People: You must slow down to 60kph

[jolinar of malkshor]

Originally Posted by Ford Prefect

Two things to note about this act ... 60 kph is the MAXIMUM allowed so you still have to factor in posted limits, and tow trucks are included in this legislation. I have buddies who own tow trucks and they tell me horror stories about nearly getting turned into road kill. It seems most drivers don't realize they are considered emergency vehicles and under the same legislation as cop cars, fire vehicles, ambulances and utility vehicles.

Good point ford.

[Rathji]

Originally Posted by jolinar of malkshor

Did you read the link I posted?

Of course, but it does not make that clarification about what constitutes a car being in the lane, so I added it. This is how I heard it explained in the media when the law first came into affect, which is why I am posting it here.

Unless someone has a link which clarifies it differently, then I am more than willing to admit that I am mistaken.

[maverickeastwood]

Seems cut and dry to me,

Note: New legislation is now in effect to protect these response personnel. Motorists must slow to 60 km/h or less if the posted speed is lower when passing emergency vehicles or tow trucks stopped with their lights flashing. This law applies only to the lane immediately adjacent to the stopped vehicles. The fine for speeding in these areas will be doubled

[soulchoice]

Originally Posted by You Need a Thneed

For safety reasons, I slow down to 60 no matter what lane I'm in. Just because I'm 15 feet away instead of 5 doesn't mean that driving 110 is ok.

Wow....

That is just stupid reasoning.

I will always go 60 when passing emergency, but when in the 2nd or 3rd lane over, I never slow down.

I never understood why people rubberneck when they see accidents, emergency lights, etc. Maybe its just me, but I dont even take a look, if the cops and ambulance is on site, I dont care what is going on, cause my help is not needed. I keep driving to where I need to go.

[sixpacked]

Originally Posted by soulchoice

Wow....

That is just stupid reasoning.

I will always go 60 when passing emergency, but when in the 2nd or 3rd lane over, I never slow down.

I never understood why people rubberneck when they see accidents, emergency lights, etc. Maybe its just me, but I dont even take a look, if the cops and ambulance is on site, I dont care what is going on, cause my help is not needed. I keep driving to where I need to go.

Not necessarily stupid reasoning, but be prepared for those idiots who will lane jump from the adjacent lane to another lane to avoid slowing down at all costs.

[ken0042]

Originally Posted by sixpacked

but be prepared for those idiots who will lane jump from the adjacent lane to another lane to avoid slowing down at all costs.

Are they really idiots, or was that the intention of the law?

Think about it; the safest thing for emergency crews is for there to be no traffic beside them. By making only one lane of Deerfoot 60, it forces most of the traffic into the faster lanes. The fewer cars using the lane beside the crews; the less of a chance of an accident.

Of course once you have one person in the fast lanes deciding they will jam on their brakes because they think their judgement is better than those who made up the law, it all falls apart.

[You Need a Thneed]

Originally Posted by soulchoice

Wow....

That is just stupid reasoning.

I will always go 60 when passing emergency, but when in the 2nd or 3rd lane over, I never slow down.

I never understood why people rubberneck when they see accidents, emergency lights, etc. Maybe its just me, but I dont even take a look, if the cops and ambulance is on site, I dont care what is going on, cause my help is not needed. I keep driving to where I need to go.

Stupid reasoning how? I don't see how your 10 seconds that you lose is more important then a little more safety then is legally required for people who are working in an extra dangerous situation in what is already a dangerous job. If it were a construction site on the highway, the speed limit would be down to 60 or even fifty for passing workers two lanes over, and that with traffic control devices, or even barriers. Shouldn't we show even more consideration to emergency personnel?

[RougeUnderoos]

Originally Posted by You Need a Thneed

Stupid reasoning how? I don't see how your 10 seconds that you lose is more important then a little more safety then is legally required for people who are working in an extra dangerous situation in what is already a dangerous job. If it were a construction site on the highway, the speed limit would be down to 60 or even fifty for passing workers two lanes over, and that with traffic control devices, or even barriers. Shouldn't we show even more consideration to emergency personnel?

Slamming on your brakes when you aren't expected or required to do so isn't going to do anyone any favours.

[Bill Bumface]

Originally Posted by You Need a Thneed

Stupid reasoning how? I don't see how your 10 seconds that you lose is more important then a little more safety then is legally required for people who are working in an extra dangerous situation in what is already a dangerous job. If it were a construction site on the highway, the speed limit would be down to 60 or even fifty for passing workers two lanes over, and that with traffic control devices, or even barriers. Shouldn't we show even more consideration to emergency personnel?

You don't get it.

Luckily, they inventing things called laws for people that don't get it. Just follow them blindly, and go about your business and you'll put less people in danger and piss less people off.

[You Need a Thneed]

Originally Posted by RougeUnderoos

Slamming on your brakes when you aren't expected or required to do so isn't going to do anyone any favours.

I didn't say anything about slamming on brakes, nor do I rubberneck. When I slow down, I'm always watching out for the drivers behind me as well.

Originally Posted by HulkRogan

You don't get it.

Luckily, they inventing things called laws for people that don't get it. Just follow them blindly, and go about your business and you'll put less people in danger and piss less people off.

What do I not get? The law in this case is a minimum standard, I go above the letter of the law out of respect for, and having a concern for the safety of, the police officer/emergency worker. And like I said, it not an unreasonable standard, in a construction zone on a highway, drivers are required to slow down to sixty or lower no matter what lane they are in, and there's even pylons or even barriers directing traffic in those cases.

Just about everyone on the highway does the same thing as I do, so it's not like its unexpected. I almost never see someone who doesn't slow down at all, no matter what lane they are in. Everyone pulls over into the left lane as well.

Just thinking a little bit more about it, if I was on Deerfoot, and I was 3 or 4 lanes over, I'm sure I wouldn't slow down to 60, though I might slow down a bit. I was thinking along Hwy 2, where it's only 2 lanes.

[Bill Bumface]

Originally Posted by You Need a Thneed

I didn't say anything about slamming on brakes, nor do I rubberneck. When I slow down, I'm always watching out for the drivers behind me as well.


What do I not get? The law in this case is a minimum standard, I go above the letter of the law out of respect for, and having a concern for the safety of, the police officer/emergency worker. And like I said, it not an unreasonable standard, in a construction zone on a highway, drivers are required to slow down to sixty or lower no matter what lane they are in, and there's even pylons or even barriers directing traffic in those cases.

Just about everyone on the highway does the same thing as I do, so it's not like its unexpected. I almost never see someone who doesn't slow down at all, no matter what lane they are in. Everyone pulls over into the left lane as well.

Just thinking a little bit more about it, if I was on Deerfoot, and I was 3 or 4 lanes over, I'm sure I wouldn't slow down to 60, though I might slow down a bit. I was thinking along Hwy 2, where it's only 2 lanes.

It's pretty common for accidents to be caused by other people looking at an accident that just happened, whether in the same direction of travel or not. You're now adding another complicating factor by changing your speed, further increasing the risk of an accident.

[You Need a Thneed]

Originally Posted by hulkrogan

It's pretty common for accidents to be caused by other people looking at an accident that just happened, whether in the same direction of travel or not. You're now adding another complicating factor by changing your speed, further increasing the risk of an accident.

It definately is a complicating factor, but driving at a high speed beside parked vehicles (and people walking around on or near the highway) is also a complicating factor.

Either way, a driver needs to take extra care while driving past emergency workers.

[maverickeastwood]

Originally Posted by You Need a Thneed

I didn't say anything about slamming on brakes, nor do I rubberneck. When I slow down, I'm always watching out for the drivers behind me as well.


What do I not get? The law in this case is a minimum standard, I go above the letter of the law out of respect for, and having a concern for the safety of, the police officer/emergency worker. And like I said, it not an unreasonable standard, in a construction zone on a highway, drivers are required to slow down to sixty or lower no matter what lane they are in, and there's even pylons or even barriers directing traffic in those cases.

Just about everyone on the highway does the same thing as I do, so it's not like its unexpected. I almost never see someone who doesn't slow down at all, no matter what lane they are in. Everyone pulls over into the left lane as well.

Just thinking a little bit more about it, if I was on Deerfoot, and I was 3 or 4 lanes over, I'm sure I wouldn't slow down to 60, though I might slow down a bit. I was thinking along Hwy 2, where it's only 2 lanes.

If I'm in the left lane, an incident on the opposite shoulder and you slow to 60 whilst everyone else is doing a buck10...your causing a hazard. The law is clear and makes perfect sense. It states that traffic can continue to flow at a reduced speed...no official or anyone in their right mind is going to step into a moving lane to get into the far lane as there is probably no reason to. This is why the law is written as such.

[You Need a Thneed]

Originally Posted by maverickeastwood

If I'm in the left lane, an incident on the opposite shoulder and you slow to 60 whilst everyone else is doing a buck10...your causing a hazard. The law is clear and makes perfect sense. It states that traffic can continue to flow at a reduced speed...no official or anyone in their right mind is going to step into a moving lane to get into the far lane as there is probably no reason to. This is why the law is written as such.

Let's put it this way. If a driver's in light traffic at the time, there won't be a hazard, everyone will be able to react. If the driver is in heavy traffic, he won't get to make to make the decision how fast he's going to go, due to the cars ahead of him already slowing down - and in my experience, it'll be much closer to 60 then 110.

[ken0042]

Originally Posted by You Need a Thneed

- and in my experience, it'll be much closer to 60 then 110.

Because there has already been one person slowing down needlessly.

I am still curious, a few of us have mentioned that this law was pretty much written by police officers who had seen the safety risks they faced, and those people on the front lines decided that they only wanted one lane to slow down. Why is it that you feel you are right and the law makers and the police who helped write the laws are wrong?

If they wanted all lanes to slow to 60- that's how the law would have been written.

[You Need a Thneed]

Originally Posted by ken0042

Because there has already been one person slowing down needlessly.

I am still curious, a few of us have mentioned that this law was pretty much written by police officers who had seen the safety risks they faced, and those people on the front lines decided that they only wanted one lane to slow down. Why is it that you feel you are right and the law makers and the police who helped write the laws are wrong?

If they wanted all lanes to slow to 60- that's how the law would have been written.

I never said they wrote the law wrong. I already said I went over and above the letter of the law. Just becasue they didn't think it needed to be in the law doesn't mean that they don't appreciate it when it happens. I know I would. If you were standing on the highway (even on the shoulder) would you rather have cars driving by at 60 or at 110?

I already said that I slow down out of respect for the hard job that they do. I don't know why some of you don't understand that, nor do I know why I have to try to defend myself as to why I do something that should be common sense.

I should say that I don't slow down to quite sixty, probobly more like 80. And I always watch what the vehicles behind me are doing. What I do makes the highway the safest overall for all, IMO. Sure, I may be slightly increasing the risk of an accident, but I'm reducing the danger that exists when someone is on the road by a greater amount.

[Madman]

You are missing the point.

By trying to be, "Capt. Above the Law", you are in fact putting the emergency workers you respect, in more danger. You are becoming a hazard on the road and causing other drivers around you to take evasive action thus creating the opposite effect of what the law was intended for.

[4X4]

Reminds me of people that do 100 in the left lane just to make sure that I don't go faster.

[You Need a Thneed]

Originally Posted by Madman

You are missing the point.

By trying to be, "Capt. Above the Law", you are in fact putting the emergency workers you respect, in more danger. You are becoming a hazard on the road and causing other drivers around you to take evasive action thus creating the opposite effect of what the law was intended for.

Try reading my posts. How do I cause other drivers to take evasive action? I already said I'm mindful of the people behind me, and I already siad that I don't slam on my brakes, nevermind with someone right behind me.

If I were forcing drivers to take evasive action, then yes, I would be causing more danger to the workers on the road.

[Madman]

Evasive action does not mean someone powerslides into the next lane because you slammed on your brakes. It means they are forced to evade your slow driving a$$ because you think you are better than everyone.

Do you honestly not see the danger in one hero driver, (that's you), driving potentially 40km/h slower than everyone else in that lane?