Snowplows – Friend Or Foe?

There is only 1 answer, and 2 rules to follow.

Since it’s been built, the Coquihalla Highway has become the main travel route to take when heading north to the interior of BC and beyond to Alberta. This past week has seen an abundance of snow causing closures of the Coquihalla as well as other highways, leaving people stranded in their vehicles.

Snowplow hit by a vehicle trying to pass on the right.TransBC’s website has an abundance of information on how to deal with driving in various conditions, including snow. Snow clearing machines are the most important equipment they have during a busy, snowy season. So what do you do when you come up behind a snowplow and all you want to do is pass that thing?

There are two rules to follow.

Rule number 1: NEVER pass them on the right.

A snowplow pushes snow to the right and you really don’t want to get under all that icy, wet mess. More importantly though, is the blade pushing the snow. The blades on snowplows are much wider than most people think, and they are incredibly heavy. Therefore I can promise you, if you hit that blade, your ride will be toast.

Rule number 2: Be patient.

People operating snowplows are out so that you can stay safe on the road. They also understand you want to get to where you’re going. Snowplow operators on the Coquihalla Highway are trained that when they see a lineup of vehicles behind them, the first thing they do is find a spot that’s safe to pull over allowing you to pass. They know you are behind them and will pull over as soon as it is safe for them to do so.

Watch this video released by TranBC and see the snowplows on the Coquihala in action.