Intersections

A Courtenay resident is upset with drivers who make left turns from the Island Highway onto Ryan Road and fail to enter the first available lane. He identifies this as a problem for drivers travelling in the opposite direction on the highway who want to turn right onto Ryan Road.

Who goes first at a 4-way stop? The basic rule seems simple: first to stop, first to go. However, when two or more drivers stop at about the same time, things become more complicated. Do you know who should have the right of way?

Question: I live on a street where there is a T intersection. I'm wondering if it is OK to park in the top T portion of the intersection.

The intersection of Bertram Street and Bernard Avenue in Kelowna raises an interesting question: if one crosswalk has a pedestrian signal, does that signal control every crosswalk at the intersection? The answer is no. A pedestrian signal only controls the crossing for which it is installed.

Question: The intersection of Valley Road and Summit Drive in Kelowna is a two-way stop for traffic on Valley Road. If one driver approaches from the south intending to turn left and another approaches from the north intending to turn right, which driver has the right of way?

Most intersection collisions in British Columbia occur not because drivers do not know the rules, but because they misjudge speed, intent, and timing. Intersection driving is primarily a prediction problem under time pressure, not a rules recall problem.

If you stop at a stop sign, does the cross-traffic always have the right-of-way? Most drivers in British Columbia assume the answer is yes, but the legal reality under the B.C. Motor Vehicle Act (MVA) might surprise you.

Question: When I want to turn right at a red light that has a "Right Turn Signal" sign, am I allowed to proceed when safe? Common online debates suggest you must wait for the green arrow at major intersections. Looking at SW Marine Drive and Cambie Street in Vancouver, the lack of a "No Right Turn on Red" sign leaves many drivers guessing. Here is the legal breakdown.

Question: What is the purpose of completely coming to a stop at a 3 or 4 way stop when there are no vehicles or pedestrians near the intersection? A rolling stop should be sufficient, as MOST drivers including professional drivers never completely stop at stop signs. There are at least 3 good reasons for NOT coming to a complete stop. I cannot think of one good reason for coming to a COMPLETE stop.

Driving behaviour is a never ending curiosity for me, so when I heard a conversation about the intersection of Haslam and Adshead Roads south of Nanaimo I had to take a look. Apparently most drivers ignored the yield signs at this Y shaped intersection and zoomed through it as if the rest of the world was going to stop for them.