Depending on where you are reading this column in British Columbia, the autumn frosts are either already here, or will be here shortly. This means that it is now time to be aware of the lazy driver who can't or won't scrape their windows and pulls onto the highway before the defrosters have had a chance to clear more than a small patch low on the windshield.
Kristian Thanas was riding his bicycle southbound in a marked cycling lane on Burrard Street in Vancouver. He noticed a car driven by Joseph Long traveling alongside him with it's right turn signal on as they approached the intersection of Pacific Avenue. Mr. Thanas thought that Mr. Long had neglected to cancel his signal as a right turn at the intersection was not permitted.
One of the most common motorcycle crashes occurs when another road user moves into the path of the oncoming rider. These collisions are often called Look But Fail to See (LBFTS) or Sorry Mate, I Didn't See You (SMIDSY). Recent research suggests that the failure to yield could also be resulting from a memory deficit or Saw But Forgot errors.
This case involves a Shaw Cablesystems van driven by Mauricio Batin and a motorized wheelchair driven by Najafholi Nikkhah at the intersection of Queens Avenue and 8th Street in New Westminster. Mr. Batin was driving along Queens Avenue to make a right turn at 8th Steet and Mr. Nikkhah was using the marked crosswalk on 8th Avenue to cross Queens Avenue. Mr. Batin did not see Mr. Nikkhah and a collision resulted.
Question: Why is there such a discrepancy in price for a medical exam for people turning 80 years old? My doctor quoted $80 before he retired and when I went to a walk in clinic to get the test recently it was $200. That seems quite unfair to me.
Over the 11 years ending in 2017 an average of about 5,762 wildlife collisions were noted in the Wildlife Accident Reporting System each year. The data is provided by BC's road maintenance contractors. I suspect that this number is not the entire picture as some animals are able to struggle away from the collision scene and die unnoticed. One estimate places this number at 12,000 annually.
Here is an interesting document from our friends Down Under at the Monash University Accident Research Centre (MUARC): Understanding Pedestrian Crashes in Victoria. Chances are good that the information presented is equally applicable here in British Columbia.
This case arises from a two vehicle collision that occurred at the intersection of 200 Street and 62 Avenue in Surrey. It involves a car driven southbound on 200 Street, turning left onto 62 Avenue and a car driven northbound on 200 Street in the right hand or curb lane. Traffic in the left and middle lanes of 200 Street northbound was at a standstill due to congestion.
Technology is a wonderful thing. Those of us whose mobility is restricted have had their capabilities enhanced through the use of motorized wheelchairs. A number of readers have observed that the operators of these scooters seem to drive them wherever they please and are concerned for safety. What rules do their operators have to follow?
Our provincial government has brought the majority of the Zero-Emission Vehicles Act into force effective on July 30, 2020. The aim of the act is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by regulating the sale of zero-emission vehicles. Starting in 2025, at least 10% of new light duty vehicles sold in BC must be zero emission.