Drivers who camp out in the left-hand lane, beware: you could soon be dinged with a $167 fine.
The B.C. government has implemented new regulations targeting left-lane hogs on highways, with punishments including the hefty fine and three driver penalty points.
“These are now the rules that are in effect,” Transportation Minister Todd Stone said at a press conference Friday. “Tickets could be issued at any point moving forward.”
The new laws are an attempt to clarify rules against left-lane camping that already existed in the Motor Vehicle Act. Stone said the previous regulations were “fuzzy,” but the new ones give law enforcement clear guidelines for ticketing.
Drivers on multi-lane highways where the speed is more than 80 kilometres per hour must stay on the right unless they’re passing another vehicle, allowing traffic to merge, preparing for a left-hand turn, or passing an official vehicle displaying a flashing light.
Stone said the rules also contain common sense exemptions that allow people in the left-lane under certain circumstances.
“If you’re in the middle of congestion and traffic is moving at a speed of less than 50 kilometres an hour, these rules do not apply,” he said. “If you’re on the road and there’s absolutely nobody around you, it’s OK to be in that left lane.”
Bus lanes and HOV lanes do not count as the left-lane under the legislation.
RCMP Staff Sgt. James Anderson said though the regulations may sound complicated to some, its every driver’s obligation to learn and understand the rules of the road.
“I ask you to please pay attention, respect the laws that are here to protect us all, and to do your part to help make British Columbia’s roads the safest in North America,” Anderson said.
