Intersections

The description of this video showing how traffic lights work in Holland explains that they are designed and timed to move the most traffic of all kinds, not the most motor vehicles.

Have you ever watched a driver waiting in vain for the traffic light to turn green because they failed to stop properly at an intersection? In most parts of BC signals respond to inductive loops buried in the pavement to sense the presence of your vehicle. An understanding of how they work can prevent you from being stuck.

Question: Here is a typical intersection in Vancouver at West Broadway and Birch in Kitsilano. Turning right is only allowed from the far right lane. However, West Broadway is packed with parked (legally, see the parking meter) cars, and if the parked car is too big and/or too close to the intersection, you don't have any room to change lanes.

Here's another video from Road Guy Rob and this time around he's taking a look at roundabouts. He says that traffic signals are not scary but roundabouts can be, especially if you've never driven one before. Are these spinny circles really better that a traffic light or just a passing fad?

Q: I run into this issue constantly; where drivers leaving a shopping center parking lot think it's OK to make a right hand turn while traffic has backed up at a red light, but only complete that turn half way thereby blocking the ability of those using the right hand turning lane at the next intersection (starts right after the exit from the parking lot) to use that lane.

This case arises from a two vehicle collision that occurred at the intersection of 200 Street and 62 Avenue in Surrey. It involves a car driven southbound on 200 Street, turning left onto 62 Avenue and a car driven northbound on 200 Street in the right hand or curb lane. Traffic in the left and middle lanes of 200 Street northbound was at a standstill due to congestion.

While this video is titled "Making a Community Safer for Pedestrians | A Protected Intersection" it should also include cyclists with the pedestrians as it protects them too. Local stakeholders are interviewed about the rationale for picking this intersection and why the changes that have been made work to make it safer.

This case involves a collision at the intersection of 86 Avenue and 160 Street in Surrey. Joshua Donato had stopped for the stop sign westbound on 86 Avenue intending to turn right. Due to limited visibility he moved forward and slightly to the right in anticipation of making the turn.

Our provincial government has announced that all 35 intersections with speed cameras will be in full operation by spring of this year. First introduced in 2019 fifteen red light cameras with the added ability to check vehicle speeds were installed at high risk intersections.

One wouldn't think that stopping at stop signs would be such a problem for drivers. It seems relatively simple, come to a complete stop, look both ways and then go if it is safe to do so. With the poor compliance rate, we should ask is the stop sign the best form of traffic control for intersections that are not controlled by traffic signals?