Refer to Your Owner's Manual

owner's manualOne of the loneliest books in the world might just be your vehicle's owner's manual. Consigned to the glove box, many never see the light of day until they find a new home in the recycle bin. That's a shame because the manufacturer of your vehicle has put a lot of thought and important safety information on those pages.

NEWS - Commercial Trucks Confined to Right Lanes

TranBC logoEffective this week, heavy commercial vehicles will be forbidden to use the leftmost lane on the Coquihalla Highway between Box Canyon and Zopkios. Aimed at keeping "spun out" trucks on the right side of the highway and the left lane clear for snow removal equipment and tow trucks. If this pilot program produces the hoped for outcome it may be extended to other routes in the interior of the province.

"N" Drivers Forever!

N Drivers SignDoes a novice driver have to take the test to become a fully licensed class 5 driver? While there is a limited time that a novice must remain in the Graduated Licensing Program there is currently no limit on the other end of the scale. "N" drivers forever!

Penalty Points

penalty points"I'll pay the fine, I just don't want the points." This is not an uncommon desire expressed by drivers prior to a traffic court hearing when asked how they want to proceed. If the violation ticket was issued with the accused identified as the driver, penalty points follow the conviction as night follows day. There is no escaping them.

...Must Not Stop...

must not stopI had an interesting conversation with @itsjim84 on Twitter this morning about the case law article I posted this week on driving over painted traffic islands. He observed that in the case of a left turn queue that had extended past the left turn bay due to insufficient length it was better to be stopped on the painted island instead of in the through lane. Stopping on the island would preclude being hit from behind by through traffic and allow traffic to flow.

CASE LAW - Nguyen v Busink

BC Courts Coat of ArmsThi My Tien Nguyen and Evelyn Busink were both driving their vehicles eastbound on 100 Avenue intending to turn left onto 140 Avenue in Surrey. Ms. Nguyen moved to the left and traveled over the painted median island before entering the marked left turn lane. Ms. Busink moved into the left turn lane when it began without looking to her left and struck Ms. Nguyen's vehicle.

CBC MARKETPLACE - Commercial Driver Licensing

Truck Tractor and TrailerCBC's Marketplace has produced a program on commercial driver licensing in Canada. Their driver earned his commercial driver's licence in Saskatchewan and then failed the test for the same licence category in Ontario. At issue is the varying level of skill necessary to obtain a commercial driver's licence across the provinces.