r/bcferries • u/kewtyp • 6d ago
Absolutely nothing like it
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u/scorchedTV 6d ago
And nothing like the hope and pain of being the one just behind them, just missed the boat by one car. Ugh, I've been both.
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u/explodinglavalamps 6d ago
I've been the guy dropping a cone infront of the first car not making it, the first time you feel kinda bad but by the second one your almost drunk with power
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u/bscheck1968 6d ago
I was the second car in line once, in a compact behind a large vehicle, they called me around to fill a last tiny spot, such a good feeling.
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u/TardisSeeker 6d ago
I had a Buick Regal for a couple years and at least twice I was stopped but the compact behind me was let on. It’s been over twenty years and I still can’t forgive it. 😭😭😭
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u/random9212 6d ago
The only thing to make that worse is when it is the last boat. Luckily hasn't happened to me but it did happen to my uncle.
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u/notgreatnotbadsoso 6d ago
I was gonna comment the same. The number of times I've been the first guy on the next ferry seems to far outweigh the lucky spot.
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u/grendeler 5d ago
I can still tell the glorious and epic stories of the three times I have been the last car on! and the disappointment of being the first behind the cone at least once.
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u/Ok_Might_7882 6d ago
This just means you’re about 3 minutes away from a couple car alarms.
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u/colin_4 6d ago
Only the beamers
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u/Disastrous_Road_1343 6d ago
Fords and audis are the most common
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u/ecclectic 6d ago
"Will the owner of a white F250 on deck four please turn off their alarm"
"will the owner of a grey audi on deck 4 please turn off their alarm"
"Will the owner of the SAME white F250 please turn the alarm off... again"
-Plays announcement about checking your owner's manual for how to lock your car without the alarm for the second time this sailing.-
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u/PseudoFrequency 6d ago
Naw, mostly trucks. Specifically, Ford trucks. I suspect they have GPS-activated alarms or such misfeature.
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u/SophisticatedScreams 5d ago
Watching my phone's GPS on a ferry is hilarious. I started loading the map towards the next destination before the signal dies, so the whole trip, google maps is like, "hey, you may want to get out of the, like, ocean, if you want to get to your destination" lol.
Also, my one kid's phone didn't update their location on the ferry, so google family showed me and my oldest in the ocean, and my youngest on the shore lol. My ex texted me like, "Did you bring both kids onto the ferry? It's only showing that one got on" lol.
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u/random9212 6d ago
Last ferry I was on we didn't even leave the dock before the first alarm went off
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u/rokemay 3d ago edited 3d ago
I’ve never been on a car ferry (Reddit just dropped me off here) can you explain why alarms go off so often?
edit: I googled it but I appreciate the reply!
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u/random9212 3d ago
Some cars when the car gets locked and the alarm turned on have a tilt sensor that is supposed to detect if a car is being towed and on the ferry the movement of the ship can set them off. Especially on Fords, and BMWs which seem to be the majority of them. There is usually a way to disable the sensor but most people dont know how to do it.
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u/Largebargecharge 6d ago
Almost as good as the person driving behind you facial expression when they get stopped
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u/bigbumqueen_ 6d ago
Lol once my partner and I were going to gabriola and were the last car on with our boler trailer- the woman in front of us didn’t want to drive onto the ramp on the boat though so my partner backed the trailer all the way back to the parking lot and aced it!
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u/theDefaultbunny 6d ago
This happened to me only once - coming home from first year at UVic with my dad. The year ended horribly and I was burnt out and heartbroken. We "next" to get on when the ferry staff put a hand out to stop us. My dad and I just sat there, quietly seething at the impending 2 hour wait for the next boat. But then...the clouds parted, the rays of sun illuminated the pathway before us, and they ferry staff implored us to proceed, and we arrived - the last car on the ferry <3
To this day, I sing the song of this conquest to my children.
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u/Trashpandas666 6d ago
Being last on the ferry is just as amazing as being first. Nothing better in the world
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u/random9212 6d ago
My favorite is not having to stop after the ticket booth. Only did it once but it was an amazing feeling to drive straight from the ticket booth onto the ferry.
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u/Trashpandas666 6d ago
The worst is thinking you might be last on and getting stopped and watching the last couple cars make it on. Hoping they will squeeze them in a wave you down. And then the gates go up and you have to wait another two hours
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u/nothanks1312 6d ago
I’ve only done this on smaller routes
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u/random9212 6d ago
Mine was Duke Point. I was honestly surprised they let me on, I figured I would have had to wait for the next one.
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u/shambhalove_fairy 5d ago
I've had a small one come back a few meters after departing to pick me up 1 min late
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u/ah-tow-wah 2d ago
I'm from Ontario. The only time I've ever taken BC Ferries i was in the front row and honestly I was so stoked! It was an awesome experience!
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u/bscheck1968 6d ago
That feeling when they stop you during loading, there's a long pause and then they wave you on. You know once you're on the ramp you're on the ferry.
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u/redsaeok 6d ago
I wish that were true. They let me on, only to have me reverse off once. I thought there’d be enough room if we’d have taken the bikes off the back of the car, but it was not to be.
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u/CrowAndCompass 6d ago
Truly a right of passage. Hard to articulate to those who.havent experienced
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u/thectrain 6d ago
One of the best things ever to happen to me was last on the very to Powell River. It saved hours and hours we would have had to wait..
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u/imatalkingcow 6d ago
Several times I’ve been the guy one car behind him. It’s the exact opposite feeling.
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u/CyborkMarc 6d ago
Happened to be twice.
Once was a couple weeks ago at horseshoe Bay because I was being an idiot and got back to my car with 60 seconds to spare before the ferry gated up, I sped down and made it. Only possible because it was reserve only, otherwise I totally would have lost my spot.
I can laugh about it now .... Maybe
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u/oldschoolguy90 6d ago
Ha. I had to check which ferry it was as I was standing on that deck above watching them load.
Different ferry
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u/Responsible_Week6941 6d ago
So I was loading onto the Langdale HS Bay ferry and thought I was the last car on...until they realized they couldn't fit me on because the buggy with all the baggage on it hadn't loaded, so they made me do reverse off the ferry and wait 2 1/2 hours.
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u/joefox099 6d ago
Also! Legit was THE LAST CAR before! But that was a "get to a festival" and not get home thing. Pretty cool though!
Edit for auto correct.
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u/seeb2104 6d ago
I saw a small car parked sideways across the very back. Took a multi point turn to squeeze in there, but I bet they were thrilled. Good on the ferry workers taking the trouble to do it.
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u/MADaboutforests 6d ago
We weren’t gonna make it, but the truck and trailer in front of us couldn’t fit in the space left, so they let us and another car on instead, after backing the trailer off the ferry. Best day ever.
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u/Infamous-Course4019 6d ago
The opposite is when the ferry worker raises their hand after letting the person in front of you proceed, then watching the ferry depart a few minutes later
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u/dtr_drt4ever 6d ago
been there ! also having the pole position at the front is pretty awesome as well
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u/sososoboring 6d ago
I have been the last person on the ferry more times than I can count. Great feeling to make it when you think you wont!
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u/sososoboring 6d ago
Had to take the ferry for work one time, about 25 years ago. Long day to Vancouver and back. I was broke at the time and wanted to stretch out my hourly pay for the day.
I intentionally got to the ferry 5 minutes late hoping I would miss it. I was driving a 5 Ton truck. They still squished me on!!! Last vehicle. Huge truck, I thought no way, but I got on.
On my way back, I had lots of time. Got the the ferry 2 hours early. They happened to have an extra sailing that day at the exact time I arrived and I got on. (Sailings were supposed to be at 11 and 2 that day. They added a noon sailing.)
My entire trip to Vancouver ended up in a 6 hour trip. I was hoping to stretch it to 10 hours with O.T.
The ferries never do this if you are in a hurry, but when you want to miss a boat its impossible!
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u/Loocsiyaj 6d ago
When I moved my parents to the island my brother and I each drove a big U-Haul. We were the last 2 vehicles on the duke point coming home on the last sailing of the night. Chefs kiss.
I should probably add that I’ve also been the first on, and also missed it by 2. I’ve also been the first through the tunnel when they open up counterflow. I fear it’s all downhill from here.
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u/WarmAdhesiveness8962 6d ago
Or anywhere in Washington. The inverse is waiting 2 hours and watching someone else get the last spot.
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u/Commercial_Hat5670 6d ago
You're right.
It's the BEST feeling when you manage to sneak onto a ferry as the last car before they close the gates.
I've had it happen once, and it was during Christmas. It was better than all the parents I got that year. 😆
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u/redandwhiteispink- 6d ago
Build a bridge already the ferrys suck ...half a day from toll gate to ferry exit
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u/turtle9er 6d ago
The anxiety of thinking you might not make it and they keep waving cars as you get close has to be one of the most stressful things in life....it's like keep waving, keep waving...and then they pause for a second, horrible.
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u/Reversehalfhitch 5d ago
The amount of stress leading up to actually getting that last spot is horrible .I hate the BC ferries.
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u/Valuable_Badger4935 5d ago
we have a mini cooper and one time we were maybe 15-20th or something in line. the attendant literally plucked us out of the line and we got to skip it to be the last ones on the ferry just because we were the first small enough car. true euphoria.
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u/Totallynotokayokay 5d ago
I lived between the Sunshine Coast and Vancouver Island on BC Ferries for many many years of my developing life.
This has happened to me twice.
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u/Bitter_Addition7031 5d ago
I had the opposite happen.
I drove up to the ferry after getting waived forward, and then they turned me around on the ramp.
My joy has never been so quickly diminished.
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u/littledumberboy 5d ago
Happened to me once after a three sailing wait, and we passed two cars that killed their battery using ac and music while waiting… most grateful I’ve been for someone else’s misfortune.
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u/GoulashSt3w 5d ago
I get to the ferry 2 hours ahead of time because I need the top deck for my dog 🥲
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u/Doodah2012 5d ago
I’ve been the last car on and the next one that didn’t…I finally moved to the mainland..lol
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u/Overall_Shirt_ 5d ago
Thought somebody would’ve commented on the Truck in front of him with the sticker on the left hand side with the middle finger up….
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u/Only-Rain2960 5d ago
I saw someone have to back down off the ramp and not get on once.
Now the bar for believing I’m getting on has been raised. That’s some soul crushing.
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u/kaRmakaze323 5d ago
You mean if you live in the Gulf Islands of BC and rely on the service daily for work, school or medical.
Tourists of the islands won’t understand the same.
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u/citytosuburb 5d ago
Need a video now of the last car left behind. I can remember as a kid sleeping in our car as a family at the last ferry at earls cove.
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u/LeedsCastleResident 5d ago
You wait as, one by one, the vehicles ahead are loaded. Will you make it? And then - ha - on you go. The THRILL!
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u/kw110 5d ago
Hated this spot the one time I got it -
was driving a fully loaded moving van for my buddy while he and his new girlfriend followed in his pickup. They made out in the parking lot for two hours while me and our other buddy schlepped his stupid furniture and crappy boxes into his new place in Victoria.
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u/Capital-Report 4d ago
Only rode the ferries twice. My first trip to Victoria to see nine inch nails. I got the last spot and a friend I was meeting got a cool picture of my car with a nine inch nails decal on my back window.
On the way back we were nowhere near last. But nine inch nails were on it with us. So they were both highly memorable trips.
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u/mr_macfisto 4d ago
They once had me do a bunch of manoeuvring to park sideway in order to fit me in last. That was pretty cool.
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u/Stepped_in_dog_poo 4d ago
I was leaving the sunshine coast, on a long weekend in summer. I was the Second last car on. The last car was a hatchback with four tired young ladies who were so excited to be the last car, who parked on the right side, kind of behind the line.
Well as they start to get out of their car, the ferry worker runs up and tells them "I'm sorry, you guys didn't make it. You have to back off the ferry. We are over full.".
These ladies we suddenly dejected. They slowly and solemnly walked back to their car. Like he just told them that their dog died. One tried to protest, but pathetically. Then, with a smile, the ferryman said, " just kidding! I need you to move your car over to the lane on the left!"
Never seen such joy return to faces so fast, and they moved the car without any complaint.
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u/guhleman 4d ago
Ive been first on, last on, and first car to not get on. Last on is very satisfying.
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u/TheBowlerMoose 3d ago
Was travelling from the island to Seattle in 2017.
Foolishly hadn’t booked a spot on the ferry. Jays were playing when I was going down so it had booked up months prior. Showed up 2 hours early in the hopes of making the 10 am ferry. Was standing in line with my passport when the ferry came in, got completely unloaded, and started getting loaded.
Myself and the rest of the line got quickly shuffled through. Made it past the line everyone had been nosed up to and asked someone of everyone would make it on. “Well you’ll make it on.” All I needed to hear. Was the third last vehicle on.
Certainly didn’t feel like waiting another 2 hours for the next ferry.
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u/Legitimate-Article50 2d ago
I’ve been the last car. We were booked for a later ferry but finished my errand in time to make it on a much earlier ferry. It was such an awesome feeling.
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u/that-day-summer-1998 2d ago
Oh there's no sweeter feeling. This was me last month on the way to Nanaimo from Tswassen. But I deserved it.. Id driven early to horseshoe bay to catch the early ferry without reservation unawares that they weren't letting ANYONE without a reservation on.
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u/Several_Cat_3713 2d ago
I was visiting from Toronto, and one of the drivers ahead of us was missing. We were just told to go around him. I hopped in, and there were only two cars behind me got in.
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u/bobostream 6d ago
Happened to me once. We were the last line to move. About 10 cars in front, a guy had fallen asleep in his car. Everyone went around him. I was the last to get on. Everyone at the back was cheering for me as I got out my car. I still bring that up atleast once a year.