Things people don't know about the highway traffic act

[fishing n autograph]

So...after a while i've found out some things that people didn't know about the rules of the road.....so i'll shed some light so guys on here don't get dinged....

 

1. If you are turning left and the light turns red ONLY ONE vehicle can complete their turn.....i usually see 2-4 people run it....

 

2. Your permit HAS to be signed in ink

 

3. You have to have a real insurance card in your vehicle, not a photocopy. Your permit can be copied, but you must have both sides photo copied

 

4. You cannot make a U-turn: 150m from a hill, dike, bridge, where there's a sign that say no U turn, or where there's a curve in the road

 

5. You windows cannot be tinted so dark that the driver cannot be seen

 

6. you have to have both headlights working, identification light (licence plate light) has to be working), but you only need one working break light

 

7. You have to come to a complete stop at all stop signs and red lights...rolling stops are not stops

 

8. Amber light means slow down and prepare to stop. Technically running the amber light and going through yields the same penalty as running a red light.

 

9. When turning left, you must yield the right of way...especially when the light is amber and people running the yellow...if you get into an accident you're at fault.

 

10. When consuming alcohol the legal limit is .080, however, any reading between .05 and .079 will result in a 12 hour licence suspension.

 

11. If you have your G2 licence you cannot have any alcohol in your system, drive after midnight with people in the car who are not family or over 18 and drive on 400 series highways

 

12. Your validation sticker has to fixed to the upper right corner of the rear licence plate - for cars

 

13. Having a loud stereo, squeeling your tires or having a loud muffler is considered excessive noise and can result in a ticket

 

14. I recommed not having your dog in the front seat of your car...if it's on the lap of the driver its considered crowding the driver

 

15. All occupants of your vehicle has to be wearing their seatbelt UNLESS you're a cab driver with a fare, you're reversing, ambulance with a patient, police officer with a prisoner or have a note from your doctor saying that you cannot wear your seat belt for medical reasons

 

16. Driving with a suspended licence or disqualified licence will get your car towed.

 

17. Bet you didn't know this...... you can drive ANYWHERE on the road if there is no other traffic on the road

 

18. Bet you didnt' know this....... if you do not affect other drivers...ie see 17..... you don't have to signal

 

19. all loads in your pick up truck must be tied down and secured

 

20. 3Km/hr is a $12 fine lol

Edited April 25, 2008 by FishnNAutographs

[irishfield]

Problem with one brake light is you probably are then in violation of not having a signal light.

 

..and Yes I did know 17 and 18 and regularily drive up the center of the road when you can see there's no traffic for miles (especially in places like #11 between Cochrane and Hearst).. gives you more sliding/spinning room when you blow a tire and cuts down on the sucked up dust from the side of the road dirtying up what you're towing.

[bpsbassman]

Good stuff.

Learned a few things there.

[fishing n autograph]

Problem with one brake light is you probably are then in violation of not having a signal light.

 

on newer vehicles the brake and indicator lights are separate

[irishfield]

Yes Dave.. a few that wanted to screw up fishermen and their trailer wiring !

Edited April 25, 2008 by irishfield

[Kirk]

I always follow the HTA whenever a police vehicle is in view or there is a potential hiding spot on the road for radar or laser, its a matter of being polite to the officer on duty.

 

And, for #17, I thought you can speed and drink as well so long as there was no other traffic.

Edited April 25, 2008 by Kirk

[fishing n autograph]

And, for #17, I thought you can speed and drink as well so long as there was no other traffic.

 

lol....

[Stoty]

I always follow the HTA whenever a police vehicle is in view

 

Usually its too late by then!

[GBW]

I like 14. don't get me wrong I love my dog but those people that have the dog on the lap with it's head out the drivers side window should be pulled over. to me that's worse then someone talking on the phone...

[Victor]

1. If you are turning left and the light turns red ONLY ONE vehicle can complete their turn.....i usually see 2-4 people run it....

 

Please correct me if i'm wrong, when i took driving lessons i was told that you can move up towards the first vehicle making a left (assuming you're not the first car) ... when the light turns red, you are allowed to turn if you are passed the white line. That way you won't be blocking the pedestrian crosswalk or the cars going in the perpendicular direction.

 

I know what you mean about having 3-4 cars turning sometimes though...some people just push it too far sometimes...

[wallyboss]

How about passing a car when you have double full lines. Some places you have those 2 solid lines but you can clearly see way ahead . Is it illegal to pass or just not suggested to pass???

[Disspatcher]

.".15. All occupants of your vehicle has to be wearing their seatbelt UNLESS you're a cab driver with a fare, you're reversing, ambulance with a patient, police officer with a prisoner or have a note from your doctor saying that you cannot wear your seat belt for medical reasons"

 

OR doing less than 40km and making frequent stops....like highway worker. Been there done that!

[Andrew]

How about passing a car when you have double full lines. Some places you have those 2 solid lines but you can clearly see way ahead . Is it illegal to pass or just not suggested to pass???

 

Way back when I had driver training this is the way it was explained to me.... yellow means caution..signs with cruves in the road etc.. they are are warning you to take caution, yellow signs with the speed limit, well thats a recommendation that you should go that speed, and not the actual posted speed (the white sign). Also, back to the yellow line.. If its safe its my understanding you can pass. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong.

[SlowPoke]

How about passing a car when you have double full lines. Some places you have those 2 solid lines but you can clearly see way ahead . Is it illegal to pass or just not suggested to pass???

 

AFAIK double yellow solid suggests that it is unsafe to pass in that area but is prohibited (50 Meters?) before a turn, tunnel, railway crossing or approching the crest of a hill.

 

Another little known law... Unsafe left turn. If you approach your left turn and are slowing down, check your mirrors prior to turning. You can be charged if some moron hits you while trying to pass on the left even if you have your signal on. I encounter this almost daily at work... it's so tempting to make my turn and let them stuff thier car under my trailer but it's not worth getting charged.

-Brian

[Canuck2fan]

I have disagree with number 1 only allowing one driver to turn on a red light has to be at the discretion of the officer. At more than a few intersections in Waterloo region 4 or 5 cars easily fit past the white line and road sign that indicate the proper stopping point. Once you are past that marking you are considered to be in the intersection and should have the right away regardless of the light changing. Since the HTA reads that all drivers must yield to drivers all ready in the intersection at stop signs and red lights.... (While we ALL KNOW any marking on the surface of any road in Ontario is NOT legally binding and just suggestive because of the fact that they can be covered at anytime by leaves, snow or road grime) the signs designating the stopping position for a red light would be binding. At a few of those intersections any car past the marking would impede a truck from turning on the green, so the officer would probably lose in court for charging someone turning in those places second to even fifth, if they couldn't back up safely.

 

Also how could an officer pull over all 3 or 4 cars at once to charge them? Once in court you could make the argument that your being charged, while the other drivers weren't was unfair....

[SlowPoke]

Also how could an officer pull over all 3 or 4 cars at once to charge them? Once in court you could make the argument that your being charged, while the other drivers weren't was unfair....

You can make any argument you want in court but you're dreaming if you think the "unfair" defense will get you anywhere.

[Jigger]

How about passing a car when you have double full lines. Some places you have those 2 solid lines but you can clearly see way ahead . Is it illegal to pass or just not suggested to pass???

 

 

A fellow I knew back in high school killed someone passing on a double solid. When it came to court, he was let off on that very technicality. It is advised/suggested that you don't pass on a double.

 

Very unfortunate.

[Canuck2fan]

You can make any argument you want in court but you're dreaming if you think the "unfair" defense will get you anywhere.

 

It won't hurt to bring it up along with your other arguments.... if you have a witness in the car with you it could help. Remember all you have to do is raise reasonable doubt with the crown first and you might not even get to court. Also if you are lucky and there was a traffic camera at the intersection you can require the footage if available to be entered into evidence to support your statement of unfair treatment. Just remember that all such charges under the HTA that aren't the result of an accident are nothing more than a tax grab, so usually if you show you are willing to fight and not just roll over and pay. The crown will likely give you a deal of a lower charge or withdraw the charges altogether.... Is it worth having an officer go to court to fight a 150 dollar ticket when no one was hurt or no property was damaged? NOPE it is all about maximizing the dollars that roll in not about safety or justice in a lot of traffic charges. Oh and if you can speak another language insist on them providing an interpreter for your case that really cuts down on the profit for them so they tend to let you off a lot easier....

[muskymike]

#5 Window Tints

 

From the Creek to Mississauga daily I see at least 3 cars where you cant see in their windows. I wish this was enforced a little more.

[2 tone z71]

#21 theres never a officer around when needed

#22 when hitting a passing lane this does not require your car to speed up to 120-130 then drop back to 80- 90 kmh Right after the passing lane ends

#23 get out of the left lane on a two lane highway moron its for people who drive faster then 85,move your tortuse to the right lane

 

end rant

[Raf]

#22 when hitting a passing lane this does not require your car to speed up to 120-130 then drop back to 80- 90 kmh Right after the passing lane ends

#23 get out of the left lane on a two lane highway moron its for people who drive faster then 85,move your tortuse to the right lane

 

end rant

 

you must drive on 69 a lot.

[Raf]

my question is off-ramp speed limits.. ie. those off the 400 series hwys. Are they mere suggestions or the rule of law?

[Sinker]

#23 get out of the left lane on a two lane highway moron its for people who drive faster then 85,move your tortuse to the right lane

 

end rant

 

Doesn't that just drive you nuts!!! My gawd......how can those people not know they're holding up traffic. If there is one thing that is a HUGE peeve of mine......you just nailed it.

 

Same thing on any 400 series hwy........right lane is all clear......center and left lanes are blocked solid. Move the heck over !!

 

Keep right except to pass......is that still a law or what......if it is, it needs to be enforced, and with a HUGE fine.

 

Sinker

[wallyboss]

#5 Window Tints

 

From the Creek to Mississauga daily I see at least 3 cars where you cant see in their windows. I wish this was enforced a little more.

 

I definetly agree with you , plus it is really hard to check out the babes driving beside you !!!

[napjohn8]

11. If you have your G2 licence you cannot have any alcohol in your system, drive after midnight with people in the car who are not family or over 18 and drive on 400 series highways

 

one of the stupidest rules, "drive after midnight with people in the car who are not family or over 18 and drive on 400 series highways"

so your telling me if i live in woodbridge i cant drive the highways after midnight, haha, i am a younger drive and have not had any problems yet, that is a law of discrimination and should be struck down, is in violation of the charter. However i support the alcohol, should be 0.00 no one needs to drive even on one beer.