We just renewed the insurance on our car. It cost us $764 for basic insurance coverage on our 2013 Honda CR-V. I can hardly wait for next year to see what we will be paying to make up for this year's $935 million ICBC loss.
I usually stay away from politics but the temptation for me is just too much this time. Our Attorney General has likened actions by the previous Liberal government to a financial dumpster fire. We can hear him screaming loudly now, but what about way back when this was happening? Isn't the job of the opposition to oppose in real time, not after the fact?
Sober second thought is supposed to prevent the government from making mistakes not shout about what should have been done after it has happened.
Meanwhile, the numbers continue to rise. Today's estimate extrapolated from the five year average includes 24 fatalities, 5.310 injured, 612 hospitalized and 27,014 reported collisions. Part of the problem, perhaps even the majority of it, appears to be that we tend to collide with things when we drive.
One suggested solution put forward is to cap insurance payouts by moving to a no fault scheme. As always, there are views for and against this. Your view may simply depend on whether you are the person paying the premiums or the person receiving the benefits.
Having spent a career writing traffic tickets, I feel bound to try to follow the rules faithfully when I drive. I've said it before and I'll say it again, I make mistakes. We all do, even when we try our best. That's just being human.
Video no longer available from YouTube
These two selfish drivers just couldn't wait so the rules were something to disregard for their convenience. Depending on your point of view, they are either someone who deserves a violation ticket and the larger share of paying for insurance costs or someone who is practicing civil disobedience because the speed limit has not been set high enough.
We all balance our behaviours based on what we think it's going to cost us in terms of risk. This situation is just one of many examples that occur on our highways with increasing frequency. The police weren't around, complaints fall on deaf ears and nothing bad happened anyway. Why worry?
Perhaps I take this too much to heart. I don't mind paying for vehicle insurance to cover the results of human error. I do mind paying for the deliberate disregard for others.
Does our current insurance scheme make it just too easy for drivers like these to do what they want when they want knowing that if they mess up we'll all share the burden with them?
To some extent, we've made life difficult for drivers who drive while impaired, don't hold a valid driver's licence, participate in races or try to run from law enforcement. If a crash is the result of their choices, they're insurance doesn't cover them and ICBC takes action to recover what is paid out to others that suffer damages.
Should we extend this to other deliberate unlawful actions? Will the threat of significant financial penalty moderate making the wrong choice for fun or convenience?
Just how do you motivate drivers to try and make the right choices in all circumstances in an effort to reduce insurance costs?
Links:
Enforcement.
And thatâs my belief anyway. In the good old US of A they have whatâs called the highway patrol to keep a handle on drivers, and by God theyâre good at it! Iâm not saying they donât have their share of traffic problems but itâs very common to see a highway patrol parked in the median or anywhere. You never know where they are but you know theyâre there because theyâre highly visible and you see them with somebody pulled over everywhere you go.
Here?
I never see them and Iâm a commercial driver. A large portion of my time is spent on the highway and for the life of me I canât remember the last time I saw RCMP on the side of the road writing out tickets..... itâs been a long long time!
Iâm a member of the advisory committee for the trucking safety Council of B C and for the better part of the year I had a dash cam installed in my truck and I would turn files over to them for review. Everyday there was tons of video of other drivers performing actions that would have resulted in citations if there had been a peace officer in the vicinity to witness those actions.
I know theyâre busy people.... the ones that we do have and I realize traffic infractions is just a portion of all the illegal activities going on that they have to police.....but I think thereâs more people being killed and maimed in traffic than there are with guns and gangs and everything else.
Thatâs my take on it anyway.
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I get tired of hearing of all the consternation from everyone regarding how to fix ICBC.All the ideas like, photo radar,more red light cameras,raising the rates for exotic cars,raise the speed limits,lower the speed limits.It goes on and on.The problem with ICBC is ICBC.It should never have been created,let alone been allowed to evolve into what it is now.The so called "Dumpster fire" should be reduced to the driver services only,and all insurance assets and related holdings be liquidated and the money put towards transportation infrastructure and provincial debt.Take 15mins and Google ICBC 2017 financial statements,and pay close attention to the Finacial investments,and Real estate holdings.There is over 15 Billion dollars that are used for investment purposes.What this shows is how over decades they have been plundering taxpayer bank accounts for investments that no taxpayer will ever benefit from.If ICBC makes money one year,the profit goes into general revenues,if they lose money,the rates go up.The real question that people should be asking is "What purpose or benefit to the public,does ICBC serve?There are 8 provinces that do just fine without government insurance,but for what ever reason, people seem to feel it is essential here.Maybe its like when you chain an elephant up for years,and when you do remove the chain,the elephant still stays next to the dumpster it was chained to.
One last thought regarding enforcement.Its my understanding that all ticket revenue and MV fines go into the black hole at ICBC.Maybe they should change that so it goes directly to the Police in the area that the ticket was issued, and used to fund Traffic enforcement only.Truth is, the only follow up on driving skills after the initial exam,is your driving record.Anytime I have ever spoken with Police about lack of enforcement,they all give the same answer,"No funding".
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Ticket revenue and fines do not go to ICBC. The Traffic Fine Revenue Sharing program sees a return of net revenues to municipalities and police taxation reduction for rural areas of BC.
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That is true. The Provincial government publishes a list each year that gives the dollar amounts refunded to each municipality, although it is very difficult to find on their website.
As far as I know there is no requirement in place that the municipality actually use that fine revenue for further enforcement of traffic issues. About 4-5 years ago my municipality, Saanich, spent approximately $500,000 of their fine refund on a command vehicle to be used for major events like an earthquake, or a 5 alarm fire. No connection with traffic issues there!
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The list for 2016 is shown here.
As I understand it, the money is supposed to be used for public safety, not just traffic issues. I've wondered just where it went, but I've never asked a municipality for that data.
Perhaps you would like to ask yours and let us know?
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Number one, bring back photo radar.
Number two, hire more traffic police.
I live within a block of a day care and the young mothers that are on their cell phones, park however they feel like and totally ignore the two stop signs in the vancinity is out of hand.
Stop signs, turning right on a red light without stopping and even running lights is out of control, drivers just donât care, and thatâs the high majority of them.
Professional drivers are developing those bad habits and it sure annoys me, along with speeding.
I used to fill out a drivers complaint form along with a diagram of where the incident took place, but no more as most of the time I donât here back from the RCMP. Their reason being is a staff shortage.
A big problem here is that we donât have a RCMP office and drivers know that so illegal u-turns on the highway crossing a double solid line to park on the other side of the street is an steady habit of most drivers. Hell the back out of a parking spot across the double solid line so they can drive in the opposite direction.
I can P the odd driver off if I am backing out of a parking stall and I see a driver wants to cross the double solid line to take the parking spot I am vacating, I just pull back into that parking spot and wait till they give up and drive away.
Itâs a me world, and these drivers are teaching the upcoming future drivers all these bad habits.
As with you we could rant forever, but are these poor drivers going to change unless they are hit hard in the pocket book or have their driving privileges lifted,not likely.
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A big problem here is that we donât have a RCMP office and drivers know that so illegal u-turns on the highway crossing a double solid line to park on the other side of the street is an steady habit of most drivers. Hell the back out of a parking spot across the double solid line so they can drive in the opposite direction.
I can P the odd driver off if I am backing out of a parking stall and I see a driver wants to cross the double solid line to take the parking spot I am vacating, I just pull back into that parking spot and wait till they give up and drive away.
From interest, whereabouts is 'here' - this situation where drivers turn left across a double yellow line to park on the opposite side of the road? Do they impede traffic unreasonably when they do this? And what entitles you to deliberately try to frustrate them, how do you think this makes the roads any safer?
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You haven't noticed the increase in u turns in the lower mainland? Well I have, Even in intesections on Lonsdale... all for a parking space. The other item I've observed becoming more common is oncoming cars driving in your
lane crossing single or doulble lines to go around buses at bus stops or be cause they just can't stay in beween the lines of the lane they are driving in. Happens daily in North Van.
You also might of noticed that there are a growing number of "Professional" drivers that are tired of the game and loose their cool more often now and do make unprofessional decisions here and there.
At the time when ICBC first was intoduced, was it not "No Fault" insurance? Yes it was.
However, in March 2010, Christy Clark's BC Liberal government announced that it would require ICBC to pay the province dividends totalling some $778 million over three years, thus signalling the end of ICBC's operation as a non-profit Crown corporation, and also making it the only for-profit public auto insurance. Really, the only one. In 2013 Dejong kept it going, and it's still the same today.
For some reason, we in Canada still believe we can leave the doors unlocked when we go out and that every one will become good drivers w/o enforcement. However, we have a lot of people that act otherwise.
My 2 cents...
Reddog
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Oh yeah - I got ticketed pulling a U-turn near Lonsdale...
The officer later agreed that the U-turn was legal on my part and withdrew the charge.
Ever consider the difference between legal and unlawful?
I too notice more people going around things, making u-turns, left turns, right turns, stopping, starting... or in other words performing legal maneuver in the course of driving - so what of it?
So do you mean an increase in legal or unlawful U-turns?
I think people see "all these things" and think its mayhem on the roads, because for one reason or another they think one thing is unlawful (or ought to be) and thus they join the national hysteria of 'roads are full of criminals', so we should 'charge everyone being on the roads with attempted murder and tax them in to oblivion, well... all except for me - because I'm infallible.'
I think its best that all facts of specific cases are provided - where, what, why - otherwise we could be looking at a perfectly legal example of driving while denouncing it as a horrible breach of rules and looking for more ways to bill drivers for it.
BC was never a "No fault" jurisdiction for car insurance. It is for Workers Compensation.
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You haven't noticed the increase in u turns in the lower mainland? Well I have, Even in intesections on Lonsdale... all for a parking space
However, I'm uncertain whether a turn into an angle space on the other side of the road would meet the definition of a 'Reverse Turn' as the Motor Vehicle Act defines it, to be honest.
Supposing this does constitute a Reverse Turn under law, then Lonsdale Avenue, where we've both seen this happening, is definably a Business District, so Section 168 (b)(v) would be relevant. But let's think about this for a moment, focusing on Lower Lonsdale. You're not allowed to make the maneuver at Esplanade & Lonsdale or West 3rd & Lonsdale because they're governed by traffic signals - but what about 1st & Lonsdale or 2nd & Lonsdale? Seems to me that so long as you don't interfere with traffic, and all the other parameters of that section are met, it would actually be OK - nuts as that may seem. Meanwhile, those making the maneuver mid-block in a Business District, maybe around that dense area around Lonsdale & 13th to 17th streets where it's all too common, are clearly in the wrong, whether they affect other traffic or not.
I'm genuinely interested in the location where the Anonymous person's issues are taking place, from an analytical and legal perspective.
The other item I've observed becoming more common is oncoming cars driving in your lane crossing single or double lines to go around buses at bus stops or because they just can't stay in beween the lines of the lane they are driving in. Happens daily in North Van.
You've hit on one of my pet peeves there! Lane discipline, along with the ability/desire to stay within the lane, seems to be getting worse without a doubt. I spend a lot of time driving 24-passenger-size buses, and mirror to mirror they need as much lane space as a transit bus, basically; so those sloppy drivers who meander around or avoid hazards ahead of them by steering away from the problem instead of going for the brake and dealing with things properly are an ongoing irritation. And it's not just the twits in their SUV's - some of those supposedly professional transit drivers also deviate away from things like parked cars, into the adjacent lane, without concern for how they're impacting other traffic. Some of them oughta be sent back for retraining, I reckon.
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Krusty604..... I agree, 100% and you articulated that perfectly. I have concluded that ANY BC government in office will NEVER, EVER relinquish this revenue generator. They play the shell-game every financial report, only showing the RED totals and never the asset/investment black totals. No other Canadian in any other province would permit their government to âtake overâ the insurance industry because they witness the atrocities, embezzlement, thievery and rip-off from ICBC. ICBC is your typical example why government run operations do not benefit any Canadian, only their goal to siphon from the tax payer.
As for the bad/poor drivers..... without enforcement and hefty consequences, all the laws on the books donât have strength to be useful. All that âlane wonderingâ is distracted driving and people driving outside their ability and experience, they think theyâre better drivers then they really are. How do you correct arrogance and narcissism? I would be interested to know the solution from these bad drivers, what would make them stop? That is of course, theyâd have to be truthful and I doubt they would.
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(Link removed as dead. No replacement found.)
Seems its the cops this time ;)
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The video's been pulled from YouTube. Got any other links?
When I watched it, there wasn't any sign of flashing lights or other devices, so I really question this behaviour if those were indeed cops running that red light.
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Wow! Just when I thought Iâd seen everything. Brutal. I was just in Richmond today (YVR) and I gotta tell ya, these (crazy) drivers are not just in Richmond, theyâre everywhere! I think theyâre cloned and sent out to scare us all. Their sense of entitlement, arrogance, narcissistic conduct is so shameful. If they are busted, they should have their privileges suspended until they have completed an accredited driving program and under a âparoledâ program for several years until then can demonstrate their worthiness to have the PRIVILEGE to drive!
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These were now confirmed Richmond RCMP gang surveillance vehicles out on priority target assignment. Although I do question the legality of the situation when it comes to emergency vehicles crossing intersections against the red light with no sirens/lights. There are quite a few movements going on as far as gang/fentanyl and casino money laundering investigations and some serious progress being made, however I hope this does not become more common.
Maybe DriveSmartBC can comment on the laws and exceptions that regulate how emergency responders are supposed to be able to negotiate red lights and other traffic control devices while on assignment.
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Iâm not impressed. I failed physic class and their covert operations are a piddle-poor excuse for these driving maneuvers in public traffic. Drones? Ever heard of drones? Cameras? Thereâs safer tactics then this in the 21st century. Being a surveillance cop does not warrant this atrocious driving. If you loose your target, then get some better training. I donât care who you are or what criminals youâre trying to capture, you have no business putting the public in the collateral-damage position. NO criminal is worth the risk of capture/monitoring at the expense of innocent drivers.
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Sorry folks you are all wrong. What they are doing is perfectly legal and covered under the MVA.
I'm a week behind but check out this weeks newsletter and you will find that police officers can do whatever they want even if no lights or sirens being used. So the two cars passing in this video I am going to assume are two undercover officers doing some sort of surveliance which gives them permission to do so.
On the other hand this is an observation from the 1980's. I was starting to notice that the worst offenders at running stale yellow and even starting into the intersection after the light had changed to red was B.C. Transit busses. I contacted B.C. Transit and was told they had schedules to keep and also had to weigh whether a sudden stop could put passengers at risk. Discussed with VPD and RCMP and they had no interest. Unfortunately as time wore on and people saw transit drivers getting away with it the rest followed suit. So the next time you see someone running a red light you can thank B.C. Transit and your local police force for it. Monkey see Monkey do.
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It all boils down to