Canadian Speed Law Enforcement

[SMSW]

I'm reading Neil Peart's Ghost Rider and it seems he met a fair number of LEO's due to his elevated velocity while riding across Canada. For those of you who have experience on the Canadian and US highways, does one country more rigorously enforce speed limits than the other?

From his comments, and my limited experience years ago, it seems to me that speed limits on highways in Canada are lower than US speed limits. Is this true and does it encourage speeding?

 

[ChriSTian_64]

Driving on I-40 in Arizona, the speed limit was 80 MPH ( 129 KPH).
And since the road is flat and straight, with only desert around you, you still have the feeling that you go slow.

I was driving that speed, and I was being pushed by the traffic.
Well... the only traffic on I-40, in the middle of nowhere, say from new-mexico border to flagstaff, are trucks. And trucks.

Here, in Quebec, as all (or most) highways in Canada, the speed limit is 62 mph / 100 kph.

 

[etalors]

Candian speed limit in Ontario is lower than the U.S. by about 2 mph. This is despite the fact that Ontario recently raised its speed limit to 110 km/hr from 100 km/hr. That is from 62 mph to 68 mph
Canadian speed limit is 110 km/hr or 66 mph.
The only exception is the British Columbia Coquihalla Hwy 120 km/hr or 75 mph

 

[etalors]

From personal experience. Where I was let off with a warning in 2013. Their police will tolerate an excursion of 5 km/hr above the posted limit. But not more.
Here in the U.S. once travelling on I-80 west in Iowa at 75 mph and I was getting passed over by quite frequently even by a few semis.

 

[Mcreviver]

From my experience in Toronto traffic (thank God in a car, not on a bike) I would say speed limit laws are completely ignored. I didn't see anybody getting pulled over either. I think the police would rather live another day than risk going out onto the freeways, except to clean up messes.

 

[ReSTored]

From my experience in Toronto traffic (thank God in a car, not on a bike) I would say speed limit laws are completely ignored. I didn't see anybody getting pulled over either. I think the police would rather live another day than risk going out onto the freeways, except to clean up messes.

Your question is way too broad. It's like asking how speed limits are administered in Maine, North Dakota and Washington. There are differences in each province and in each municipal area.

The limit in Ontario is 100 kph, a few roads had the limit bumped to 110 kph a week ago, primarily as an election ploy by a pathetic politician looking for another mandate. In the Greater Toronto Area traffic is brutal, as above. lt flows at 120 - 125 and about 130 - 135 kph on the 407 toll road. In Ontario, you'll probably be ok on remote back roads if you're 10 - 15 kph over the limit.

I've had one speeding ticket in 45 years of driving / riding, 114 kph in an 80 zone. Richly deserved.......... as about 5 minutes earlier an older Corvette passed me as if I was standing still. I accelerated hard and closed in on it at 1?5 and then backed off. The Corvette guy must have turned off somewhere as an OPP cruiser nabbed me coming the other way.

 

[Gerhard]

From my experience in Toronto traffic (thank God in a car, not on a bike) I would say speed limit laws are completely ignored. I didn't see anybody getting pulled over either. I think the police would rather live another day than risk going out onto the freeways, except to clean up messes.

It is like anywhere, if you aren’t acting completely different from other traffic you are probably ok. Until you exceed the speed of the flow of the majority of traffic you should feel safe, it’s aggressive and dangerous behaviour that’ll earn you an award. Of course there are people with stories of being 5 km/h over getting ticketed but that isn’t normal.

 

[Valker]

Isn't there an amount over the speed limit that noncitizens of Canada can lose their vehicle for? I'd heard that years ago, but I haven't been able to find a specific law.

 

[SarniaON]

Going 50 over in a 100 k/hr limit is called stunt driving in Ontario and 40 over in an 80 or less speed limit is also stunt driving. Bad news for someone that is caught! Fines from $2-10 K, confiscation of vehicle and loss of driving privileges for a start. Then you might want to consider your future cost of car insurance which will skyrocket.

 

[CYYJ]

My experience living in Canada has been that you can usually ride or drive about 15% faster than the published speed limit without getting bothered by police.

Canadian speed limits are generally lower than American speed limits in comparable circumstances (residential, arterial roads, 2 lane highways, controlled access highways). Hence the somewhat greater tolerance for "over the limit" that police in Canada seem to have vs. police in the USA.

Michael

 

[SMSW]

My response to @ReSTored, is of course its a broad question. But my answer is that in most rural areas (with exceptions, of course, and I'm defining rural as between large cities) the interstates are not closely enforced. US routes - usually 2 lanes each direction have lower speed limits than the 'I' roads and are more closely enforced, but you can still go for miles without seeing a police car. State routes - 2 lane highways seem to be locally enforced but rarely. Most of my riding/driving is in Ohio, with forays into NY, PA, the northeast (up to Maine), and occasionally to Ill and Michigan. However, reading here and elsewhere gives the knowledge that certain states completely ignore the speed limits - again out where the deer and the antelope play and away from cities. That certainly does not give us the license to drive in the three digit range, stuff happens faster at elevated speeds and it takes longer to slow or stop. Animals, too, will pose a bigger danger the faster you go.

I've very limited experience in Canada, hence the question.

 

[Jim C-G]

My rule of thumb, even pulling the trailer, is to stick around 10% over the posted speed limit. I have never been ticketed or warned at those speeds. 15-20% over and I have been pulled over and on the major highways I seemed to only have been warned and on 2 lane rural at 20% over I have been ticketed. I've been lucky and it's been a while.
The worst ticket I have gotten was around Lake Superior. Long stretch of normally 100 kph highway with construction signs at the side of the road stating 50 kph... but went 10-15 km without a single blemish to the road, no equipment on the road... eased up to 80 kph and had a semi-hidden OPP nail me for a $154 fine (2008 prices). I felt like it was a sting operation. Still had another 10 km to go before first signs of construction.

 

[ReSTored]

In Ontario, you'll probably be ok on remote back roads if you're 10 - 15 kph over the limit.

As has been mentioned, in urban areas no one drives the limit and, generally speaking, if you're flowing with traffic, you're probably going to be OK.

You're far more likely to be speeding and picked up in rural areas when nicer roads encourage you to ride a bit faster. You need to be very careful if you're doing 90 kph in an 80 when approaching a small town where the limit drops to 40 kph. If you miss a sign and you're doing 90 kph in a 40 kph you're toast.

To add to SarniaON's post recent changes to stunt driving laws means an immediate 14 vehicle seizure and 30 day licence suspension. Once you get to court you face a minimum $2,000 fine and a minimum 1 year licence suspension if convicted. So, with towing and storage costs of about $2k, a minimum $2k fine and then punitive insurance costs for about 6 years for all vehicles you own a conviction could well cost you $15k - $25k in total. Crazy numbers, and a big incentive to watch your speed.

New Stunt Driving and Speeding Regulations in Ontario - Jeffery & Spence

The HTA has introduced new penalties and lower thresholds for stunt driving charges in Ontario. Don’t let this serious offence end up on your record.

jefferyandspence.com

 

[kiltman]

If you miss a sign and you're doing 90 kph in a 40 kph you're toast.

It is for this reason I program my GPS, TO YELL AND SCREAM FLASH MESSAGES , at me whenever I’m 5% over the speed limit.

 

[Gerhard]

To add to SarniaON's post recent changes to stunt driving laws means an immediate 14 vehicle seizure and 30 day licence suspension. Once you get to court you face a minimum $2,000 fine and a minimum 1 year licence suspension if convicted. So, with towing and storage costs of about $2k, a minimum $2k fine and then punitive insurance costs for about 6 years for all vehicles you own a conviction could well cost you $15k - $25k in total. Crazy numbers, and a big incentive to watch your speed.

I don’t know the conviction rate for stunt driving now but it use to be around 50%, so the majority of you punitive fine is already behind you once you appear in court. The other thing they impound vehicles no matter if the driver owns it or not so this has effected peoples employment, relationships and further financial penalty in case of rental vehicles. It pays to stay close to the speed limit in Ontario.

 

[MaxPete]

Yup - my experience parallels that of my fellow Canadians above. A wee bit over the limit (5-10%) is normally OK - unless the weather is bad, but hey, its Canada so when does that ever happen?

As was pointed out earlier, to try to generalize across a 5,000 mile wide country doesn't make sense - but, here goes:

Canadian coppers are almost universally polite, respectful and generally will listen to a calmly and respectfully told story - and then they'll write you the ticket that they think will deter you from driving like a jerk and creating a hazard for others.

If you are 50+ years old and cooking along a little fast, but solo and ATTGAT on a clean, quiet bike, they might give you a break (I've had more than one) or they might knock it down below the <holy $h!t> threshold - but if you are a lippy snot-nosed teenybopper belting along wearing shorts and flip-flops on a ratty looking contraption with dodgy brakes and tires and a few burnt out lights and you've got a similarly attired girl on the back....nope.

 

[Al st1100]

Due to the shrinking police population I haven seen many if not none at all on the expressways in Illinois. 30 mph over the limit seems to be the norm.

 

[Oldbikefixr]

The number of speed traps seems to be dropping over the routes I take most frequently. Many traditional speed trap locations, several I've driven through for 20 years are now unmanned. Even the state is shutting down some over obvious violations of the law. Most people I have seen stopped the last two years were literally asking for professional intervention....or are completely stupid, it's a difficult distinction to make sometimes.
Our ST's are easy to put us in the latter category if I don't watch the speedometer. Our older bikes gave us obvious clues as to our speed, wind noise and a change in handlebar vibrations. Not so with our bikes, it's alarming at how quickly I can find myself way over the limit and fair game if I don't glance at the speedometer frequently. So far, no roadside discussions.

 

[kiltman]

I just drove the trans Canada highway from Winnipeg to Southern Ontario. I saw two vehicles pulled over by the OPP. One was a trucker in Dryden Ontario within the city limits, another was a pickup truck just outside Wawa Ontario. Over the two days it took me to complete this journey (approx 2200kms) I saw only a handful of marked and unmarked law enforcement vehicles. Most just outside rural towns.

 

[MaxPete]

Due to the shrinking police population I haven seen many if not none at all on the expressways in Illinois. 30 mph over the limit seems to be the norm.

....I'll be right over Al!

I just drove the trans Canada highway from Winnipeg to Southern Ontario. I saw two vehicles pulled over by the OPP. One was a trucker in Dryden Ontario within the city limits, another was a pickup truck just outside Wawa Ontario. Over the two days it took me to complete this journey (approx 2200kms) I saw only a handful of marked and unmarked law enforcement vehicles. Most just outside rural towns.

Hey Robert - that would be a really nice trip!

Pete