Nonsense on the Yuppie Highway

I have had occasion to drive on the 407 a few times in the last few weeks.

It sure makes commuting a lot faster - if you can afford it.

Judging from the prevalence of BMWs, Mercedes-Benzes, Lexi and Audis, these folks can.

And it's faster except if (e.g.) you were trying to go eastbound last Friday evening between Goreway Drive and Highway 27. There was a huge crash in the left lanes - I couldn't see how many lanes were blocked, but there were police cars, tow trucks, and the inevitable fire engines, all over the place.

Traffic was backed up for two or three interchanges.

I hope the drivers had packed picnic lunches, because they weren't going to be home in time for dinner.

Not tonight's dinner, anyway.

I called it in (hands-free, of course...) to 680, so maybe some of you got warned soon enough.

You're welcome.

I also wonder if there's a refund on the toll in cases like this? I mean, the reason you pay is to get there sooner. If the highway can't hold up its end of the bargain...

The other thing I noted on my recent forays on the Yuppie Highway is that if lane discipline is a problem on all our freeways (and it is; we've got a major brouhaha going on in the print edition of Wheels these days; check out my response to the feedback from a recent column on this topic in this weekend's issue), then it's beyond hopeless on the 407.

Some roads seem to develop a certain 'localized culture'. I remember back before Daytime Running Lights were introduced; on some highways, almost everyone turned their headlights on during the day. You all should all the time anyway, but this did seem to happen on particularly dangerous stretches of highway, and I don't know how it evolved.

Sort of like a 'flash mob', except those things just LOOK random; they aren't.

Anyway, the 'localized culture' on the 407 seems to be that the driving lane is the second one from the left.

I know, I know - this is stupid, inconsiderate and unsafe, not to mention contrary to at least two subsections of Ontario's Highway Traffic Act.

But there it is.

Minivans with canoes on the roof.

Pick-ups with trailers tacked on the back.

Transport trucks.

Cars and, disproportionately, SUVs, all lined up, second lane from the median barrier, like they were slot cars.

They trundle along, oblivious to everything going on around them, as the aforementioned BMWs, Mercedes-Benzes, Lexi and Audis (and me) rocket past on both sides at once.

(Oh yeah - did I mention the average speed on the 407 seems to be about a buck thirty-five?)

Why do all these people drive in this lane?

I have to assume that part of it - probably a big part of it - is my old bugaboo; completely idiotic lane markings.

It looks as if the road designers outfitted helicopters with thousands of paint-ball pellets filled with white paint, had them fly over the freshly-poured concrete, and said, "Let 'em go!"

Wherever they landed, that's where the lane markings were.

Geez - it'd be funny if it weren't so tragically stupid.

It's six lanes wide here, three lanes wide there, not a hint of rhyme or reason.

Lanes added, lanes dropped, sometimes two at a time.

Some on-ramps become lanes, others don't (hint - they NEVER should; they should ALWAYS merge into the driving lane, the REAL driving lane, i.e. the right lane...).

Right lanes disappearing, either just ending, or turning into off-ramps, again, sometimes two lanes at a time.

I can only conclude that regular 407 users have determined that the one lane which does seem to keep on keeping on is that second lane from the median.

So they park themselves there, and damned be the hindmost.

Or the rightmost.

The upside for me is that there are sometimes two or even three Jim-Only lanes to choose from.

Gotta keep your head up though (which of course you always should) or BAM! - off you go to Barrie.

I wish I had had time to investigate that crash. I would bet the farm it had something to do with those stupid lane markings.

They almost always do.

Can't anyone from the Ministry of Transportation tell me why our highway lane markings are so badly done?

Unless my helicopter scenario is correct, SOMEBODY tells the line painters to do it wrong.

I would just like to know who that is.

Hmm-mm - you don't suppose he operates the tow truck company...

Comments

[KD]

Love the conspiracy theory about tow drivers and lane painters. Good laugh to start the day. My own thought is that tow drivers drive the way they do because they're trying to generate business - just like I've seen hearse drivers doing from time to time.

[Mark]

I typically drive in the 2nd from the right. I speed, and at 115km/h i tend to take my foot off the gas. this is a comfortable driving speed. But sure enough, the 407's traffic flow will often blow past me. (I've been honked and had highbeems flashed at me for going 120 in the right lane while someone closing the gap behind me at 150 didnt want to change lands on a virtually empty road). If i know the speed i'm going is going to be less than the "flow", i'll stay as far right as I can. But as mentioned, you stay in the right most lane, you're going to end up on some off ramp. Or in a randomly ending on ramp. Then trying to merge one more lane to the left, while everyone is going 130+ km/h. I don't consider myself a "grandma driver". 115 / 120km/h is still speeding. anything over 100km/h is still speeding. Nobody on the road has more entitlement to be going over this, on any highway. And I think that is where the biggest crux of the problem is. the 407 needs more police presence and that will help solve the mess it's become

[Joe]

If you look at the 407's website, they don't refund you when there is heavy traffic/accidents. As the CEO was quoted as saying " If you don't like it, stay off of the 407 "

[Fernando]

stop complaining. if you don't want to pay for it, stick to the 401 and then get back to us on how great a trip that was...

[Jacques Villeneuve]

Hey Jim, why the gripe? At least it's not the left lane like on most of Ontario's highways!

[Cartman1]

everyone has an opinion. That is the unfortunate part of our society. The misinformed, the people who think they know everything but know very little.
Things are done the way they are for a reason. The MTO does not need to explain anything I have driven on the 407 and if your paying attention driving the speed limit there are no issues. If people want to speed they are breaking the law. What we need is an increase of police enforcement in our society. Have a cop at every second corner and every second intersection. Watch the people slow down....

[LHTaylor]

Come on, Jim - you got it wrong on this one!

You just did an article about not being in the correct lane and "living" in the middle one...if anyone has half a brain and stays right except to pass, it is very easy to be in the correct lane.

I find the 407 well-marked and quite clear. Good notice ahead of time, lots of room to move over, etc.

Have people forgotten there are set distances from Signage to actual feature? they get notice way ahead of exits and pending possibilities??

Again, they don't know the rules of the road and, moreover, don't care.

As far as the speeders, they seem to be fine on the straight path and no obstruction area but give them a corner or a curve or a strategic manoeuvre and they get stupid!!

The joke is the police will tell you that pulling over during rush hour is too dangerous but isn't that just the time that would be most effective??? The quieter time is just faster when the room for error is more generous...think about it!

Thanks
Linda

[djlim0n]

Any chance the leasee can be considered in default if the roadway falls below 400-series highway standards?

[David Pollock]

One reason for middle lane driving is you always have somewhere to move to avoid. Both sides are open. This is the mind-set of my brother. I do not drive so I will not post a personal opinion on that.

[GRW]

407 is the most clear cut road around. Compared to 401 / 427 / 403 / 404 it is easy to navigate. I don't get your comment on the lane markings. Maybe you need to drive it a few more times.

[pylon]

I'm a 407 commuter, and I do agree with most of your comments Jim (Like you, I drive my TDI in the right lane at about 105, getting about 20 km/L, and get passed like I'm standing still)

That said, I do feel like the lane markings are not as much of an issue as you've stated, and especially compared to the 401, where you have to switch lanes every 2km to stay in the right lane. If I plant myself in the rightmost lane at Hurontario Dr. I am able to stay in the same lane until my exit at Yonge. Yes, lanes are added and dropped, but unless you insist on moving further to the right every time that happens, you can set your direction and stay there, leaving at least 3 lanes to your left for those going 140km/h in their SUV's while complaining about gas prices.

[Marc Valade]

MTO doesn't paint the roads anymore..all contracted out.

[GoodMoodley]

I use the 407 on a fairly regular basis and find it to be the best of the 400 series highway by far. Traffic flows better and in my opinion the drivers on this highway tend to make more sense when interacting with other vehicles. I avoid the 401 as much as possible.

[David Cook]

Thanks Jim for again being the (generally) lone media voice on this subject.

I disagree with 'Linda'. Sure the hwy can be driven if you stay aware of the right lane(s) disappearing. But, alot of it comes down to drivers taking the most convenient route for themselves - alone. Because they know they may have to move over at some point. Like the one who moves to the 2nd rightmost lane immediately upon merging when there is no traffic in the 'J.' lane ahead of them. Especially annoying when you are approaching in that lane while they are still well below the speed limit.

Then there are the drivers in 'Snowbird' formation. Almost three abreast at similar speeds with only the J. lane open and no traffic in front for several km.'s. And the driver who stays in the left most lane when there's no traffic around them at all. It just goes to show that it doesn't matter how many lanes are added to our hwys the actions of a mostly minority will clog the system.

As Jim has experienced, I have driven in Britain, France & Italy noting how drivers there don't exhibit these tendencies. It would be money well spent if the MTO did a fact finding mission to collect all the factors why this is so. They could even take in the Eiffel Tower or Coliseum as a bonus.

Also, I didn't see law enforcement at every interchange there to encourage better driving habits. Italy even tells you where the automatic speed traps are before you get to them!

David

[Con]

A great piece and one that took me back to growing up in Calgary driving Deerfoot Trail. Same effect happened there, everyone drove in the second from the left lane. I can't speak for Ontario drivers but I seem to remember thinking it happened on the to leave the left lane for the faster drivers and the right lane for people to use as a speed up and slow down lane. Lots of lanes that suddenly end or become merge lanes on the Deerfoot too. Now out on Vancouver Island dodging too many deer and paying way too much for gas.

[François]

Will it still be faster when they send you speeding tickets in the mail based on your time from toll to toll?

[Steve Holman]

I go from HWY 400 to Dundas St Burlington many Sunday nights and from Dundas to HWY 400 many Fridays for cottage communting. I easily stay in the FAR right lane all the way with one eastbound lane change to the left when the right lane ends at (I think) Mississauga Rd. Coming west, you can stay far right except one change at 427 and the 401 split. I don't know what the contributors are talking about, all these disappearing lanes. Also, its the centre lanes that cause the biggest disruption in traffic flow, not the left.