Dear CDs,

I am trying to familiarse myself with highway driving in Canada, the good thing is there is a system to follow. I am taking lessons and plan to have a GPS soon. But can someone enlighten me what is the best way to come back on track if one misses an exit or takes a wrong exit? I do undserstand 80:20 principle but I wonder if there is some logical way to proceed in such situation.

I am sure anyone who has gone thru this phase can empathise and give some tips and suggestions. If someone can direct me to some good research material via link - I will appreciate your effort.

Kind regards,

Take the next exit and get back on the highway in the opposite direction. Exits are on both directions of a highway so you'll get your exit again.

-----------------------------------------------------------------
Are you there?

Having driven in North America for 12 years now (100k miles on my car plus countless rental car miles), I can advise all new drivers to do the following:
1) Use lane change indicators. It's amazing how many people don't bother with such a simple thing. Of course, there are plenty of others who turn on the indicator after they are almost into the new lane
2) If you take the wrong exit, it's OK. You can always join the highway again. I have often see drivers who move into the exit lane and then swerve into the through lane at the last minute. The worst are people who have realized that they are on the wrong exit and have stopped on the shoulder, and then suddenly merge into the through lane. Twice in the US, someone almost bumped into my car this way.
3) If you are about to miss your exit, don't try to slow down to a crawl and then merge into the exit lane. Quite a few times, you see people slowing down to dangerously low speeds or even applying sudden brake because they are about to miss their exit. On most highways, the next exit is usually less than 5km away. The only exception I have personally seen is the Pennsylvania Turnpike but I am sure there could be more.
4) Never ever try to make a U-turn on a highway. There are places on some highways where there's room to make a U-turn but that's only for law enforcement. You better have a life-threatening emergency if you are going to make those U-turns.
5) Turn on your lights if it's raining (this is mostly applicable to the US where day-time running lamps are not mandatory).
6) Give trucks plenty of room to merge and also don't cut them off.
7) Unless you are passing (overtaking) or there is an emergency, stay out of the left lane. My pet peeve is with slow drivers who block the left lane and do not let faster drivers like me pass!

Thanks Naresh,

Appreciate your comments and tips. I spend few hours on the highway today most morning going across Toronto. Despite best of attention and navigation skills I did miss one exit and once went on to a wrong highway, the recovery was simple and all through like you mentioned I kept normal track and did not take any risks or cause any inconvinence to others.

I hope with the GPS navigation system the stress is reduced and once I am familiar with the system I can enjoy driving.

Wish all new comers good luck and safe driving !

Quote:

---

Originally posted by nareshboga

Having driven in North America for 12 years now (100k miles on my car plus countless rental car miles), I can advise all new drivers to do the following:
1) Use lane change indicators. It's amazing how many people don't bother with such a simple thing. Of course, there are plenty of others who turn on the indicator after they are almost into the new lane
2) If you take the wrong exit, it's OK. You can always join the highway again. I have often see drivers who move into the exit lane and then swerve into the through lane at the last minute. The worst are people who have realized that they are on the wrong exit and have stopped on the shoulder, and then suddenly merge into the through lane. Twice in the US, someone almost bumped into my car this way.
3) If you are about to miss your exit, don't try to slow down to a crawl and then merge into the exit lane. Quite a few times, you see people slowing down to dangerously low speeds or even applying sudden brake because they are about to miss their exit. On most highways, the next exit is usually less than 5km away. The only exception I have personally seen is the Pennsylvania Turnpike but I am sure there could be more.
4) Never ever try to make a U-turn on a highway. There are places on some highways where there's room to make a U-turn but that's only for law enforcement. You better have a life-threatening emergency if you are going to make those U-turns.
5) Turn on your lights if it's raining (this is mostly applicable to the US where day-time running lamps are not mandatory).
6) Give trucks plenty of room to merge and also don't cut them off.
7) Unless you are passing (overtaking) or there is an emergency, stay out of the left lane. My pet peeve is with slow drivers who block the left lane and do not let faster drivers like me pass!

---

Quote:

---

Originally posted by BlueLobster

Take the next exit and get back on the highway in the opposite direction. Exits are on both directions of a highway so you'll get your exit again.

---

-----------------------------------------------------------------
SS
Reiki Grand Master

Your driving instructor will probably cover most of the points and others have given you valuable pointers.
I want to add a couple of points -

- Gap, gap, gap.
This is the first commandment to me.
My driving instructor drilled it into my head many years ago.
Always maintain a safe gap between you and the vehicle ahead of you.
Safe gap depends on average speed of traffic, road/weather conditions and your own comfort level.
If you find that someone is tailgating you, move over - don't encourage that person.
By maintaining a safe gap, you do yourself and everyone else a big favour

- Watch for blind spots, esp when changing lanes.
Don't depend on your mirrors always.
Look over your shoulder when needed.
There are people who will happily drive in the blind spot of another car in the adjoining lane at a constant speed.
The other car after a while will assume the lane change is safe is he/she hasn't seen anyone in that lane for a while.
This will be dangeous.

- Drive at the average speed of traffic, which is normally slightly higher than posted speed limits.
Don't be the fastest or the slowest guy on the road.
The former will make you prime target for cops and the latter will make you dangerous on the road.
Stay with the average speed of traffic, and use your judgement on what's the best speed to drive.

- Know your car well and keep it tuned and functioning properly.

-----------------------------------------------------------------
"Mah deah, there is much more money to be made in the destruction of civilization than in building it up."

-- Rhett Butler in "Gone with the Wind"

Its good to be on the right lane if you are a slow driver - but in case you observe a heavy vehicle like a truck approaching from behind at a higher speed , please move to the left lane to give way - its easier for you to change lanes then him - show respect to the truck drivers as they show to you - they drive a larger vehicle and we should co operate with them .

On a 3 lane highway its generally easiest to drive in the middle lane .

Maintain a safed distance - you d be surprized to note the braking distance if the car ahead of you stops .

Avoid late decisions either on highway / otherwise - they create panic amd endanger others' safety besides yours . If you miss a turn / exit its not the end of the road ....... 10 mins / kms are less valuable than some one s life - DRIVE SAFE ALWAYS .

-----------------------------------------------------------------
Fido.