Cyclists and Emergency Vehicles

Fire TruckHere's an new angle on a continual problem, that of other road users failing to yield to emergency vehicles. Most of the time this question is asked about cars and trucks, but this fire department official asks the question about a different subset of traffic, cyclists.

Declaring the Principal Driver

image of icbc logoWhen you apply for vehicle insurance with ICBC you are asked who the principal driver will be. This is the person who will be driving that vehicle the majority of the time during the term of the policy. An important factor in setting the premium for the policy is the driving history of this person.

Riding a Skateboard in Traffic

image of a skateboardA teen stepped off of the sidewalk as I approached, hopped onto his skateboard and began to weave slightly along the curb in front of my vehicle. He either trusted me with his life or had not given much thought to his own as he was far enough into the lane to be a hazard and had his back to overtaking traffic. I had to slow and crowd the centre lane to get by.

Stopping for a Police Vehicle

Q&A ImageQuestion: When driving I noticed a police car with flashing lights following the vehicle that was following me. I pulled over - the car behind me went by followed by the police vehicle - who put on his siren on a little ways up the street. Was I right by pulling over for flashing lights. My husband says I should have kept driving until the police used the siren.... who is right?

Recognize Your Bad Driving Habits

image for no bad habitsSerious drivers treat driving as a skill that can be measured, reviewed, and improved. Everyone is at risk for developing bad driving habits over time and if we let them become our default setting we might not make changes until it is too late. Just because you are a better than average driver, it doesn't mean that there is no room for improvement.

Impersonating Your Brother

BC Courts Coat of Arms imageMark Clayton Mahovlich needed some ID because his driver's licence had been cancelled. He applied for a BCID using his brother's Care Card and birth certificate, neither of which carries a photo. Mark has a history of impersonating his brother and has caused significant problems for him by doing this.

Calculating Speed from Yaw Marks

image of striations in a yaw markWhen a vehicle is in yaw it is rotating around a vertical axis through it's centre of mass. The long, curved yaw marks left by the tires on the pavement were characteristic of this motion. If they were striated and of constantly diminishing radius they were of great interest for collision reconstruction because the vehicle's speed could be determined from them.

Keep Your Safety Sensors Clean

image of car with sensors and robot drivingYou don't just keep your vehicle clean so that it looks good anymore. The sensors for your vehicle's safety systems need to be kept clean, especially in the winter, so that they will function as intended. There are six sensors that your newer vehicle may be equipped with and they require maintenance to continue to protect you properly.

What Are Off Road Lights?

image of example of off road lightsThere is little doubt in my mind that one of the most popular add on accessories for vehicles is some type of light. While it is possible that some of these lamps are legal for use on the highway, many are not. The question is, how do you tell which are off road lights and which are not?

Tips for Passing Your ICBC Road Test

ICBC LogoThese seven tips presented by ICBC may be used to successfully pass your road test, regardless of whether you drive a passenger vehicle, commercial vehicle or a motorcycle. For those of you who are already licensed drivers, these are seven tips that you should still be aware of so that you continue to drive safely and courteously.