Riding on hwy shoulder/emergency lanes | GTAMotorcycle.com

Riding on hwy shoulder/emergency lanes

M

micelli.i

Well-known member
As I sit in my cage on DVP, Gardiner and/or 404/401/400, etc. during rush hours exacerbated sometimes by collisions, I sometimes see riders taking the shoulder/emergency lane to beat the traffic and get out at the next exit.

On one occasions, one dude was riding between 1 & 2nd lanes, on the intermittent white line (I kid you not), going approx. 40 km/h in a 20 km/h stop-go highway traffic.

Are they a lost cause for the police? I mean during the heavy rush hours, unless the constable is also on a bike, there is no way a cruiser can catch up to them.

Thoughts?

P.S. if caught, what infractions do they look to gain?
 
micelli.i said:
As I sit in my cage on DVP, Gardiner and/or 404/401/400, etc. during rush hours exacerbated sometimes by collisions, I sometimes see riders taking the shoulder/emergency lane to beat the traffic and get out at the next exit.

On one occasions, one dude was riding between 1 & 2nd lanes, on the intermittent white line (I kid you not), going approx. 40 km/h in a 20 km/h stop-go highway traffic.

Are they a lost cause for the police? I mean during the heavy rush hours, unless the constable is also on a bike, there is no way a cruiser can catch up to them.

Thoughts?

P.S. if caught, what infractions do they look to gain?
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g4getmoney got a stunting charge with 7-day license suspension and bike impound. He later sold the bike to pay for the towing and impound charges. I'm not sure if that can be considered a "gain" as far as infractions go. In fact the only "gain" he managed to get was to managed a conviction for a lesser charge at trial, but that did nothing for the tow and impound charges.
 
Radios are faster than bikes. As griff said above, this can get really ugly. If I was trying to get 100m ahead to get to an offramp maybe, but if I'm staying on the highway for a while, hells no.
 
Personally I obey most laws, and lane laws on one of them. That said, there was one time a few summers back where they basically had 2 lanes closed when I almost cut across to the shoulder so I could get off at the next ramp (was also a 35c day). I never actually did though, as traffic started moving a little better and I passed the blockage in about 30-45 mins.
 
micelli.i said:
As I sit in my cage on DVP, Gardiner and/or 404/401/400, etc. during rush hours exacerbated sometimes by collisions, I sometimes see riders taking the shoulder/emergency lane to beat the traffic and get out at the next exit.

On one occasions, one dude was riding between 1 & 2nd lanes, on the intermittent white line (I kid you not), going approx. 40 km/h in a 20 km/h stop-go highway traffic.

Are they a lost cause for the police? I mean during the heavy rush hours, unless the constable is also on a bike, there is no way a cruiser can catch up to them.

Thoughts?

P.S. if caught, what infractions do they look to gain?
Click to expand...

Gotta get off the highway sometime.

The normal charge would be "improper driving where the road is divided into lanes " (three points) or "pass off roadway", though the letter of the racing and stunting law also applies.
 
GreyGhost said:
Radios are faster than bikes. As griff said above, this can get really ugly. If I was trying to get 100m ahead to get to an offramp maybe, but if I'm staying on the highway for a while, hells no.
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Hell i see cages doing it all the time.

Big gridlock, 100m before exit, they get in shoulder and get off the highway.
I personally don't have a problem with it, one car less in traffic
 
LePhillou said:
Hell i see cages doing it all the time.

Big gridlock, 100m before exit, they get in shoulder and get off the highway.
I personally don't have a problem with it, one car less in traffic
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Yup, I see it all the time too. Ten Km from home and they're impatient, so they jump in the breakdown lane and drive in it for 2 or 3 Km. I have a problem with it. It's for legitimate emergency use, as when emergency vehicles need to get to a scene. The traffic is generally backed up for a reason.
 
Rob MacLennan said:
Yup, I see it all the time too. Ten Km from home and they're impatient, so they jump in the breakdown lane and drive in it for 2 or 3 Km. I have a problem with it. It's for legitimate emergency use, as when emergency vehicles need to get to a scene. The traffic is generally backed up for a reason.
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Good point. Forgive my ignorance, but does the emergency vehicle definition include tow trucks? They're in the news right now about the new regulations (that they're not happy with), but man, when these guys rush to an accident, they're racing like crazy with their white-yellow flashlights on. Scary stuff.
 
I wouldn't think tow trucks would be considered emergency vehicles for the simple reason they are privately owned.
Having said this, I don't think the police would ticket them for being in the emergency lane.
The faster the accident or broken down vehicle is towed away, the faster the DVP can return to normal.
 
micelli.i said:
Good point. Forgive my ignorance, but does the emergency vehicle definition include tow trucks? They're in the news right now about the new regulations (that they're not happy with), but man, when these guys rush to an accident, they're racing like crazy with their white-yellow flashlights on. Scary stuff.
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Tow trucks are explicitly mentioned in HTA Section 159(2) & (3), aka the "move over law." This would imply that, at least under some conditions, they are considered to be the same as emergency vehicles.
 
Rob MacLennan said:
Yup, I see it all the time too. Ten Km from home and they're impatient, so they jump in the breakdown lane and drive in it for 2 or 3 Km. I have a problem with it. It's for legitimate emergency use, as when emergency vehicles need to get to a scene. The traffic is generally backed up for a reason.
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yeah more than a 100m... i find is kinda pushing it...so yeah 2-3 km is quite a lot and that i havent witnessed
 
Rob MacLennan said:
Tow trucks are explicitly mentioned in HTA Section 159(2) & (3), aka the "move over law." This would imply that, at least under some conditions, they are considered to be the same as emergency vehicles.
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They fall under that section of the law. That's the only section they fall under - the rest of the time they are required and expected to follow the letter of the law so far as the HTA goes. In what will be a surprise to nobody here, most do whatever the hell they damn well please when they're rushing to a tow, accident or otherwise - first guy there (even if they need to drive like complete fools to achieve it) gets the tow, typically.
 
Rob MacLennan said:
The ramp from 401W to 410N as far as Derry, more than once. Some people are just "special."
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oh. well. one word.

Brampton.

Glad i dont have to drive/ride there often, although now, thanks to brampton driving experience, i expect most of the dumbest moves to happen and don't get phased by them as much
 
The sooner/faster other people can get off the highway, the sooner/faster I can get off the highway. Have at it, but use some sense. If traffic is stopped, don't split lanes at 50+ km/h. That's just asking for a ride on a gurney.
 
LePhillou said:
oh. well. one word.

Brampton.

Glad i dont have to drive/ride there often, although now, thanks to brampton driving experience, i expect most of the dumbest moves to happen and don't get phased by them as much
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The Gardiner, from before Kipling to just before the 427 ramp, a couple of times a month.
 
Yes tow trucks because of the nature of their dangerous duties have been included in the "move over" regulation but that is the only section they are granted "special" privileges under the HTA. They too "can" be charged for using emergency lanes, even the turn arounds, Where they still exist on provincial highways are off limits. But normally the police are busy at a scene, to bother.

I know of a friends son who was just recently dinged with s172 while on his way to a two in the company truck. He is fighting it. He was doing 56 k over.
 
Rob MacLennan said:
The Gardiner, from before Kipling to just before the 427 ramp, a couple of times a month.
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All roads lead to brampton?! :p

Haven't seen that one either although I take it almost every day when i commute. must be cause im too busy avoiding the lane changers in that area lol
 
LePhillou said:
All roads lead to brampton?! :p

Haven't seen that one either although I take it almost every day when i commute. must be cause im too busy avoiding the lane changers in that area lol
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It happens on days when there's an unusually long backup, like yesterday. People stay in the right-most collector lane, that exits to Islington South, and then just continue along in the breakdown lane past Kipling. Very dangerous.
 
hedo2002 said:
Yes tow trucks because of the nature of their dangerous duties have been included in the "move over" regulation but that is the only section they are granted "special" privileges under the HTA. They too "can" be charged for using emergency lanes, even the turn arounds, Where they still exist on provincial highways are off limits. But normally the police are busy at a scene, to bother.

I know of a friends son who was just recently dinged with s172 while on his way to a two in the company truck. He is fighting it. He was doing 56 k over.
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I am under the assumption that police, ambulance, firetruck drivers have special training for emergency driving. I assume that tow drivers have not been trained to any specific standard.

56 k over in a truck? He was trying to make money. Tow trucks aren't ambulances saving lives.
 
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