DriveSmartBC

Kate asks “When your light is green at the intersection ahead but above you the advanced yellow overhead warning lights have begun to flash, should you be preparing to stop for that green light?”

The observation "five dollar head, five dollar helmet" was how one of my supervisors referred to motorcycle riders who wore beanie style helmets that would provide little or no protection in a crash.

You may have seen them, a pair of small whistles that you attach to your vehicle to scare deer away and prevent collisions with them. The intent is for the movement of your vehicle to force air through them and produce sound, or ultrasound that keeps deer off the highway and safely out of your path.

Being caught in traffic behind a vehicle that is belching clouds of foul smelling smoke from the exhaust is not a pleasant experience. Clean air should be everyone's worry, will your vehicle make the grade?

I am blessed with readers who send me e-mail to suggest traffic safety 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.

On May 3, 2023 Barry Johnson entered the intersection of West Hastings and Bute Streets in Vancouver. He was issued a traffic ticket for failing to stop at the yellow light. That ticket showed the location of Hastings and Bute Streets which Mr. Johnson told the justice did not exist at his dispute.

I see more and more bicycles with flashing rear lights. Is this actually a better option or is it just a fad? I would like to know what the law is and if there is any research on the effectiveness of rear flashing red lights as opposed to lights that are just on all the time.

The neighbourhoods where we live are important to us. When we see problems like vehicles speeding past our homes or a volume of traffic that disturbs the peace and quiet we want to act to solve our problem. One of the first things that we demand is for the authorities to put up stop signs.

What's behind me and why should I care? I'm driving down the highway and I'm certainly not going to back into something! There are at least two common hazards that occur regularly behind every driver and looking out for them is just good sense.

Question: I am a driving student, and I am interested to know what the law is with respect to parking near a bus stop. Sometimes there is a bus stop sign as well as a "no stopping before this point" sign about 5 meters after. Other times there is only the bus stop sign. In the latter case, how much space must legally be left between the rear of your car and the bus stop sign?