Equipment

Thinking back over my years of doing mechanical inspections at the roadside, one of the most common deficiencies in older vehicles was a parking brake that was either seriously out of adjustment or didn't function at all.

Sometimes our urge to use the latest technology can backfire when it is not thoroughly considered and tested. Using a touch screen instead of the usual physical controls on our vehicle's dash has turned out to be a bad idea. Regulators will require buttons to get top safety ratings starting in 2026.

Trip inspection report standards for commercial and business vehicles in B.C. are defined in both National Safety Code 13 and the Motor Vehicle Act Regulations. Daily pre- and post-trip inspections of these vehicles are mandated to insure safety by identifying and repairing defects that would cause a collision or result in a breakdown before driving.

Question: Beadlockers generate a lot of discussion in the offroading world. Most maintain that "DOT approved" beadlocks are fine in BC, but I can't find any supporting legislation either way. The BC regulations are silent, but there might be something in federal legislation.

Question: Would fill me in on the rules of the road regarding jacked up or raised pickup trucks? I'm often blinded by headlights from those trucks and I would not want to get in a head on with one of them as their bumper is about head high for me.

When I was posted to Fort St. John detachment, the decision was easy, our family car had four studded winter tires. Once I was transferred to Penticton, these tires went with the car when we traded it in and we used all season tires throughout the year.

Question: How far can the tread of tires stick out from the fenders on a vehicle before it is a violation? The Motor Vehicle Act Regulations just says that the tread area must be covered by the fender.

Question: I want to put smoked covers on my headlight and tail lights. Is this Illegal in BC? If it is, are aftermarket headlights and tail lights with the smoked lenses illegal too? Is there somewhere I can go on the internet to find out what is illegal and what isn't?

Take a look at other vehicles on the highway right now. How many of them have only one headlight working? Isn't that the same as driving with one eye closed? If you have normal vision, would you consider driving with one eye closed at night?

"Oh yeah, I know the trailer brakes are working, I could feel them grabbing on the hill!" To me, this was almost as reliable as "The cheque is in the mail!" when it came to testing trailers with surge brakes at the roadside.