Life in the slow lane: Regina police ticket driver $125 for driving too slow

It's not often that it happens but it does happen — Regina police ticketed a driver on the city's Ring Road Tuesday night because the person was just going too slow...allegedly.

The driver was ticketed for driving 76 kilometres per hour in a 100 kilometre per hour zone between Winnipeg Street and Argyle Street.

They were slapped with a $125 for impeding traffic to much applause on social media.

"If they can't handle driving at the posted speed of 100km then they should not be driving on Ring Road," one person tweeted in reply.

"Good. Happens all the time. Glad someone got a ticket for it," tweeted another with the hashtag #moveover.

"I've driven highways in BC, Alberta, and Manitoba this summer. Each of those highway had multiple signs reminding people 'slower traffic keep right,' yet I have yet to see that sign in and around Regina," one concerned tweeter wondered.  

"Why is that?"

Section 199 (4) of Saskatchewan's Traffic Safety Act states that no drivers may commute at a speed "that impedes the normal and reasonable movement of traffic on the highway except when necessary for the safe operation of the vehicle."

One caller into CBC wasn't so enthused.

The caller argued that drivers who jut out into traffic behind slow drivers to pass create more traffic hazards than slow drivers. He also argued slow drivers are likely to have more leeway when it comes to reacting to a potential hazard than someone going the speed limit or faster.

"At least there should be a minimum speed posted," he concludes. "There's no such thing posted."

Cst. Mark Golaiy is with the Regina Police Service's Traffic Safety unit. He spoke with CBC Radio's Blue Sky about slow drivers.

"I agree that slow driving is technically safer — if you're by yourself," Golaiy said. 

"But if you have other people on the roadway that are travelling at 100 kilometres an hour, they are not able to judge that you're doing 76 which is well below that posted speed limit."

He said that perception of speed is made worse at night. Golaiy said it makes no difference if the driver was in the right lane, instead of the left (which is known as the passing lane).