On the Road Again

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Stop and go, bumper to bumper, inching toward a destination that seems almost unreachable.

A typical 20-minute trip has now taken almost 40 minutes and you are not even halfway there. Construction, weather, traffic accidents, it sounds all too familiar.

With traffic congestion now a part of everyday life, driver's nerves are constantly being tested to the limit where patience has given way to frustration and common sense often yields to overly aggressive driving and incidents of road rage.

Nothing irks people more than the inconsiderate motorist who insists on blocking an intersection while stuck in a traffic jam, merely to gain an additional 15 to 20 feet of space on everyone behind.

The law states if a driver moves into a signalized intersection already blocked with traffic ahead and he or she happens to become stuck in the middle unable to move their vehicle when the traffic lights facing change to red, they have committed an offence.

This situation, commonly referred to as gridlock, has been identified as one of the leading causes of traffic congestion, particularly in the downtown core where short city blocks and on-street parking only add to the mess.

City of Toronto bylaw 88/82 states: The operator of a motor vehicle who enters an intersection on a green light and subsequently fails to clear his or her motor vehicle from the intersection upon the traffic signal turning red thereby preventing traffic proceeding from an opposing direction, commits an offence that carries a minimum fine of $40.

While there are no demerit points associated with this offence, a conviction will appear on a driver's record and most likely will be taken into consideration when it comes insurance renewal time.

If a sign is posted warning motorists not to block the intersection, then a police officer can opt to lay a charge under the Highway Traffic Act for Disobeying a Sign, which will increase the minimum fine to $110 and add two demerit points to the driving record.

If it is not possible to clear an intersection due to congestion ahead, the law requires motorists to stop their vehicle at the same place on the roadway as if they were facing a red light and not proceed through, even on a green signal, until such time as their vehicle can completely exit the intersection on the opposite side.

That includes motorists who turn right from an intersecting street; they too will receive a fine if they cause a blockage.