Winter Cycling

Winter CyclingWhat are the rights and obligations of cyclists and motorists if the cyclist should choose to ride on the highway under snowy winter conditions? Uncleared pathways and cycling routes were forcing cyclists to choose to ride on the plowed streets of one Vancouver Island municipality resulting in a number of inquiries at city hall. Should cyclists be using the streets in winter time?

Q&A - Are Parking Boots Legal in BC?

no parking signHello, I don't know if this is the correct place to find this out, or perhaps you could suggest where I could turn, but are parking boots legal in BC? I work for a BC college and we are constantly battling improper parking and as a small campus we do not charge for parking and thus have no enforcement. A suggestion was to buy and start using a parking boot for cars parked illegally or in an unsafe manner.

Hurry Up and Wait

image of following too closelyOccasionally I look at a driver around me in traffic and ask myself "what can they be thinking?" Today I wondered if the driver behind me was thinking at all! Road conditions could be described as typical BC winter driving, but this guy was so close that I couldn't see snow between the rear of my vehicle and the front of his.

CASE LAW - R v Mahovlich

BC Courts Coat of ArmsMark Clayton Mahovlich needed some ID because his driver's licence had been cancelled. He applied for a BCID using his brother's Care Card and birth certificate, neither of which carries a photo. Mark has a history of identifying himself as his brother and has caused significant problems for the brother by doing this.

Left Foot Braking

Left Foot BrakingI am occasionally asked about using the left foot for braking instead of the right foot. The usual justification given for this is that the brakes may be applied more quickly because the left foot is ready while the right foot is busy with the accelerator pedal. While there are different schools of thought on whether this is appropriate for highway driving it may not be a good idea for the average driver.

VIDEO - Julie Knew Her Killer

VideoNo one rides in my vehicle unless they are wearing their seatbelt. I've actually investigated a death in a collision like this one. The forces of the rear seat passenger coming forward were enough to tear the front passenger seat out of the floor of the vehicle in addition to causing or contributing to the death of the woman seated in it.