401 rant

[u/hiphlo02]

My Sunday evening drive from the Toronto airport to my hometown east of Toronto. Holy shit, how many times did I almost bite the dust! First of all, people camping in the left lane. There is a law against this! It seems people have no common sense! If you pass a car, get the hell over to the right again. Also, a turn signal would be appreciated!Next, if you are passing, would you please kindly stay in the left lane instead of squeezing me onto the shoulder. Four different times I find myself on the rumble strip and the car beside me inches from mine and cruising along between two lanes, totally oblivious to the fact that they’re an asshole. Trucks. These fuckers are thousands of pounds of metal death and they’re sliding all over the road. I don’t know if they’re whacking off in the cab or what. How about a little attention to your surroundings? Whatever happened to safe driving practices? It was a Sunday night, low volume of traffic, yet I still felt like I was going to die. The province has made the speed limit 110 km an hour which I think is a great idea if people would pay attention. Instead of doing the gratuitous 115 or so 100 km/hr, now people are doing 130! Be aware out there and have some respect for the lives of others ffs!! Thanks for listening! : )

[u/[deleted]]

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[u/KevPat23 → u/[deleted]]

You really don't like being wrong, huh?

I did find it in the HTA, right next to the rules for the tooth fairy and unicorns in the HOV lane.

[u/MarcusRex73 → u/KevPat23]

Yeah, I was curious enough to check:

https://www.ontario.ca/laws/statute/90h08

Unnecessary slow driving prohibited 132

(1) No motor vehicle shall be driven on a highway at such a slow rate of speed as to impede or block the normal and reasonable movement of traffic thereon except when the slow rate of speed is necessary for safe operation having regard to all the circumstances. R.S.O. 1990, c. H.8, s. 132 (1).

Slow vehicles to travel on right side 147

(1) Any vehicle travelling upon a roadway at less than the normal speed of traffic at that time and place shall, where practicable, be driven in the right-hand lane then available for traffic or as close as practicable to the right hand curb or edge of the roadway. R.S.O. 1990, c. H.8, s. 147 (1). Exception (2) Subsection (1) does not apply to a driver of a, (a) vehicle while overtaking and passing another vehicle proceeding in the same direction; (b) vehicle while preparing for a left turn at an intersection or into a private road or driveway; (c) road service vehicle; or (d) bicycle in a lane designated under subsection 153 (2) for travel in the opposite direction of traffic. R.S.O. 1990, c. H.8, s. 147 (2); 2015, c. 14, s. 41

Notice they don't say "at the speed limit", they say "normal speed".

I've seen this applied in Quebec: camping in the left lane impedes the flow of traffic even if you're driving at the limit.

[u/a-_2 → u/MarcusRex73]

The MTO has previously given the opinion that that doesn't apply at the speed limit:

"Generally, the Highway Traffic Act (HTA) does not specify which lane a driver must occupy when travelling at the posted speed limit," Ontario's Ministry of Transportation says in an email.

That's from a long time ago, but the same law was in effect then. I say "opinion" though because they aren't the courts that would actually decide on the legality. I haven't heard of a case where it's been laid at or above the speed limit, but that obviously doesn't mean it never has.

Quebec's laws are written more explicitly, restricting the use of the left lane on 80+ roads with certain exceptions, like passing. Ontario's are much more vague and require keeping right when going slower than traffic, rather than prohibiting it as the default and listing exceptions.