28Mar 2024 by Carmen Cohoe
Road Signs Of Canada

Road Signs Of Canada

Signs, Lines and Traffic Lights
STOP SIGN3-WAY TAB4-WAY TABYIELDMAX SPEED AHEADMAX SPEEDMAX SPEED UNLESS POSTEDSPEED LIMIT ENDSSLOWER TRAFFIC KEEP RIGHTONE WAY DO NOT ENTERTWO WAY TRAFFICROAD CLOSEDLOCAL TRAFFIC ONLYSLOW VEHICLES PROHIBITEDKEEP RIGHTNO RIGHT TURNNO U-TURNDO NOT PASSSTOP LINE INDICATORTURN LEFT TURN LEFT OR RIGHT NO TURNS PASSING PERMITTEDTHIS LANE LEFT OR RIGHT THIS LANE THRU THIS LANE LEFTTHIS LANE THRU OR RIGHTTHIS LANE LEFT, THRU OR RIGHTTWO LANES LEFT LEFT LANE THRU, RIGHT LANE RIGHTLEFT LANE LEFT, RIGHT LANE LEFT OR THRUTWO-WAY LEFT TURN LANE BEGINSTWO-WAY LEFT TURN LANE ENDSTWO-WAY LEFT TURN LANENO RIGHT TURN ON RED SIGNAL NO TRUCKSTRUCK ROUTENO BICYCLES RESERVED LANENO STOPPINGEMERGENCY PARKING ONLYHANDICAPPED PARKING ONLYNO STOPPING AVALANCHE AREACURVE WARNINGCURVE WARNINGREVERSE CURVE SWITCHBACK WINDING ROADCONCEALED CROSSROAD AHEADCONCEALED SIDE ROAD AHEAD"T" INTERSECTION AHEAD"Y" INTERSECTION AHEADRAILWAY CROSSING AHEADRAILWAY CROSSING AHEADRAILWAY CROSSING SIDE ROAD AHEADRAILWAY…
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23Mar 2024 by Carmen Cohoe
No Parking No Stopping 2 Road Signs – What’s The Difference?

No Parking No Stopping 2 Road Signs – What’s The Difference?

Signs, Lines and Traffic Lights
No Parking & No Stopping Road Signs What's the difference between "no stopping" and "no parking" road signs? No Stopping Road Signs "No stopping" literally means, do not stop your vehicle. It's kind of like the opposite of a stop sign. In other words, "Keep it moving." If it helps to imagine a "Go" sign inside your mind, then go for it. These "no stopping" signs are usually found on roads where it's not a particularly safe spot to be stopping, such as on a bridge, near a hill or curve, or on the highway when driving through one of those "avalanche zones," for example. Of course, you might actually have to stop there if there's a good reason, like a traffic jam, construction, or an incident. No Parking Road…
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21Mar 2024 by Carmen Cohoe 36 Comments
Road Lines & Pavement Markings in British Columbia

Road Lines & Pavement Markings in British Columbia

Signs, Lines and Traffic Lights
Welcome to British Columbia (Canada) Road Lines & Pavement Markings Understanding road lines matters; not only to be able to pass pesky tests to get your driver's license and resultant freedom, but also to, you know, stay out of trouble while you are driving, and get from A to B in one piece. In this guide, we'll dive into the road line meanings from a beautiful British Columbia (Canadian) perspective. For similar articles, check out my epic article about the Road Signs of Canada or How to Drive Defensively and Prevent Collisions. Road Lines Introduction Yellow road lines are used to separate traffic moving in opposite directions White lines are used to separate traffic moving in the same direction Yellow Road Lines Separate Traffic Moving in Opposite Directions Yellow lines…
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06Feb 2023 by Carmen Cohoe
Turning Left Across Yellow Lines in British Columbia

Turning Left Across Yellow Lines in British Columbia

Signs, Lines and Traffic Lights
Turning Left Across Yellow Lines Everyone knows that you can turn left and right at intersections, but you might wonder if you can also turn left across yellow lines into a driveway, for example. The rules about this may be different depending on where in the world, country, province, or state we are talking about. For Beautiful British Columbia, the short answer is, yes you basically can, as long as you aren’t impeding traffic. So, can I turn left across yellow lines? The short answer: Maybe  You can turn left across yellow lines if: You are careful and do it safely You don't impede traffic There is no sign prohibiting the turn Do Not Turn Left - Regulatory Sign From the ICBC Drive Smart manual Don’t take it from me,…
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04Dec 2022 by Carmen Cohoe
Construction Road Signs [Orange & Temporary] The Easy Guide

Construction Road Signs [Orange & Temporary] The Easy Guide

Signs, Lines and Traffic Lights
Welcome to Construction Road Signs British Columbia Orange road signs are for construction, maintenance, and/or something of a temporary nature. Be sure to watch for traffic control people and follow their directions. Traffic control people can legally override other traffic control devices. In other words, if a traffic control person instructs you to go through a red light, or stop for a green light, do what they say. Make sure to also keep a good safe distance away from construction equipment and vehicles, and never pass in a construction zone unless it can be done safely. Be sure to also check out my other comprehensive guide on the rest of the Canada Road Signs. Crew Working Road Sign There are many construction signs. Just remember that any orange sign you see is a…
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01Dec 2022 by Carmen Cohoe
Red Traffic Light – Super Important FAQs

Red Traffic Light – Super Important FAQs

Signs, Lines and Traffic Lights
What does the red traffic light mean? The steady red traffic light means that you must stop your vehicle. After you come to a full and complete stop - and if it is safe - you may turn right in British Columbia and most other Canadian places, or turn left in British Columbia if it's onto a one-way street unless a road sign forbids it. What are the 3 traffic lights? Traffic lights are a type of traffic control device that are used to help organize traffic flow. Generally speaking, the red light means “stop,” the yellow light means “caution” and the green light means “go.” These traffic lights - also known as traffic signals - can have slightly different meanings when they are flashing. They can also mean something…
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10Jun 2022 by Carmen Cohoe
Flashing Green Light BC – Traffic Light to Confuse Everyone

Flashing Green Light BC – Traffic Light to Confuse Everyone

Signs, Lines and Traffic Lights
What Does a Flashing Green Light BC mean? (British Columbia) Everyone knows that red means stop, green means go and yellow means stop as long as you safely can. The flashing green light BC, seen around beautiful British Columbia simply indicates the intersection is pedestrian-controlled. In other words, it will flash green all day long, and drivers may proceed just like any other green light until a pedestrian wants to cross. Then, things get weird. These are not a lot of people's favorite types of intersections because they confuse people. When the light goes red, the cross traffic is commonly facing only a stop sign. So, two directions are facing a stop sign, and the other two directions are facing a red light, and pedestrians are given priority; at least…
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01Mar 2022 by Carmen Cohoe
Red lights with green arrows for new drivers

Red lights with green arrows for new drivers

Signs, Lines and Traffic Lights
Red Lights with green arrows - a question We have received a question here on the blog regarding red lights with green arrows. Here it is : I've read that if a green arrow is shown with a red light, you can go in the direction of the arrow if the way is clear. I haven't come across this red-light-and-green-arrow situation yet while driving. I'm unsure if you're supposed to stop before turning in the direction of the green arrow. Or if you can just go through. I'm thinking you can just go through...some pictures on Google Images seem to suggest that you can. But I wonder if that's generally the way it works. Red Lights With Green Arrows This is actually a good question. I've heard a few stories…
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01Mar 2022 by Carmen Cohoe
Yellow Light Safe Driving Tips

Yellow Light Safe Driving Tips

Signs, Lines and Traffic Lights
Yellow Light - There seems to be a lot of confusion about this Ah the yellow light. Traffic light, that is. Everyone knows about the green light and the red light, I think. But it seems, over time, people forget about the true meaning of the beautiful amber traffic light. Especially when you simply observe many drivers, who seem to think this means 'speed up and race through the intersection, never to be seen again.' Um, no. Let's talk about this because it's kinda important. Legally, yellow means, "Stop, unless you can not safely stop in time." What Does The Yellow Mean? If you are just driving along and your light goes yellow, it means Stop; unless you can not safely stop in time. You can read about it here,…
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22Jun 2021 by Carmen Cohoe
Fresh Green Light – Or Stale? Anticipating Traffic Lights

Fresh Green Light – Or Stale? Anticipating Traffic Lights

Signs, Lines and Traffic Lights
Traffic Signal Anticipation - Fresh Green Light When we talk about traffic signal anticipation, we are talking about the traffic lights changing. More specifically when they may be changing from green to yellow. Are you driving towards a fresh green light, or is it stale? Is it going to go yellow? Then what? When you're driving towards an intersection, this is one of the things you need to think about. It's good to never be surprised by a light changing to yellow. It's better to get ready, or to anticipate it. This is so that you won't get into trouble. Types of trouble could include being rear-ended if you suddenly slam on the brakes for a yellow light, or having a problem with an opposing left-turning vehicle. What Is a…
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22Feb 2021 by Carmen Cohoe
Green Light vs Green Arrow While Driving – Perplexing

Green Light vs Green Arrow While Driving – Perplexing

Signs, Lines and Traffic Lights
Green Light vs Green Arrow Some new drivers ask this question and it's about the green light vs green arrow. Both are beautiful green things found at intersections. So, what's the difference? The answer is in where you go. Drivers facing the regular green light may generally proceed straight ahead or turn left or right; but drivers facing an arrow must follow the direction on the arrow only. Let's drive into the details. Green light --> go straight, left or right if otherwise allowed. Green arrow --> no turn permitted; go straight through only. Green Light Vs Green Arrow Straight Green Arrow Means 'Go Straight' and do not turn left or right If you are facing a regular green light, you are usually allowed to turn from your lane at…
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18Feb 2021 by Carmen Cohoe
Traffic Light Visibility & Buses Or Large Vehicles

Traffic Light Visibility & Buses Or Large Vehicles

Signs, Lines and Traffic Lights
Traffic Light Visibility Issues Trucks, buses, and other large vehicles present us with reduced visibility If you've been driving for a while, or if you are just beginning, you may have noticed this perceived 'phenomenon.' Traffic light visibility seems sometimes nonexistent. You know there's an intersection, but where is the traffic light? What color is it? This can be a little unnerving when driving at speed. I've heard about this before from many drivers over my years of teaching. Unfortunately I've also heard of people driving straight though red lights following a truck / bus for this very reason. The bus went through the intersection, so the light must be green, right? Not necessarily. Plus, this is not the way to drive, actions based on assumptions. Traffic Light Visibility: I…
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23Jan 2021 by Carmen Cohoe
Alberni Highway – Turning Left Over Yellow Highway Lines

Alberni Highway – Turning Left Over Yellow Highway Lines

Signs, Lines and Traffic Lights
Turning Left Question: Hello our office is in the 1300 block of the Alberni Highway on Vancouver Island. There have been two accidents within a few months of each other. One serious and the other not as bad but the car did end up rear ended in the ditch. People are trying to turn left into many of the businesses that line the highway and are coming to a complete stop. It is a two lane 70 km/h hwy that has many businesses on both sides of the hwy. The center line is two lines and the passing lines alternate every few hundred meters to either side of the road. My question is are you allowed to make a left in these situations? I assume no as it would cause…
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17Jan 2021 by Carmen Cohoe
One Big Lane Splitting Into Two Little Lanes

One Big Lane Splitting Into Two Little Lanes

Signs, Lines and Traffic Lights
Lane Splitting Can be Confusing When I turn right from No. 2 road onto River Road, there is a wide single lane. After a short while, it splits into a left turn & a 'go straight' lane (lane splitting). Should I use the middle lane position if I want go straight? One big lane: One big lane about to do the splits (a lot less painful for a road And split: Kind of like this one: Normally for something like this you would drive in the middle portion of the big lane until you can actually see that the lanes are splitting. When you get closer to the split, just pick one side and stick to it. It's polite to signal before moving to let the people behind you know…
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11Jan 2021 by Carmen Cohoe
When The Traffic Signals Are Out

When The Traffic Signals Are Out

Signs, Lines and Traffic Lights
Question: I was curious about the dark-traffic-light rule. Common advice seems to be to treat the intersection as a 4-way stop, but what should you do when NOBODY is stopping at all. I watched at Quebec and National as nobody slowed or stopped. OK, it's a three-way intersection (four-way if you add in the Science World parking lot exit). However if somebody had actually stopped at the intersection, they would very likely been hit due to the high traffic flow coming off Pacific Blvd, cars were just zipping through the intersection. It was dark, the street lights were out also, and the intersection was dark. Is it better to just "go with the flow", ie: nobody was going to stop for the darkened traffic light. Conversely, what about at a…
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06Jan 2017 by Carmen Cohoe
How Many Hidden Stop Signs Are In This Picture?

How Many Hidden Stop Signs Are In This Picture?

Signs, Lines and Traffic Lights
'Hidden' Stop Signs?       All drivers - new drivers especially - should be aware that stop signs can "hide" behind trucks as well as overgrown bushes/shrubs.   Keep your eyes constantly moving when driving and look for clues that there's an intersection.   If you're not sure if you have a stop sign (or a pedestrian) or not, it is better to be safe than sorry; go slow enough to check it out.   If you can see the back of another stop sign, then there is a 99% chance that you will be facing a stop sign too (my own personal calculation)   Pay attention to the shapes of signs. Signs of this shape will never say anything else other than "STOP." It is illegal for vehicles…
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