can drop similarly after eight hours.

With that in mind, Dr. Brubacher cautioned that THC in the blood doesn’t always indicate a collision was caused by impairment. In a previous study, Dr. Brubacher and his team found little evidence showing THC concentrations below five nanograms/ml increase the risk of motor vehicle accidents, while levels above that do increase the risk.

“Detecting cannabis, especially at low concentrations, doesn’t necessarily mean a driver is impaired. But the risk is real with higher THC levels, which is why it’s so important that we continue to assess and respond to the impact that legalization is having on road safety,” Dr. Brubacher said.

Next, Dr. Brubacher’s team will expand research to fifteen trauma centres across Canada to investigate the prevalence of cannabis, alcohol and other impairing substances in injured drivers. The team hopes to shed more light on the issues of impaired driving and help guide national and provincial traffic policy.

Those interested can read the full study here.

Source: New England Journal of Medicine Via: UBC, Complex