There are few things more frustrating than sitting in bumper-to-bumper traffic, barely budging, when you have somewhere to be—and the experience can sometimes push drivers to do some pretty dangerous (and illegal) things. 

But Toronto Police want you to know that no matter how tempting it may be to pull into the shoulder and pass dozens of cars as you gleefully glide down the empty lane—likely receiving dirty looks as you go—it's simply never a good idea. 

TPS Traffic Services tweeted about the offence Thursday, noting that officers on patrol throughout the city have noticed that when traffic is ridiculously slow, whether due to weather or other reasons, many drivers become impatient and illegally take to the shoulder.

#VZET officers r on patrol all over the city,sometimes traffic is VERY SLOW,& drivers become impatient.Using a shoulder 2 pass 20+ cars because u don’t want 2 wait is going 2 cost u 3 points & $110 like it did 4 this person.B patient,drive properly @jamesramertps @TPScott_baptist pic.twitter.com/qFeTRgBeib

— TPS Traffic Services (@TrafficServices) November 25, 2021

Not only is it dangerous to do so, according to police, but it's also against the law, and a driver caught committing this offence will face a fine and lose demerit points.

"Using a shoulder 2 pass 20+ cars because u don't want 2 wait is going 2 cost u 3 points & $110 like it did 4 this person," reads the tweet. "B patient, drive properly."

So there you have it, folks. The empty shoulder may look tempting as can be when you're stuck in wall-to-wall traffic, but that doesn't at all mean it's a viable option. Patience is a virtue.