This is what happens to left lane blockers in Kelowna!

[GordonH]

Within the city I only move into left lane when I'm about to make a left turn (between intersection), if traffic is heavy I will pull over early (since drivers here don't always recognize what a signal light means.... lol).

[my5cents]

Keeping right does not apply in urban areas. Outside of town, even the uninterrupted stretches between nearby towns like Kelowna and Westbank, sure, but not within urban areas where it's reasonable to expect anyone could need to be in the left lane at any time. You actually included the section that says this:

"or when preparing for a left hand turn at an intersection or into a private road or driveway"

Perhaps you could point out, where in the Motor Vehicle Act, it states "Section 150(2) does not apply in urban areas".

There are always exceptions. Even if you were driving on a highway that was controlled by a “Keep Right Except to Pass” sign or a “Slower Traffic Keep Right” sign, you'd still be an exception if you were turning left.

[Scadam]

True but what about the other scenario where there is only one lane, you are doing 10 over and the car behind you is riding your bumper, and there is nowhere to pull over?

Even the worst highway has a bit of a shoulder, and some place for the aggressive and hostile (AH) driver to pass. The safest is to put on your right turn signal and pull to the right, as though you are turning off, fighting the bad taste in your mouth and the urge to lock up the brakes. This will give a better and safer opportunity for the vehicle to pass you.

My thought when this happens is that it's better to have this driver ahead of me, disappearing into the distance than behind me, tailgating me. Better ahead of me than behind me.

I look at it, that perhaps this isn't just a jerk tailgating me, this could be a crazy person driving a stolen vehicle, that is just looking for someone to be his next "enemy".

If I'm doing 10 over and I'm being tailgated, it's the person behind me causing the danger. He is now following too close to stop safely if I need to stop, which puts me in danger as much as himself. If there's no lane to my right I'm not putting my wheels in the gravel or snow on the shoulder of a road; it's ridiculous to claim that would improve my safety. The person behind me has already established that they are either a terrible driver or mentally impaired. If he was already too challenged to understand safe following distance in a normal driving scenario, he may have even more difficulty navigating past a vehicle partway in the lane (aside from the shoulder potentially being soft, snow, etc...).

The only thing I'm going to be doing is reduce my speed until the vehicle behind me is at a safe stopping distance. A following distance that was dangerous at 70 might be reasonable at 60. If he's slowed with me and/or backed off we're just fine. If not, he's graduated from bad driver to lunatic. And that's never happened. It's exceedingly rare to even have to dip under the limit before they connect the dots. And it isn't about teaching anyone a lesson, it's about restoring safety for my vehicle and its occupants.

If it should ever happen that a certified lunatic (or heavily impaired person) is behind me who simply can't figure out a safe distance then who knows. I think slowing further would probably be safer than partly leaving the road surface at high speed. If we slowed down to a real slow speed to achieve safe following distance then I might consider pulling off. I don't have a point to make to them and if they can safely be out of my hair, great.

[my5cents]

If I'm doing 10 over and I'm being tailgated, it's the person behind me causing the danger. He is now following too close to stop safely if I need to stop, which puts me in danger as much as himself. If there's no lane to my right I'm not putting my wheels in the gravel or snow on the shoulder of a road; it's ridiculous to claim that would improve my safety.

Yes, lets invent a scenario that send you and your vehicle off the highway down a 1000 foot cliff.

I'm sorry I may have confused you by not providing a numbered step by step set of instructions for pulling over on a highway, most seasoned drivers have had to pull off a highway for one reason or another, without killing themselves.

The entire idea is to slow down and give the tailgating vehicle some opportunity to safely pass your vehicle without further danger to yourself. By maintaining the 10+ the limit, your are continuing his/her perceived frustration with your "snail pace" and you don't want this person to make an unsafe pass that might really escalate this to death and destruction.

The person behind me has already established that they are either a terrible driver or mentally impaired. If he was already too challenged to understand safe following distance in a normal driving scenario, he may have even more difficulty navigating past a vehicle partway in the lane (aside from the shoulder potentially being soft, snow, etc...).

Here we go again, with the "soft shoulder", "deep snow", I did say pick your spot.

The only thing I'm going to be doing is reduce my speed until the vehicle behind me is at a safe stopping distance. A following distance that was dangerous at 70 might be reasonable at 60. If he's slowed with me and/or backed off we're just fine. If not, he's graduated from bad driver to lunatic. And that's never happened. It's exceedingly rare to even have to dip under the limit before they connect the dots. And it isn't about teaching anyone a lesson, it's about restoring safety for my vehicle and its occupants.

If it should ever happen that a certified lunatic (or heavily impaired person) is behind me who simply can't figure out a safe distance then who knows. I think slowing further would probably be safer than partly leaving the road surface at high speed. If we slowed down to a real slow speed to achieve safe following distance then I might consider pulling off. I don't have a point to make to them and if they can safely be out of my hair, great.

Signaling right, slowing down, is the least likely to inflame the situation. You're telling the tailgater, you are stopping or pulling over, perhaps because of him/her perhaps for a zillion other reasons, they are now aware that your "annoyance" to them (being the fact that you have the audacity to be in front of them) is soon to end and they might hold off doing something stupid until they've passed you.

The slowing down to match their following distance to your speed is not the recommended action.

But the good news is, it's a free country and you are free to handle the situation any way you see fit. If this person does clip you and there is a collision, think of all the nice interesting new people you'll get to meet.

[Scadam]

I like to make black and white pronouncements and come to obtuse conclusions too. The world of absolutes is fun!

Even the worst highway has a bit of a shoulder

Yes, lets invent a scenario that send you and your vehicle off the highway down a 1000 foot cliff.

Here we go again, with the "soft shoulder", "deep snow"

Should I interpret this to mean that you do not comprehend that there ever is, at any time or place, an unsafe or unavailable shoulder? Will I see you drifting to a stop in the middle of the curb lane, signaling right, heroically allowing drivers behind you to ... well ... I guess if there was a safe way to pass you they'd already be doing it...

[achern]

Sometimes when I am driving along minding my own business and I come up behind someone driving slower in the left lane yet they don't move over for me to pass, I often wonder "why isn't this person moving over?" or "don't they see me here behind them?" Who knew that all I had to do was come on this forum to find out why. Apparently they are trying to teach me some type of lesson. That I should be driving the exact speed limit and they are going to prove to me that, that is my only option. I just want all of these types of people to know that when I eventually pass them (in the right lane mind you) and carry on with my life that they have taught me nothing. Absolutely zero. Well no, that's not true.. they did teach me that they are annoying.

By the way, if I am ever driving in the left lane within the city or not and someone comes up behind me and wants to pass I always move over. Who in their right mind wants the unnecessary stress of someone tailgating them, meanwhile thinking "wow I hope if I have to slam on my brakes suddenly this person doesn't hit me" Uhhh.. no thanks, I actually like my car and if someone is going to drive that closely to me (left lane or not) you can bet that I am going to do my best to get away from them because I don't want to drive anywhere near that type of person ever.

[Always Sunny]

^^^I was stuck behind a car today from the Westside Rd overpass, most of the way to Hudson/Westlake Road doing 55-60km in the 80km/h zone...in the inside lane.

Now again, I know this area is not "keep right except to pass"...but it's definitely the courteous thing to do when the right lane is occupied by transport trucks who you're now pacing.

The mega line up of cars can't pass on the right. I gave a few taps on the horn hoping they'd check their rearview mirror. No such luck. Gave them the benefit of the doubt that maybe they were turning left...not that either. This woman stayed in the inside lane all the way to Brown Road. I'd been pulled over and saw her several minutes later head towards Save On Foods.

When I did finally get the chance to pass just around Valley Motorsports it was a slightly older lady, maybe 60-ish just staring dead straight ahead.

[Dizzy1]

Apparently they are trying to teach me some type of lesson. That I should be driving the exact speed limit and they are going to prove to me that, that is my only option.

And that is exactly the same mentality that some posters on these boards have. "Well, I'm doing the speed limit so all other rules and common sense don't apply to me because I'm doing the speed limit and its my right to be wherever I want to be because I'm driving the speedlimit." Blah, blah, blah.

[MattJ]

If a cop dinged me for traveling too slow at 50 kph in a 50 zone or 90 in a 90 I'd contest it in court. And win.
Regardless of what lane I'm in.

No, you would lose. The ticket would be for "impeding traffic", which is what you are doing and your argument in court would be groundless.

[my5cents]

"Bman:If a cop dinged me for traveling too slow at 50 kph in a 50 zone or 90 in a 90 I'd contest it in court. And win.
Regardless of what lane I'm in."

No, you would lose. The ticket would be for "impeding traffic", which is what you are doing and your argument in court would be groundless.

Ah, no, he would win. Here's the section of the Motor Vehicle Act:

Slow driving

145 (1) A person must not drive a motor vehicle at so slow a speed as to impede or block the normal and reasonable movement of traffic, except when reduced speed is necessary for safe operation or in compliance with law.

(2) If the driver of a motor vehicle is driving at so slow a speed as to impede or block the normal and reasonable movement of traffic, a peace officer may require the driver to increase his or her speed, or to remove the motor vehicle from the roadway to the nearest suitable place and to refrain from causing or allowing the motor vehicle to move from that place until directed to do so by a peace officer.

The Act, not only talks about "impeding" but goes on to say, "the normal and reasonable movement of traffic"

A police officer would be facing quite a challenge to prove that driving the speed limit was not "normal and reasonable".

If a vehicle is travelling the speed limit, the only available enforcement would be under Section 161, "Disobey Traffic Control Device", but for that you'd need a sign (a traffic control device) that said "keep right except to pass", or "slower traffic use right lane" (or whatever). Although illegal, it would be very unlikely to see a ticket for travelling in a lane other than the right lane doing the speed limit.

[MattJ]

No one likes a left lane blocker. These are the drivers who inhabit the left hand lane on multiple laned roadway and are oblivious to the traffic behind them that want to pass by. Clearly, they believe that if they are travelling at or close to the speed limit, there is no need for them to move over to the right hand lane for others.

If you are driving in the left hand lane and you are driving at a speed less than normal speed of traffic at the time and place and under the conditions then existing, you must drive in the right hand lane if it is practical to do so. It is important to note that the words speed limit do not appear anywhere in the last sentence. If you are slower, move over. If you choose not to, you are at risk of being ticketed for failing to keep to the right unless it is unreasonable to do so.

There are two exemptions to this rule. The first allows you to move into the left lane to pass someone travelling slower than you are and the second allows you to use the left lane to prepare for a left turn at an intersection or into a driveway or private road. Preparation for the left turn will depend on the traffic volume at the time, but it is unlikely that a kilometer or more will be considered acceptable.

Left lane blockers increase the risk caused by aggressive drivers. The aggressive driver cares for no one but themselves and will try to get by using any means available. By refusing to move over, the left lane blocker contributes to unsafe lane changes and tailgating behaviour. A defensive driver will reduce the risk by giving right of way even when the law does not require them to.

Driver on right - Section 150(2) MVA


Would get a ticket, and would lose. As I stated.

[my5cents]

No one likes a left lane blocker. These are the drivers who inhabit the left hand lane on multiple laned roadway and are oblivious to the traffic behind them that want to pass by. Clearly, they believe that if they are travelling at or close to the speed limit, there is no need for them to move over to the right hand lane for others.

If you are driving in the left hand lane and you are driving at a speed less than normal speed of traffic at the time and place and under the conditions then existing, you must drive in the right hand lane if it is practical to do so. It is important to note that the words speed limit do not appear anywhere in the last sentence. If you are slower, move over. If you choose not to, you are at risk of being ticketed for failing to keep to the right unless it is unreasonable to do so.

There are two exemptions to this rule. The first allows you to move into the left lane to pass someone travelling slower than you are and the second allows you to use the left lane to prepare for a left turn at an intersection or into a driveway or private road. Preparation for the left turn will depend on the traffic volume at the time, but it is unlikely that a kilometer or more will be considered acceptable.

Left lane blockers increase the risk caused by aggressive drivers. The aggressive driver cares for no one but themselves and will try to get by using any means available. By refusing to move over, the left lane blocker contributes to unsafe lane changes and tailgating behaviour. A defensive driver will reduce the risk by giving right of way even when the law does not require them to.

Driver on right - Section 150(2) MVA


Would get a ticket, and would lose. As I stated.

You've included the answer in your post - "less than normal speed of traffic".

Section 150 is the section that tells us we aren't driving in England Sub (1) talks about the right hand "half" of the roadway, indicating, one half is for on coming and one half is for the direction we are travelling. Sub (2) tells the farmer and others that are travelling "less than normal speed" that they should be as close to the right as possible to allow vehicles, travelling at normal speed to go around.

There isn't a JJP or judge in BC that would convict someone for driving in the left lane at the speed limit because they were not travelling over the limit like some other vehicles.

In my saying this I am in no way justifying the left lane hogs. There is also something called "common courtesy", which unfortunately is uncommon in some.

[Joker7]

This is what bugs me about all the people in the left lane not turning left.

You come to an intersection that has a left turn signal. You're in the left lane because you want to turn left. Makes sense. Not a lick of it. You can't go when the little flashing arrow comes on. Why? Because there are 10 or 12 cars in the left lane and none of them are turning left. You have to wait until the light turns green, then wait for all the cars to go straight before you can even get into the turn lane. Too late. Flashing arrow off. Now your waiting for the next signal. The icing on this cake is that there were only 2 or 3 cars in the right lane.

What a waste for this city to have spent the taxpayers money to even put in left turn lanes.

[rookie314]

Once you're off the bridge heading to West Kelowna, there is a sign that says slower traffic keep right. You'd think people would understand why.

So people can get in the left lane, drive 100 k and have me pull up beside them at the next light.

[Dizzy1]

So people can get in the left lane, drive 100 k and have me pull up beside them at the next light.

I love how people always assume that they'll catch up to a "speeding" car at the next light. Doesn't always happen that way.