Behind the Wheel
Dealing with vehicles that should not be on the road
As a police officer, sometimes you run across a vehicle on your patrols that has such serious defects it should never have left the driveway. A “Notice...
There are strict rules about replacing the lighting on your vehicle
Could you perhaps comment on poorly focused, high-intensity illegal conversions done to forward lighting on vehicles? This person said he has had many of his...
ICBC’s top 10 excuses for why drivers speed
I found this old article from 2009 where ICBC asked police from around the province to share the top excuses they heard from drivers who they stopped for...
Knowing where to stop at a traffic signal
How about an article about the detection loops in the pavement at many traffic lights? Most drivers don't know what they are for and quite often stop too...
Stiff fines for not brushing snow off your vehicle
Now that the snow has arrived (at higher elevations), I’ve noticed many drivers who don't clean off their vehicles. The wiper blade is the only...
Driver's bad manners at the stop sign
Mirror, signal left, brake and stop before the marked stop line. Look left, look right and the pickup that was following behind stops ahead of me on my right,...
When it comes time for skills of senior drivers to be re-examined
I am often asked to write on the topic of senior driver re-examinations when there is a crash where an older driver has mistaken the gas pedal for the brake...
What to do, when fences, trees and hedges block the view of the road
We have too many blind corners in our communities, says one correspondent. And according the writer, they have had, and have seen, many near-misses because...
Why aren't the police enforcing traffic laws?
It seems traffic policing involves only three things where I live—speeding, seat belts and alcohol. From my point of view there is effectively no policing...
What does 'M+S' marking mean on your vehicle's tires?
Every year, starting on Oct. 1, B.C.'s highways are posted with signs saying the use of winter tires for light vehicles is required. The signs show both the...
Failing to remain at scene of an accident could cost you a lot
Failing to remain at the scene of an accident, or a hit and run as it is more commonly known, is without a doubt a daily occurrence in British Columbia. We all...
A yellow traffic light means stop
Believe it or not, in British Columbia a yellow traffic light tells you that you must stop before you enter the intersection. Yes, I know there is one caveat to...
Lights and reflectors required to trailers can be seen
Nine lamps and six reflectors are the minimum required by law to be installed and functional on your trailer. If the trailer is not a small one, the number...
What is a 'regular' school day when driving in a school zone?
A reader remarked that the term "school days," in relation to school zone signs, is becoming more and more ambiguous. The Motor Vehicle Act merely...
Parallel parking and the impatient driver
Here's another question from the DriveSmartBC inbox: I've noticed recently that often drivers are impatient of people parallel parking and pass them on...
In an emergency, stay off these routes
I always thought the disaster route signs posted beside some of our highways indicated the route that people would take if they had to evacuate during a...
How accurate is the speedometer in your vehicle?
Many drivers on the receiving end of a speeding ticket commented that their speedometer reported their vehicle's speed as something different than the radar...
Making a left turn into the correct lane
A Courtenay resident is upset with drivers that turn left from the Island Highway onto Ryan Road and fail to enter the first available lane. He identifies this...
What to do when traffic signals are not working at an intersection
With all the power outages in the past few weeks, there have been a lot of intersections where traffic lights were out. Would you please remind everyone of the...
You’re not supposed to cross double solid yellow line on the road
Back in 2009, I was asked about not crossing a double solid yellow line when driving. Two friends were talking about it and thought there had been an update...