Crackdown on left-lane highway hogs revs up
Transportation Minister Todd Stone announcing start of new lane-hog law Friday.
NEWS — B.C.’s new lane-hog rule came into effect Friday and Transportation Minister Todd Stone said there will be a crackdown on offenders.
Under the new law, drivers will need a good reason to travel in the left lane on high-speed, multi-lane highways throughout the province.
“During the Rural Highway Safety and Speed Review last year, I heard that one of the top driver frustrations across the province was being prevented from passing because someone won’t leave the left lane,” said Stone.
“We have strengthened the law to give police better tools to crack down on left-lane hogs.”
Drivers on multi-lane highways where the speed is more than 80 kilometres per hour must stay to the right unless they are:
Overtaking and passing another vehicle.
Moving left to allow traffic to merge.
Preparing for a left hand turn.
Moving left to pass an official vehicle displaying a flashing light.
Police can ticket offenders with a $167 fine and three penalty points.
The new laws also allow the ministry to define winter tires, studded tires and traction devices such as chains.
Another change will permit local governments to permit motorcycle parking within six metres of intersections with stop signs or signals, as long as drivers’ views are not impeded.
ArmchairMayor.ca 
Yesterday, on the highway between Vancouver and Hope (I believe the speed limit is 110), I witnessed a vehicle going at a tremendous rate of speed on the inside lane.. I watched as he came up behind a number of vehicles.. Now, given the busyness of this stretch of highway, people passing other vehicles, merges, turning off etc, you would be hard pressed to get any traction until you are much further out. In any case, this idiot now has the law on his side and I watched him just terrorize the drivers in front of him. He actually got one person to drive off onto the shoulder. I drive the Coq a lot and the maniacs on the road are a far greater worry for me than lane hogs.
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Totally agree. Safety should come first! Though fast lane hogs can be annoying, it is the people who are in a big rush, speeding in the inside lane who are dangerous! Why is the province so focused on making it easier for the people travelling over the speed limit to speed?
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Actually, they’re not. They are trying to eliminate road rage caused by the people that hog the left lane. You know the ones, they travel well under the speed limit, and refuse to move over because they think they are in the right , and no one should go faster than they are.
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No annoying lane hogs to impede those government officials with a lead foot?
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All well and good, but what about enforcement ? I can drive the Coq from Kamloops to Hope, and back, and never see a cop.
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