Canada's Worst Driver Ever

[El Pollo Guerrera]

Anyone else watching the new series?

Basically, a bunch of past 'winners' and runners-up have returned to either show that they have improved or prove that they're not the worst of the worst.

It's got all the favorites returning:

- Chris, top from the first season
- Henrietta, top from Season 2
- Michael, runner up from Season 2
- Shelby, runner up from Season 3 (promoted to 'winner' after the real worst Jason vowed never to drive again)
- Angelina, top from Season 5
- Dale, runner up from Season 6
- Shirley, top from Season 7
- Sly, runner up from Season 7 ("Sly like the..." "Wind.")
- Kevin, tied for top from Season 8 (he's the kid with the glass eye)

It's been fun so far, but this week's episode ended with one of those "it gets real" moments...

SPOILER (highlight to see)

... Angelina has been getting worse as the show goes on, having raving tantrums after failing tests. She's talked to the show's therapist and lets them know that she doesn't have a regular doctor, she needs prescription meds and is using alcohol instead... The therapist convinces Angelina to go to a medical facility where she can get the mental help she needs. So Angelina was checked into a hospital for 60 days.

SPOILER

Anyone else watching?

[Geek King]

Sounds like fun, but I don't think it shows here in the States. I watched America's Worst Driver when it was on, but I don't think it runs anymore. :/

[lordlundar]

America's Worst Driver is a crock. (yes, I have seen it) That show has no affiliation with the Driver Rehabilitation program that runs in over 20 countries and what the Canadian (as well as the UK version) show is based off of. The American version is set up as a stupid little reality game show intended to weed out the worst of the worst. The Canadian version is meant to teach people how to drive properly and has, for the most part, been largely successful.

Sadly, I haven't been watching this season very much. Something else always comes up that supersedes watching it.

[Arcus]

The US version isn't very good. I'm glad that I can find Canada's on youtube.

[El Pollo Guerrera]

America's Worst Driver is a crock. (yes, I have seen it) That show has no affiliation with the Driver Rehabilitation program that runs in over 20 countries and what the Canadian (as well as the UK version) show is based off of. The American version is set up as a stupid little reality game show intended to weed out the worst of the worst. The Canadian version is meant to teach people how to drive properly and has, for the most part, been largely successful.

Sadly, I haven't been watching this season very much. Something else always comes up that supersedes watching it.

I've seen a couple of episodes of "America's Worst Driver"... it irked me that they were rewarding the 'winner' of each episode with a new car. Sure, they'd destroy the old car with a big fancy smash-em-up (like a monster truck crush), but then they'd get a new freakin' car! I think it completely missed the point of the show.

[/rant]

[hinakiba777]

I'm a little disappointed that they didn't get Colin Sheppard from Season 2 on for this season.

I wonder if they tried and just couldn't get him to agree to come back on. Or if he wanted on but they wouldn't let him?

Colin was the ONLY contestant ever EXPELLED from the program. At the time of his episode the host said that NO OTHER country running driver's rehabilitation had ever had to expel a driver before. They cut up his key.

[lordlundar]

Colin was the ONLY contestant ever EXPELLED from the program. At the time of his episode the host said that NO OTHER country running driver's rehabilitation had ever had to expel a driver before. They cut up his key.

He wasn't he only one. There was one a few seasons later that intentionally screwed up the challenges who was also expelled. The catch is at that point they were confiscating licenses at that point as opposed to keys (probably changed because of that) and they can't legally destroy the license. All they could do was give the license back and hope the police nail his ass before he kills someone.

[Tama]

I found myself asking, "How could anyone be that bad of a driver?" but then I thought about how many people I know text while driving...

[fireheart]

Down here we had "last chance learners", which WAS a driver rehab of sorts. Basically these were people in their 20's and upwards (the most common age to get your learners permit down here is around sixteen) who had either taken their drivers test and failed (in some cases, several times) or who had just spent way too long on their learners permit (most states have a minimum period of 2 years). In this case, I'm talking as much as 17 years in some cases.

The kicker? The guy who was hosting it originally hosted the show Who Dares Wins . I was waiting for him to start going "Who Dares Wins?" on TV.

In case anyone is wondering though, with this show, they were given the opportunity to pass their learners test at different points throughout. It was either work on a particular area or work on the test overall. Only 3 people did not pass (one quit, the other two simply screwed up that badly...one guy had taken the licence test four times already!)

[fireheart]

He wasn't he only one. There was one a few seasons later that intentionally screwed up the challenges who was also expelled. The catch is at that point they were confiscating licenses at that point as opposed to keys (probably changed because of that) and they can't legally destroy the license. All they could do was give the license back and hope the police nail his ass before he kills someone.

That was Scott from Season Six.

He was one of the first two contestants to not even make the drive to the rehab centre...he was pulled over after going 50km/h over the speed limit and had to complete the rest of the trip in a van (as a passenger). He actually didn't do too bad in the challenges, just acted like a dick on occasion.
The reason why he WAS expelled was for a few reasons:

-He deliberately blew the speed limit in some cases (prior to coming on the show as well as on the show),
-He drove on a suspended licence and used someone else's licence (two separate cases)
-He took part in a few "hit-and-runs"
-He drove while drunk.

The host informed the police and the guy who'd nominated Scott cancelled his insurance policy. Scott begged to find a new nominator, but was basically told "so long, farewell, auf wiedersehn goodbye".

ETA: He got arrested for drug trafficking a few years later

[Aethian]

Watching it with one if my friends through IM right now. I want to slam Wil's head into the ground. Note this is season 5.

[fireheart]

Watching it with one if my friends through IM right now. I want to slam Wil's head into the ground. Note this is season 5.

How's this for a bit of karma to balance out the douchenozzleness?

The guy on Season 2 who had the honour of being the first contestant to be expelled? Well, it turned out that he was originally studying to BE a cop and claimed that if he was ever pulled over, he'd flash his student ID and claim he was on his way to an exam. The cop on the series proceeded to take that video clip (of the aforementioned claim), a number of photos of his car and his license plate number, then emailed it to all the officers in the contestant's town. He had to sell his car after that!

[Aethian]

Oh that is beautiful. Now I wish I could find the rest of the seasons.

[Jetfire]

I've been a loyal CWD viewer for years. I get the feeling that the Canadian style program is different from the others. I've seen eps of UK's worst driver, and it was similar to the US style than the Canadian one.

My mom is friends with Shirley, and had a hoot watching her last year. Like Chris she really improved, which I think was part why she was invited back. (Sadly Shirley's down in Florida atm , so we can't call and find out what it was like). Andrew seemed really sad to see her go.

Angelina is just plain scary. I agree with the psych; the show wasn't doing her any good at this point. She's a horrible driver, possibly the worst, but it was becoming scary and very uncomfortable watching her. I don't think Angelina ever passed any challenge.

As it stands now, Dale, Kevin and Michael or Shelby will probably be the last 3; with Dale the lead contender for the title. At least all of them are showing hints of improvements now.

[Aethian]

Angelina made me go out and just stare at the blue beast for a bit because she fricken scared me so much. And I'm only in the third episode of season five.

Jakob...I'm glad he said he learned that he was viewing driving wrong.