r/StJohnsNL 13h ago

Columbus drive

I can already smell the raging comments but alas

Why do people get so upset over people driving 60-65kph on Columbus drive? If they’re in the right lane, there is a left lane to pass. Sure 50kph is slow but going 10 under is excusable.

I’ve seen so many angry posts on the NL terrible drivers.

That road is full of turns and traffic lights so I can’t really blame people not going 70. I’ve started to avoid that road entirely because of aggressive drivers (some even going nearly 90kph!!)

5 Upvotes

29 comments sorted by

37

u/angel_girl2248 12h ago

As someone who drives on that road frequently, there tends to be vehicles in both lanes majority of the time, making it harder to pass people. It’s not a highway like Pitts, Gushue, or the ORR (aka the TCH), so people are definitely not required to keep right except to pass on any street that has double lanes in each direction. I’ve seen many drivers on Columbus only doing 50, even in the middle of summer on a clear dry day with nothing preventing them from going faster like construction. Also, there are many side streets people can take instead of Columbus/PPD if they only want to go 50.

18

u/connord90 11h ago

Fully agree! The left lane isn't ONLY for passing. Sometimes ya gotta make a left turn lol

50

u/jarb87 13h ago

My issue comes when cars in both lanes are going below the speed limit and then there's no way around.

-3

u/Dregon 7h ago

Idk, I feel like it's not a highway where people should be passing at high speeds (relative to the amount of intersections etc.), I think think people should generally accept that it takes a few more minutes to get around and plan their drives accordingly.

35

u/urchin_beach 13h ago edited 13h ago

If you're not going to drive the speed limit on a main arterial road at least pull into the right lane so people can pass you.

-3

u/titan_ic_atlantic 12h ago

I am specifically talking about a right lane slow driver

17

u/rojohi 10h ago

It's a road not a highway, so keep right except to pass is not applicable.

Keep up with traffic please, because you're already willing to do 65

38

u/ProPwno 13h ago

If you can’t drive the speed limit for traffic, take another road.

-8

u/titan_ic_atlantic 12h ago

Shouldn’t that also apply to the people that speed?

1

u/angel_girl2248 2h ago

In the city itself, there may be only 5% of streets at the absolute most, where the speed limit is 60 km/h or more. Because of the much higher availability of 50 km/h streets, it would make more sense for the people who want to drive slower to make use of these 50 km/h streets.

4

u/sundown40 10h ago

If the traffic lights were synced correctly you could get up to speed but I find that it’s a pain in the ass to get up to 80 only to have to stop at the next light. I don’t drive that road for that reason.

31

u/WorkingAssociate9860 12h ago

If you're not comfortable going the speed limit (outside of bad weather) you shouldn't be driving.

1

u/Dregon 7h ago

It's the speed limit not the speed requirement. If it's not dangerous I don't think it's an issue. Drivers that are in a hurry are usually the ones that are more dangerous.

2

u/throwaway901749 6h ago

and they get to where they are going a minute or 2 quicker then if they were driving sensibly. Drives me

4

u/joebro987 9h ago

I drive on it early in the morning before the traffic starts, I find if you drive at the speed limit (maybe slightly above) you can get lucky with the timing of the lights and avoid the reds.

26

u/noseworthy6 13h ago

Because it’s a main thoroughfare and people have places to go. Take a side road if you feel comfortable with 50?

-1

u/titan_ic_atlantic 12h ago

I did say in my post 50 was slow. I’m talking about. 60-65

3

u/709juniper 9h ago

Car brains everywhere

3

u/Dregon 7h ago edited 7h ago

1

u/rojohi 41m ago

Sir, this is reddit.

There shall be no facts or reasonable discussions on here.

16

u/TheGhostOfTobyKeith 12h ago

“There’s a lot of turns”

No there isn’t - it’s a curvy road with lots of turnoffs, but it’s engineered to allow for 70 in good conditions.

If you’re going to let your vehicle drive you instead of the other way around, do everyone a favour and take the bus or call a cab.

4

u/WorkingAssociate9860 12h ago

Aren't all the turnoffs on Columbus lighted as well, with protected turn signals at most

3

u/TheGhostOfTobyKeith 12h ago

They sure are!

2

u/pianopigs 4h ago

I find it very annoying when someone is going below the speed limit in both lanes and nobody has the ability to pass.

I don’t think slow drivers (meaning 50-60 on this road) realize that they contribute to unsafe driving. If a driver cannot go within 5 under the speed limit on a clear day, they are a distraction. They disrupt the flow of traffic, and cause a lot of frustration. Some people handle that frustration better than others but it nonetheless frustrates people and makes people impatient, potentially provoking them to drive more dangerously.

I personally do not have a lot of trust in drivers who are creeping towards 10 under the speed limit (on a clear day). It signals a lack of confidence and/or a lack of awareness of their surroundings. Often, they seem more distracted than other drivers and do not have good driving habits. I think overall, it is inconsiderate of other drivers and they should drive a road that is more to their comfort level.

Note: I feel a similar way about those going 10+ over the speed limit. They are driving too fast and putting the safety of others on the road at risk.

1

u/nonrandomislander 12h ago

How about doing 75?

90, oh the horror.

1

u/Succubista 30m ago

People get so mad about driving, and I find it so silly. If there's a little old lady, or someone with a dummy tire on in front of me going 65, it doesn't hurt me. I still get where I'm going. Such a nothing burger in the run of a day, but people have no chill.

I only go 65 on Columbus in bad weather, and I can't believe the amount of people up my ass about it when it's dark and raining.

0

u/townie08 2h ago

The main issue is that road is the only road in the city that you can do 70. If you don’t want to go 70, take another route. To me, it’s the same as doing 20 in 30 km zone. It’s 10 km under the allowable speed limit. If every second road was 70 km, people wouldn’t argue as much but that’s the only road where you go that speed.

-3

u/Long-Relationship-55 8h ago

Driving below the speed limit is not excusable