Highways in Canada

[MolsonExport]

Originally Posted by harls

There are way too many morons on the road, and if I use my unscientific observation of kids today, self-driving cars can't come soon enough.

... which is bad, because I've already showed my 10-year-old how to use an e-brake in an icy parking lot.

I feel like I am falling behind, as my 11 year old (almost 12) son has not learned these skills yet!

[FrAnKs]

My newest video is online! Enjoy the Landscapes of Route 199 Through the Sand Dunes of the Magdalen Islands (îles de la Madeleine), Quebec

• Video Link

[harls]

Excellent as always, FrAnKs.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

Immigrant truck drivers from foreign jurisdictions where the rules of the road are just suggestions????

They would be more common in Ontario than most other provinces..........

Are there really that many immigrants driving inter-city transport trucks, even in Ontario?

From what I see when travelling it seems to me that employment field is still totally dominated by native-born white guys.

[SignalHillHiker]

Great vid, Franks.

Looks very much like the Port-au-Port Peninsula here. It's similarly low elevation, sandy, grassy, etc.

*****

Route 239 (Lockston Main Road) to Trinity:

Bonavista Peninsula by R C, on Flickr

And Route 2 (Pitts Memorial Drive) from Signal Hill:

Sunset, November 2, 2017 by R C, on Flickr

[Corndogger]

Originally Posted by FrAnKs

My newest video is online! Enjoy the Landscapes of Route 199 Through the Sand Dunes of the Magdalen Islands (îles de la Madeleine), Quebec

Nice video. The photos at the end are great.

Does everyone live within a few yards of the highway? The housing seemed to go on forever yet you said only 12K live there.

I'm surprised that people are allowed to park on the side of the highway given how narrow the shoulder is. Are there not parking areas for people to pull in and then take their stuff to the beach?

[vid]

Originally Posted by Acajack

Are there really that many immigrants driving inter-city transport trucks, even in Ontario?

From what I see when travelling it seems to me that employment field is still totally dominated by native-born white guys.

This is totally anecdotal, but lately, most transport truck drivers who've died in collisions here have been East Indians from Brampton (although the two that died in a head-on two transport collision a few days ago were from Calgary and Steinbach). I think there is an Indian run transport driving school operating down there that's pumping them out, and they're willing to work for lower wages than white drivers so they find easy employment. Truck driving doesn't pay as well as it used to in the first place (unless you get a good contract) with high pressure to reach destinations on time, many of the companies are very poorly operated, and the pay isn't very good. Independent operators are being pushed out of the system in favour of low wage employees (after being pushed into being independent operators in the first place to undercut their union which is essentially now defunct). I've also met (and worked with) quite a few 50+ transport drivers who can't find work due to a combination of ageism and being priced out of the market by workers willing to work for less. Of course, they come to an interview saying "I want to make $35 an hour and if I get a union job I'm giving two weeks notice" so that's part of the problem. (Tip: You don't get hired when you say that.)

[MolsonExport]

Originally Posted by FrAnKs

My newest video is online! Enjoy the Landscapes of Route 199 Through the Sand Dunes of the Magdalen Islands (îles de la Madeleine), Quebec

• Video Link

what a cool ride. Love this video. I've wanted to visit les Iles de la Madeleine for years, and you have whetted my appetite.

[GlassCity]

Originally Posted by Acajack

Are there really that many immigrants driving inter-city transport trucks, even in Ontario?

From what I see when travelling it seems to me that employment field is still totally dominated by native-born white guys.

Interesting. In BC it's totally dominated by South Asians. There are a ton of small trucking companies running up and down the highways with khandas on their doors.

[FrAnKs]

Originally Posted by harls

Excellent as always, FrAnKs.

Merci Harls!

[FrAnKs]

Originally Posted by SignalHillHiker

Great vid, Franks.

Looks very much like the Port-au-Port Peninsula here. It's similarly low elevation, sandy, grassy, etc.

*****

Route 239 (Lockston Main Road) to Trinity:

Bonavista Peninsula by R C, on Flickr

And Route 2 (Pitts Memorial Drive) from Signal Hill:

Sunset, November 2, 2017 by R C, on Flickr

Nice area! Indeed, that's true, it looks very similar. The fact that Port au Port is situated on the West Shore of Newfoundland doesn't surprises me for that matter.

[FrAnKs]

Originally Posted by Corndogger

Nice video. The photos at the end are great.

Does everyone live within a few yards of the highway? The housing seemed to go on forever yet you said only 12K live there.

I'm surprised that people are allowed to park on the side of the highway given how narrow the shoulder is. Are there not parking areas for people to pull in and then take their stuff to the beach?

Thanks for watching !

Yup, they are only 12k. In the Magdalen Islands, you never get a very dense urban core, but at the same time, you'll find houses here and there everywhere but no ones are extremely close to each other. Also, there are places where you can't built a house because of the sandy soils (not good for footings or foundations) so they are limited on what we are calling the ''islands'' that are all linked by narrow sandy strips.

You are surprised? The paved shoulders are wide and the view is totally clear (no trees) for kilometers. IMO there is no danger as long as you keep your eyes watching the road while driving lol

And yes, there are parking spots (generaly not paved) here and there, but they were all localized at some specific places. Otherwise, peoples are randomly parking everywhere along the roads.

[FrAnKs]

Originally Posted by MolsonExport

what a cool ride. Love this video. I've wanted to visit les Iles de la Madeleine for years, and you have whetted my appetite.

Thanks! Get there ASAP, that place is pure heaven. The kid(s) will like it.

lol it's like Québec's Hawaii

[SignalHillHiker]

Originally Posted by FrAnKs

Nice area! Indeed, that's true, it looks very similar. The fact that Port au Port is situated on the West Shore of Newfoundland doesn't surprises me for that matter.

Yeah, the town of Jerry's Nose is kind of similar looking:

Jerry's Nose 8 by Douglas Sprott, on Flickr

[FrAnKs]

Wow! same. Great find thanks. I'll try to head there if I ever come to visit my Newfie friends

[SignalHillHiker]

It's a long drive.

[FrAnKs]

Originally Posted by SignalHillHiker

It's a long drive.

I'm a wise man

[SignalHillHiker]

Yeah but your Newfoundland friends are on the other end. "Her face turns to Britain; her back to your Gulf" and all that lol

[lio45]

Originally Posted by MolsonExport

what a cool ride. Love this video. I've wanted to visit les Iles de la Madeleine for years, and you have whetted my appetite.

Everyone I know who went loved it (mom, relatives, friends, one ex). They're not very accessible unfortunately (or fortunately - same argument applies to St. John's as well, part of what makes it what it is is the isolation).

My gf (ex, now) used to spend summers working there. I believe at the time that one Tim's location was about to open and she was among the ones campaigning against it. Must have been 15+ years ago. Hopefully it hasn't affected its local rivals too much. I'm not a fan of having big brands show up in such fragile ecosystems.

[lio45]

Originally Posted by SignalHillHiker

Yeah but your Newfoundland friends are on the other end. "Her face turns to Britain; her back to your Gulf" and all that lol

I'd like to drive to St. John's someday, but that's too long a drive. I draw the line at my several-times-a-year Quebec-Florida commute.




(I just wanted to say that, but it's not true. I drove to California once and to Vancouver another time. I'm more busy now than back then, plus my supply of used cooking oil isn't what it used to.)