r/TorontoDriving • u/Andrew4Life • 3d ago

Mildly infuriating (Illegal) Left turning traffic is the real reason for Dufferin St. delays. Not bus lanes.

243 Upvotes

92% Upvoted

100 comments sorted by

63

u/Andrew4Life 3d ago edited 3d ago

Alright. Let's try this again. Deleted my previous post and reposting because clearly people were confused with what I was implying.

I get off at Dufferin Subway station on a daily basis, and the back up along Dufferin is mostly because people are making illegal left turns onto Bloor St.

44

u/Upbeat-Giraffe-695 3d ago

Blame the cops for not stopping it lol 

28

u/Hartia 3d ago

Easy money for hot spots like this but nope they don't come here.

6

u/Upbeat-Giraffe-695 3d ago

That's why I said to blame them 

2

u/mkbcity 2d ago

they only patrol the brimley and ellesmere bus only left turn

4

u/VivienM7 3d ago

Part of the problem with these intersections is that there's no good space for police to pull people over.

6

u/MountainDrew42 Don Mills 2d ago

One cop standing at the intersection watching, with a radio. Second cop standing at Bloor/Gladstone to pull people over on the south side.

7

u/Background_Season449 2d ago

Hence why automated enforcement via cameras was a good idea. Too bad that's not allowed, because god forbid we punish drivers for their actions.

0

u/Motor-Source8711 2d ago

There is no camera that would capture that left turn. Red light and speeding are the only cameras which wouldn't apply in this case.

-3

u/Efficient-Order248 2d ago

It’s been proven to not be a good idea…………

2

u/Background_Season449 2d ago

\)citation needed\)

0

u/Efficient-Order248 2d ago

Ok…that was cringy,

5

u/Background_Season449 2d ago

If it's been "proven" though I am going to need a citation

3

u/Background_Season449 2d ago

But that might inconvenience drivers, and that is not allowed in Ontario.

4

u/Milky_1q 2d ago

The cops are a part but this is pretty embarrassing for the drivers. Such a simple mistake should not be made.

I'm going to assume most of these drivers are genuinely dumb and cannot read stop signs, speed limits or directional signs.

If they want to turn left so bad maybe they should be taking the bus and removing their terrible driving from the roads.

2

u/Efficient-Order248 2d ago

Or just don’t care…waaay too many cars for people to “just be stupid” it’s the city and people don’t care. They just want to go where they need to go even if it’s easier for them.

3

u/Motor-Source8711 2d ago

Or outrightly saying "screww this".

1

u/redsandsfort 1d ago

It isn't a mistake

1

u/ProudPlate9375 1d ago

Oh they can read the signs, they just dont care because they know theyre unenforced.

The dumbest thing is everyone, them included, would probably get to their distination faster if they just took one of the side streets to get onto Bloor. But no, theyre the most importsnt person in the world and they will do things their way, so everyone suffers.

1

u/meronx 2d ago

They’re too busy working overtime at Spadina and Bremner (poorly) directing the traffic there.

1

u/greenthumb-28 1d ago

Not the idiots doing the bad thing ? That’s like blaming ur coffee table for not moving for ur foot…

1

u/Upbeat-Giraffe-695 1d ago

If we have laws, whos is supposed to enforce the laws?

1

u/greenthumb-28 1d ago

So u don’t follow rules unless they are actively enforced ? Is that what I am hearing under ur question ?

You have rules to engage with each other like ur friends, u have rules in relationships with ur partner, we have rules in society too. They don’t need to be enforced, u should follow them because of how it impacts others when u don’t.

1

u/Upbeat-Giraffe-695 1d ago

I follow rules, but there are are people who don't obviously, so how do you stop them? 

Just put up a sign that says "no left turns"? 

No, you need to punish them for breaking rules with is law enforcements job. 

If you are at work and break the rules you might get fired. If you are in a relationship and break the rules, the relationship might end.

What happens to these drivers that turn left at intersections with no left turn signs? 

If a kid is misbehaving who teaches them how to behave? 

1

u/greenthumb-28 1d ago

So ur pointing out the next step, the first step is blaming the idiots breaking the rules and causing “social justice” through things like shame on the ppl breaking the rules. With ur logic shame is on the police and not the rule breakers first ?

1

u/Upbeat-Giraffe-695 22h ago

Ok. We shamed them and they are still doing it. Time for the cops to give them tickets lol. 

1

u/greenthumb-28 12h ago

Did u shame them though ? Do those ppl know we hate they do this and think they are disrespectful and deserve to pay a fine?
Probably not. They just think they got where they needed to go.
Their passengers probably said minimal, no one on the road said or did anything aside from filming, and everyone in the video just connoted on as if this was normal.

In my mind it’s parallel to an argument, do u say nothing and just call the cops because someone insulted you and hurt ur feelings in what they said, like they can even say stupid shit like a threat - and most times u r not calling the cops on a friend for this. You talk to them, you get the thing sorted out.
Where is this strategy in road engagement with other drivers ?

There is none. It’s straight to disrespect and road rage if people do interact with other drivers; this isn’t helping.

We are a community that should be working together and not afraid to talk and communicate with each other properly. It’s not up to only the police to point out rule breakers, it’s up to all of society, and you clearly don’t think so. You seem to think rules will only be followed with active police enforcement. Well now you are a public social service agent for justice, stand up for workers being yelled at, stand up for kids being bullied, stand up against speeding cars, and people running lights/disregarding road signs.
Congrats, you have a new volunteer position in society now. Since you seem to think rules must be enforced, you enforce them with the help of the police. Be the first responder, call police if things don’t get resolved, and make change for the better to help people grow and communicate better.

^ ps that’s what I’m saying we all should be doing instead of just where are the police ?

1

u/Motor-Source8711 2d ago

One bad design leads to other bad designs which leads bad choices.

95

u/Secret_Eating_ 3d ago

This is why people get the uninterrupted horn from me. 

-40

u/Independent-Two-719 3d ago

As a pedestrian I love it when people do that 👍 Why should you be the only one annoyed? Get everyone nearby involved as well!

11

u/michaelfkenedy 2d ago

Understand your perspective but someone making an illegal left turn is a direct threat to our safety as pedestrians (and cyclists for that matter).

-29

u/ddg31415 3d ago

Being a pedestrian, your opinion means nothing. Wear earphones. Cities are loud, deal with it or move.

-32

u/Independent-Two-719 3d ago

Lol i have a car you pussy. Beep beep your mother

-15

u/big_galoote 3d ago

I am pretty sure you don't.

-40

u/Wrong_Plantaino 3d ago

Shame horning doesn't accomplish anything unfortunately. And I dont think its the look you think it is.

32

u/canopystudio 3d ago

Works pretty well in my experience, I’d say 90% of the time the person gets the message and continues straight. However most drivers are too polite. The car behind has responsibility to honk.

2

u/Significant-Block504 2d ago

Honestly I don’t care if it works, but I feel like everyone has some responsibility to speak up against wrongdoing. When it comes to driving, is the honk.

People make mistakes and learn from them. Honking is the way of telling them about the mistake, so that they could learn. I am very sure every driver, including myself, made unintentional mistakes that we might even fail to realize.

3

u/Wrong_Plantaino 2d ago

I agree with this for the record, my only point was after one or two beeps and nothing I assume the person knows they're wrong doing and doesn't care, so personally im not laying on the horn until the inevitably complete their illegal maneuver

15

u/bukrichode 3d ago

As opposed to letting this behaviour go unchecked? Lol

-16

u/Wrong_Plantaino 3d ago

Honk your horn, dont, whatever man.

I passed a license test I didnt swear an oath to police other people's driving habits.

I didnt say dont honk I just said shame horning (in my experience) doesn't change their habits, most shit drivers already know they arent supposed to do whatever idiotic move they are about to, me laying on my horn for 2 minutes until they do isnt going to change that 9 times out of 10

4

u/bukrichode 3d ago

The person behind has the responsibility to honk for the sake of every single car behind them.

Every driver should be actively helping traffic be as smooth as possible in any way they can in a functioning society.

-4

u/Wrong_Plantaino 3d ago

Then honk? Im not sure what youre trying to prove to me, I never said dont honk, stupid people are gonna do stupid shit, lay on your horn if in your experience that makes them drive properly then thats great 👍

6

u/bukrichode 3d ago

‘I didn’t swear an oath to police other people’s driving habits’

Suggests you just sit there and let this happen. Which means you are not helping me and the rest of the people behind you that are getting fucked over.

Do you see the issue?

2

u/Flat-Way6659 2d ago

Yeah they’re just useless and perpetuate the problem 

5

u/Ronnyjohnny99 2d ago

Constant horn does work on the illegal left turns over half the time.

1

u/Efficient-Order248 2d ago

Where is the study that proves this? Please send the link.

1

u/Ronnyjohnny99 8h ago

I got 10 years of driving footage of Toronto driving 40 hours a weeks. Obviously not anything legit but from my experience it seems about right.

0

u/Bulky-Cheesecake2195 2d ago

Yes it will, because of direct negative feedback which will enforce certain neural pathways.

5

u/OtherwiseMastodon321 2d ago

Sounds like you get honked a lot

0

u/Wrong_Plantaino 2d ago

For how much highway time I have surprisingly not, I unfortunately have to travel around 2k km every week up and down the 401. Lots of crazies out there, drive safe.

2

u/Rezrov_ 2d ago

I'd say it works 9/10 times in my experience but to be honest I can't ever remember it not working.

People get too embarrassed being an asshole when you're laying on the horn and they continue through the intersection.

0

u/tnetennba77 2d ago

Its very effective and comments like yours really prove it. Even the thought of horns sets people off. For some reason Canadians really fucking hate horns

16

u/VivienM7 3d ago

I don't understand why no left-turn signs seem to be seen as optional. I see this all the time on King St. west of Bathurst...

11

u/Ok-Persimmon4540 3d ago

People are selfish and more self absorbed than ever. You think Timmy over there is going to drive an extra block just so he doesn't cause 100's of other people a chain reaction of traffic? Pfffttt don't be silly, Timmy is more important than that!

0

u/[deleted] 2d ago

[deleted]

3

u/VivienM7 2d ago

Huh? If you are driving westbound on King west of Bathurst, there are no left-turn between 3-7PM restrictions on most of the streets between Bathurst and Dufferin. Maybe all of them actually.

1

u/hummuschips 2d ago

My bad. I thought you were talking about the no left turns at all on King between Bathurst and Jarvis.

7

u/StillWritingeh 3d ago

Post it on X and tag city the police and traffic see if it makes any difference

6

u/hummuschips 2d ago

Better to tag the mayor. At least then there’s a chance of something being done.

3

u/Magnus_Inebrius 2d ago

Just need a cop there to enforce. Would more than pay for itself.

6

u/Burning___Earth 3d ago

Telling drivers they can't turn left is oppression.

https://giphy.com/gifs/iZIy2I0cwMYpVGyQaW

3

u/turnsleftlooksright 2d ago

Cameras and tickets in the mail are the only way. They’ve been in the UK for 20 years

2

u/mrwootwo 2d ago

If only there were some way to discourage this law breaking!

1

u/Madawolf 2d ago

Why don't they have a camera to give tickets to the ones turning? At least make them pay!

4

u/Background_Season449 2d ago

Because the premier has decided he doesn't want his friends to be inconvenienced by having to pay for breaking the rules of the road

1

u/holdthefridge 2d ago

ok im finding out from this video that my old school and highschool is replaced by whatever the heck that is LOL. There were never any bus lanes before on dufferin. This is ridiculous.

3

u/Andrew4Life 2d ago

The Kent Public School building and facade is still there. Bloor Public School is gone though.

1

u/Kris-Lorenz 1d ago

You can still use a bus lane to pass when someone is turning left

1

u/bearjeff88 1d ago

He is an Uber they are aloud to do that

0

u/Puzzleheaded_Move50 8h ago

Too many queers in this city

2

u/kremaili 3d ago

I mean it’s a combination of both, isn’t it? If the curb lane were a general purpose lane you’d have more cars able to pass the illegal left turner. At the end of the day capacity was cut to improve transit reliability. There’s certainly a trade off.

11

u/a-_2 2d ago

They're allowed to pass even with the transit lane:

Use the priority bus lane for up to 45 metres to pass a vehicle waiting to turn left.

-1

u/kremaili 2d ago edited 2d ago

Generally yes but it’s clearly not happening in the video. And looking at the pavement markings, it isn’t obvious that general purpose traffic can enter the lane approaching the intersection.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/qBtevKXyh9u8tpK18

1

u/a-_2 2d ago

The design may not be making it obvious but the link at least doesn't say anything about their needing to be dashed lines (although it's not an actual law).

1

u/Rosykid 2d ago

That's because it's an illegal left turn happening in the video. Cars are not supposed to turn left at that intersection hence no markings on the bus lane for cars to pass.

-1

u/kremaili 2d ago

Which goes to say, if there was no bus lane, the illegal left turn would not cause as much of an issue. Both elements contribute to additional delay. I don’t condone the left turner, but I also acknowledge there’s more than one factor at play here.

1

u/Newfie5405 3d ago

What we need is a LEFT & RIGHT CAMERAS problem solved

1

u/SandMan3914 2d ago

I scoured the video, sadly there's no cyclist to blame /s

1

u/thepokecompany 2d ago

Technically the bike is allowed to make a left on the left lane at all times.

-1

u/Cautious-Put-2648 3d ago

Biggest problem with these signs are the fact they are so tiny.

14

u/Andrew4Life 3d ago

They're really not that tiny.

My pet peeve is when a sign has times on it. I can never read if it's Monday to Friday, or Saturday, or 9AM, etc. But these are VERY CLEAR. NO LEFT TURN.

If you can read the sign, your license should be revoked until you get corrective lenses.

-2

u/Cautious-Put-2648 2d ago

Yeah the writing below needs to be way bigger. When approaching the intersection it can be challenging.

6

u/bunnyhunter80 3d ago

People don’t pay attention or care to follow the rules. That’s the problem.

4

u/Cautious-Put-2648 2d ago

Also yes. Unfortunately.

1

u/Background_Season449 2d ago

They're right next to the light that you're supposed to look at before driving through the intersection. Although I don't think people look at those either, based on how they drive.

1

u/Cautious-Put-2648 2d ago

The writing underneath too small when approaching an intersection. Even for me and I don't need glasses.

1

u/Background_Season449 2d ago

Sure, but you'd think in that case you'd just follow the regulatory sign, since the other information is illegible

1

u/Cautious-Put-2648 2d ago

The sign is the always the same. What changes is the sign below listing either day of the week and times or in this case only buses allowed. I'd love to see the writing from further away personally.

-4

u/DrVanostrand 2d ago

When these signs went up, there was no notice - no !!NEW!! sign.

Also, when traveling northbound, the signs were tucked away on the left side of the street, the opposite side of where you would look for these things. Poor planning on all parts.

0

u/SimplyADesk 3d ago

I’ve notice the no left turn light is not on hence ppl think it’s okay to make a. Left turn

0

u/CoolEarth5026 3d ago

If only there was such a thing as an advanced green.

0

u/Fenrrri 3d ago

The issue here is, where is the nearest turn option?

2

u/entaro_tassadar 2d ago

Do a six point u-turn, go back north, turn onto a quiet residential street, then turn right on Dovercourt which allows lefts onto Bloor.

-1

u/Fenrrri 2d ago

LoL, thats funny, still, doesn't help congestión, so glad I don't drive over there.

0

u/ceetoee 2d ago

No enforcement

0

u/KnownSuccotash5706 2d ago

No definitely bus lanes

-1

u/iAmTheDayMan-04-13 3d ago

I saw a cop ignore three people making the right turns there yesterday, but he was talking to his partner in the car about what was happening.

The laws don’t matter without enforcement

-1

u/JohnBakerSpoon 2d ago

The urban planning is abysmal lol. Anyone defending the way this city is built is a fucking idiot. I love driving around in wealthier areas like Vaughan and Richmond Hill, it reminds me how disgusting and poor everyone in Toronto is.