It's drivers licence renewal time. You organize and drop by the nearest ICBC Driver Service Center to pay your renewal fee, have your picture taken and leave with your temporary new licence with the promise that you will receive your picture licence in them mail shortly. For most of us, that's the scenario.
"Haven't you got anything better to do?" This was a question that I was asked often during my service as a constable in traffic law enforcement. I'm sure some of the drivers were just trying to needle me a bit in return for the ticket but most of them appeared to feel that sliding through a stop sign or doing a few kilometers per hour over the speed limit was trivial and should be ignored.
On September 12, 2007, the plaintiff, Mr. Prem Singh, was travelling northbound on Scott Road (also known as 120th Street) in Surrey, B.C. Mr. Singh approached the intersection at 96th Avenue. The traffic light was green for Mr. Singh. As Mr. Singh went through the intersection, he hit a westbound RCMP vehicle driven by Constable Kerri Parrish who was responding to an emergency call of a man with a knife threatening to stab a child.
This case is an appeal of a conviction for excessive speeding. Gary Westgate was measured using a laser speed measuring device at 96 km/h in a posted 50 km/h zone. At issue was a document concerning a device used to measure the output of the laser device itself. The certificate had expired in April of 2006. Mr. Justice Rogers found that the certificate had nothing to do with the accuracy of the laser device and dismissed the appeal.
Quoted from the document's introduction: "ETEP, which delivers almost $30 million over and above regular BC road safety enforcement resources for initiatives such as dedicated traffic enforcement, automated intersection enforcement, vehicle crime suppression, police overtime and special enforcement campaigns such as impaired driving CounterAttack. The program also funds communications for targeted traffic enforcement campaigns, police training, and secretariat support for police traffic committees."
I used to smile when I saw closely spaced traffic, a large gap, a police vehicle, another large gap and finally more closely spaced traffic. Everyone is afraid of the cop I thought. Having spent 25 years driving a marked police vehicle I recognize both that I rarely see this anymore and that it was a wise thing to do. Police vehicles often make unexpected starts, stops and turns.
Have you been surveyed about police traffic enforcement in BC? The survey has been conducted annually since 2006 and has been used to measure public perception of, and support of, police traffic enforcement in BC. The information collected also informs the Ministry of Justice's Road Safety Unit in its efforts to evaluate, target and determine road safety enforcement priorities and programs .
Having spent 20 years in traffic enforcement I'm always curious if I will see any of it being done when I travel on our highways. Unfortunately I have to say that I very rarely see a police vehicle in my travels, much less one stopped at the side of the road dealing with a driver. The erratic driver I saw this morning brought the question to mind "where's a cop when you need one?"
It has always struck me that warning of a speed trap is a violation no different to being an accessory to a crime by warning the bank robber that the police are coming. Certainly very difficult to enforce.
And to take it a step further, what about radio stations that warn drivers over the air of speed enforcement areas. Could they increase the scope of what they perceive as public service to include DUI stop checks?
The publisher's commentary in the January 2013 edition of Blue Line Magazine takes a position that I strongly agree with. The police are responsible for traffic safety. If there are no consequences for bad driving behaviour, then there is no need to behave properly.
It has always struck me that warning of a speed trap is a violation no different to being an accessory to a crime by warning the bank robber that the police are coming. Certainly very difficult to enforce.
