Intersections

35 intersection safety cameras in British Columbia have been upgraded to perform automated speed enforcement in addition to penalizing red light runners. The cameras capture the images and speeds of the fastest vehicles passing through monitored intersections on red, yellow and green lights.

This all started with a simple question from my e-mail: "Are right turn lanes allowed at 4 way stop intersections?" The story evolved as I asked questions to try and understand the situation before answering here. It turns out to involve the intersection of Trail Avenue and Cowrie Street in Sechelt.

Question: I'm looking for your assistance in settling a debate. This depicts the camera vehicle making a left turn in front of a vehicle proceeding straight through the intersection around a left turning vehicle.

Question: I live near a small traffic circle at Peatt and Brock Roads in Langford. What often happens is a large volume of traffic flows south down Peatt Road and proceeds straight through. There can be 10 or 15 cars in a row. Meanwhile, there will be a vehicle on Brock Road waiting for a break in traffic to proceed into the circle.

Oceanside Community Safety is a group of volunteers that want to make a difference. Their Traffic Watch program is an expansion of Speedwatch that now includes Cell Watch and Intersection Watch. Intersection Watch volunteers observe drivers at an intersection to check compliance with traffic laws and remind drivers of their obligations. The data collected is shared with the RCMP, ICBC and the public.

When the drivers stop to give a pedestrian in a crosswalk the right of way, unless there is a compelling reason not to, the pedestrian should take it and proceed. Yesterday I stopped along with the driver to my left to enable a man standing in the middle of 4 lanes of traffic to cross.

Change is good, that is unless the town wants to upgrade intersections with roundabouts rather than installing traffic lights. This is the situation in Qualicum Beach where the town has announced that it intends to rebuild the intersection of highway 19A (Island Highway West) and highway 4 (Memorial Avenue) using a roundabout.

Question: I ride a KLR 650, as well a KTM 450 exec. Both are street legal and have smaller engine displacements. These motorcycles are built with little steel and are mostly aluminum. Neither one of my bikes will force a light change at Leathead and 97 as well as Highway 97 and Sexsmith road intersections in Kelowna.

In a survey dated August 13, 2018 conducted by ResearchCo asked "Do you approve or disapprove of using the following kinds of speed enforcement in British Columbia?"

The Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General has announced that effective at the end of July, 2018 all 140 intersection safety cameras in our province will be operational at all times. The Intersection Camera Safety Program has also increased its staff to review incidents and process additional tickets in a timely manner.