Is ramping illegal?

[油井緋色]

I've always been curious about this. In addition, what about knee dragging/leaning off and what is the speed limit of the ramp itself? Is it illegal to have an exit speed of 3x the ramp exit but decelerate to traffic speed on merge? For example, some on ramps have barriers that extend for a very long time before merging...

This is just theory/law-crafting. I don't support any stupidity on public roads.

 

[LePhillou]

Id like to think that for on-ramp, your speed limit is the limit on the road you're merging onto. As you're supposed to have reached that speed by the time you merge. The signs are advisory speed limits for adverse weather/transport trucks.

If its it 30kph advisory merging onto a 400 series highway, and youre going 90 (kudos to you), they cant officially nail you for speeding. Of course the minute that you're over the 100kph they can do wtv they want with you.

 

[defeater905]

I had a police officer tell me that there are no speed limits on ramps and he was joking about how people with sports cars can only use the cars power getting on and off the highways...but who knows really..not me..lol

 

[conundrum]

As far as I know, if the 401 is 100km/h and you exceed 100km/h on the ramp, they can still get you. It would be stupid to think you could do 200+ on ramp, only to slow down to 100km/h and merge. The whole reason of the ramp is so you can either get up to or down to speed, depending on if it is an on-ramp or off-ramp. Again, I'm not sure of the actual laws, but I can't see a police officer letting someone off if they did that.

The one thing I do remember from driver's ed is that you only need to obey the white & black speed signs. The signs on the ramp are just the suggested speed...so if the limit of the 401 is 100km/h, and the ramp speed sign says 40km/h, you could in theory be doing at or just below 100km/h and they shouldn't be able to say anything...again, in theory.

 

[griff2]

The one thing I do remember from driver's ed is that you only need to obey the white & black speed signs. The signs on the ramp are just the suggested speed...so if the limit of the 401 is 100km/h, and the ramp speed sign says 40km/h, you could in theory be doing at or just below 100km/h and they shouldn't be able to say anything...again, in theory.

Until something goes wrong, and then you could be looking at careless driving or worse being written up while they winch your wreck out of the grass or guard rail.

 

[Brian P]

^ ... but that would be the case regardless of the speed at which it happened, relative to the yellow-sign speed.

 

[Riceburner]

Ramp speed is limited to the entrance/exit road speed limit.

 

[apextech]

Ok...Colors on the Road

Yellow Signage is Cautionary Speed.
White Signage is Regulatory Speed.
Same with the lines on the Road.
I don't know why people do not understand this?

 

[Brian P]

Cops might say that squealing tires is evidence of something that might be HTA 172 worthy or careless or whatever ...

Here's a tidbit: good high-performance tires pretty much don't squeal when they are approaching their traction limits, often not even while sliding.

I typically drive gutless econoboxes with good suspension and tires. A car should function like a go-kart in my mind. The current one is as close as I can make it. No tire squeal no matter what you try ...

I've had cops want to discuss the speed at which they clocked me while going around an exit ramp (they were at the top of the ramp checking for seatbelt or whatever) but there wasn't anything they could do about it. (I pretty much just changed lanes into the exit ramp and turned without slowing down)

If they ever want to discuss the speed at which I take an on-ramp ... "I have to take the corner that fast, because otherwise I'll never get up to speed to merge" ...

 

[coyo]

I had a police officer tell me that there are no speed limits on ramps and he was joking about how people with sports cars can only use the cars power getting on and off the highways...but who knows really..not me..lol

This is my understanding of it as well, and also as advised by a traffic officer. When something goes wrong though...

 

[coyo]

Ok...Colors on the Road

Yellow Signage is Cautionary Speed.
White Signage is Regulatory Speed.
Same with the lines on the Road.
I don't know why people do not understand this?

Actually, road markings are ALL cautionary, only road signs are regulatory. Pass on a double yellow all you want, so long as it's safe. However if there's a no passing sign also erected, then you're breaking the law.

As for the colour of the road markings; yellow denotes opposing traffic on the other side where white is same direction or edge of your roadway, in a nutshell.

 

[油井緋色]

Ok...Colors on the Road

Yellow Signage is Cautionary Speed.
White Signage is Regulatory Speed.
Same with the lines on the Road.
I don't know why people do not understand this?

Because ramping also involves hanging off the bike if you want to do 30 ramps at 70+

 

[Baggsy]

The ramp from Lakeshore west to the Gardiner may be an exception, as there is a regulatory sign in the middle of the on ramp,
and I've heard rumours of people getting dinged for going up the ramp too fast.

 

[Brian P]

Actually, road markings are ALL cautionary, only road signs are regulatory. Pass on a double yellow all you want, so long as it's safe. However if there's a no passing sign also erected, then you're breaking the law.

Just beware that laws elsewhere aren't necessarily the same as laws in Ontario. Most places elsewhere, the center line markings are the law ... If they're solid, you're not allowed to cross them ... There doesn't have to be a "no passing" sign.

 

[coyo]

Just beware that laws elsewhere aren't necessarily the same as laws in Ontario. Most places elsewhere, the center line markings are the law ... If they're solid, you're not allowed to cross them ... There doesn't have to be a "no passing" sign.

A valid point; in Quebec the lines are law.

 

[95teggy]

I was pulled over on Lawrence for doing it (just after 1 loop). Cop let me go with a warning. I asked her if it was illegal and she said it's up to the officer to decide, she said she was cool with it but radio'd another cop to get his opinion and he said he would have charged me for stunt driving.

So YMMV.

 

[油井緋色]

I was pulled over on Lawrence for doing it (just after 1 loop). Cop let me go with a warning. I asked her if it was illegal and she said it's up to the officer to decide, she said she was cool with it but radio'd another cop to get his opinion and he said he would have charged me for stunt driving.

So YMMV.

So if I'm actually getting on or off the highway, hanging off, and happen to find a cop waiting, I have to run to avoid dealing with a potential impound, and license suspension because someone doesn't understand hanging off != racing but is used to decrease lean angle and stability? This is the thing I'm worried about most tbh as I've been pulled over and given **** before for hanging off during an intersection right turn (bike was completely up right and not taken at speed...cause you know, gravel!).

 

[hedo2002]

Of course not condoning not stopping when directed by a police officer, but if the cop has a hate on for bikes or is just having a really bad day. I could easily see them dinging you for 172. They would likely testify that because you were hanging off the bike then "techinically" you were no longer in the seat.

Unless the ramp has a white regulatory sign then the speed limit is to coincide with the roads connected to it. So if your entering from a road with a 60 km/h limit that is your limit entering the ramp then the road, (401), is the one your entering then after the apex, of the ramp you would be fine at 100 km/h. But let's not dismiss the wording in one of the sections of 172 "marked departure from normal posted speed limit" so a copper could also use that one theorically.

So if I'm actually getting on or off the highway, hanging off, and happen to find a cop waiting, I have to run to avoid dealing with a potential impound, and license suspension because someone doesn't understand hanging off != racing but is used to decrease lean angle and stability? This is the thing I'm worried about most tbh as I've been pulled over and given **** before for hanging off during an intersection right turn (bike was completely up right and not taken at speed...cause you know, gravel!).

 

[Bagman]

I don't think the cop would take exception to you hanging off. The cop is likely to not be as ignorant as your ignorance thinks he is. If you have not yet, READ the HTA section on "Stunt Driving", and the O Reg that provides the definitions. Rather, for you to be hanging off you, you must be going at quite a good speed above the suggested posted speed. I'm sure you can see how Stunt Driving is an appropriate charge.

http://www.ontario.ca/laws/regulation/070455

Consider:

3. Driving a motor vehicle without due care and attention, without reasonable consideration for other persons using the highway or in a manner that may endanger any person by,i. driving a motor vehicle at a rate of speed that is a marked departure from the lawful rate of speed

“marked departure from the lawful rate of speed” means a rate of speed that may limit the ability of a driver of a motor vehicle to prudently adjust to changing circumstances on the highway. O. Reg. 455/07, s. 2 (2).

 

[EC2010]

I've always been curious about this. In addition, what about knee dragging/leaning off and what is the speed limit of the ramp itself?

If said kneedragging/leaning off will get your butt off the seat (not in it), they'll nail you for HTA 172
HTA 172, under Definition of Stunt 6. Driving a motor vehicle while the driver is not sitting in the driver’s seat.