This idea will work, ONLY, if the Highway Minister gets off his ass and makes sure that the highway crews are doing a proper job of clearing the snow. If they are allowed to continue with their usual single lane plowing this will be a bigger disaster then it is now.
First of all they should run the plows in a staggered formation, with enough plows that the entire width of the road is cleaned in one pass. The plows have to be out on the road as soon as there is any accumulation of snow.
In the event of a snow fall that is/will be enough to hinder traffic the road should be closed and all traffic held back until the plows are in position and then the traffic follows the plows.
If there is any confusion about how this system works, all one has to do is take a look at how the roads are maintained in southern Ontario. I have always said that before a contractor/drivers get a job on winter road maintenance they must spend at least one winter learning the job in Ontario.
Luc - 6 years ago
Should be the law on all highways.
Brian - 6 years ago
Some truck drivers have become lethal weapons on the road ! Speeding on blind curves, tailgating, exceeding max. Speed limits, blowing thru red lights, passing on restricted passing zones , driving gravel trucks with no cover on load.... maybe it’s time to suspend drivers ! During a recent vehicle inspection on hwy . 91 78 % of the trucks had mechanical issues !!!!
Ian nobbs - 6 years ago
And now manditary chain up,not after they have spun out.
J.T. Cazander - 6 years ago
Not only banned from fast lane but restricted to the slow lane only. In addition the speed should be restricted to 90km, all this for the hours from 6:00am till 11:00pm. This will vastly improve the traffic flow, reduce accidents and result in trucks traveling while the public is sleeping.
J.T. Cazander - 6 years ago
Not only banned from fast lane but restricted to the slow lane only. In addition the speed should be restricted to 90km, all this for the hours from 6:00am till 11:00pm. This will vastly improve the traffic flow, reduce accidents and result in trucks traveling while the public is sleeping.
Dominic Brennan - 6 years ago
Yes I agree that trucks are not allowed to use the left lane. I know of one other country that all it’s higways countrywide does not allow trucks to use the left lane and it does reduce accidents. That’s the aim and it works.
Larry - 6 years ago
An excellent idea. Keep the trucks to the right on all BC highways where there is the second lane available. Now enforce it.
Sunshine - 6 years ago
I am so tired of truck drivers causing accidents. I don’t want to throw all truck drivers under the bus because there are great truck drivers out there. BUT we need better enforcement so that drivers that don’t want to follow the rules that protect everyone's safety are stopped before they kill or seriously harm another innocent person. How many accident need to happen before enforcement becomes a priority? Fines and consequences need to be so strict that truck drivers think twice about ignoring the rules. I think we have probably all driven the Coquihalla or other highways and witnessed trucks going too fast, not chaining up, barrelling down on a slower driver, moving over when they shouldn’t, etc. Passenger vehicles do these things as well but it does not have the same consequences as a commercial vehicle. It is time that restrictions were enforced and I’m glad to see this pilot program in place.
James - 6 years ago
It should be mandatory that trucks can only use the right lane everywhere, every street. It is this way in Germany. It works great.
Dave - 6 years ago
Three words
Enforcement
Enforcement
Enforcement
There is a serious lack of this all over the province. I drive the Coquihalla weekly year round, at various times of the day.
This is a great start, but needs to be strictly enforced and policed province wide.
Speeding by everyone and the cops are extremely predictable so it’s easy to avoid their obvious traps.
There should be a commercial truck tire and chain inspection stop at Portia on big snow days. That would be a big help
Dan - 6 years ago
Should be restricted to the driving lane. No passing at all. I would even suggest that on some inner city highways such as hwy 99 that these vehicles are not allowed at all during rush hours such as 6-9am and 3-6pm. I was visiting my sick mother in TO and had to commute to the downtown core everyday using the Don Valley Pkwy. NO transport trucks were allowed during rush hours. This made a huge difference.
Paul Stamp - 6 years ago
I think the new rule to keep trucks out of the left lane on the Coq is an excellent idea, and I agree that it should be expanded province, or even country-wide asap. This should have been done many many years ago, especially considering the lack of training required to drive a big rig in most provinces, and the resulting disproportionate amount of trucks involved in serious or fatal crashes. It is high time for Federal regulation of the training and licensing process for the trucking industry.
M Bouthillier - 6 years ago
Truckers need to be paid by the hour not the load so they slow down
Ian - 6 years ago
They need to set a slower speed limit for trucks as well. Too many trucks speeding and passing.
Robert Smith - 6 years ago
I grew up in Europe where large trucks are banned from using the "fast" lane everywhere. It is high time this was the law here too.
After 33 years of big and small commercial trucks, I came to one conclusion, Be aware, B patient, and follow the rules, I retired with a clean abstract, Took 2 years to up grade from a class 3 to a 1, Was taught what the weight you were hauling would do or cause if things went wrong, Today drivers can get a class 1 in 6 weeks,
the results speak for them selves, Damn scary..
Gordon Seabrook - 6 years ago
After living in Europe for many years and observing traffic laws similar to what is proposed here it became apparent that the las worked . Although they do not have the adversed weather conditions we have in Canada the system seems to control eractic driving habits and helps to control driver speed. It certainly helps to eliminate drivers jockeying for positions , running hills or blocking all lanes. The other thing that Europe does is govern commercial vehicle speed, I know in some regions of Canada this law is applied, probably with positive results. And last driver training what experience do allot of these drivers have prior to driving in condition such as we have in BC winters.
Thanks you for the opportunity.
Respectfully
Gordon
Eric Cook - 6 years ago
This should be the law on ALL BC roads!!The Pattulla bridge is a prime example
Q Brown - 6 years ago
When construction completed, the uphill portion of the Cut in North Vancouver could use it.
Brian Chadwick - 6 years ago
if a semi lose it on the hill he is still likely to block both lanes anyway.
K Starchuk - 6 years ago
Should be on all highways (except when passing slower trucks.
This idea will work, ONLY, if the Highway Minister gets off his ass and makes sure that the highway crews are doing a proper job of clearing the snow. If they are allowed to continue with their usual single lane plowing this will be a bigger disaster then it is now.
First of all they should run the plows in a staggered formation, with enough plows that the entire width of the road is cleaned in one pass. The plows have to be out on the road as soon as there is any accumulation of snow.
In the event of a snow fall that is/will be enough to hinder traffic the road should be closed and all traffic held back until the plows are in position and then the traffic follows the plows.
If there is any confusion about how this system works, all one has to do is take a look at how the roads are maintained in southern Ontario. I have always said that before a contractor/drivers get a job on winter road maintenance they must spend at least one winter learning the job in Ontario.
Should be the law on all highways.
Some truck drivers have become lethal weapons on the road ! Speeding on blind curves, tailgating, exceeding max. Speed limits, blowing thru red lights, passing on restricted passing zones , driving gravel trucks with no cover on load.... maybe it’s time to suspend drivers ! During a recent vehicle inspection on hwy . 91 78 % of the trucks had mechanical issues !!!!
And now manditary chain up,not after they have spun out.
Not only banned from fast lane but restricted to the slow lane only. In addition the speed should be restricted to 90km, all this for the hours from 6:00am till 11:00pm. This will vastly improve the traffic flow, reduce accidents and result in trucks traveling while the public is sleeping.
Not only banned from fast lane but restricted to the slow lane only. In addition the speed should be restricted to 90km, all this for the hours from 6:00am till 11:00pm. This will vastly improve the traffic flow, reduce accidents and result in trucks traveling while the public is sleeping.
Yes I agree that trucks are not allowed to use the left lane. I know of one other country that all it’s higways countrywide does not allow trucks to use the left lane and it does reduce accidents. That’s the aim and it works.
An excellent idea. Keep the trucks to the right on all BC highways where there is the second lane available. Now enforce it.
I am so tired of truck drivers causing accidents. I don’t want to throw all truck drivers under the bus because there are great truck drivers out there. BUT we need better enforcement so that drivers that don’t want to follow the rules that protect everyone's safety are stopped before they kill or seriously harm another innocent person. How many accident need to happen before enforcement becomes a priority? Fines and consequences need to be so strict that truck drivers think twice about ignoring the rules. I think we have probably all driven the Coquihalla or other highways and witnessed trucks going too fast, not chaining up, barrelling down on a slower driver, moving over when they shouldn’t, etc. Passenger vehicles do these things as well but it does not have the same consequences as a commercial vehicle. It is time that restrictions were enforced and I’m glad to see this pilot program in place.
It should be mandatory that trucks can only use the right lane everywhere, every street. It is this way in Germany. It works great.
Three words
Enforcement
Enforcement
Enforcement
There is a serious lack of this all over the province. I drive the Coquihalla weekly year round, at various times of the day.
This is a great start, but needs to be strictly enforced and policed province wide.
Speeding by everyone and the cops are extremely predictable so it’s easy to avoid their obvious traps.
There should be a commercial truck tire and chain inspection stop at Portia on big snow days. That would be a big help
Should be restricted to the driving lane. No passing at all. I would even suggest that on some inner city highways such as hwy 99 that these vehicles are not allowed at all during rush hours such as 6-9am and 3-6pm. I was visiting my sick mother in TO and had to commute to the downtown core everyday using the Don Valley Pkwy. NO transport trucks were allowed during rush hours. This made a huge difference.
I think the new rule to keep trucks out of the left lane on the Coq is an excellent idea, and I agree that it should be expanded province, or even country-wide asap. This should have been done many many years ago, especially considering the lack of training required to drive a big rig in most provinces, and the resulting disproportionate amount of trucks involved in serious or fatal crashes. It is high time for Federal regulation of the training and licensing process for the trucking industry.
Truckers need to be paid by the hour not the load so they slow down
They need to set a slower speed limit for trucks as well. Too many trucks speeding and passing.
I grew up in Europe where large trucks are banned from using the "fast" lane everywhere. It is high time this was the law here too.
After 33 years of big and small commercial trucks, I came to one conclusion, Be aware, B patient, and follow the rules, I retired with a clean abstract, Took 2 years to up grade from a class 3 to a 1, Was taught what the weight you were hauling would do or cause if things went wrong, Today drivers can get a class 1 in 6 weeks,
the results speak for them selves, Damn scary..
After living in Europe for many years and observing traffic laws similar to what is proposed here it became apparent that the las worked . Although they do not have the adversed weather conditions we have in Canada the system seems to control eractic driving habits and helps to control driver speed. It certainly helps to eliminate drivers jockeying for positions , running hills or blocking all lanes. The other thing that Europe does is govern commercial vehicle speed, I know in some regions of Canada this law is applied, probably with positive results. And last driver training what experience do allot of these drivers have prior to driving in condition such as we have in BC winters.
Thanks you for the opportunity.
Respectfully
Gordon
This should be the law on ALL BC roads!!The Pattulla bridge is a prime example
When construction completed, the uphill portion of the Cut in North Vancouver could use it.
if a semi lose it on the hill he is still likely to block both lanes anyway.
Should be on all highways (except when passing slower trucks.