Left-lane losers

[Dizzy1]

The funny thing about tailgating, if the individual insisting on driving miles on end in the left lane for no reason would pull over to the right lane, problem solved and you've just been proactive in preventing getting rear ended ... just sayin' ;)

[Bsuds]

Damn Brits are always in the left lane!


lol

[sobrohusfat]

Daveycee ...

As someone who has spent many years living and driving around Europe myself, I feel your frustration. A word of advice though, advocating lane discipline let alone traffic discipline as a whole around these parts is a lost cause, the mind set of a North American driver compared to a European driver is very different ... in North America someone's car is someone's space and they'll do everything to defend that space and justify their need for that space.

Have you ever been a pedestrian in Rome?

Have your affairs in order - then cross the road at your own risk

[zoo]

daveycee, yep, I see exactly what your saying.
We have completed ignored any responsibilities in this country to make and enforce people to be better drivers.
Everyday on our roads one could write a few hundred traffic violations if you had time. The one you speak of is only one area of concern. Our police have done a great job with programs aimed at DUI's but that is the only true program I have seen and even that one is not at their control rather the courts and Lawyers.
We are poor drivers compared to what I've seen in Europe for example.
Most drivers have absolutely no idea, don't care, or are completely oblivious to anyone else but themselves on the rd.
You wait at a traffic circle until a driver actually uses his signals to tell you his intent. You park at a roadway waiting to enter for that one car coming down the road but then just to see the last minute signal that they are turning in there anyways.
Sitting for 4 extra cars at a light because the blond is on her cell phone and didn't know the light changed.
The Merger coming onto the hwy that instead of accelerating up to speed slows and stops to await an opening.

Why cant we see a cop issuing tickets at a intersection, money, time not to mention people would just flip out at them for receiving a ticket for something they just really care "two cents about", anybody else, personnel safety or just following the rules. Its about me and that's it.

[Dizzy1]

Have you ever been a pedestrian in Rome?

Have your affairs in order - then cross the road at your own risk

LOL, many a times but I'd rather take my chances there then here :)

[mexi cali]

The SUV was a cop. Purposefully tailgating her to see how she would react to aggressive driving, and to see if she would break the speed limit enough to warrant a ticket. She did. When she complained she was told that it doesn't matter who is behind and how close they are, you CANNOT break the speed limit.

I so don't believe this.

Maybe one of our resident officers could share some insight but this just doesn't sound right. It kind of sounds like baiting or entrapment and I can't see a cop breaking the law as a means to test a drivers competency in a stressful situation.

[eMeM]

What if she'd hit the brakes instead?

[mexi cali]

Good one!!!

while I still don't believe it, in the remote possibility that it happened as stated, that would be friggin hilarious. Seriously, what could he say?

OK, this first one is a bit much and I hope no one was hurt.

This would be more likely.

And this one is just funny.

[daveycee]

I so don't believe this.

Maybe one of our resident officers could share some insight but this just doesn't sound right. It kind of sounds like baiting or entrapment and I can't see a cop breaking the law as a means to test a drivers competency in a stressful situation.

Well, it happened, whether you believe it or not. It's about 'testing discipline', and not the first time I've heard of this - it has happened in the UK. I wouldn't be surprised if it's denied by traffic cops, but I'm sure they have 'fine' quotas to fill.

[daveycee]

daveycee, yep, I see exactly what your saying.
We have completed ignored any responsibilities in this country to make and enforce people to be better drivers.
We are poor drivers compared to what I've seen in Europe for example.
Most drivers have absolutely no idea, don't care, or are completely oblivious to anyone else but themselves on the rd.
You wait at a traffic circle until a driver actually uses his signals to tell you his intent. You park at a roadway waiting to enter for that one car coming down the road but then just to see the last minute signal that they are turning in there anyways.
Sitting for 4 extra cars at a light because the blond is on her cell phone and didn't know the light changed.
The Merger coming onto the hwy that instead of accelerating up to speed slows and stops to await an opening.

Zoo: **hug**
Yes! YES! Thank you! I'm so glad to hear it's not just me being an overly sensitive soul or just a grump. Particularly the roundabout and cell phone issues.

It is a huge adjustment coming from Europe; I suppose it is because there are more cars in a smaller space there, so driving discipline is enforced much more strictly, as well as theory tests, rather than just learning how to operate a car.

Someone tell me - do Canadians have driving theory tests? (A written, non-practical test covering all aspects of road rules, etiquette, etc)

[mexi cali]

No.

I still don't believe it (how does a cop justify breaking the law because tailgating is a finable offence) but I have to say that I agree with what you originally started off stating. It drives me nuts when this happens and it happens a lot.

There are two types who do this IMO; those who actually are going to turn left up the road but insist on being in the LL way ahead of the actual turn and are driving at or below the limit because of the impending turn and those who are simply trying to be prix. They see themselves as traffic monitors.

When I drive and I do drive a bit quickly, I use the right lane to travel and the left lane to pass. Once I get by you unless there's a long line of traffic in the right lane, I move back over.

The exception for me is that for some reason I am convinced that the left lane going through town is the best one to be in so I stay there all the way, North to South or Vice Versa.

Seems to work.

[Volvotrucker]

I also agree 100% with daveycee! Just this morning I followed an Albertan couple from Damlier in West Kelowna to Pandosy in Kelowna. The entire time this moron was going 5-10 km under the limit, taking forever to get going after a light and then taking forever to get up to speed. Just as we get off the bridge he moves all the way over to the right lane to turn right on Pandosy.
This happens time again and again.if people would just drive respecting others and have some common courtesy and common sense I believe we could create less congestion. I know there are a lot of crappy cars out there but if people would get up to speed quicker more cars could get through the lights and clear congestion.

Another area that could use a sign to tell people to go the speed limit is Drought Hill in Peachland. I know corners are real hard for some of the prairie transplants but good grief, if you can not go down that highway from the Gormans to the 70 km section I would really consider handing in your license. If you can't do that section at 90km you are an incompetent driver to say the least.

[Partmanpartfish]

Yes, the left lane is for passing and people should move over to let others pass. (like they do in Alberta)

Having said that, a British friend of mine said by the time he was 22, 6 of his 10 "mates" lost their lives on the British roadways.

in 2011:
Deaths on British roads: 1,901

Deaths on BC roads: 291

Sort of meaningless unless you include other factors.

Road deaths per 100,000 population
UK: 2.75
Canada: 6.8

Road deaths per billion miles driven:
UK: 3.6
Canada 8.2

I'd expect BC to be close to the Canada rates.

[Partmanpartfish]

When the speed limit is 60 on the bridge and half way up the hill and I'm going 80 in the left lane, I may or may not move over.

Moving to the right lane is always the correct response under such circumstances. The faster driver acts as bait for the cops.

Common courtesy has its benefits. I can certainly see why some folks get tickets.

[Daspoot]

When the speed limit is 60 on the bridge and half way up the hill and I'm going 80 in the left lane, I may or may not move over.

You speeding 30 k over the limit puts everyone in your vicinity at risk. Thats pretty selfish.

Actually there is growing evidence that regardless of the speed limit, holding up traffic is more dangerous than exceeding the speed limit if it's commonly exceeded on that stretch of road.

There is support for studies that show raising speed limits to more closely match the speed people actually drive is the best course of action. This of course doesn't account for the armpit who figures 160km in a 60 zone is fine, but applies when almost everybody is exceeding the speed limit by 20-30 km/h in a given area.

The heir-to-the-Massengilll-fortune-type who figure they can stay in the left lane, holding up traffic because of the posted speed limit, is as guilty of aggressive driving as the guy cutting people off or weaving in and out of traffic.

If someone has to turn left up the road, learn how to change lanes within a block or so of your turn. If you're a-scared you're gonna get trapped in the right lane forever and won't be able to turn, then you shouldn't be driving in traffic, you're a hazard to us all.