CASE LAW - R v Thompsett

BC Courts Coat of ArmsThis case discusses care and control of a motor vehicle while impaired. The woman, seat belted in the driver's position, was the only occupant of an idling vehicle parked at the curb. Investigation by ambulance paramedics and police revealed that the woman did not have a medical problem and was impaired by alcohol.

No Response to my Driving Complaint

Ticket WriterIf a person is not satisfied with the response of the local police to a driving complaint, what is the next step? I know for a fact my wife and I had the offending vehicle, driver's description and B.C. license number correct. After reporting this incident I received a call from a constable telling me that the plate number I gave them was registered to a Hyundai and not the Pontiac I reported. They told me there was nothing else they could do.

CASE LAW - R v Wlodarczak

BC Courts Coat of ArmsDo the police ever charge a fellow officer with a traffic offence? I suspect that members of the public more often than not would respond "no" to that assertion and would be skeptical of protests to the contrary. In R v Wlodarczak, we see that this happens, even when the accused is driving an unmarked police vehicle at the time of the offence.

VIDEO - Don't Hurt the One You Love

VideoThis is a road safety campaign video from the UK, just in time for Valentine's day, aimed at teen drivers. One of the slogans used is 'More girls die as passengers than as drivers.' This is a significant idea for the female half of the equation to consider. They do need to play an active role in keeping the male focused on safe driving when necessary, obviously for their own good.

Traffic Safety Perspectives

Unsafe PracticesI am blessed with readers who send me e-mail to suggest topics, share a story or even a bit of humour. It's the humour that triggered this column, specifically a photo of people from a third world country packed into a vehicle in a manner that would be totally unacceptable today in British Columbia.

CASE LAW - R v Goldade

BC Courts Coat of ArmsThis is an examination of the application of Driving Without Due Care and Attention under section 144(1)(a) of the Motor Vehicle Act. In this instance the driver of a van pulled across the path of an oncoming motorcycle because the driver, Goldade, felt that he had sufficient time to clear the motorcycle's lane before it arrived. The misjudgment precipitated a collision in which the driver of the motorcycle died.

CASE LAW - R v Drummond

BC Courts Coat of ArmsThe case of R v Drummond examines a Charter of Rights argument that a delay of 17 months from the offence date to the trial date for a traffic violation ticket is unreasonable. Grant Drummond was served with a traffic ticket for excessive speed, tinted windows and failing to wear a seatbelt on August 1, 2007. He filed a dispute of all counts within the 30 day time period.

VIDEO - Great Roads, Great Rides 2

VideoThe British Highways Agency has produced a 14 minute video titled "Great Roads, Great Rides 2." It is designed to put you on the bike, inside the helmet and close to the road, in order to teach you to identify hazards and 'read the road'. The rider in the video is Glenn Julian, a professional motorcyclist.