In construction zones use caution and slow down

Slow in the 'cone zone'

If you ever have the chance to talk to a school crossing guard, flag person, highway maintenance worker or anyone else whose job requires them to work in the “cone zone” on our highways, ask them how safe they feel when they are on the job.

If they don't have a story of their own about negative or dangerous driving behaviour, they have definitely watched someone else at their work site bear the brunt of a poor driving decision.

Photo: BCAA

Drivers are reminded to slow down and use caution in construction zones and where others are working at the side of the road.

In general, if our workplace is not safe, we feel entitled to apply pressure to our employers to make it so. If you think about it, in the cone zone, the employers are the drivers. If another person's workplace is not safe, we wonder why someone is not doing something about it. Either way, you are responsible when you are driving in a workplace.

A quick scan of WorkSafeBC collision numbers indicates there were nine deaths and 267 injuries between 2015 and 2024. One has to ask, why is this is so when every effort is made to post signs, erect cones and barricades, employ flag persons, use pilot vehicles, double the fines in construction zones and create advertising campaigns like “Stay Out of the Cone Zone and Slow Down, My Mother Works Here” campaign?

I once calculated it cost me 74 seconds to slow from 80 km/h to 50 km/h for the duration of one of the longer construction zones in my patrol area. Surely we can afford to grant this much consideration to our road workers, even if we do feel we don't have time for anyone but ourselves in our busy lives.

These people have to go home to their families at the end of their shifts as well. Please help to make sure that they can do it.

The “Slow down, move over” rules apply to drivers in the cone zone.

This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.

Smokers who toss lit cigarette out windows of their vehicles could face steep fines

Careless smokers

Photo: Pixabay

Divers who toss lit cigarette butts out vehicle windows can be reported.

It's that time of year again, sunny and dry with a chance of careless smokers.

I watched another one take the last puff and then toss the smouldering butt out the window onto the highway while he waited in front of me at a red light.

All it needed was the breezy nudge of another passing vehicle to find it's way into the dormant grass on the shoulder to really get things started.

Careless smokers may be reported to the police. It's an offence under the Motor Vehicle Act to discard things on a highway.

When an unthinking driver tossed his cigarette as I walked up to the vehicle during a traffic stop, I used to offer them the opportunity of picking it up themselves or I would do it for them at a cost of $109.

They would look at me, trying to decide if I was serious or not. When it was clear I was, every one of them chose to keep the $109 in their pocket and retrieved the butt.

You might also consider notifying the Ministry of Forests and Range. It is interested in hearing from you about incidents like this. Call *5555 on your cell phone or (800) 663-5555 on a land line.

Its enforcement officers may choose to use the provisions of the Wildfire Act to penalize careless individuals. A violation ticket for mishandling a burning substance carries a penalty of $575.

I chose instead to simply call the phone number written on the company vehicle.

"It's very poor advertising for your business." I toldl the receptionist once.

"Yes," she replied. “Especially since half of B.C. is burning right now. We'll find out who it was and give them hell for it!"

I hope they did.

This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.

Is it safe to open your vehicle's door?

Look before opening door

Photo: Pixabay

Look before opening your vehicle's door at the side of a road.

Imagine the surprise of the motorist at a collision I once investigated. He parked at the side of the road, opened his door and a passing car tried to tear it off.

It's a good thing he didn't step out while he opened it.

What went wrong here? The motorist didn't look first or didn't see what was overtaking him. He probably felt safe in the fact that he had stopped close to the curb and was out of harm's way.

In the case of a driver or front-seat passenger, there is a mirror to help see if anything is overtaking the vehicle before you open the door. A quick shoulder check is also a good preventative measure to turn into a habit.

For back-seat passengers, the rear roof pillar and lack of a mirror can make this task almost impossible.

The “Dutch Reach” is the best solution for all vehicle occupants. Open the door with the hand on the opposite side of your body from the door. That will force your body to rotate to the left and allow you to look back through the gap before the door opens very far. If something is there, hopefully there is enough room to avoid a crash.

Today's highways are no longer designed so traffic is always on the left side of a parked vehicle. Be cautious of cycle lanes that may be on the right side of parking areas.

Failing to look or see when you open your door poses a significant threat to cyclists and is often referred to as “dooring” or being “doored.” Cyclists must use the right edge of the roadway and are difficult to see because of their size. A cyclist who slams into an open car door can be seriously injured.

Cycle lanes designed without a buffer do not eliminate the hazard.

Opening a door from the outside can be a problem as well. It is not uncommon to see a driver walk up to their vehicle and open the door to enter without giving any thought to overtaking traffic. Passing vehicles may be forced to move to the left or stop in order to avoid a collision.

Section 203 of the Motor Vehicle Act forbids opening the door of a motor vehicle on the side available to moving traffic unless and until it is reasonably safe to do so. Once a door on that side is open, it must not be left open for longer than is required to load or unload passengers.

This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.

Know the four-way stop procedure when traffic lights not working

When traffic signals go out

Photo: Pixabay

When traffic signals are not working at an intersection, treat it like a four-way stop.

Question: With all the power outages in the past few weeks there have been a lot of intersections where traffic lights are out. Would you please remind everyone of the four-way stop procedure, that seems most have forgotten or never learned.

Answer: Oddly, this seems to be a difficult task for many drivers. Perhaps it is a lack of opportunity to practice the requirements that leaves them mentally unprepared for what is required, and then do it. That creates a very dangerous situation at the intersection and the case of Stevens v Sleeman illustrates that.

The requirements for the situation simply stated are:

If the traffic signals are not functioning at an intersection, the driver must stop before entering the intersection.

If two vehicles stop at about the same time, drivers must yield to the vehicle on the right.

If a vehicle is already in the intersection, drivers must yield and allow it to proceed.

My personal experience is much the same as the reader—don't expect traffic to stop as required. Take extra time to thoroughly scan the intersection and its approaches to insure you identify all hazards. The rule of thumb here is if you can't see, you can't go.

This situation is especially hazardous because stopped vehicles can hide other traffic from you or you from other traffic. You may have to carefully creep into the intersection until you are certain that it is safe to proceed.

When the traffic lights are working, the side impact or T-Bone crash is most common when making a left turn. When the lights are not working, being hit from either side while travelling straight through is also likely.

You and your passengers are especially vulnerable, as the sides of vehicles have the least protection in comparison to front and rear collisions.

If other drivers will not give you the right of way, it may be wise to make a right turn instead. Find another nearby intersection where it is safe and then return to your original route.

This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.