Scary on the roads

What is it about driving in Cottage Country?  know I have complained about the lakes, but the traffic is amazing on the roads.

People do the stupidest things. Is it the wider roads that lull them into a sense of security?

I saw a woman signaling to pull out - I was shocked. A signal. In Port Carling. Someone actually broadcasting their intention to pull out into traffic, instead of squeezing themselves between you and the Mercedez in front of you.
I stopped, and waved her out.

I knew it was too good to be true. This important person did a U-turn in the middle of the afternoon, in the middle of the street, while traffic piled up behind me. The roads in Port Carling are delightful. Lots of wide spaces for parking. Now that the construction is over, things are looking up.



In summer, this is THE place to find Vanity Plates. It has to be the capital of Vanity Plates...and I have collected a few here and there.

But the traffic in this town...often you will see a group biking. I think they are nuts!

The way people drive in town...they risk their lives.

OK, not so much how they drive, but where they park.

The dude in the SUV had an important missions in, yes, you said it, the Apothecary Shop. Good thing we have great pharmacists there. I need some headache tablets.

Now, we had a meeting in the library, but we took the time to park behind. This guy didn't seem to care that he was blocking a driveway for public parking. (Can you hum a few bars of Ironic - by Alannis Morrisette?)

This chickie (right) was parked in front of the Apothecary Shop, then she backed up, as the truck insisted in pushing her backwards so that he could park legally.

It seems to be a pattern. Important people with important mail to pick up. They do not have the time to park behind the library, in the large parking spot, or time to park in the right direction!

This person with a roof rack pulled right in front of us just as we were leaving the parking spot, meaning we had to back up in order to pull out onto the street. 

This guy was parked in the exit for the parking lot. Just for a minute, mind you. Other people can wait. 

Poor parking skills, or disrespect for others, is not limited to Port Carling.

We visited the Cranberry Bog/Muskoka Lakes Winery. Now, they have acres of land, and parking that accommodates busloads in peak season (Cranfest). If you've been there, you know what I mean.

Yet, this person parked behind out car, while Brian was sitting in the car and I was in buying a bottle of my favourite (blueberry). In front of our car was a pile of sand, beside us was a couple in a car getting ready for a trip, with maps in hand. Brian could not navigate his way out and we had to ask the couple to move their car.

And then there is Gravenhurst.

Boston Pizza was pretty busy that day. There were cars parked right from there up to the Tea Shop.

He pulled a left turn at the light, the stopped abruptly, got out of the car and was waving a piece of paper in his hand walked towards the building.  I leaped out of the car, to my hubby's disgust, and too a photo.

His passenger, after we honked, opened her door and yelled, "Pull around!"

We could have, if a car wasn't coming the other way towards both of us. In addition, there was a car behind us. Stuck in the intersection on highway #169. Good drivers look around them. They respect others. They appreciate that they are not the only ones on the road.

This guy had just moved back behind the truck while hoping to pass. Too bad, we were in the way, as well as a half dozen other cars.

Of course, the double yellow lines are only a suggestion. Only chumps stay inside the lines!

This guy couldn't wait while we made our turn. Obviously late for something.