Help! I'm scared to drive on the highway for the first time!?
First of all driving on the highway is EASIER than driving on surface streets. Everyone is going the same direction. There aren't any stoplights. All you gotta do is stay in your lane and drive. With that said there are two tough parts about highway driving. That is getting on and changing lanes. When getting on the highway make sure you get up to the highway speed(60MPH or so) ON THE RAMP. That will enable you to merge much safer. When going down the ram start scanning for an area to merge into. If there isn't a clear spot DONT PANIC. Just cut on your turn signal and people will(should) let you over. When you get on the highway don't stay in the far right lane. Go to the lane next to it(if you're on a 3+ lane highway). Most deaths and accidents happen in the left lane(passing lane) and right lane(slow lane). So the safest place to be is in one of the middle lanes. When you're changing lanes make SURE to check your blind spots. Before you change lanes check your mirror then turn on your indicator(if you have a clear spot) then glance over your shoulder. If nothing is there then go. Getting off the highway is easy. Just get in the far right lane then exit off. Also use the far left lane ONLY FOR PASSING. When you're done passing move back over to the right. Most deaths are in that lane because people clog it up and end up running into each other. Also use your turn signals. [Edit: Oh and another thing, DO NOT DRIVE IN PEOPLES BLIND SPOT. Whenever possible be in a position where if the car in the lane beside you were to swerve into your lane then they wouldn't hit you. That can save your life.]
Driving on freeway alone for the first time?
So I am going on a short trip, less than an hour long, which requires me to drive on a major freeway for most the trip. I will be by myself throughout. I am a little nervous, although I have driven on it before with my parents. Is this normal? What kind of tips can you give me on the freeway? Thank you, your answers will help calm my nerves. I am 18 and haven't been in an accident, yet, knock on wood, nor have I received any tickets... knock on wood. I am just a little apprehensive. I have two days until I need to leave for the trip. It will be day time, but I will be driving back at night. Again, I have driven on the freeway at night on longer trips with my parents, but being alone is just, different. Thanks.
How dangerous is the drive from Vancouver to Calgary in the winter?
Hwy 1/Hwy 5 - the northernmost route - is well engineered and snow removal is done round-the-clock. It's pretty safe.It just isn't finished yet. You'll still have an interesting time on the approach to, and travelling past, Golden, BC. Assuming the highway isn't closed at that point...which it is, on occasion.Hwy 3 - the Hope/Princeton highway - is the southernmost route (still within Canada's borders), and is the reason why people believe that God watches out for fools and small children. I've done the Hwy 3 route in December. Never again.I'm gettin' too old for that kind of excitement.Oh, and you'll need to carry tire chains. Seriously. The weather in some of the passes is like delivery Pizza: bad weather can be there in 30 minutes or less! They've got these somewhat battered and weather-beaten signs advising motorists to carry chains between October 1 and April 1. Having been caught in a late-season blizzard in the Nicola Valley that completely ERASED the roadway...I can vouch for carrying chains......if only I had thought to put them on.Edit: "late season" - March 26th. Most of the snow had melted, but the blizzard moved in just south of Merritt and the road was covered completely 40 minutes later. I was fine by the time I was beyond Hope. (Sorry, a little BC highway humor there...)
Driving Freeway for the first time?
1. Have a parent go with you and help you out 2. You have to be committed. Once you get the hang of it it will be a piece of cake. 3. Turn the radio off (Its what i do and i have been driving for almost 1 year) It helps with concentration. 4. Do MULTIPLE head checks. Not long head checks though just nice quick ones. 5. Get up to speed fairly quickly. Drivers will get pissed when you have your blinker on trying to merge on the freeway and you are going under the speed limit. No need to go excessively over the speed limit though. just make sure your are at least doing it before you attempt to merge on. 6. Always use your blinker. Wish you the best of luck. Everyone usually has that fear but like i said prior to this, it will be a piece of cake once you got it down.
Traveling from Calgary to Vancouver by car: what route should i take? Please help?
The Trans Canada is your best bet, and then take the Coquihalla (look for the signs) so you avoid some tough stretches of the Trans Canada. Just googlemap it you'll be good. As for Jasper... kind of out of the way. I'd recommend taking a day trip to jasper before you begin your journey, just becuase it is that out of the way of where you're going. BUT, if you must (and I think it's worth it) go Calgary-Banff-Vancouver on the way there, and then Vancouver-Jasper-Edmonton on the way back. If I may make one recommnedation however... I would instead go the Trans Canada there, and then Highway 3 on the way back. It's not passing through Jasper... but it's passing through EXCELLENT areas. I'd recomment taking a look at Nelson and alot of the Kootenay Lakes. Then pass through Waterton Parks... breathtaking. BUT that's just me. In May it will start to get expensive in the touristy areas... I'd recommend just staying off the main hotel strethces if you're trying to save. For example.. if you plan on staying in Banff, stay in Dead Man's Flats instead.. way cheaper, etc. Other places in Alberta... you must see the Brooks badlands. It's out of the way for you, but the drive will really introduce you to the Prairies, and the badlands are something everyone should see. If not, see Waterton Parks as I've mentioned.... perhaps go South on the Cowboy trail through Longview to get there... beautiful foothills. Vancouver is FULL of beatiful things. If you have an extra day on your hands (and money), go out to Vancouver Island and drive to Tofino. Go surfing while you're at it. I hope all this stuff helped, and if you have any questions... ANY questions at all feel free to email me. I grew up in Southern Alberta and BC is my second home so I know the area very well.
Driving from Calgary AB to Anaheim CA . Where to stop?
If you are going via the Pacific Coast Highway: 1. Pasco Washington. 2. Newport Oregon 3. Brookings (beautiful spot) Oregon 4. Sacramento or Redding California (if you can make it in 1 shot) *skip Eureksa California since it is a craphole. Try to squeeze in a fair time for the Redwood forest between Brookings and Sacramento! The I 15 route is hell of the highway. Crappy food, crappy scenery and very boring.
What is some information about driving from Vancouver to Toronto in January by myself?
We normally do Vancouver to Calgary in one day but that’s with two drivers. It’s about 11–14 hours driving.This is the most important. Watch the road reports for three days in advance in Vancouver. Be flexible. Wait for a day with “good winter driving conditions” on the Coquihalla. “Clear and Dry” would be ideal, but at least it should not be actively snowing.You do actually need real snow tires. Check for the mountain/snowflake symbol on the sidewall of your tires. All-season radials are dangerous.Be prepared to wait in the car for several hours or overnight. It happens. We’ve never had to sleep in the car, but we did have to wait in Revelstoke for a few hours one year due to routine avalanche control; and several hours on the road in summer due to an accident up ahead with a large truck. A sleeping bag, flashlight, candles for warmth and a few snacks will make it OK.Try to plan going through the Rogers Pass and the Kicking Horse Pass in daylight leaving Vancouver by 6:00 AM. Besides the obvious, these areas are breathtakingly beautiful and you’ll want to enjoy the view.Get gas outside GVRD where it’s cheaper. You can leave with 100km in the tank and fill up in Hope, for example. Check your gas in Hope. There are literally no gas stations on the Coquihalla until you get to Merritt.Avoid the Tim Hortons in Hope. It’s pathetic.If you want to break the trip before Calgary, there are cheaper places to stay in Golden than in Revelstoke. But better skiing at the Stoke.Coquihalla summit cam B.C.Highway CamsCheck out the cute “replay the day” link on each camera to see how quickly the weather can change.
I'm scared to drive on the freeway/highway?
A few pieces of advice on merging: As you have seen, merging unto the freeway is done via an access ramp (also called an acceleration lane or slip road). The idea is to use the access ramp to accelerate (which is why it's called an acceleration lane) to the same speed of the traffic besides you, which makes it much easier to merge. Where is the problem? When people don't use the ramp as well as they can. You have a given amount of space along the entire lane, use it! Instead of trying to merge halfway through, accelerate along the whole lane and THAN merge. This means that there is less of a speed differential, more time for you to merge and more time for others to let you merge, etc... So, get on the ramp and immediately identify the gap you want to slip into, but merge into it as gradually as possible, at a shallow angle, along the whole ramp, and don't be afraid of accelerating hard. To get over this anxiety, ease yourself into the highway. First, try it in tims when it's not buisy and with another person to keep you cool and confident inside the car, and than progress for heavier traffic or longer trips down the freeway. --------------------------------------... [##] gap between cars [##] [##] [##] --------------------------------------... Don't merge here Merge here! / --------------------------------------...