Intersections

Sirens! I'm being overtaken by an ambulance on the way to a call. In order to give way, I signal, move out of the right lane onto the shoulder and stop. Traffic around me seems to be well aware today too as they are doing much the same thing.

The issue is our only traffic light up town by Qualicum Foods. Perhaps I’ve misunderstood the rules of the road at intersections, but I thought if someone was at the intersection waiting to turn left that you (if you are approaching behind them) should let them make their turn and not pass on the right and travel through the intersection cutting off vehicles that may be turning left from the other direction?

When you need the services of firefighters or paramedics seconds can seem like hours. Sooner is always better in situations like this so some traffic lights are equipped with sensors that listen for sirens and change the signals to make way for emergency vehicles. Not knowing what the priority signal lights meant led one driver to make a choice that could have resulted in a collision in a Ladysmith intersection.

Rick August of Smart Drive Test introduces us to the roundabout or traffic circle.

There was an interesting post on Twitter this week showing drivers interacting with pedestrians at the intersection of Cambie Street and West Broadway in Vancouver. The photo showed 3 cars facing a green light trying to turn onto Cambie from Broadway, 2 eastbound turning left and one westbound turning right into their respective lanes on Broadway. There was a steady stream of pedestrians crossing Cambie against a red don't walk signal.

A reader was travelling in a major municipality recently and was stopped in a large collection of vehicles waiting for a red light at the intersection of two multiple lane highways. Emergency vehicles using lights and sirens approached from the rear and tried to get through the traffic and the intersection. There was significant difficulty and the reader was curious how far forward vehicles could move into the cross flow of traffic to assist in clearing a path.

This is the story of a left turning driver collision at the intersection of Columbia Street and Marine Drive in Vancouver, B.C. Qiang Li was traveling eastbound on Marine Drive attempting to turn left onto Columbia Street. He collided with a car driven by Jasvir Purewal traveling westbound on Marine Drive in the curb lane. Mr Li's vision was limited by other vehicles waiting in the intersection and he relied on a hand gesture given by Vita Sinclair who indicated to him that the curb lane used by Mr. Purewal was clear.

We have an intersection at Bertram and Bernard in Kelowna that has a pedestrian controlled light on one side that stop Bernard traffic for pedestrians.

Drivers coming south on Bertram can only take a right at Bernard and arrive at a stop sign.

Who’s responsibility is to place a stop sign at a rail crossing? Does one stop at the stop sign or before? Who’s responsibility is it that the track is visible from a distance of 5 or more metres? How is visibility of the track determined?

One evening while patrolling in an unmarked police car I approached a cross street that was controlled by stop signs. I could see a car approaching from my right going fast enough that I was concerned that the driver did not intend to stop.