A recent letter to Castanet in Kelowna titled Keep Riders off Sidewalks highlights a number of safety issues that new modes of active transportation have created. These issues are not restricted to the City of Kelowna and can be found throughout British Columbia.
What construction zone? I didn't see any construction speed signs back there! This irate motorist was very definite expressing what she thought about the traffic ticket I was issuing her for speeding in a construction zone. I suggested that once we were done I would be happy to help her make a U-turn so that she could go back and check on the signs.
Road safety is always changing, and in British Columbia, the next decade will bring some major shifts in how we drive, how roads are designed, and how traffic laws are enforced. Whether you’re a daily commuter, a professional driver, or someone who just enjoys a weekend road trip, the future of BC’s roads will affect you.
Question: I've been living in the Armstrong Elementary school area for the last 1.5 years and I have never seen any speed enforcement taking place in the school zone on Rosedale Avenue or Pleasant Valley Road. It's beginning to feel like I'm the only one who knows the speed limit is 30 km/h. Is it as simple as calling the RCMP and requesting that they do enforcement here?
Riding 2-up can add greatly to the enjoyment of riding a motorcycle. Many couples make this their favourite holiday excursion. You will typically see them on larger touring models that are built for carrying passengers and their cargo comfortably and safely. You will also usually see the passenger dressed just as well as the rider, which is as it should be. But casually carrying a passenger isn’t always a great idea.
I was recently in a parking garage and while leaving hit this low mounted bike rack. It was impossible to see because it was so low and looked like a home made carriage. The damage to my truck bumper is now estimated at $750. Is it illegal for a car to have an unused bike rack like this one? Should I contact this person and are they liable?
Question: I want to know about right of way at Hudson Street and 70th Avenue in Vancouver. I am traveling northbound on Hudson, have the green light and want to turn west onto 70th. Someone traveling southbound on Hudson stops at the stop sign and then turns west onto 70th. Who has the right of way?
I received an email from a disgruntled reader complaining about a motorist who blocked a large portion of a sidewalk when reverse parking their truck which was equipped with a trailer hitch. It's certainly not very neighbourly, and this person wondered if there was anything on the books making the practice illegal.
A woman pushing a child in a stroller and the driver of a van approach an intersection controlled by a traffic light with a pedestrian signal. Both signals are red. The driver is in the lane next to the two who arrives at the cross street and stops seconds before the driver arrives at the stop line.
How much time do you have to look, decide and then begin turning left in heavy traffic? Do you feel pushed by the drivers behind you into making that decision quickly? If you cannot manage turning left at a busy intersection quickly and confidently, it's time to wait for certainty or try a different strategy.