RESEARCH - Passing Lane Safety & Performance

Keep Right Let Others PassAustroads has released a publication that examines the impacts of passing lanes on safety, journey time and user experience and provides guidance to assist in the development of passing lane installation projects.

The research found that passing lanes result in safety benefits, including perceived safety by motorists, safer operational conditions, and historical crash reductions. Passing lanes were also found to improve journey times through a small increase in travel speed and a significant reduction in percentage of time spent following a slower vehicle.

Reference Link:

Amazing, isn't it? 

The research found that passing lanes result in safety benefits, including perceived safety by motorists, safer operational conditions, and historical crash reductions. Passing lanes were also found to improve journey times through a small increase in travel speed and a significant reduction in percentage of time spent following a slower vehicle.

There's no doubt in my mind, that the additional passing lanes in BC have improved flow and driver awareness, which is crucial.

People are getting where they're going in these sections more comfortably and efficiently albeit over the speed limit at times.

Whereas, police radar enforcement inevitably compresses traffic - the opposite of defensive driving practice.

I would like to see Police target the vehicles going above the speed-limit in the right lane on the passing lane stretch, while being passed.
Most of the time "slow vehicles" are slow because of the twists and turns, but when the long straight road of a passing stretch comes along - they speed right up to the limit or beyond preventing others from passing them legally.

When I'm on a relaxed cruise, or in a new unfamiliar area, I drive in the right lane of a passing stretch - I make it a point to drive 10km/h below the posted limit to let as many people as necessary to pass me legally.

People "blocking the pass" by speeding up in the right lane mindlessly, or on purpose need a stern talk from a cop about driving with consideration.

First of all, I want to say that when I worked, it didn't matter which lane you were in if you were speeding. If you were over, you got a ticket. I would be surprised if most traffic policing is not done the same way.

Like you, I often did the same thing when I was slower traffic in my own vehicle. I figured it was better to have impatient drivers in front of me rather than behind.

However, from my unmarked car observations of slower traffic on our winding highways were only very rarely below the advisory speeds posted with the warning signs. You can't fault a driver who doesn't know the road for following them.

I also learned quickly that it just wasn't worth passing that motorhome in the Okanagan summer traffic. You only found yourself behind the motorhome in front of it.

Most of the time both lanes are speeding and if the left one is 40km/h over or more - the cops will stop the "worst offender" and tow the vehicle, it makes "safety" and "economical" sense.
And you are correct, the slow traffic usually sticks to the advisory signs through the twisties; and I do the same on the unfamiliar roads.
But I don't stomp on my throttle every time someone dares to pass me in the left lane in the passing stretch, as I find it highly discourteous.

I see little difference between "pass blocking" and "left lane hogging" -  mindlessly ignorant people, but with a fair proportion of wrongfully-righteous "rule enforcers" - people who hold no interest in cooperation on shared road and just waiting to "teach lessons" to anyone they perceive a threat, third party innocence be damned.

And ultimately, you are completely correct that depending on the traffic, passing or not passing, will net the same approximate result. And drivers need to recognize that and back-off before someone gets hurt.