DriveSmartBC

The use of vehicle impoundment as part of an array of penalties to discourage improper driving behaviour will expand significantly when amendments to the Motor Vehicle Act become law on September 20, 2011. In every case the cost of the impoundment will be the responsibility of the owner of the vehicle.

I applaud the green attitude of those people who ride a limited speed motorcycle (LSM) for their trips on BC highways. Surely their carbon footprint is a lot lighter than my own. That and their wallet will be heavier as these motorcycles are economical to buy, license and operate.

This is something I've been telling people for a long time, but have been hesitant to put it in type for people who don't know me to read, and perhaps take the wrong way, even though it's something I feel very strongly about.

This television commercial from the Transport Accident Commission (TAC) of Victoria, Australia complements their existing campaign that encourages riders to wear protective clothing at all times. It is meant to make riders aware of their extreme vulnerability on the road.

Conspicuity is an important word in any motorcycle rider's vocabulary. Being seen by other road users is a must to avoid being involved in a collision. One method of increasing a motorcycle's conspicuity is through the use of a modulating headlamp.

When we ride there are quite a few things that we have to do that are counter intuitive.

I would like to know of laws and regulations for off road vehicle use on residential roadways. My neighbours frequently use their dirt bikes to race up and down our street (drivers age from about 6 to grown adults) while other children are playing and there is traffic. Some drivers wear the protection, others not.

Volume 45, Number 3 of the IIHS Status Report looks at two subjects in this issue, motorcycles and graduated licensing of new drivers. For motorcyclists, the wearing of helmets, the use of anti-lock brakes and the fact that mandatory training for new drivers does not seem to reduce crash rates form the bulk of the content.

The province of BC saw 286 motorcycle-related deaths on our highways between 2000 and 2007. As a result, the BC Coroner's Service convened a Death Review Panel to examine the increasing frequency of serious collisions. The panel has also made recommendations to prevent loss of life in similar circumstances.

This YouTube video by South Australia's Motorcycle Accident Commission nicely illustrates the hazards of racing your motorcycle on the streets instead of the track.