We've all seen them - or, more accurately, been stuck behind them - as they blissfully cruise down Highway 1 or the Lougheed Highway in the fast line, with cars and trucks piling up behind.
Keep right except to pass? They haven't heard that rule, or they don't care to follow it.
As drivers behind them fume, a dangerous situation develops as someone waits for a small gap between the driver in the left lane and the one in the right, then bursts through to get ahead of the pack.
According to the provincial government, which is planning to crack down on so-called "left-lane hogs," their behaviour leads to a lot of crashes.
"We know from a variety of data sources, whether it be ICBC, collision information, or RCMP traffic reports, that failure to keep right except to pass is actually a cause of a lot of collisions across British Columbia," Transportation Minister Todd Stone told The Province newspaper. "It can lead to driver frustration and so forth, so we're committed to strengthening the language in the (Motor Vehicle Act) to give law enforcement better tools so they can crack down on left-lane hogs."
Admitting that B.C.'s laws are "somewhat watered down" compared to those in other jurisdictions, Stone says feedback, especially from law enforcement, is behind the proposed change.
As far as we're concerned, it's about time.
Whether you're a faster driver or a slower one, left-lane hogs endanger you by blocking the natural flow of traffic and creating a situation where vehicles bunch together like a school of fish. All it takes is one sudden stop or swerve, or a bit of bad weather that causes one car to skid, and suddenly you've got a major accident on your hands.
Of course, creating tougher laws is one thing. Enforcing them is quite another.
But, presumably, if the push to tighten up these regulations is coming from law enforcement, then police forces are on board with this one.
If police forces are genuinely willing to spend some time issuing tickets - and, as a consequence, changing driver behaviour - then we could all enjoy a smoother highway driving experience.
And those left-lane hogs? We'll hopefully be adding them to B.C.'s endangered species list.
