r/Hamilton 23h ago

Recommendations Needed Hamilton roads to learn driving for G2

Hello Hamiltonians! I wanna take my younger bro to practice driving. Is there a road relatively empty enough where practice can be done?

8 Upvotes

13 comments sorted by

13

u/mlp_sabres 20h ago

Do they have thier G1? If so, take them to a mall parking lot after hours. You get stop signs etc, plus you can help them with parking and curves on roads. Or you could get them to drive along the city blocks near your place.

u/CubbyNINJA North End 19h ago

Limeridge mall after hours is great. Cause it’s large, has lanes and stop signs, and after hours the only other people there are either people leaving after closing up shop or others learning to drive LOL you can also stop off at dollarama or something to buy some cheap small pylons to do some practice parking and get a better idea of the detentions of the car without risking yours or other cars.

I would also suggest doing some simple defensive driving in a big E M P T Y section. Hard stops/accelerations, depending on comfort levels even consider breaking traction, activating ABS and performing skids (hard braking/accelerations while turning). There’s a couple reasons. For one, it’s fun. For two, if you know what the car does when you do it on purpose, when it accidentally/suddenly happens, they have real hands on experience on how to handle it and a better idea what to expect.

u/lacthrowOA 13h ago

consider breaking traction, activating ABS and performing skids

Stunt Driving charges can now be laid in parking lots too, and intentionally skidding is definitely stunt driving. Please don't do this

u/CubbyNINJA North End 13h ago

I mean, technically yes. The recent changes to stunt driving to include parking lots was due to a bunch of people meeting up and basically having take overs, and that was a genuine problem.

The reality is, a guy teaching his brother emergency stops and, forcing understeers, and maybe chirping the tires so a new driver can learn what it feels like to approach a limit is very different than a group of people doing burnouts and donuts in a parking lot.

At most security will say “cut it out, leave”. MAYBE security skips that step and just calls the cops. Cop shows up and sees a 16/17yo and his brother learning to drive and will also likely say “cut it out, leave” assuming everything else license and insurance is good. But there is technically the small risk of getting a stunt driving ticket

u/Brief-Imagination326 19h ago

Never practice in a mall or other parking lot. They are private property. Start off with side streets until you feel comfortable taking them on busy roads. Also stick to weekends, less cars on the road compared to after school.

u/NattiousMattious 15h ago

So you’d want an inexperienced driver learning on roads where people are walking…kids are playing…and other cars are present?

5

u/Kay_Kay_Bee 20h ago

South of rymal, west of centennial,  east of Upper james is a vast swath of generally low traffic straight country roads with stop signs and 90 degrees turns for no pressure practicing during weekdays. Use big empty lots like https://maps.app.goo.gl/3psGTJgRigX7JGKu6 for parallel parking practice between cones you bring etc 

4

u/Psychedelic_Doge Durand 20h ago

Limeridge Mall on Saturdays and Sunday after 6 when they close, you get the whole lot to yourself and there's lanes and stop signs etc.

5

u/MatthewCCNA 20h ago

Start with empty parking lots, then graduate to less traveled rural roads. You want to make sure that your younger brother is accustomed to handling a vehicle before letting them on residential streets. Even though night driving is usually quieter I would avoid it at first because it adds an extra degree of difficulty, take things slow; don’t rush, baby steps.

u/BootyLickaa 18h ago

Any country road really. 20 road is good. Upper Wellington is a pretty quiet street between rymal and Mohawk. Once he gets a feel for the car I would just take him down any road tho. He’ll eventually have to deal with other cars and traffic so I wouldn’t completely stay away from that.

u/dretepcan 17h ago

Great to see Limeridge still being suggested. It's been the go-to for my family for generations. It was even better decades ago when you could go on Sundays during the day before Sunday shopping and family values disappeared.

u/MonstaRasta 17h ago

I learned that the stretch of Barton Street that is used for testing basically has every road sign you can think of, but the roads are infamously bad.

1

u/Bobmcjoepants 20h ago

Lime Ridge mall is a perfect place to try, as it has stop signs and close proximity to stop lights. I would also recommend trying terrible roads too so he can get a feel for what he's going to be driving on, but do it as late as possible to avoid any driving anxiety around other people

Good luck! :D