Signs & Signals

Information regarding traffic signs and signals.

Stop Signs & Red Lights, Honk, Honk, Honk!

Stop Sign"I almost lost my life at West Fourth and Blenheim in Vancouver this morning" reported a DriveSmartBC Twitter follower. "I was turning left. The traffic lights were red for the traffic on Fourth. I stopped for the stop sign on Blenheim, then moved into the intersection to make my turn. The vehicle approaching me from the opposite direction was speeding and didn't even slow down for the stop sign. She went straight through!"

Q&A - Freeway Crossovers

Q&A ImageAll freeways in BC appear to have cross over sections that connect the separated highways. These sections all have do not enter signs on each side. What type of vehicle or driver is permitted to enter these sections of the highway?

Do Cyclists Follow the Walk Signals?

I was stopped when riding across Georgia Street on my bike, heading north on Nicola Street in Vancouver by a traffic cop who said that cyclists had to wait for the pedestrian walk signal. Can you cross the traffic-light controlled street by obeying the stop signs (and of course when safe to do so), or do you have to wait for the pedestrian white-man-walking sign?

Q&A - At Qualicum Beach's Only Traffic Light

Q&A ImageThe 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?

NEWS - Pilot Car Load Movement Guidelines

Pink Road Work Ahead SignThe Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure has announced the implementation of Pilot Car Load Movement Guidelines to regulate the safe movement of oversize vehicles on B.C.'s highways. Part of the Traffic Management Manual for Work on Highways, it also describes new temporary signs with a fluorescent pink background to warn of an emergency situation. In this case an example might be an overwidth load stopped so that it obstructed a lane of travel. It would be up to the pilot car operator to place the sign appropriately to warn approaching traffic.

Priority for Emergency Vehicles at Traffic Lights

image of a BC ambulanceWhen 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.

Q&A - Lane Use Signs

Q&A ImageFrom our understanding of the learning guide with the road sign in picture 4 (sign straight or right turn) says that you are to move into correct lane prior to passing road sign cause once you pass road sign you have to now commit to that direction and you also can't cross over solid white line.

Q&A - Yellow Light Collision

image of a yellow lightQuestion: I am driving westbound on Moscrop Street, approaching the intersection with Willingdon Avenue in Burnaby. The signal changed to a yellow light and I decided that I was past the point of no return so I did not brake. A driver coming toward me decided to turn left and we collided. ICBC has found me to be partly at fault.

Disputing a Yellow Light Ticket

image of a yellow lightI was recently issued a ticket for failure to stop at a yellow light at an intersection. I am a class 2 bus operator and given the total stopping time of my class 2 vehicle (perception/reaction/actual braking time) and the fact I had a elderly person seated at the front on my bus, I thought it would be unsafe to either try and make a smooth controlled stop (which would have left the bus past the stop line) or make a sudden stop (possibly causing the elderly passenger to leave her seat).

Q&A - HOV Lane Sign Rules

Q&A ImagePlease let me know what the rules are when there are different HOV signs. For example, in Coquitlam, HOV signs clearly state the lane is for vehicles with one or more persons per vehicle during the hours of 6 am and 7 pm Mon-Fri. HOV signs in Langley, however, do not state the hours, nor do they state the days of the week HOV is in effect. Does this mean there are different HOV laws depending on jurisdiction?