Our lap dog loves to go for car rides! She's generous too because you are more than welcome to sit underneath her in the right front seat. The trouble is, this is definitely not a good place for her to ride in the car.

Photo: Contributed - (Photo: Flickr user, nengard)

Hopefully we've learned that airbags and children don't go together, but have we stopped to consider our pets? Air bags are designed to restrain large people and will do significant damage to a pet, perhaps to the point of killing them outright. They will also be thrown around the interior of the vehicle like a projectile, unless something stops them.

That something stopping your pet might be you or a member of your family. Remember that airbags deploy at speeds reaching 200 MPH. Now imagine how much it will hurt when that pet smashes into you. That's not a pretty picture, is it?

The best place for your pet is the same as for your child, the center of the rear seat away from front and side airbags. You can even choose to restrain your pet with the equivalent of seat belts. As a responsible pet owner, you have to make the choice.

The author is a retired constable with many years of traffic law enforcement experience. To comment or learn more, please visit www.drivesmartbc.ca.

Photo: Contributed - (Flickr user, agathman)

What are the rights and obligations of cyclists and motorists if the cyclist should choose to ride on the highway under snowy winter conditions? Uncleared pathways and cycling routes were forcing cyclists to choose to ride on the plowed streets of one Vancouver Island municipality resulting in a number of inquiries at city hall. Should cyclists be using the streets in winter time?

The legal answer to that question is yes, cyclists have every right to ride on the streets at any time of the year. In fact, they have the same rights and duties as the driver of any other vehicle on our highways. They must ride as closely as practical to the right side of the highway, which in winter may mean riding in the right side cleared track left by vehicle traffic. Expect to find cyclists using left turn lanes and crossing between them and the right side as well.

What happens when a vehicle driver overtakes a cyclist in these circumstances? The answer should be obvious, treat the cycle as you would any other motor vehicle. Follow at a safe distance, pass when permitted and leave a generous safety margin as you go by.

My major concern is that motorists will not grant the privileges that the cyclist is entitled to. Cycling in winter conditions is challenging enough without needing to contend with selfish drivers. Even though you have the right to cycle in winter conditions, discretion may dictate using another mode of transportation to preserve life and limb.

The author is a retired constable with many years of traffic law enforcement experience. To comment or learn more, please visit www.drivesmartbc.ca.

Occasionally I look at a driver around me in traffic and ask myself "what can they be thinking?" Today I wondered if the driver behind me was thinking at all! Road conditions could be described as typical BC winter driving, but this guy was so close that I couldn't see snow between the rear of my vehicle and the front of his.

I was stuck behind a driver who chose to do 25 km/h in the posted 60 zone. It was a bit slow for my liking but it was slippery and I could not pass safely on the winding road. There was nothing to do but follow patiently behind until conditions changed. I chose to do so about five vehicle lengths back so that I had plenty of time to stop if need be.

Two other vehicles approached and the front one ended up about three meters behind me and stuck there. I was thinking "wonderful, now all that we need is a surprise." We got one in the form of a fire truck responding to a call. The slow driver moved to one side and kept going and I would have liked to pull over and stop immediately but couldn't without risking being hit from behind.

It costs nothing but a bit of consideration to leave an appropriate gap between you and the vehicle that you are following. In fact it may pay a big dividend by allowing time to react and avoid a situation that would otherwise result in a collision. Think about it. Please.

The author is a retired constable with many years of traffic law enforcement experience. To comment or learn more please visit www.drivesmartbc.ca.

I am occasionally asked about using the left foot for braking instead of the right foot. The usual justification given for this is that the brakes may be applied more quickly because the left foot is ready while the right foot is busy with the accelerator pedal. While there are different schools of thought on whether this is appropriate for highway driving it may not be a good idea for the average driver.

An important job for your left foot and the leg attached to it is to press against the raised portion on the left side of the driver's foot well. This action forces the driver into the seat and anchors the body leaving the arms free to steer with during lateral acceleration and heavy braking. Staying in complete control means not hanging on to the steering wheel in order to keep your body in position.

If you get lazy and ride the brake with your left foot enough to light the brake lights will confuse the driver behind you. Are you stopping or not? Confusion like this will lead to an increased chance of being hit from behind and contributes to excessive brake wear and poor fuel economy.

In the event of a collision, the resulting pressure on both the brake and the accelerator will reduce the effectiveness of the brakes at a time when they are needed.

Finally, check with your driving examiner. Left foot braking during a road test may not be acceptable in all circumstances.

The author is a retired constable with many years of traffic law enforcement experience. To comment or learn more, please visit www.drivesmartbc.ca.