Viewpoint

Today's Vancouver Sun newspaper excitedly proclaimed on the front page that 'Failing eyesight (is) a driving issue for aging motorists', citing information from the CAA's website.

Traffic Calming in my opinion is a good idea on paper but mostly ineffective in reality. Many municipalities are starting Traffic Calming measures however few are successful in achieving what is effective.

Have car headlights, beams, power, brightness gotten out of control in terms of what is allowed legally on the road, if there ever were any rules?

Are truck drivers and other cars, like SUV’s that sit high off the road aware of the power of their headlight on smaller cars due to the height of the car beams?

I've recently attended a dispute hearing for a speeding in a municipality charge. When I arrived the officer greeted me in the hallway before the courtroom and invited me into a small interrogation room. He then asked me what my intentions were, and after a quick run down of the possible options, I replied that I was here to plead not guilty.

My Definition of Lane filtering:  When a motorcycle moves through traffic in between stationary vehicles.

Being a Driver in England I am very familiar with filtering through stopped traffic, as as Car driver I would allow space for motorcycles to pass. As a Motorcycle Driver I would drive very slowly between the vehicles (under 10kph) 

New Bill 52, to amend traffic court, is this proposed change scaring the crap out of anyone else? It looks the BC Government is further eroding any illusion that drivers of this province have any rights at all.

A new tribunal for traffic ticket disputes? Will it be as one sided and biased and unfair as the ones set up for the new drinking and driving legislation? Or will it be worse?

First and foremost, I am a cyclist of 50+ years, and a driver for the past 38 years. With well over a million kilometres driven, I have had significant experience and try very hard to do what the motor vehicle act, common sense, and reduced risk of injury dictate. I regularly review "Bike Sense" and ICBC's publications. In my opinion, our roadways are becoming less safe for both motorist and cyclists.

Tonight's six o'clock news contained a story about how police had issued over 5,500 tickets for using electronic devices while driving offences across the province in February 2013. More than 100 more were ticketed for driving without due care and attention. It means to me that lots of drivers aren't obeying the law and more than 100 were caught doing something dangerous because of it.

It has always struck me that warning of a speed trap is a violation no different to being an accessory to a crime by warning the bank robber that the police are coming. Certainly very difficult to enforce.

And to take it a step further, what about radio stations that warn drivers over the air of speed enforcement areas. Could they increase the scope of what they perceive as public service to include DUI stop checks?

Taking away someone's privilege to drive is viewed as a drastic step in correcting driving behaviour. Currently, a fully licensed driver has to accumulate a significant number of points in a year before the Superintendent of Motor Vehicles takes steps to apply this penalty. In my experience, the traffic courts are also reluctant to take this step, saying "I'll leave that up to the Superintendent." when the officer prosecuting requests a prohibition as part of the penalty.