Canada's Worst Driver (series)
Encyclopedia
Canada's Worst Driver is a Canadian television series on Discovery Channel, based on Britain's Worst Driver
. It and sister series Canada's Worst Handyman
are the two highest-rated programs on Discovery Channel. The series is produced by Proper Television, whose president, Guy O'Sullivan, was the director for the original Britain's Worst Driver series; as such, Canada's Worst Driver is considered to be the production company's flagship show.
Unlike other Worst series around the world, the Canadian version emphasizes the learning process of the contestants and the science of driving, and as such is often more serious than the other Worst shows around the world, which are mainly played for laughs. It is the longest running of any Worst series to date.
The series is well known for their obstacle course challenges; contestants must routinely maneuver their cars through tight spaces with less than an inch of clearance on either side. To show that the challenge can be done without hitting obstacles by an average driver, host Andrew Younghusband
performs each challenge before any contestant attempts the challenge.
Beginning with the end of the second episode, each contestant meets with a panel of four experts and Andrew for an evaluation of their performance, and after all remaining contestants are interviewed, the judges and Andrew deliberate on which contestant and nominator pair have improved enough to graduate from the Driver Rehabilitation Centre. The driver who has graduated is eliminated from the competition, and is sent home with their licenses returned to them; the contestants typically drive off with their nominators in the car that they used to arrive at the Driver Rehabilitation Centre. The experts also reserve the right to not graduate anyone for any episode, or to graduate multiple contestants at the same time. The experts may also choose to expel any contestant who does not show any incentive to learn, or who the experts believe should not continue driving; the licenses are returned. In this case, the contestant is eliminated from the competition and their licenses are returned, and they are given a ride home.
The elimination process continues until only three contestants remain (the original intent was for only two drivers remain in the first season, but due to an episode where no one graduated, three remained for the final episode; every season since has had challenges until three remained). The three remaining contestants are then given the Mega-Challenge, an obstacle course challenge with elements of every previous challenge, as well as a standard driver's examination through the busy streets of a major urban centre in Canada. Based on these two challenges, the experts determine which among the three is named Canada's Worst Driver. With the exception of the second season, the contestant who fared the second worst is deemed to not have graduated from the Driver Rehabilitation Centre, while the third contestant is considered a graduate.
Unlike other versions of the Worst Driver series around the world, where being eliminated early or being the Worst Driver is either rewarded with a new car or had their car destroyed, no prizes are given for being eliminated early or for being named Canada's Worst Driver, aside from a commemorative trophy in the latter case.
and the driving school sponsoring the series (whose head instructor is one of the judges). Challenges typically range from traditional driving school lessons such as parallel parking
, reversing, and driving with a trailer, to those not normally found in a beginner's driving course, such as driving a standard transmission vehicle and extreme driving manoeuvres. However, there are some challenges that are reused from year to year.
Britain's Worst Driver
Britain's Worst Driver was a British television series created and hosted by ex-Top Gear host Quentin Willson made by Mentorn and shown on Five in the United Kingdom from 2002 to 2003. In 30-minute episodes, the worst drivers chosen by viewers "earned back" their driving licences by performing...
. It and sister series Canada's Worst Handyman
Canada's Worst Handyman (series)
Canada's Worst Handyman is a Canadian television series broadcast on Discovery Channel. The show is produced by Proper Television, and shares its production with Canada's Worst Driver, including executive producer Guy O'Sullivan and host Andrew Younghusband. The series is based on a one-off...
are the two highest-rated programs on Discovery Channel. The series is produced by Proper Television, whose president, Guy O'Sullivan, was the director for the original Britain's Worst Driver series; as such, Canada's Worst Driver is considered to be the production company's flagship show.
Unlike other Worst series around the world, the Canadian version emphasizes the learning process of the contestants and the science of driving, and as such is often more serious than the other Worst shows around the world, which are mainly played for laughs. It is the longest running of any Worst series to date.
Format
In each season, eight drivers and their nominators are taken to the Driver Rehabilitation Centre, where they compete in challenges designed to improve their driving skills, in an effort to not be named Canada's Worst Driver. In the first challenge, the contestants begin at a location about an hour's drive from the Driver Rehabilitation Centre; for the contestants' first challenge, they must drive to the Driver Rehabilitation Centre, following the directions that are given to each contestant. After arriving at the Driver Rehabilitation Centre, the driver's licence of each contestant is confiscated (for the first two seasons, their car keys were confiscated instead). The first episode concludes with an obstacle course challenge, meant to evaluate the skills of the individual drivers.The series is well known for their obstacle course challenges; contestants must routinely maneuver their cars through tight spaces with less than an inch of clearance on either side. To show that the challenge can be done without hitting obstacles by an average driver, host Andrew Younghusband
Andrew Younghusband
Andrew Younghusband is a Canadian television personality, writer and journalist, best known for his most recent appearances as host of the reality shows Canada's Worst Driver and Canada's Worst Handyman, as well as the documentary series Tall Ship Chronicles.-Career:Younghusband began his career...
performs each challenge before any contestant attempts the challenge.
Beginning with the end of the second episode, each contestant meets with a panel of four experts and Andrew for an evaluation of their performance, and after all remaining contestants are interviewed, the judges and Andrew deliberate on which contestant and nominator pair have improved enough to graduate from the Driver Rehabilitation Centre. The driver who has graduated is eliminated from the competition, and is sent home with their licenses returned to them; the contestants typically drive off with their nominators in the car that they used to arrive at the Driver Rehabilitation Centre. The experts also reserve the right to not graduate anyone for any episode, or to graduate multiple contestants at the same time. The experts may also choose to expel any contestant who does not show any incentive to learn, or who the experts believe should not continue driving; the licenses are returned. In this case, the contestant is eliminated from the competition and their licenses are returned, and they are given a ride home.
The elimination process continues until only three contestants remain (the original intent was for only two drivers remain in the first season, but due to an episode where no one graduated, three remained for the final episode; every season since has had challenges until three remained). The three remaining contestants are then given the Mega-Challenge, an obstacle course challenge with elements of every previous challenge, as well as a standard driver's examination through the busy streets of a major urban centre in Canada. Based on these two challenges, the experts determine which among the three is named Canada's Worst Driver. With the exception of the second season, the contestant who fared the second worst is deemed to not have graduated from the Driver Rehabilitation Centre, while the third contestant is considered a graduate.
Unlike other versions of the Worst Driver series around the world, where being eliminated early or being the Worst Driver is either rewarded with a new car or had their car destroyed, no prizes are given for being eliminated early or for being named Canada's Worst Driver, aside from a commemorative trophy in the latter case.
Challenges
With the exception of the challenges in the first and last episodes, challenges are specifically tailored to each contestant, designed by show host Andrew YounghusbandAndrew Younghusband
Andrew Younghusband is a Canadian television personality, writer and journalist, best known for his most recent appearances as host of the reality shows Canada's Worst Driver and Canada's Worst Handyman, as well as the documentary series Tall Ship Chronicles.-Career:Younghusband began his career...
and the driving school sponsoring the series (whose head instructor is one of the judges). Challenges typically range from traditional driving school lessons such as parallel parking
Parallel parking
thumb|250px|right|Parallel-parked cars in [[Washington, D.C.]]thumb|250px|right|A motorist gets assistance parallel-parkingParallel parking is a method of parking a vehicle in line with other parked cars. Cars parked in parallel are in one line, parallel to the curb, with the front bumper of each...
, reversing, and driving with a trailer, to those not normally found in a beginner's driving course, such as driving a standard transmission vehicle and extreme driving manoeuvres. However, there are some challenges that are reused from year to year.
- The Shoulder Check Challenge is a challenge where contestants must drive in a straight line until they pass a sign on each side. The signs determine which of the two exits the contestants must take when the road forks ahead, but the signs are posted in the reverse direction, so the contestants must briefly look behind them to read the signs. If neither exit is permitted, they are simply instructed to stop in front of the fork in the road. The lesson of this challenge is to only turn the head when performing a shoulder check.
- Distracted Driving is a challenge introduced in the second season that was so unusually effective on one contestant that it has been used in every season since. In this challenge, drivers must drive around in a circle while having to do a series of tasks such as eating a sandwich, inserting a CD, and so on. Often, these tasks are tailored to each contestant's vices. The lesson is to not do these things while at the wheel, as it would cause car accidents.
- Swerve and Avoid is a challenge where contestants must drive towards a wall at high speeds, only to turn away (that is, swerve) at the last moment to avoid hitting the wall. Typically, there are two exits to each side of the wall, which will either initially be blocked before one or both open at the last moment, or initially be open before one or neither are blocked in the last moment. The lesson is to avoid touching the brake pedal, as putting the foot down on the brake would severely limit the car's steering ability.
- The Cornering Challenge is a challenge where contestants must drive towards a wall of foam blocks at high speed before braking hard, releasing the brake, and then turning away from the wall. The lesson in this challenge is to release the brake so as to not lose steering input to the car when it is needed. In some years, a tarp may also be laid out on the ground in front of the wall, to simulate icy or slippery conditions.
- The Three-Point Turn Challenge is a challenge where contestants must enter a small space and make a three-point turn, returning in the direction that they entered. The entrance may be off to one side of the area (as it is in earlier seasons) or to the centre of the area (as it is in later seasons). A key lesson in this challenge is to make use of the space available to the car in order to do the turn efficiently; in some years, obstacles may ring the outer perimeter of the area to give the contestants a better visual cue.
- The Eye of the Needle is a perennial challenge where contestants must navigate through a series of archways at a minimum speed. The intended lesson is to have the driver look where they want to go, in the middle of the archways rather than at the feet on one side of the archway.
- The Figure-Eight Challenge is a perennial challenge where drivers must reverse their car around a course in the shape of an 8. There are two versions of this challenge: one version, originally featured in the second season, has a pair of contestants perform the challenge simultaneously: both cars begin in one end of the course, and contestants must reverse their cars to where the other contestant began, with the only passing spaces available at the centre and opposite end of the course. The second version, featured in the fourth season, has each contestant do one lap in reverse with the remaining contestants as passengers.
- The Parking Lot Challenge is a version of musical chairsMusical chairsMusical chairs is a game played by a group of people , often in an informal setting purely for entertainment such as a birthday party...
where drivers must find spaces to park. The parking lot is filled with cars, and may have blocker cars that attempt to frustrate the contestants, and cars that may open up new parking spaces. Any driving violation (such as parking in a no parking zone) typically will send the contestant out of the parking lot in a time penalty. The challenge ends when all but one contestant finish. - The Water Tank Challenge is a perennial favourite in which the contestants must navigate a car around a tight obstacle course while the car has a roof-mounted water tank; should the contestants stop too abruptly, the contents of the tank will spill over into the cab of the vehicle, soaking its occupants. In earlier years, this was done with a pipe system, though in later years open-top cars or cars with a sunroof are used. Portions of the obstacle course will include a slow forward section, sudden stops due to last-minute reactions (such as a hidden stop sign or a pop-out car), a hump (infamous for repeatedly soaking Andrew in his demonstration runs), and optionally an acceleration portion. The intended lesson is on smooth threshold brakingThreshold brakingThreshold braking or limit braking is a driving technique most commonly used in motor racing, but also practiced in road vehicles to slow a vehicle at the optimum rate using the brakes....
: should the contestants brake poorly or navigate too quickly, the water in the tank will spill, soaking the contestant and nominator inside. - The Handbrake Turn Challenge is a challenge that has contestants perform a handbrake turn around a foam figure, while in a confined space. The intent of this challenge is for contestants to learn the distribution of weight in a car, as well as a lesson on how to properly control a car in a skid.
- The Reverse Flick is a challenge that has contestants perform the namesake technique in a confined space; it is in essence the handbrake turn in reverse, and without the use of the handbrake. The intent of this challenge is similar to the handbrake turn challenge, but also introduces elements of driving in reverse at speed.
- Drifting Donuts is a challenge where contestants must drive in a wide donut around a figure; key to this challenge is countersteering partway through in order to allow the car to continue drifting, eventually towards a designated exit point. The lesson behind this challenge is on extreme maneuvers as well as avoiding target fixation.
- The Trough is a challenge used in later seasons where contestants must get their car to move across the namesake trough, a series of concrete barriers placed on their side, without the car leaving the rails and hitting the ground. The lesson behind this challenge is that the rear wheels will generally not turn as dramatically as the front wheels; key to this challenge is to take wide turns and allow the car to hug the edges of the concrete rails.
- The Teeter-Totter is a challenge that has contestants balance a manual transmission car atop a teeter-totter, such that both ends are off of the ground. The lesson of this challenge is on starting manual transmission cars on slopes. The Gimbal is a variation of the teeter-totter challenge, where lateral motion is also introduced.
Nomination
The contestants are chosen by nominations submitted to Proper Television. Canada's Worst Driver and Canada's Worst Handyman are filmed alternately, with one season of Driver followed by one season of Handyman. Currently, Driver is filmed during the summer and Handyman in winter. Nominations for the next season of one are accepted shortly before the airing of a season of the other on Discovery Channel. Candidates may be nominated by multiple nominators, though only one nominator accompanies the contestant to the Driver Rehabilitation Centre.Home Video/Internet Availablity
Seasons 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 are currently available for download from iTunes in Standard Definition (480i/p) Anamorphic widescreen. Each season has also been posted on Discovery Channel's Canadian website in the past for streaming, with only Seasons 5 and 6 currently being available. There has been no news on whether the series will be released on DVD/Blu-ray.Seasons
- Canada's Worst Driver (2005) took place at CFB PictonCFB PictonCanadian Forces Base Picton was a military installation located in Picton, Ontario. The base was active from the Second World War to 1969 and served the Royal Air Force, Royal Canadian Air Force and Canadian Army. Today the site functions as the Picton Airport.-Second World War:The base at Picton...
(currently operating as Picton AirportPicton AirportPicton Airport is located on the southeast side of Picton, Ontario, Canada, near the Bay of Quinte on Lake Ontario. The airport is used for general aviation, including glider flying.-History:During World War II, the airport hosted the No...
), a decommissioned military base near Picton, OntarioPicton, OntarioPicton is an unincorporated community located in Prince Edward County in southern Central Ontario, Canada. It is the county seat and largest community. Picton is located at the south-western end of Picton Bay, a branch of the Bay of Quinte, which is along the northern shoreline of Lake Ontario...
, with the final challenge taking place in the streets of Old MontrealOld MontrealOld Montreal is the oldest area in the city of Montreal, Quebec, Canada, dating back to New France. Located in the borough of Ville-Marie, the area is bordered on the west by McGill St., on the north by Ruelle des Fortifications, on the east by Berri St. and on the south by the Saint Lawrence River...
. The theme of the season was on winter driving (every season since has been filmed in the summer), and Chris Ferguson was named Canada's Worst Driver for his inexperience on the road. - Canada's Worst Driver 2Canada's Worst Driver 2Canada's Worst Driver 2 is the second season of Canada's Worst Driver, a Discovery Channel Canada television series which seeks to improve the driving skills of eight selected contestants, who are also trying to avoid being named the show's eponymous and dubious title...
(2006) took place within the grounds of CFB BordenCFB BordenCanadian Forces Base Borden is a Canadian Forces base located in Ontario.The historic birthplace of the Royal Canadian Air Force, CFB Borden is the largest training facility in the Canadian Forces...
, with the final challenge taking place in downtown TorontoDowntown TorontoDowntown Toronto is the central business district of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is approximately bounded by Bloor Street to the north, Lake Ontario to the south, the Don River to the east, and Bathurst Street to the west...
. The theme of the season is on summer driving, and Henrietta Gallant was named Canada's Worst Driver due to her vision issues and her insistence on not wearing glasses. The season also saw the first expulsion in any Worst Driver series when Colin Sheppard was expelled due to his unwillingness to learn. - Canada's Worst Driver 3Canada's Worst Driver 3Canada's Worst Driver 3 is the third season of Canada's Worst Driver, a Discovery Channel Canada television series which seeks to improve the driving of eight nominated contestants, each of which trying to avoid being named Canada's Worst Driver...
(2007) took place in the ghost townGhost townA ghost town is an abandoned town or city. A town often becomes a ghost town because the economic activity that supported it has failed, or due to natural or human-caused disasters such as floods, government actions, uncontrolled lawlessness, war, or nuclear disasters...
of Edgar, Ontario, with the final challenge taking place in Barrie, OntarioBarrie, OntarioBarrie is a city in Southern Ontario, Canada, located on the western shore of Lake Simcoe, approximately 90 km north of Toronto. Although located in Simcoe County, the city is politically independent...
. The theme of the season is on extreme driving manoeuvres, and Jason Zhang was named Canada's Worst Driver for his dangerous performance, stopping in the middle of a highway. - Canada's Worst Driver 4Canada's Worst Driver 4Canada's Worst Driver 4 is the fourth season of Canada's Worst Driver, a Discovery Channel Canada television series which seeks to improve the driving of eight nominated contestants, each of which trying to avoid being named Canada's Worst Driver....
(2008) took place in an abandoned prison in Guelph, OntarioGuelph, OntarioGuelph is a city in Southwestern Ontario, Canada. Known as "The Royal City", Guelph is roughly east of Waterloo and west of downtown Toronto at the intersection of Highway 6 and Highway 7. It is the seat of Wellington County, but is politically independent of it...
, with the final challenge taking place in downtown TorontoDowntown TorontoDowntown Toronto is the central business district of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is approximately bounded by Bloor Street to the north, Lake Ontario to the south, the Don River to the east, and Bathurst Street to the west...
. The theme of the season is the legal consequences of bad driving, and Ashley van Ham was named Canada's Worst Driver for having never addressed her frustrations with her nominator. The season also saw the first expulsion in any Worst Driver series due to the experts' belief that the contestant should no longer be driving: Donna Hicks was eliminated in this manner, in part due to anginaAnginaAngina pectoris, commonly known as angina, is chest pain due to ischemia of the heart muscle, generally due to obstruction or spasm of the coronary arteries . Coronary artery disease, the main cause of angina, is due to atherosclerosis of the cardiac arteries...
. - Canada's Worst Driver 5Canada's Worst Driver 5Canada's Worst Driver 5 is the fifth season of Canada's Worst Driver, the Canadian automotive television series on Discovery Channel which seeks to improve the skills of eight of the worst motorists in Canada....
(2009) took place at CFB BordenCFB BordenCanadian Forces Base Borden is a Canadian Forces base located in Ontario.The historic birthplace of the Royal Canadian Air Force, CFB Borden is the largest training facility in the Canadian Forces...
, with the road test in downtown TorontoDowntown TorontoDowntown Toronto is the central business district of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is approximately bounded by Bloor Street to the north, Lake Ontario to the south, the Don River to the east, and Bathurst Street to the west...
. The theme of the season is "driving boot camp". This season saw the first time a contestant, Crystal Farao, leave due to a personal (and ironically, driving-related) tragedy. Anxiety-riddled Angelina Marcantognini ended up as Canada's Worst Driver this season. - Canada's Worst Driver 6Canada's Worst Driver 6Canada's Worst Driver 6 is the sixth season of the Canada's Worst Driver series, where eight contestants known by those close to them for being bad drivers are taught lessons on improving their driving skills. As with previous seasons, the contestants are taken to the Driver Rehabilitation Centre,...
(2010) took place at Dunnville AirportDunnville AirportDunnville Airport, , is a registered aerodrome located south of Dunnville, Ontario, Canada. It was first built as part of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan and was home to No.6 Service Flying Training School. There is a museum at the airport commemorating the training school.-External...
, the local airport of Dunnville, OntarioDunnville, OntarioDunnville is an unincorporated community of 6,000 people located near the mouth of the Grand River in Haldimand County, Ontario, Canada, near the historic Talbot Trail...
, with the road test in Niagara Falls, OntarioNiagara Falls, OntarioNiagara Falls is a Canadian city on the Niagara River in the Golden Horseshoe region of Southern Ontario. The municipality was incorporated on June 12, 1903...
. A racing theme was employed this season, with every challenge being ones that were used in previous years, but at higher speeds. Being inexperienced and having denied that his anxiety had anything to do with his driving, Lance Morin was named Canada's Worst Driver. - Canada's Worst Driver 7Canada's Worst Driver 7Canada's Worst Driver 7 is the seventh season of the Canada's Worst Driver series, which airs on Discovery Channel. As with previous years, eight nominees, as nominated by their nominators, enter the Driver Rehabilitation Centre to improve their driving skills...
(2011) started from the Ontario Street parking garage in St. Catharines, OntarioSt. Catharines, OntarioSt. Catharines is the largest city in Canada's Niagara Region and the sixth largest urban area in Ontario, Canada, with 97.11 square kilometres of land...
on June 18, 2011, with the Driver Rehabilitation Centre located at Dunnville AirportDunnville AirportDunnville Airport, , is a registered aerodrome located south of Dunnville, Ontario, Canada. It was first built as part of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan and was home to No.6 Service Flying Training School. There is a museum at the airport commemorating the training school.-External...
for the second year in a row.
External links
- Canada's Worst Driver on watch.discoverychannel.caDiscovery Channel CanadaDiscovery Channel is a Canadian English language Category A specialty channel devoted to nature, adventure, science and technology programming. Discovery Channel is currently owned by CTV Specialty Television Inc...
- Canada's Worst Driver on iTunesITunesiTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad....