Driving In The Fast Lane

Q. My partner and I have an ongoing disagreement about driving in the 'fast' lane. I say that you can only drive in the left hand lane in order to pass someone who is not keeping up with the flow of traffic. He says that you can drive in that lane as long as you wish, providing you are maintaining the speed limit - even if you are travelling slower than the flow of traffic. Who is right, if either of us? Also, is it legal to turn left, onto a one way street, at a red light?

A: The answer to your first question is you are both right. A driver of a vehicle proceeding on a multi-laned roadway must use the curb lane if proceeding less than the normal speed of traffic. However, vehicles using the roadway must proceed at the posted speed limit for that roadway. It's a double edged sword. My advise is to drive in the curb or "slow" lane and when required move into the passing or "fast" lane.

Driver on right
Section 150 (2) of the Motor Vehicle Act indicates that 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.

The answer to your second question is yes, it is legal to make a left turn on a red light from a two way street onto a one way street. I believe that British Columbia is the only province that has this law. The onus is on the driver making the left turn to stop for the red light and then yield to traffic and pedestrians facing the green light. It is the application of the law by some drivers that make it dangerous.

Red light
Section 129 (4) of the Motor Vehicle Act indicates that when a red light alone is exhibited at an intersection by a traffic control signal
b) except when a left turn permitted by this paragraph is prohibited by a sign at the intersection, the driver of a vehicle facing the red light at the intersection of not more than 2 highways, and which in obedience to it is stopped as closely as practicable to a marked crosswalk on the near side of the intersection, or if there is no marked crosswalk, as closely as practicable to the intersection, may cause the vehicle to make a left turn into a highway on which traffic is restricted to the direction(one way street) in which he or she causes the vehicle to turn, but the driver must yield the right of way to all pedestrians and vehicles lawfully proceeding as directed by the signal at the intersection.

Constable R.A.(Richard) ASELTON
Central Okanagan Traffic Services - Media Liaison
Kelowna R.C.M.P. Detachment

This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.