What Does a Traffic Cop Do?

image of traffic cop at workCorrect me if I'm wrong, but I think that most people see a traffic cop as someone who writes speeding tickets and hangs around Tim Hortons. This is a very narrow view of the job but I did not realize just how narrow it was until I participated in a project to define my job as a front line RCMP traffic constable.

CASE LAW - R v Schurman

BC Courts Coat of ArmsJagger Ross Schurman was stopped by police in Vancouver for a number of violations while he was driving his mother's car. "He was under the impression that he would be principally fined but that the tickets would not go on his driving record. He also indicated that he was led into an erroneous understanding about the effect of pleading guilty with respect to the accumulation of points against his driver's licence by the attending officer's roadside statements."

CASE LAW - R v Tang

BC Courts Coat of ArmsHao Bin Tang is a class 7 new driver and as such is prohibited from using an electronic device while driving. He was checked driving over the speed limit, flagged to the side of the road and approached by an officer who found Mr. Tang with both hands on a lit cell phone with his head down. In addition to the speeding ticket, the driver was also issued a ticket for using the electronic device which he disputed.

Slowing Too Soon For The Intersection?

image of a Red LightI've been asked to discuss the practice of some drivers who are "slowing down, way back from a stop light, potentially blocking access for both the left and the right turn lane, especially where there is an advance green light for a left turn." The person who requested the examination is irked by these drivers as it costs them precious seconds of driving time.

CASE LAW - McCormick v Plambeck

BC Courts Coat of ArmsThis case looks at host liability for a crash on Saltspring Island following a party at the home of Stephen and Lidia Pearson. Ryan Plambeck drove away from the party, left the roadway and crashed into the woods beside the road. He was killed and Calder McCormick, a passenger in the vehicle was seriously injured.

The World is My Ashtray

Cigarette ButtI found myself waiting for a red light behind another vehicle this week. That vehicle's driver had his window down, his elbow on the sill and was holding what was left of his cigarette between left thumb and forefinger. I knew exactly what was going to happen: one last drag on the butt and flick, away it went into the ditch.