Q&A - U-Turn Ticket

Here's the spot where this occurred:

It is an urban intersection controlled by traffic signals with no signs posted that control U-turns.

Here are the applicable laws, first from the BC Motor Vehicle Act:

Reverse turn

168 Except as provided by the bylaws of a municipality or the laws of a treaty first nation, a driver must not turn a vehicle so as to proceed in the opposite direction

(a) unless the driver can do so without interfering with other traffic, or,

(b) when he or she is driving

(i) on a curve,

(ii) on an approach to or near the crest of a grade where the vehicle cannot be seen by the driver of another vehicle approaching from either direction within 150 m,

(iii) at a place where a sign prohibits making a U-turn,

(iv) at an intersection where a traffic control signal has been erected, or

(v) in a business district, except at an intersection where no traffic control signal has been erected.

"business district" means the territory contiguous to a portion of a highway having a length of 200 m along which there are buildings used for business, industrial or public purposes occupying

(a) at least 100 m of frontage on one side of that portion, or

(b) at least 100 m collectively on both sides of that portion, and includes that portion of the highway;

and from the City of Vancouver Street and Traffic Bylaw 2849:

LIMITATIONS ON "U" OR REVERSE TURNING

38. (1) No driver of any vehicle shall turn such vehicle so as to proceed in the opposite direction:

(a) On any through street.

(b) Within an intersection at any corner of which a "Stop" sign has been placed, or where a traffic - control signal has been installed.

(c) At any other intersection unless such movement can be made in safety, without backing, and without interfering with other traffic.

(d) On any street between intersecting streets.

(e) At any lane intersection.

(2) The provisions of this section shall not apply to the driver of any bus at a terminus of any route, or at any other location approved by the Council, but such driver in making any "U" turn shall first ascertain whether such movem ent can be made in safety.

The bylaw does not modify the meaning of the Motor Vehicle Act section in this case, so the ticket is for "turning a vehicle so as to proceed in the opposite direction at an intersection where a traffic control signal has been erected." You have to deal with each case set out in section 168. First of all it says that you can't make a u-turn if you are going to interfere with other traffic. It then goes on to say that you cannot make a u-turn in the following circumstances, one of which is at an intersection with traffic signals, which is the case at Pacific and Davie as we can see in the street view. Even though you may not have interfered with other traffic, you still cannot make a u turn here.