# Bizarre Story From Quebec Canada



## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

Montreal.

Regards, Mike

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2014/12/17/canada-ducklings-highway-fatal-court/20513845/


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## Gearclash (Nov 25, 2010)

"Stopping on traveled portion of highway." I ran into the back of a milk tanker that had done that during a snowstorm. If you're going to stop, get off the road!!


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## Teslan (Aug 20, 2011)

I slowly hit someone from behind on a icy bridge a number of years ago. They had decided to stop right there to argue about something. I was at fault. I thought the person hitting someone from behind was at fault no matter how silly of a reason. And this girl was possibly facing life in prison? Is Canada extra tough on things like this? What do they do to drunk drivers?


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## NewBerlinBaler (May 30, 2011)

Even without her hazard lights on, it seems hard to believe the biker didn't see the "obstacle" in his path and try to slow down and/or attempt an avoidance maneuver. If this happened at night, I could understand but from the video, this occurred during daylight hours. If he struck the back of her vehicle doing 65 mph, he evidently wasn't paying attention.

I rode motorcycle long ago, the second crash / second trip to the ER cured me of that habit. Not paying attention to the road ahead while in a bike can be lethal.

Gary


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## Teslan (Aug 20, 2011)

NewBerlinBaler said:


> Even without her hazard lights on, it seems hard to believe the biker didn't see the "obstacle" in his path and try to slow down and/or attempt an avoidance maneuver. If this happened at night, I could understand but from the video, this occurred during daylight hours. If he struck the back of her vehicle doing 65 mph, he evidently wasn't paying attention.
> 
> I rode motorcycle long ago, the second crash / second trip to the ER cured me of that habit. Not paying attention to the road ahead while in a bike can be lethal.
> 
> Gary


Not just the road ahead, but the roads to the sides and behind you. When driving a motorcycle vehicles can come from anywhere.


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## RockyHill (Apr 24, 2013)

Certainly a sad situation for everyone involved.

What really got my attention was the lawyer's (apparent) statement that his client was 'stupid' and not acting out of ill will. Even if she is, a "no comment" reply would have been better.

Shelia


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## slowzuki (Mar 8, 2011)

Criminal negligence. I was just in Montreal on the weekend, the highways are *extremely busy*. It would be suicidal to stop in the fast lane. You might make it a dozen cars in heavy traffic before getting hit if in the fast lane.

The first cars can see someone stopped in the fast left lane fine and they merge right and leave the cars behind no time to slow down and no place to merge right. Within a few cars the person/object/car etc in the fast lane gets hit. This is in an area with a left hand side jersey barrier with no shoulder to go around with the traffic speed on 4 lanes there 65-75 mph normally.

To do something so stupid for some ducks is unbelievable, she is lucky she wasn't killed herself.


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## deadmoose (Oct 30, 2011)

Sounds like what would be a freeway here. Like someone stopping in the middle of I 35. She is Lucky to be alive. Guy on the motorcycle should have been paying attention. Too bad he had to kill his daughter too.


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## slowzuki (Mar 8, 2011)

It's hard to fault him, in Montreal if you always leave adequate distance for safe stopping you'll eventually be stopped on the road as people just keep pulling in front of you and taking the space.

It's extremely annoying, I had my 27 ft flatbed through there 2 weeks ago, took over 2 miles (4 km) from when I signalled to be able to change lanes for my exit and I almost got hit multiple times.


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## deadmoose (Oct 30, 2011)

slowzuki said:


> It's hard to fault him, in Montreal if you always leave adequate distance for safe stopping you'll eventually be stopped on the road as people just keep pulling in front of you and taking the space.
> It's extremely annoying, I had my 27 ft flatbed through there 2 weeks ago, took over 2 miles (4 km) from when I signalled to be able to change lanes for my exit and I almost got hit multiple times.


Well- you choose not to fault him. Ok. Next time if it is you, you do the same? To me if you condone his driving you accept that next time the next guy dies as well. May work for you. Not so much for me.


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## somedevildawg (Jun 20, 2011)

One would have to be a bit crazy to drive a motorcycle in that type of traffic let alone with his daughter on it.....and in the winter? 
I love motorcycles, have ridden them my whole life, have one now.....rarely do I ride it on the road, even two lane country roads can be scary......I have seen a whole lot of fools on motorcycles......I have to blame him for being in that situation to begin with, she's a moron and should be charged with vehicular manslaughter if such a thing is administered up there....


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## rjmoses (Apr 4, 2010)

IMHO, both were wrong.

She exercised poor judgement by stopping for the ducks. Unless she was a Tibetan monk who won't even step on an ant for religious reasons, she needed to evaluate her safety and the safety of others against the safety of the ducks.

I usually try to miss that dumb squirrel, cat or deer that runs out in front of me because I simply don't like to take the life of another living critter unnecessarily. But, I evaluate my own safety first! Can I miss the critter without harming myself, my property or the life and property of others?

The motorcyclist was wrong as well.

The rider needed to be paying attention to what was happening in front of him at least a quarter mile down the road. He needed to be aware that a car had stopped--for any reason! He also needed to be aware of his rate of closing.

Most people don't know how to drive, period! car, motorcycle, tricycle--it doesn't make any difference. They don't know their braking distances under different weather conditions; they don't know how to handle a skid; they don't know where their tires are at, etc. They never practice braking, skidding, lost of control.

Too many uneducated/undereducated people have driver's licenses. The percentage is even higher when it comes to motorcycle riders.

Getting off my soapbox now.

Ralph


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## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

I agree with Ralph about most folks not knowing or understanding the capabilities of the vehicle they are operating.....but, it is not entirely their fault as when seeking licensing all one is tested for is basically starting, stopping, and turning the wheel. Just too many folks getting licenses to do testing otherwise unfortunately. In spite of motorcycle operator not paying near enough attention, people cannot be allowed to stop for herding wildlife on high speed heavily used roadways. That is a death sentence to any roadway user. She should be heavily penalized....the motorcycle operator already has been.

Regards, Mike


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## slowzuki (Mar 8, 2011)

I agree its not the safest place for a motorcycle. It was summer however not winter. In some areas of Montreal you can chose not to be on the busy highways but there are areas that you can't reasonably bypass.

I've driven in all the big cities in Canada and the northern US including Boston and so far there isn't another that compares to Montreal


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

Have to agree with Ralph on this one, I can lose track of how many people pass me in one day when I'm in the semi with a fully loaded hopper bottom then pull right back in as soon as they can. I've told the wife numerous times when she's with me if they hit the brakes now, there gonna die as no way can I stop or avoid em.

We were hitting the book stores in England on our last trip, they had a UK drivers manual there, I'd say at least four times thicker then the Indiana's drivers manual. Takes years and mucho dinero to get a license while here they hand em out in Cracker Jack boxes.

At least they have their heads screwed on somewhat straight yet in Canada, in the states I could see PETA taking up her cause and she'd end up getting a medal for saving those duckies lives and she managed to take out a few of those evil motorcycle riders in the process.


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## Mike120 (May 4, 2009)

mlappin said:


> We were hitting the book stores in England on our last trip, they had a UK drivers manual there, I'd say at least four times thicker then the Indiana's drivers manual. Takes years and mucho dinero to get a license while here they hand em out in Cracker Jack boxes.


The written test is not that bad, but the driving test took well over an hour and they are very, very picky. I had lived there a few times before I finally did it. I've gotten a drivers license in eight different countries over the years and by far, the UK was the toughest. Germany was #2, easier only because they drive on the right side of the road. In the Middle East countries, I only had to pass an eye test....if you can see, you can drive. Getting in a car was the most dangerous thing I ever did in Iraq. Compared to Europe in general, our drivers license requirements are pretty easy.

In defense of Slowzuki, driving in Montreal is much different than any other place in Canada (it's a Quebec thing). I have a theory that the sane people there stay in the underground part of the city and it's mostly the lunatics that are on the surface.


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## slowzuki (Mar 8, 2011)

The animal lovers had already been circulating a petition in her defence asking for leniency.

Quebec is a funny place. Outside Montreal and Quebec city its very rural, alot in common with other farming provinces/states. Very conservative/religious folks. Not so keen on immigrants etc. All speak french and not so happy about any english being spoken, ie if they want to live here they can speak our language.

In Montreal there is a monster mix of peoples from all over the world and the liberal minded folks from all over Quebec seem to distill there. All languages spoken with english probably most common or at least close to french.

Quebec has its own media and industries strongly supported by people. It still has manufacturing capacity even when a lot of the stuff could be imported cheaper. Sort of a little mini-country inside Canada.


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## slowzuki (Mar 8, 2011)

This is exactly the problem in Montreal area. If you leave more than a car length someone immediately fills it. If you keep slowing down to keep a safe distance open you will be stopped in a short time.

One summer approaching a merge right set of cones for a construction zone the guy behind us took issue with the aggressive drivers passing everyone to race to the front to butt in line so straddled both lanes like the semis will do in Quebec. After 20 mins of yelling and the two almost hitting each other we got rear ended by the aggressive guy as he drove over the cones of the zone then cut back into line. Meanwhile everyone was laughing at him as my hitch went through his bumper and A/C condenser.

Just a normal day in Montreal.



mlappin said:


> Have to agree with Ralph on this one, I can lose track of how many people pass me in one day when I'm in the semi with a fully loaded hopper bottom then pull right back in as soon as they can. I've told the wife numerous times when she's with me if they hit the brakes now, there gonna die as no way can I stop or avoid em.


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## Waldo (Apr 29, 2016)

Slowzki did m Quebec have a referendum on leaving the rest of Canada, here in oz if you stop ,for something where a animals involved and cause a accident you are in fairly big trouble.and like in the states if you run up the back,you're in trouble,how many of us on this forum ,with know study would pass a written road test today.I think when I got my license there was 20 pages in the book.today there's no book but 150 pages on the Web. The kids today have it really hard to get their full license. In my state it's five year,s


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## slowzuki (Mar 8, 2011)

Yes, about every 20 years there is a big push to have a vote and leave Canada then all is quiet again. As a country we already have a bunch of concessions to them. For example part of their court is based on Napoleonic Code rather than the English common law system and they handle both Federal and Provincial taxation at the Provincial level then send the Feds a payment rather than letting the Feds collect the taxes.

Honestly the younger generation now are so connected on the internet and TV to the rest of Canada and North America and don't have the same history of oppression as their grandparents to be angry about. Of course as usual always only one economic downturn away from blaming all their problems on Canada.



Waldo said:


> Slowzki did m Quebec have a referendum on leaving the rest of Canada, here in oz if you stop ,for something where a animals involved and cause a accident you are in fairly big trouble.and like in the states if you run up the back,you're in trouble,how many of us on this forum ,with know study would pass a written road test today.I think when I got my license there was 20 pages in the book.today there's no book but 150 pages on the Web. The kids today have it really hard to get their full license. In my state it's five year,s


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

Waldo said:


> Slowzki did m Quebec have a referendum on leaving the rest of Canada, here in oz if you stop ,for something where a animals involved and cause a accident you are in fairly big trouble.and like in the states if you run up the back,you're in trouble,how many of us on this forum ,with know study would pass a written road test today.I think when I got my license there was 20 pages in the book.today there's no book but 150 pages on the Web. The kids today have it really hard to get their full license. In my state it's five year,s


Here they dropped the age a bit more, I think in Indiana you can have a full license at 16, used to be 16 1/2 in my day. Still way too easy to get a license in my opinion.


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## rjmoses (Apr 4, 2010)

mlappin said:


> Here they dropped the age a bit more, I think in Indiana you can have a full license at 16, used to be 16 1/2 in my day. Still way too easy to get a license in my opinion.


I will respectfully disagree. I think that people should be taught at a younger age. IMHO, by age 14, our brains are pretty much locked into the patterns that we will have for the rest of our lives.

E.g., My understanding is that France has no drinking age, and they start children drinking (diluted) wine as young a 3-4 because their water quality is so bad. I also understand that the have a significantly lower rate for alcohol problems that the US. (I could be wrong about all of this because these are statements I've heard on the Internet from France---just kidding.)

Ralph


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## somedevildawg (Jun 20, 2011)

We could get a lot of different analysis' from different cultures....in India, wher marriages are "arranged" the divorce rate is significantly lower than ours where "choice" is given, course that "choice" is part of our freedom.....still, it makes one pause


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## olschoolsteel (Mar 6, 2016)

slowzuki said:


> It's hard to fault him, in Montreal if you always leave adequate distance for safe stopping you'll eventually be stopped on the road as people just keep pulling in front of you and taking the space.
> 
> It's extremely annoying, I had my 27 ft flatbed through there 2 weeks ago, took over 2 miles (4 km) from when I signalled to be able to change lanes for my exit and I almost got hit multiple times.


I was hauling USAF equipment from Great Falls to Vegas and back in a 75 ton triple axle lowboy. We had to drive through Salt Lake City during the build up for the Olympics. I-15 was a total disaster. (anyone who remembers this period knows what I am talking about) I noticed that every time I turned on my blinker the car behind would speed up. Well I created a new rule. 3 blinks and I'm coming over on the third blink. Funny they lost their courage do fill the gap when a D-6 dozer on a lowboy has the audacity to do it first.

Also, when out in the missile fields in Montana, seemed like every butter bar and Yukon full of cops rolled their vehicle once a week. They enacted a safety briefing, over the radio, every time you departed a silo. Fine and dandy, but it was like 8 minutes long. We were long gone by the time they were done, but there was one important line I have taught my wife and now daughter.

DO NOT SWERVE TO HIT OR MISS WILDLIFE.

When taken literally that means you might kill a critter. But better them than you, on your lid in a ditch in the middle of nowhere. Just slow down or stop (if no one is behind you) and go around them.

I still feel a little bad about that momma Canadian goose and a few of her goslings I hit in front of Saltaire on I-80, but I didnt wad up my equipment, and no humans died because of my stupidity.


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

rjmoses said:


> I will respectfully disagree. I think that people should be taught at a younger age. IMHO, by age 14, our brains are pretty much locked into the patterns that we will have for the rest of our lives.


Fine, let em, absolutely no passengers then. I remember quite well my buddies in the vehicle with em egging me on to do stupid shit as well I to them when they drove.

Whether or not our brains are locked into patterns, maybe so, however most 14 year olds don't have enough experience doing anything yet to make a snap, intelligent decision under pressure.


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## somedevildawg (Jun 20, 2011)

mlappin said:


> Fine, let em, absolutely no passengers then. I remember quite well my buddies in the vehicle with me egging me on to do stupid shit as well I to them when they drove.
> Whether or not our brains are locked into patterns, maybe so, however most 14 year olds don't have enough experience doing anything yet to make a snap, intelligent decision under pressure.


I agree....Ralph must have some good younguns up in the republic......I have one kid that works for me part-time in the summer, he could handle it without any problem, but he's the exception rather than the rule HERE.....


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## Waldo (Apr 29, 2016)

I can honestly say god must have decided that I was to live past 50, because as a young fellow I did everything possible to wipe myself out,eg first mad max movie yha shaw it's easy to mono kawasaki 900 no back flip.yah I can beat the boy,s home in a v8 ford wrong through fence,hopefully there, s no ex oz highway patrol guy,s reading this.so are today,s kid,s wrapped up in to much cotton wool ,or we remember what we did when young.and the car,s we drove then no way near the saftey features of car,s today with the younger one,s I go out of my way to say when l was a young Falla we never did that because I probably did


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## Waldo (Apr 29, 2016)

Slowzki,interesting on Quebec, is there more french speaking people in Quebec, it,s funny how history could have turned out before australia was settled by the English, there was a french contingment scouting where the English landed,and what would the us done if napoleon run out of money and sold his part of America.


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## slowzuki (Mar 8, 2011)

Oh yes Quebec is something like 3/4 French. My province is about 35% French as well but they are mostly Acadians, a distinct group separate from the Quebec French closely related to 'cajuns in the U.S. South. It's just two pronunciations of the same word.

Acadians are some of the most friendly bunch you'd ever meet but they get treated poorly in Quebec. Quebec thinks the Acadians speak French poorly because they use some English words but also because they use older French words from say 400 years ago where Quebec moved on.

Kind of like ye ole English used today sounds funny.



Waldo said:


> Slowzki,interesting on Quebec, is there more french speaking people in Quebec, it,s funny how history could have turned out before australia was settled by the English, there was a french contingment scouting where the English landed,and what would the us done if napoleon run out of money and sold his part of America.


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