What does BC law say when your motorcycle stops on a Steveston road?
Get it off the roadway if you safely can. Section 187 of BC's Motor Vehicle Act says that outside a business or residence district you shouldn't stop or leave a vehicle on the roadway when it is practicable to move it off. It doesn't apply when a vehicle is so disabled that stopping there can't be avoided.
On a bike that usually means rolling it onto the shoulder or a side street, then standing well back. If it won't roll, leave it and tell us; the signs your motorcycle needs a tow help you decide fast.
Which Slow Down, Move Over rules protect you while your bike is loaded?
BC's Slow Down, Move Over rule covers tow trucks with their lights on. Drivers have to slow to 40 km/h where the limit is under 80, and 70 km/h where it is 80 or more, and move over if it is safe. The ticket is $173 and 3 points.
It protects our driver, but it doesn't make the shoulder safe for you. Stand behind the truck or off the road while we chock and strap the bike, the way our complete guide to how motorcycle towing works describes.
What rules apply if your motorcycle is towed from a private lot in Steveston?
The City of Richmond issues permits to companies that tow from private parking lots, and it publishes its private parking lot towing regulations. If your bike vanishes from a strata, a shop lot or a building parkade, that page is the place to start, along with the lot's own signs.
Street parking has its own layer in the village: some Steveston lanes fall under the City's lane permit parking pilot, so a bike left in a lane off Moncton Street while you wait for help should not block anyone's permit spot. Five checks before you call for a bike tow covers where to leave it.
Which rules does our family follow on every Steveston motorcycle tow?
These are our house rules, not a bylaw, and we keep them every time:
| Rule | Who sets it | What it means beside your bike |
|---|---|---|
| Get off the roadway if practicable | BC Motor Vehicle Act s.187 | Roll it clear if you safely can; if not, leave it and call |
| Slow Down, Move Over | Province of BC | Traffic slows to 40 km/h under 80 zones while we load |
| Private lot towing permit | City of Richmond | Lot tows run under a City permit and published rules |
| Flatbed and wheel chock only | Our family | Your bike rides upright, never on a wheel-lift |
| Price before the hook-up | Our family | Published extras are named on the phone first |
Why only the flatbed? Can a standard tow truck handle a motorcycle explains it.
What insurance rules matter when a motorcycle is towed after a crash in Steveston?
At a crash, emergency services usually call a local tow company for you. ICBC suggests asking whether that company is in its Towing Program; if it isn't, you pay and send in your eligible receipts for repayment. So keep every slip of paper.
The full walk-through is in what happens when a crashed motorcycle is towed, and a lost key after a fall is covered in can a motorcycle be towed without the key.
What should a Steveston rider have ready to follow the towing rules?
Your exact spot, the bike's make and model, whether it rolls, and where it is going. With that we can name the price and any published extra, like $50 for an underground parkade or $40 for a bike that won't roll, before we book.
Then prepare your motorcycle for the tow while you wait: bags off, photos taken, disc lock in your pocket. Questions first? Send us a note, or see all our towing services.
Towing rules for Steveston riders, in short
Roll the bike off the roadway if you safely can, then stand clear: Slow Down, Move Over protects the truck, not the shoulder. Lot tows in Richmond run under a City permit, and after a crash ICBC's Towing Program and your receipts matter. On our side, every bike rides a flatbed and you hear the price first.
Steveston Motorcycle Towing Rules FAQ
Can I push my motorcycle along the shoulder to a safer spot?
Yes, if you can do it safely. Getting a vehicle off the roadway when it is practicable is what section 187 of the Motor Vehicle Act expects. If the bike won't roll or traffic is heavy, leave it and call.
Is the flatbed rule a city law?
No, it is our family's rule. Every motorcycle we tow rides upright on a flatbed with the front wheel in a chock.
What is the fine for a driver who doesn't slow down for a tow truck?
Under BC's Slow Down, Move Over rule the ticket is $173 and 3 points.
Will you tell me about extras before the tow?
Yes. Published extras such as $30 for no keys or $50 for an underground parkade are named on the phone before we book.