7141 replies to this topic

[VicHockeyFan]

At a wide single lane like that where I am at a stop sign and proceeding straight, I will usually position my car so that nobody can squeeze by on the right. Eliminates confusion on right of way, etc...

It's a four-way stop. No one is supposed to be sailing through.

[sebberry]

It's a four-way stop. No one is supposed to be sailing through.

"supposed to be"

[CharlieFoxtrot]

"...when two cars try to make a wide single lane into a straight and right turn lane..."

Shouldn't be an issue once the city gets around to Phase 3 of the Vic West Transportation plan...

(see page 44-45)

I especially enjoy the roundabout further down Catherine at Bay. I'm honestly surprised that there aren't more accidents at that "intersection".

[martini]

Impaired driver passes out after crash
http://www.timescolo...4933/story.html
Times Colonist February 7, 2010 7:02 PM

Victoria police say a driver was so drunk he bounced off a parked car,smashed into a tree and ended up on someone’s front lawn early Sunday morning — and then passed out.

Police got a call from the homeowners at 1452 Begbie St. around 1:15 a.m. who said a pickup truck had crashed into another pickup parked on the street, uprooted a large tree and then wound up in their front lawn.

“When we got there, the guy was actually passed out because he was so drunk,” said Sgt. Darren Laur.

The man was taken to hospital, where he refused to give a breath sample.

His pickup and the vehicle he hit were so damaged that they had to be towed from the scene.

The man is charged with impaired driving and refusal to provide a breath sample.
© Copyright © The Victoria Times Colonist

[martini]

Gorge Rd closed at Jutland. Suspicious device. West Coast Appliance etc. cannot re-enter until determined what it is. Found in-between that building and the apartments. Yellow tape and police road block.

[Holden West]

Now what the hell's going on?!

Clover Point is now being evacuated. Gorge Road is now open and residents are allowed to return home.

25 minutes ago from txt

http://twitter.com/vicpdcanada

[martini]

Now what the hell's going on?!

http://twitter.com/vicpdcanada

Police are detonating the device found on Gorge Rd. earlier.

[VicHockeyFan]

Police are detonating the device found on Gorge Rd. earlier.

I don't know, is this a stupid question, by why Clover Point? Do we have some kind of bunker there? Or is it so they can sweep the debris into the drain, and it goes immediately out to sea? Wouldn't some place like Work Point or Albert Head, on the base, be a safe place? I'm very curious.

[Bingo]

It does seem absurd. What if it goes off while transporting it from Gorge Road to Clover Point?

[martini]

None of this makes any sense.
Unless this is somehow to justify displacing marginalized tenants, costing West Coast Appliance a day's business and wages, plus the expense of hauling the squad over from Vancouver.
Then post a cryptic twitter and leave the public in the dark.
I haven't seen any update anywhere, and the only reason I know this is because I called the CFAX news line and asked.

[martini]

Now it makes sense:
Apartment evacuated after pipe bomb found
By Judith Lavoie and Katie Derosa, Times Colonist February 14, 2010
http://www.timescolo...2908/story.html

The RCMP Explosives Unit from Vancouver was called in and used a water cannon to try and destroy the bomb. "But that was not strong enough to disable it," said Victoria police Sgt. Byron Edwards. The bomb squad evacuated Clover Point around 8 p.m. and was planning to use a small explosive charge to destroy it.

I don't know what time it was found and people evacuated, but I'm sure it must have been at least an 8 hour ordeal.

[AnonAnnie2]

SAANICH POLICE THANKFUL NO ACCIDENTS CAUSED BY MAN DRIVING WRONG WAY ON PAT BAY

from C-Fax 1070 News

[Mike K.]

CAMPBELL SAYS THE DRIVER HAD BECOME CONFUSED WHILE EN ROUTE TO A FRIENDS FUNERAL IN THE AREA

HE SAYS THE MAN HAD NO PREVIOUS DRIVING INFRACTIONS AND CHARGES ARE NOT BEING RECOMMENDED AT THIS TIME---HOWEVER A DRIVERS RE-EXAMINATION WAS REQUESTED AND SUBMITTED TO THE SUPERINTENDANT OF MOTOR VEHICLES

Not to be funny, but imagine the irony if this guy killed himself or someone else while en route to a funeral.

I'm glad to see that the driver will be examined for his driving skills. There should be a mandatory annual examination for drivers over the age of 70, but I digress.

[VicHockeyFan]

Not to be funny, but imagine the irony if this guy killed himself or someone else while en route to a funeral.

I'm glad to see that the driver will be examined for his driving skills. There should be a mandatory annual examination for drivers over the age of 70, but I digress.

Why is there no charges (ticket)? If you are driving the wrong way on a road, you have done something wrong. There is no excuse for not issuing a violation ticket, even if the guy is 107.

[martini]

^I agree VHF. I don't understand not being charged.

^^Mike I agree with you, but I think 80 should be the mandatory cut off. Seems any incident I've heard of involved a driver over 80. I just can't see by that age how you can be as cognitive. I'm not trying to be disrespectful.

[Mike K.]

I've been in two motor vehicle accidents, both caused by a drivers in their early 70's. Several nights ago I was in a near miss accident when an elderly driver ran a red light. I suppose I'm biased and find that I have little sympathy for drivers who are behind the wheel at an age when they shouldn't be.

As for when to start testing, I really think that testing should be eased in when drivers are more cognitive (start with bi-annual testing at age 66, step it up to annual at age 70) so its not as much of a shock. And that additional 15 years of testing could be used to educate elderly drivers on when to turn in their keys and materials should be provided to family members that can help them assess their parent's driving abilities (like noticing little dents and scratches on bumpers, signs of inability to park properly or maneuver into or out of tight spaces, etc).

The driver in this instance poses a threat. He drove down the wrong side of a busy highway. Enough said, and as mentioned above, he should be ticketed for failing to abide by the rules of the road. Period.

[davek]

Aren't the elderly a powerful voting block? So long as that's the case, no politician is going to risk alienating them by threatening to take them off public roads.

Of course, if the roads were privately owned, and it was profits on the line instead of votes, the incentive to remove unsafe drivers would be much greater.

[Mike K.]

Politicians are already well experienced with the art of busing the elderly to the polls, so really all they'd have to do is step things up a bit

But seriously, why does this even have to be a political objective? ICBC should be able to enforce this like they enforce new driver testing and licensing. Elderly drivers do not receive insurance unless they are tested. End of story.

[Holden West]

The topic of senior driving accidents must be addressed in order to preserve our remaining stock of Dodge Darts and Chrysler Le Barons.

[sebberry]

The topic of senior driving accidents must be addressed in order to preserve our remaining stock of Dodge Darts and Chrysler Le Barons.

I've been saving up for one of those, they're not all gone are they?

I think ALL drivers should be road tested every 5-10 years, but that's just me.