This is what happens to left lane blockers in Kelowna!

[jbaris]

I wish this happened more often in Kelowna. I am actually curious if ICBC even has anything in the rules book these days to teach people about how to follow signs. Especially "Keep right except to pass".

Watch this video to see exactly what this cop did to a left lane blocker!!!

http://www.blamnews.com/cop-troll/

[Captain Awesome]

There are no "keep right unless passing" roads in Kelowna, you know.

[jbaris]

There are no "keep right unless passing" roads in Kelowna, you know.

You are correct, but just because we are in a Kelowna forum doesn't mean the education has to stop within city limits. I would be willing to bet that 50 % of the people here actually leave Kelowna and drive to Vernon and Penticton (and beyond) sometimes too and have experienced this exact same thing on the highway (where there are these signs, by the way).

That is besides the point. Obviously there were no signs in this video either, or else the driver would have gotten a ticket instead of a humiliating but relieving warning. Why would you throw your common courtesy out the window just because "there are no signs? If you are holding somebody up, regardless of how fast they are going, why not just let them by and then you can safely carry on your own merry way?

[Sige]

If you are holding somebody up, regardless of how fast they are going, why not just let them by and then you can safely carry on your own merry way?

Because this is not always the safest thing to do. I deal with this every day on my way home from work. Two lanes, in the right lane everyone is slowing down and speeding up to either make a right hand turn or because someone is turning into that lane from a side street. In the left lane, are the people that think it's okay to drive 80 and higher in a 50 km zone. Please note I am not exaggerating.

I stay in the left lane because (1) the right lane is slow down, speed up, slow down, speed up and (2) I will be making a left hand turn down the road. I will drive 60 in the 50 km zone and still have people riding up my butt and ticked off because I won't get out of the way.

Will I move over? No. People need to slow down and drive a little closer to the speed limit. Speed limits are not a "polite request", it's the law. I'll do my part by going 10 over to keep up with the "flow of traffic" but that's as much as I will do.

Edited to say I realize now that you're probably speaking of highways which I would keep to the right. I'm going to leave up my post though because it's early in the morning and it took me awhile to type.

[Bsuds]

There are no "keep right unless passing" roads in Kelowna, you know.

Exactly. The post title is very misleading. There are no Highways like this one in Kelowna and you are not required to keep right in town.
Out of populated areas I agree, the left lane hoggers are dangerous and can cause accidents. They should be ticketed, but the police have better things to do.

[Bpeep]

That cop was following too close.

[my5cents]

Here's a section of the Motor Vehicle Act, that applies to any "highway", and a highway is just about any place a vehicle can legally drive that is public. It is defined in the MVA as:

"highway" includes

(a) every highway within the meaning of the Transportation Act,
(b) every road, street, lane or right of way designed or intended for or used by the general public for the passage of vehicles, and
(c) every private place or passageway to which the public, for the purpose of the parking or servicing of vehicles, has access or is invited,
but does not include an industrial road;

Now under Section 150 of the Motor Vehicle Act it states: (emphasis mine)

Driver on right

150 (2) The driver of a vehicle proceeding at less than normal speed of traffic at the time and place and under the conditions then existing must drive the vehicle in the right hand lane then available for traffic, or as closely as practicable to the right hand curb or edge of the roadway, except when overtaking and passing a vehicle proceeding in the same direction, or when preparing for a left hand turn at an intersection or into a private road or driveway.

Note the MVA states "normal speed of traffic", which I would understand to be the "flow of traffic", if they wanted to say "the posted speed limit", they would have said so.

So if you wish to travel 50 in a 50 zone on Harvey in the middle of rush hours, where the "flow of traffic" is 60 - 65, it seems the MVA says that you should in the right lane then available for traffic

Yes there are signs on some highways that state you must drive in the right lane unless passing, but that's not the only regulation that tells us where to drive.

[Bpeep]

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.

[Fancy]

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.

[Hmmm]

I'm surprised we have yet another thread about this. http://forums.castanet.net/viewtopic.php?f=40&t=56446

[my5cents]

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.

Interesting comment. The topic is that one who is travelling slowly or at a speed that is less than that of the flow of traffic should travel in the right lane. You choose to ignore that concept and talk about travelling the speed limit.

It seems some think that it is their personal duty to enforce the speeding traffic law by attempting to slow down others and by this they are on some sort of crusade, ignoring the fact that by doing so are contravening the Motor Vehicle Act, themselves.

Perhaps the concept that two wrongs make a right.

Personally, my goal is to get to my destination efficiently and safely, with the least stress. I don't feel it's my "duty" to police other traffic by clogging the left lane to make my personal statement that others should be travelling the speed limit.

[Bsuds]

Personally, my goal is to get to my destination efficiently and safely, with the least stress. I don't feel it's my "duty" to police other traffic by clogging the left lane to make my personal statement that others should be travelling the speed limit.

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?

[my5cents]

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".

[Fixer 166]

For me it's like this. On the hwy I'm a firm believer in the slower traffic keep right rule and for the most part follow the same habits in the sity. The thing is and it has been stated here already a bit differently. Kelowna doesn't have merge or turning lanes for the most part. I now travel in the left lane in town to allow for people to exit and enter the roads without obstruction, even moving over from the right to left lanes when I see someone waiting to merge ahead. Further more I will pull into the left lane at intersections to allow people to turn right without trying to squeeze by or waiting for the light.
I leave mostly leave the right lane open for a merge lane. When I come up on someone going slower in the hammer lane I still follow my one second rule. I give the slower driver one second to move over or I'll pass on the right, no prob.
But that's just me. :)
Happy Holidays Everybody
Drive safe.

[Scadam]

Here's a section of the Motor Vehicle Act, that applies to any "highway", and a highway is just about any place a vehicle can legally drive that is public. It is defined in the MVA as:

"highway" includes

(a) every highway within the meaning of the Transportation Act,
(b) every road, street, lane or right of way designed or intended for or used by the general public for the passage of vehicles, and
(c) every private place or passageway to which the public, for the purpose of the parking or servicing of vehicles, has access or is invited,
but does not include an industrial road;

Now under Section 150 of the Motor Vehicle Act it states: (emphasis mine)

Driver on right

150 (2) The driver of a vehicle proceeding at less than normal speed of traffic at the time and place and under the conditions then existing must drive the vehicle in the right hand lane then available for traffic, or as closely as practicable to the right hand curb or edge of the roadway, except when overtaking and passing a vehicle proceeding in the same direction, or when preparing for a left hand turn at an intersection or into a private road or driveway.

Note the MVA states "normal speed of traffic", which I would understand to be the "flow of traffic", if they wanted to say "the posted speed limit", they would have said so.

So if you wish to travel 50 in a 50 zone on Harvey in the middle of rush hours, where the "flow of traffic" is 60 - 65, it seems the MVA says that you should in the right lane then available for traffic

Yes there are signs on some highways that state you must drive in the right lane unless passing, but that's not the only regulation that tells us where to drive.

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"


Here's another one, straight from the ministry of transportation FAQ:
http://www.th.gov.bc.ca/popular-topics/faq.htm

Traffic Signs

Why don’t you use the “Keep Right Except to Pass” sign instead of the “Slower Traffic Keep Right” sign on multi-lane highways?


On multi-lane roadways, the standard is to use the “Slower Traffic Keep Right” sign. Using the “Keep Right Except to Pass” sign tends to force drivers into the right lane which is not desirable on high volume urban highways where all lanes must be used to handle capacity.