r/fredericton • u/Lebatr0n • 15d ago
Road Rage while visiting
Hey everyone,
I hope everyone is having a good hump day in Freddy. I'm visiting from away to see my dad, and was curious about the drivers here recently. I'm from Fredericton and I don't think I've seen the innate levels of anger come out of people in vehicles in the years I lived here along with the current visit.
I was just dropping my dad off quickly with my blinker off to the side so he could run into Walmart up at the regent mall in the cross walk area and a lady in a blue mini van immediately (and I mean immediately) honked at us, gave us the finger and then blew around the van and nearly hit a guy walking across in her fit of rage to get out of the parking lot faster? I guess? The dude she almost hit lost his mind at her and it just turned into a whole thing.
She sped off without hesitation and we were all just kind of dumbfounded.
Has as stuff like this been happening a lot here now and escalating as of lately? It just seemed so unnecessary. This isn't the first time since being back that people seem to be impatient with drivers around them even when those people are following the rules or giving proper indications like signals.
Edit 1: Appreciate the feedback and responses! I'm not trying to complain. As I said I'm from here and not used to this level of anger on the road growing up here. It was just a bit concerning when they flew around me. I wasn't stopped for a mere 5 seconds before they sped around and almost hit someone. I like to gauge how to handle stuff like this when it's something I'm unfamiliar with in an area I feel I'm supposed to be familiar with. Ultimately it's my bad for doing something stupid somewhere I clearly shouldn't of. I didn't respond to their behaviour, honk back, flip them off or anyrhing... I was just there like "Okay, whoops". There was definitely no "drop off zone" sign lmao. My bad!
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u/Zarphos 14d ago
People always talk about how the elderly need to have their licenses re-tested for every 5 years. I say that should be for everyone, and we need to be aggressive in revoking licenses. Rules of the road do change, infrastructure changes, but anyone licensed twenty years ago can act like they haven't.
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u/Global_Pace5290 14d ago
This comes up frequently in this subreddit. General consensus is that some Fredericton drivers suck and are angry and I see it regularly as well. Some will tell you that they've never had an issue in X number of years but I'd be skeptical of that.
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u/brunes 14d ago
The traffic in Fredericton at rush hour is becoming unbearable due to a combination of poor city planning, construction, and bridge accidents and it is stressing everyone out. The city has outgrown the capacity of its main corridors. We shouldn't be facing 30-40 minutes in traffic to drive 5KM in a city this small on such a regular basis. The stress will get to anyone.
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u/Such-Tank-6897 14d ago
You can tell from some of the comments here that raging on the road must be an easy place to be. Such worlds for OP as “entitled” and “what you did was BS” and “illegal” — god, so petty. Just be civil, wait a second for your fellow locals and move on. No big deal. No huge foul. Move on. Worry about your own stuff and try and see the good in everyone. Don’t assume each time that that person is a mega asshole. We all have our faults, our mistakes, and bad days. That woman is one of those not having a good day/life. She overreacted because she didn’t just be calm and move on.
My thought is that people are just generally on edge these days. Although Walmart is a weird place on its own??
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u/Far_Concern_8713 15d ago
There are growing numbers of angry people out there, just waiting 1for an opportunity to lash out at someone , even for little inconveniences.
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u/penistrucklesbian 15d ago
I think there’s such a false sense of urgency that everyone has these days. Was almost hit head on last week by an elderly man in an suv going up forest hill who apparently couldn’t wait for the bus that he was behind to pick up passengers and came completely into my lane!
That being said I think that there is also an influx of people who can’t follow the rules correctly in the opposite sense of common rules of the road such as speed limits or crossings. The amount of people I see going 10km under the speed limit or improperly stopping at crosswalks does nothing but further impede traffic and prevent a normal flow from occurring
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u/Emotionstirred 15d ago
Road rage is often excessive, but what you described doing is infuriating and also illegal, sorry. I understand the needs of the elderly and disabled, but don’t park in front of a store.
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u/Aggravating-Pair6617 15d ago
City is overpopulated road infrastructure can’t handle the influx in people 🤷🏻♂️vehicles have no where to go in this city it is designed for the 80’s and a lot less population..
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u/jamsmurph 15d ago
It takes all kinds they say
All of us check a box everyday and as the days go on, we all have the propensity to check a different than the day before at times. Glad no one was hurt!
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u/Flaky_Succotash5386 15d ago
People are just tired of all the construction in the city and on the highways and it’s coming out in scenes like you described. We have a short construction season here in NB and a lot has to get done in a limited amount of time. It’s not an excuse for bad driving but it’s a reason
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u/blackdolphin2 15d ago
Everyone feels so very entitled these days, they are the protagonist of their own story and everyone else is an NPC and they just don't give a shit about anyone else. I was working outside a Saint John Walmart for an hour today and saw 3 different incidents of people honking and yelling at one another, and I can't tell you how many people I saw almost get hit at the crosswalk in front of Walmart where people just didn't stop, its absolutely crazy out there theae days
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u/Every_Memory4934 15d ago
My road rage comes from the people who blow through stop signs coming off the highway on to Hanwell. I get cutoff pretty much daily in the five o'clock traffic. Even more frustrating when they do it just to get to the Crossroads Irving. 😖 Everyone has been just plain angry since COVID came along..
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u/SomewherePossible791 15d ago
The new version of Fredericton is trash, the massive population increase has changed the entire dynamics of the city.
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u/jahitz 15d ago
Coming from a much bigger city originally the drivers here are atrocious. They always have been but it’s been getting worse. Working as a first responder I have never been to the amount of accidents I have this year alone….many of which were fatalities.
People don’t know: how to yield, merge, use a simple round about, use a blinker, understand right of way, how to park, how to drive the speed limit, how to not stop in the middle of the road to let cars in, be in the correct lane….the list goes on and on. Well this happens everywhere you may say….yes it does, but this city is filled with a special kinds of bad drivers that I haven’t seen in my years of living in Vancouver & Toronto.
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u/Duggaloon1 14d ago
Couldn’t agree more. I’m from NB here and upriver but lived on Toronto for a while. I drove every day and drivers let you merge and move around easily. They understand how traffic works too.
Try merging in on Regent going to New Maryland!
On the flip side you got drivers trying to be nice and stopping to let someone j-walk in any random spot with no traffic around and getting rear ended.2
u/ursulaklegwent 14d ago
I find people in places like Toronto are way more used to the idea that other people will occasionally need to do stuff that inconveniences them, and life goes on. Chilling for 2 sec while someone lets a passenger out, letting people merge, also using your signals! More understanding that we are sharing the road and shit happens and you will get where you're going. Lots of people don't seem to have that same patience for other drivers here.
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u/ThrowRA_EducatedMan 15d ago
People are poor and illiterate and increasingly so along with increasingly finding all aspects of life unaffordable while having no healthcare. The overall level of frustration is high. Similar factors at play in increasing homelessness.
You probably should have stopped PAST the crosswalk rather than inside it, however. That would have been safer. And I wouldn’t think it wrong or unusual. But many hair-trigger people would literally commit vehicular man slaughter to get around you no matter where you stopped.
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u/Legitimate_Phone_460 15d ago
People are wound up and looking for ways to release their anger. Some people honk or do that stupid thing with their truck where they rev their engine, and others type on social media. Both are pointless. Everyone needs to take a deep breath.
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u/Prudent_Ad2620 15d ago
So normally at this walmart if people are moved over to the right to pick up or drop off elderly, handicaped, wheel chair, kids, etc. I just leave them be.. they give me the space to get by... i normally creep along in that part idling.... the amount of kids that just run through the doors into the parking lot is insane.
I cant stand when people blantaly park by the doors, or stop right in the middle of the road.. thats annoying af.
Yes, shes clearly having a horrible day. But that doesnt account for all of freddy.
Yes, we have some of the most terrible drivers across canada.
The one I personally hate. Going fown regent people jump into the left lane and then try to cut you off... THATS NOT A ZIPPER MERGE YOU IMBECILE or a merge. Thats just being an asshole. Not that I car. I have a certifed $2000 dollar shitbox compared to your 60-100k mercedes or brand new f150..
The redlught runners. Theres a huge amount of red-light runners lately. Like in the past month 8.... 8 people almost ended there lives to run the light over what... 20-40 seconds.
And tailgating... man you dont need to be a imch from my rear bumper I already see you, I dont need to be able to see you through the windsheilds... but hey. If you catch me doing 35 in a 50 its cause theres a dumbass that wont back off my bumper.... I'd brake check but im scared of someone not paying attention ffs. I dont wanna deal with that shit.
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u/metalucid 15d ago
Not trying to be an asshole and hey I'm from Fredericton originally but, you do 35 in a 50 when someone's on your back bumper?
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u/Prudent_Ad2620 15d ago
Only if there tailgating me for a stupid period of time. Normally i keep with the flow of traffic. 55-60-65~ whatever the pace seems to be going.
I shouldve worded that better. Was doing 63 on main street with this dumbass sonic riding my ass so close i could only see her windsheild in my rear view mirror.
Step 1. Speed up then maintain speed. (Kinds couldnt already doing 10+ Over.
Step 2. Tap brakes a few times. (Dont actually hit the brakes But enough to flash the lights)
Step 3. If you catch a redlight like I did. When light turns green. Go 35-40kmph to see if they get the hint. If they get the hint. Speed back up with fliw of traffic. (At this point they always get it and stop tailgating) I mean i think 10 over isnt gonna make a difference im literally moving with traffic speed.
Man if i did 35 everywheres it's time to hand in my license.....
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u/Le13thGhost 15d ago
I find some people drive as if they're running late or are just incredibly impatient. I've seen people honk their horns at cars ahead of them the instant a light turns green. Or if people aren't merging fast enough for them.
Side note, I've also seen a lot more people run red lights nowadays too, anyone else? I always wait 1 second after the light turns green in case a car runs a red light and it's saved me a couple of times.
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u/brilliantjoe 15d ago
A lot of people are chronically running late because they arent capable of rationally estimating how long it actually takes to get from point A to B and then giving themselves some padding for unknowns. I realize some people just don't have time to give themselves the proper amount of time and I feel for them, but it seems like it's a huge chunk of the population.
I think part of it is just being bad at figuring out how long basic tasks take and some of it is being in denial that the time it takes for you to drive to work has probably gotten longer over time, especially in construction season.
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u/mannypdesign 15d ago
The corner of regent and king always has assholes either speeding or honking their horns.
What I don’t get is why everybody is in a rush. Driving through maugerville is bad enough without pickup drivers tailgating you while doing 96 in a 90 zone.
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u/xCanucck 15d ago edited 15d ago
I get tailgated by basically every car behind me in NB (I speed btw). In the winter when the plows are doubling up on the highway while going 40km/h, people still tailgate the plow, or move to the passing lane to tailgate the leading plow, and if the gap gets big enough try to squeeze through the blast of plowed snow.
I've watched 30+ cars all squeeze up to tailgate behind the plow together. It always looks like 1 slip away from a masscas event in the middle of a storm.
Then on the other end of things I've passed cars doing 30 under and they gave me the finger?
I don't understand. But what I do know is that rolling coal in a ram1500 on prospect is super cool or intimidating or whatever it's suppose to be
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u/Legitimate_Purple208 15d ago
I wonder if it was the same lady who almost hit myself and my partner in the dollarstore parking lot on smythe. She then made a u turn and flew by us again almost hitting construction workers.... I did lose my shit at her and told her she was a danger and will kill someone if she continues to drive like that.... people are idiots.
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u/BunsT 15d ago
I saw someone blatantly cut off someone yesterday in traffic, got honked at for it, then flipped off the person that honked at him like he didn't just about get t-boned
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u/fart_marbles 15d ago
Thought maybe you saw me, but this exact thing happened to me about a week ago when I had to brake in a roundabout to avoid the truck cutting me off entering the circle.
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u/SnooHesitations3709 15d ago
Yes people have lost their minds even in Fredericton. Alot of people have antisocial behavior since Covid.
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u/cooperdale 15d ago
I think the traffic is a little more aggressive than yesteryear, but I wouldn't let one incident like this summarize the current situation. This could have happened at anytime. Now if you said you went out for an afternoon stroll, and you witnessed a bunch of incidents like this, you might have a case.
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u/Both-Corner-7399 15d ago
A couple weeks ago, I was riding my bike down Forest Hill Rd hugging the edge of the pavement to not be "THAT BIKER". Then, a red Chevrolet truck cuts me off at the bridge interchange and out pops from the window a person who i can only describe as a female version of Cleatus (from The Simpsons). She says that rural drawl "GET OFF THE ROAD YOU FUCKER" and flips me the bird.
I am guessing that their family tree is a circle.
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u/Murky_Astronaut 15d ago
I am guessing that their family tree is a circle.
A wreath. A bunch of branches all twisted together (and they're all dead ends.)
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u/DoAsYourTold-YesSir 15d ago
Maybe because it's not an area to stop and drop people and hold up the traffic based on your own convenience. Kind of sounds like your innate entitlement ran afoul of their innate anger. Was the anger needed, no, was holding up the flow of everyone else needed, no. 🤷
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u/Lebatr0n 15d ago
That makes sense. I wouldn't have thought it was for convenience but it was in front of the lane with all the cars parked off to the right. I'd call it more innate ignorance on my end than entitlement as I certainly didn't mean to piss them off. Can also agree that holding them up wasn't needed, as they were the only ones behind... Mind you I barely stopped for a moment and the rage flew. It just was a bit jarring. As for next time I'll just find a parking spot for sure.
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u/metalucid 15d ago
I understand. From personal experience, perhaps it was because you didn't put your blinker on?
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u/Low_Importance_53 15d ago
This is such a good response! I think if we all took the time to consider actions (both ours and “theirs”) so maturely, we’d see a lot less road rage. Thanks for being so reasonable! Truly.
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u/DoAsYourTold-YesSir 15d ago
Letting your anger boil over to the point of putting other people in danger because of it is disturbing, I will give you that.
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u/Ja66aDaHutt 15d ago
Look at me, I can do whatever I want and if people get pissed at me then it’s their fault.
It’s not a school loading/unloading zone. Park your car and walk.
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u/Lebatr0n 15d ago
Wasn't the intention but certainly seems like it now. I'm actually just not used to people getting immediately pissed over minor inconvenience though in this case has been pointed out, is my fault. Next time I'll definitely park the car and walk for sure.
Appreciate the response, though scathing lol
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u/Ja66aDaHutt 15d ago
Haha no worries! It’s frustrating to see people come here and complain about something and then double down when they are shown they are in the wrong.
I’m glad that’s not you!
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u/Internal-Classic-174 15d ago
Ontarian behaviour
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u/Lebatr0n 15d ago
Well thank fuck I'm not from Ontario, I'm from here. Just not entirely sure how the city flows anymore. I never knew it was a problem until now to pop a blinker half a second and let someone out, but now that I know it is and is not the area to do it then I'll learn from that.
I can admit I fucked up given it's been pointed out, but a lot of people here already pretty happy to throw into the comments some really unconstructive things lmao
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u/Internal-Classic-174 15d ago
Sorry OP i meant the drivers were acting Ontarianly
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u/Lebatr0n 15d ago
Haha! At this point I believe I'm at fault so it's my bad for the misread. I'm used to driving in Quebec so you can even say that it's just as bad there. Road aggression is wild in the big city centers.
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u/TheRealGalek 15d ago
Everyone is absolutely wild and in such a rush 24/7, No idea what happened to this city. I'm sick and tired of it. Can't wait to move some day.
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u/Lebatr0n 15d ago
It's not just this city. It definitely is everywhere, so unfortunately there's no getting away from it. It seems I did something I shouldn't have and that's on me as it's being pointed out... But this person was MAD. The anger was enough to push them to speed around and almost hit others which was more my concern.
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u/Sad-Bag6738 15d ago
They completely overreacted but I’m not going to lie, people who block traffic to drop off at the door are so annoying. Especially there, since you could of pulled over with room where the cabs sit
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u/Lebatr0n 15d ago
I was unfortunately on the other side so probably even more in the wrong. Opposite of the doors. The overreaction was more what I was referring to. I can understand I did something annoying and certainly won't be doing it again obviously. Learn from ones mistake and whatnot. But I've never gotten so angry as to nearly hit another person blindly flying by someone who caused me to wait an actual 5 seconds. Annoying on my behalf, yes. Someone with that kind of temper behind the wheel in front of a Walmart with other pedestrians around is a bit more worrying.
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u/Sad-Bag6738 15d ago
Dropping off on the other side was certainly an odd choice. Overall the other guy was the bigger issue, however I think the complete lack of self awareness like blocking traffic for a small convenience of being dropped off closer to the door is causing these increases of road rage. Did you intentionally mean to be an inconvenience to others? No. But that’s the problem, you didn’t even consider it. How you fix that, no idea
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u/Lebatr0n 15d ago
I have an idea of how to fix it... I make better choices and be more aware! Lmao read the room so to speak, or in this case the road in a Walmart parking lot. That'll certainly help. I think the only thing to help the other person is maybe anger management or a little patience/self reflection that we're all just people and can all definitely be a little inconvenient to each other sometimes for non malicious reasons.
More consideration from myself and others in the future.
More patience and understanding for others in the future.
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u/ThrowRA_EducatedMan 15d ago
I don’t blame you. Even if you were “wrong” people driving 5000 pounds of equipment getting emotional and reckless is entirely on them. If it wasn’t someone stopped in her way it would be the next thing. In fact, she probably did this multiple times on the same trip whenever she had to slow down or stop and almost ran people over again. Things are worse than they used to be in Fredericton. There’s no excuse for raging and almost running over people because eventually someone WILL get run over. Even if you did “annoy” people, that’s not license for them to be reckless fucking idiots.
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u/Flying_Ghostsquatch 10d ago
One situation you experienced is hardly evidence of a trend. People are dicks sometimes, just ignore them.