Road design, safety and Vision Zero

[danbrotherston]

On a related note, I have a question about the left lane of expressways. Clearly, slower traffic should not be using those lanes; and generally, they are for passing slower traffic. That being said, how fast do I have to be going before I have no obligation to move over for those moving faster? In principle, with the de facto speed limit being the de jure speed limit, as long as I’m going at the speed limit, I don’t see how I can have an obligation to move over — it doesn’t make sense to say that I have to actively accommodate those who are breaking the law.

In the actual situation, I recall seeing TV news items in which the police themselves clearly indicated they think people have an obligation to move over. But up to what speed does that apply? What if I’m going fast enough to pay a $25 fine? A $75 fine and 3 demerits? A $180 fine and 4 demerits? Be subject to roadside vehicle impoundment? I mean at some point the faster (illegally fast) driver simply has no entitlement at all to be accommodated by others, even under our vague socially determined limit system.

Well, technically, you should drive on the right side if you are slower than the rest of the traffic, regardless of the speed limit. HTA says:

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.

In reality, you would be highly unlikely to get a ticket. Or for that ticket to stand up in court.

But having the faster traffic on the left and slower on the right tends to be more orderly (rather than having faster cars weave through traffic) and thus safer. So, I tend to drive in one of the lanes towards the right side of the 401 as I am rarely one of the faster cars on the highway. To me, increased safety will trump my annoyance at someone else driving too fast.

I don't really have time to read the law, but I don't believe it is about speed, it is about overtaking. You must keep right, except to overtake other vehicles. So as long as you are moving past a vehicle to your right, you are in the right. Of course, the asshole in the BMW behind you might not agree.

In practice, nobody does this, most cruise in the middle lane, but in theory (and often on two lane roads) you keep right, regardless of speed until you need to move left to overtake. In practice there are other challenges as well, drivers do not maintain a constant speed, I've had numerous drivers speed up when I move to overtake.

In theory, this should improve safety because it reduces the types of conflicts you can encounter. In practice, it doesn't matter because few follow these guidelines.