Uncommon Intersections Vancouver is a beautiful city. But it leaves us with a slight predicament when intersections are much larger than normal due to being divided by a boulevard. For example, King Edward and MacDonald. Many drivers get confused here and with good reason, and it just happens to be situated beside one of the ICBC road testing locations. [ICBC Road Test Class 5 vs 7: Prepare & Conquer]. First of all, review some basic principles of turning left. Entering The Intersection at King Edward And MacDonald When turning left, it's important to enter the intersection and line up your vehicle with where you are about to turn. This sets you up to have a short, easy, and efficient turn. And therefore, a safer one. For complete details on how…
Roundabouts and traffic circles are designed to keep traffic moving and improve safety at intersections Technically, a roundabout is a traffic circle with more than one lane, but these terms seem to be used interchangeably On approach, reduce your speed to about 20 km/hr in case you need to yield to other vehicles and for good controlLook for signs and pedestrians and be prepared.You must yield to any traffic already in the roundabout. This means you will yield to your immediate left. All vehicles must enter to the right and use the roundabout in a counter-clockwise direction. You can enter the roundabout when there is a safe gap in the traffic and you feel it is safe. Once you are inside the roundabout, vehicles approaching are supposed to yield to…
Winter road trips can be challenging and unpredictable. Be prepared by following these tips - our ultimate winter road trip checklist Tires #1: use winter tires, 4 of them, and check the pressure (info on your door jamb). Even if it's not snowing, winter tires offer better traction in temperatures below 7 degrees C. "The worst winter tire is better than the best summer tire" Your tires are the only thing connecting you to the pavement. Tires are (one of the, if not..) the single most important thing on your vehicle (some may argue...) If I had limited funds for my vehicle and could only spend it on one thing, I would spend it on Tires. Emergency Kit & Essential Items Keep essential items in your car in case of…
Q: A friend of mine, who wears tinted prescription glasses (she is albino and hypersensitive to light) was finger-wagged by a friendly RCMP officer while driving through the Massey Tunnel. Some sources I have read say that even prescription sunglasses are "supposed" to be swapped for regular lenses when going through a tunnel, but...what if the tinting is medically required? Is there a bylaw fine attached, since it's not in the BC MVA? And doesn't swapping glasses constitute a driving distraction? This may all be academic, but we're curious. Help! Good question. What colour is the sign that tells you to remove your sunglasses through the tunnel? (All obvious reasons to remove sunglasses while driving through a dark tunnel aside). Technically if the sign is white and black, then it's…
Wondering how to reverse a car? Reversing or backing up a car can be so confusing, especially for new drivers. Don't worry if it's your first time driving backwards - or forwards - and you are feeling lost wondering how to back up a car. It just takes a little bit of practice. And we have lots of info to help you make sense of this whole thing, including: How to properly start the reversing process Reversing safety protocol and tips Where to look when reversing How to do the 360 checks and when Reversing exercises to improve the skill Where it's illegal to reverse a car How to Reverse a Car Shift Into Reverse First Of course, when you're about to reverse park, you would normally check your mirrors and…
Halloween Safety Tips for Parents & Kids: Make sure your kids are dressed in reflective gear, give them a few glow sticks or flash lights; if nothing else attach some reflective tape to their costumeTeach them not to dart across the road, cross only at the corners and look left & right (always look left first); better yet, go with them and use the opportunity to teach them about how to be a safe pedestrianRemind them not to rely on their ears alone; they must look as well; many new vehicles are very quiet (especially hybrids)Walk facing traffic, especially if there is no sidewalkConsider a community centre for younger children vs. trick or treatingPaint or decorate your pumpkin rather than cutting it to avoid having children use sharp objects. Tips…
Question : At a Y intersection, where a vehicle on the right arm of the Y has stopped for a red light, can that vehicle then proceed if there is no approaching traffic on the left arm of the Y. (for example, east bound traffic on Prior St where it intersects with the east end of the Georgia Street viaduct). It's a good question and I can see how one might think that this is somewhat similar to a right turn on a red light. But I just can't see how this is a "right turn." In this case, you are driving on Prior St. facing a red light at an intersection and after the intersection you are still on Prior Street. You are not turning your steering wheel (well,…
Question : I have a question about crosswalks which have no traffic lights and where you are trying to turn on to a busier road. I know that I should stop before the crosswalk and wait for pedestrians to clear. Once they clear, I can cover the crosswalk and start to edge out.But, what if the road I am trying to turn on to is a busy one and I am blocking the crosswalk for a while. More pedestrians may arrive to cross and they would be forced to go around me. Is this illegal or would I be marked down if it happened in the test? This is a good question. You're right in that when stopping, you should stop with your front bumper behind the white line (behind…
Question : I have been instructed on a school bus run that I may be included to take a left at a downtown busy intersection which is designated for "bus only." I was honked at last day on route by other drivers and given the Stare. I do not want to get a driving infraction nor cause an accident. Good question. According to the BC Motor Vehicle Act, a bus is "a motor vehicle designed to carry more than 10 persons," so if you're driving such a vehicle, then you're permitted to turn left against a sign which indicates 'no left turns except for busses.' A bus doesn't have to necessarily be a Translink bus; it could be a HandyDart, a school bus, or something similar. There's also a definition of…
Welcome to Reverse Stall Parking Reverse stall parking, in other words, backing into a parking space - especially when it's between two very shiny-looking objects - is not something most student drivers get excited about. It's hard enough trying to drive forwards! But, this is of course a necessary skill that can be made much easier by practicing your basic backing skills first. Let's dive right in. And for a related article, check out Right-of-Way in the Parking Lot. What Is Reverse Stall Parking? Reverse stall parking is something new drivers and learners hear about when learning how to drive. And, you need to know how for your ICBC road test. But what is this mysterious thing? Reverse stall parking = how to back into a parking spot. This article…
Driving a car for the first time in your life? How exciting! And terrifying, mostly for your co-pilot. Today we are presenting our top 5 most important tips for people who are driving an automobile for the very first time in their entire life! Now I am going to try and keep this very basic. Because, someone's gotta do it. Anyone else notice how complicated the world seems nowadays? Don't answer that. Related: How long does it take to learn how to drive? Tip #1 For Driving A Car For The First Time: Make sure you know how to walk around your car the right way when going to get into it This matters. Us driver training people refer to this as your 'approach to the vehicle.' Basically, it's to…
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…
Always Leave Your Car In a Gear Have you ever wondered about parking your car in gear? Always leave your car in a gear (if standard) or in 'P' (Park if automatic). Why? It will hold the vehicle in place & keep it from rolling away. This can happen if the emergency or parking brake were to fail. This is a real thing that happens sometimes. For a related article, check out Right-of-Way in the Parking Lot. How to park an automatic car Leave the automatic vehicle in park, with the parking brake applied, every time you park. The best way to park your automatic car is to: First, put the vehicle into neutral, and then apply the parking brake Then, slowly ease off the brake pedal until your foot is…
what to do after a car accident Sometimes, despite all of your defensive driving techniques, a crash still happens. First thing, don't panic. Follow these tips for what to do after a car accident. And know that you aren't the only one. 1. What To Do After A Car Accident - Stop and Do not leave the scene Firstly, this may sound obvious but be sure to stop and stay there. Never leave the scene of an accident. In most places this is an offence. If the other car(s) or drivers leave, try to record the license plate number so authorities can locate them. 2. What To Do After A Car Accident - Check Your Surroundings And Stay Calm Check to make sure no one is injured or hurt. Turn…
Life in the fast lane Fast lane, what?! It's a real thing. I couldn't help but notice in the news recently, Vancouver Police welcome crackdown on left-lane bandits. Bandits? ban·ditnounplural noun: banditsa robber or outlaw belonging to a gang and typically stealing left lanes from other people and operating in an isolated or lawless area. Maybe this is a good time to review some recommended and regulatory lane usage practices. The interesting thing to me is that people seem to be able to go through the process of obtaining their drivers' license in BC, pass a knowledge test and an on-road driving test, and still be unaware of this basic driving principle; much to the dismay of their fellow motorists. I am not convinced that drivers do this on purpose, waking up in the morning with…
Shell Road, Richmond Train tracks and Right Turns at Red Lights Question: Can I turn right on a red light at this intersection? It's Shell Road and 91 East-West Connector?Can I go through the first red light after I stop? And drive to the second white line/red light or do I have to stay stopped at the first line? Answer: Let's review the basics. You can go right on a red light, after you stop and make sure it's safe, as long as there's no turning restriction sign. Simple. In this case, there is no sign restricting the turn. Therefore, you can turn right after you stop; if and when safe, of course. The purpose of the two red lights is to give drivers sufficient warning. At higher speeds, drivers…
Can I Do It? It's a fair enough question. Wondering about driving high is probably on more people's mind than I'd like to think. The short answer is: it is illegal to drive while impaired In Canada, drug-impaired driving has been illegal for a very long time; since 1925 in fact. Remember the basic facts. Driving while impaired by anything is illegal. This - of course - includes driving while impaired by alcohol and drugs. These alcohol and drugs may be legal or illegal. It doesn't matter. If you're impaired, you're impaired. Some people take Benadryl. Those people might be impaired, too. Certain people are simply impaired by taking 'too much' or 'too little' of a prescription medication. Being Tired Is the same as being drunk I've also read numerous…
What is a Crosswalk Exactly? I sometimes ask this question "What is a crosswalk? Are you sure you know?" It seems there is a bit of confusion around this subject so I'm hoping to make some sense today. What Is A Crosswalk? Marked Crosswalks at Intersections I am sure we can all agree that this here is a crosswalk. But this is just one type of crosswalk. This is a marked crosswalk at an intersection (check out my complete guide to intersections to learn more about them in general). As in, it's literally marked. Omg, I used the word literally the right way. This is pretty obvious and I think most people get that vehicles are legally required to stop for pedestrians here. How many crosswalks are in this picture, though? …
Pedestrians Of 2022 Learn more about being a safe pedestrian today. Because, well, someone's gotta do it. As you may or may not have thought about, there is more to being a safe pedestrian than looking both ways before crossing the street. And everyone knows that if a pedestrian and vehicle have a fight, the pedestrian will not be winning, unfortunately. So, it's up to pedestrians to be very careful, even though drivers may not be doing what's right. Tips for Being A Safe Pedestrian Let's talk about what side of the road to walk on if you're walking on a road such as this one. But it's a good tip for any road, even ones with sidewalks. Of course, this is not an ideal place to walk (somewhere without…
Question : This is a (possibly stupid) question about indicating, but I cannot find a definitive answer. It's about passing a left turning vehicle. To indicate or not to indicate? At a lot of intersections, a single lane become two or more lanes, so passing the left turning car on the right would require a lane change. I would recommend always indicating for this. However, on some less busy roads it remains a single lane. But, it's still wide enough to still have room to pass on the right. For example, when there is a stopped car waiting to make a left turn in front of you. I indicate to the right to let the driver behind know that I'm about to veer right to pass the left turner. Do…
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…
Here is a question we get asked a lot. And it's a good one. Is it illegal to drive with high beams in BC? High beams are literally higher beams, so they can tend to blind the people driving towards you. And if you think about that, it's a bit scary! Legally in BC, you must dim your high beams whenever you are within 150 meters of another vehicle. This includes vehicle in front of you going the same direction or opposite direction. I'm not sure how many people can accurately judge 150 meters when they're driving - let alone when they are not driving - so be courteous and dim your high beams when you encounter other drivers and pedestrians. It makes sense why it's illegal to drive with…
Hill Start Without Rolling If you are wondering how to do a hill start without rolling backwards when driving your automatic vehicle, look no further. You definitely aren't the only one wondering about this. Not all cars do this, but the ones that do, can be a bit terrifying at times. You aren't the only one who has experienced this anxiety-provoking feeling. The one you get when you see a large truck behind you and you have to stop on a hill for a red light or stop sign. You know you're on a steep hill. Maybe it's even raining or snowing. Maybe you know your tires might suck. The light goes green, and you know you're supposed to take your foot from the brake and move it to the…
Looking for some ICBC Penticton Information? You have come to the right place in the great land of the internet. ICBC Penticton - JUST The Facts The ICBC Penticton is located together with the Penticton Service BC Centre. Address for ICBC Penticton & Service BC Centre 40 Calgary Ave.Penticton, British Columbia, Canada V2A2T6 Phone: 250 487-4200 Fax: 250 487-4222 ICBC Penticton Hours of Operation Mon9:00 am - 4:30 pmTue9:00 am - 4:30 pmWed9:00 am - 4:30 pmThu9:00 am - 4:30 pmFri9:00 am - 4:30 pmSatClosedSunClosedOffice is closed for mandatory cleaning during these times: 12:30 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. Holidays - Click here for hours Do you need to book your knowledge test? If you need to go for your knowledge test at ICBC, you'll need to make an appointment in…
A Vancouver Trolly bus driver would like share something Previously, I was driving a Community Shuttle transit bus, the ones with a 24 passenger limit. Well, a few months ago I switched over to the conventional buses! I work in Vancouver and I drive the trolley buses as well. I find them easy to drive now that I've gotten used to them. The only concern that I have is that there seems to be little public awareness of how the trolley buses operate and some of their limitations on the road. A lot of drivers these days not only ignore the rules of the road but get very impatient out on the road. I have witnessed road rage directed at trolley bus drivers, and I have been targeted as well while…
By Kevin Nicholson Scared about learning to drive manual? Just got a new car with manual and are having a hard time learning how to drive it? This guide will get you started. First rule of driving manual transmissions: When you are unsure what to do, PUSH THE CLUTCH IN. Nothing bad will happen as long as the clutch is pressed in. If the car seems like it is going to stall (lots of shaking, bucking), push the clutch in. Also, push the clutch in when coming to a stop. Engrave this rule into you mind, and you will never stall when in doubt of what to do. Now here is the best way to learn from scratch. 1. Go to a large, empty, deserted area like a parking lot…
Road test experience. Submitted by an anonymous driver I've been reading this blog for a few weeks now and I think it's time to give back to the community with my experience of doing my class 5 test. Location: North Vancouver Class 5 Result: Passed! I arrived about 10 minutes before my test and was registered at the counter by the lady who would be my examiner. Have your license plate memorized to write it down. I was told to sit down then a few minutes later she picked me up and we officially started the test at 2pm. As we were walking to the car she told me her expectations and that the first and last few minutes are the hardest. Once at the car, the examiner will ask you to…
Tips For Safe Driving When Everyone Is Speeding & Following Too Closely Comment: I try to be a conscientious driver and follow the rules of the road. I am the type of person that would drive at the speed limit. If I were to accidentally go over the limit, I would bring my speed back down as soon as I can. I'm looking for some tips for safe driving when everyone is speeding. Not only that, I try to be courteous (and sometimes lawful) by using the right hand lane as much as possible. But even then I still get tailgated a lot. I seem to always be at the "front of the line." Or, as I now see it, I feel like a celebrity as everyone is following behind…
Questions about 4-Way- Stops If 2 vehicles are facing each other and have stopped at the same time, can they go together as they are not bothering anybody? Here's what the ICBC manual says about 4-way stops: four-way stops — when there are stop signs at all corners: • The first vehicle to arrive at the intersection and come to a complete stop should go first. • If two vehicles arrive at the same time, the one on the right should go first. • If two vehicles are facing each other and have arrived at the intersection at about the same time, the one making a left turn should yield to the one going straight through. Ok this doesn't help answer our question at all, but there it is anyway. (Hence, this website?) In my…
This post was inspired by this traffic light in Vancouver on Victoria Drive & 37th When you see something is wrong, you can call the city (when you are parked) and tell them so they can fix it. City of Vancouver Call 311 Boundary Road Traffic Signal Repair call 604-871-6200 City of Victoria https://www.vicroads.vic.gov.au/traffic-and-road-use/report-a-road-issue City of Burnaby To report a traffic signal in need of repair, or if you want to make an inquiry you can contact us during regular office hours (8:00 AM to 4:45 PM, Monday to Friday) 604-294-7460 or by email at engineering@burnaby.ca. For emergencies outside of office hours please call Engineering Emergency Dispatch at 604-294-7200. City of Coquitlam If you spot any problems with a traffic signal, it should be reported right away to Engineering Customer Service at 604-927-3500. Problems include lights…
This post was inspired by this traffic light in Vancouver on Victoria Drive & 37th When you see something is wrong, don't just keep driving. Call the city (when you are parked) and tell them so they can fix it. City of Vancouver Call 311 Boundary Road Traffic Signal Repair call 604-871-6200 City of Burnaby To report a traffic signal in need of repair, or if you want to make an inquiry you can contact us during regular office hours (8:00 AM to 4:45 PM, Monday to Friday) 604-294-7460 or by email at engineering@burnaby.ca. For emergencies outside of office hours please call Engineering Emergency Dispatch at 604-294-7200. City of Coquitlam If you spot any problems with a traffic signal, it should be reported right away to Engineering Customer Service at 604-927-3500.…
Do not pass on the right to turn right, Accept your sometimes-given right to pass on the right! Hi, I had 2 quick questions. 1. At an intersection where it's only 1 lane each way, theres is often room to create 2 lanes, so the right lane can turn right. I do this purely out of convenience but I assume is in fact illegal, right? 2. I have a bad habit of resting my hands on my lap at a red light at an intersection. Would I fail if I did this, because even though I'm not moving, my hands aren't on the wheel at all times? Technically it's illegal to pass on the right unless the car in front is turning left, as per the law here: Passing on…
Left turn traffic light procedure for motorcycles Question: I took my motorcycle road test yesterday and passed. But I got called out on how I was performing left turns. My riding school drilled into us to not enter the intersection until we were sure we could proceed immediately through the turn...not to enter and wait like a car does. This is because of the vulnerable nature of motorbikes to getting hit by cross traffic and not seeing you there. In the test, I stopped at the line and waited for a gap in the oncoming (heavy) traffic but none ever appeared, even had a steady line of cars coming through the late yellow...had to wait through a second light cycle before I felt it was safe. . My tester told…
Q: I just failed my N road test because my instructor said I was not going the speed limit of 50km/h. I was maintaining speed of 45-48 on city roads because it was rush hour and there was alot of traffic. He also said I got a violation for being in an intersection on a red light. I was turning left so I entered the intersection on a green and waited for a good sized gap to turn but there were lots of cars turning right so I had to wait for them to merge as it was a single lane road I was turning on to. As I was waiting the light turned red and cars were still turning right so I was stuck until I had room to merge. I thought I am legally allowed to finish…
