I find the interaction that I have with others on the subject of driving and traffic laws very interesting. Some people illustrate their points with incorrect information, some find that even after years of driving they don't have basic knowledge and I am always learning something new for myself.
"This is nothing but a tax grab!" These words were often spoken by drivers during or just after signing to acknowledge the receipt of a violation ticket. I can understand being the target of an expression of frustration in these circumstances, but I wish that the expressing had a little thought behind it rather than just parroting something inappropriate to the circumstances.
This is a case from the BC Court of Appeal that upholds a judgement from the Supreme Court. The incident in question occurred when Peter Link was driving his Jaguar in a snowstorm on Highway 99 between the Highway 10 and Highway 91 exits in Richmond. He was driving at a speed between 40 and 60 km/h when he was passed by an SUV that threw a large amount of snow onto his windshield as it passed by.
Motor Vehicle Act section 179:
(2) A pedestrian must not leave a curb or other place of safety and walk or run into the path of a vehicle that is so close it is impracticable for the driver to yield the right of way.
I received a warning this evening, for speeding. I was trying to get out of the way of the person behind me (who ended up being a police officer). Anyway, he told me my name would be in some sort of data base in case an officer sees me and pulls me over for speeding again.
It's easy to be lazy and just clean the windows of your vehicle in snowy weather. Leaving a little light snow to blow off isn't a big deal. However, when the snow is left there and turns into ice, the result of having a chunk of it blow off at speed can be serious. In this video a large chunk shatters the windshield of the vehicle following behind. Imagine what it might have done to an unlucky pedestrian.
How do you figure out exactly where to park at an unmarked intersection where the curb provides access to a wheelchair. What is the 'approach side' of such? What is a fail proof that you are in a safe distance? People here are getting ticketed from right to left every day.
I am concerned about the increased speed limit on high way 19. Unfortunately , there have been 3 fatalities on this divided high way, within the Comox Valley, in the past month. Although I do not regularly drive high way 19, I have observed that too many drivers travel faster than the 120 KPH posted speed limit. Some do not slow down during heavy rains or reduced visibility , treating the posted speed as the minimum.
If you watch one of Canada Post's community mailboxes for a day you will probably see someone drive up and cross over to the wrong side of road to get out and retrieve their mail. If the driver's arm is long enough they don't even have to get out to open the mailbox! Who cares about this sort of behaviour? After all, the mailboxes are often on quiet residential streets and doing this doesn't hurt anyone.
This timely safety tip from TranBC explains what black ice is, how to recognize it and how to recover if you find yourself in trouble. I'm not sure why they single out highways in northern BC for mention as I've also seen black ice conditions frequently on Vancouver Island.