north shore news o AU TO Sending the wrong signals signals es AHHH signals. A won- derful way of communi- cating with others, espe- cially when driving. Ironically, even the best intentions can have an ill effect; sometimes a signal can be a bad thing. ' Slapping en a turn-signal, - or pheaker” before cnecating a given driving manoeuvre is such a rudimentary driving skil) tha it seems silly to prat- de on about the boneheads -- who don’t. Let’s face it, some drivers lack communication skills and hey, it’s not a perfect warld. There is, however, some- thing very prattle-worthy about communicating by not communicating or, more accu- rately, the intentional LACK of signals. There are several streets on the North Shore which while appropriately designed to aid the safe and efticient flow of traffic, also manage to trick many drivers into misinform- ing others. I’m talking about roadways which sometimes mushroom into multi-laned roadways. You've all encountered it: You're driving, along in a lane when suddenly the road opens up and more janes appear — sometimes a left or nght rurn pocket, sometimes just another lane of travel. Perhaps the grandest exam- ples of road swellage (such technical terminology, Shaun) occur westbound along NEWS photo Terry Peters ONE of the more frequent roads on the North Shore where drivers fail to signal their intentions is Marine Drive between Garden Avenue in North Vancouver (above) and Taylor Way in West Vancouver. Marine Drive before Capilano Road and alsobefore Taylor Way, As often as not drivers assume that they must signal a lane change when picking one of these new lanes. They're wrong, Section 155 of the mighty Motor Vehicle Act describes a “laned roadway"- a lane with a broken line beside ir — and tells us that a driver who is dri- ving a vehicle “(a) shall not drive it from one lane to another... unless he has ascer- tained that the movement can be made with safety...” and, more to the point, “(c) shail not drive it (the vehicle} from one lane to another without first signalling his intention, to do so.. Point in fact, the act specif- ically tells us to signal a safe lane-change over a dotted line but omits what we commonly and unofficially refer to as a “ane selection.” Drivers can “select” a new lane that becomes available to them — when the road swells and a new Jane appears — without slapping on a signal. If we move into a lane but do not cross a dotted line, we're not required to signal. Sounds odd, doesn’t it? The mighty Act, chock full of must-do-this/can't-do-that laws skips this scenario alto- gether. You see, signalling is a way of communicating one’s intentions. That is, net what one is doing but what one is about to do, If we were required to signal a “lane selection” we might also unin- tentionally signal a turn. Need more specifics? Fine (or finally). The North Vancouver intersection of Marine Drive and McGuire Avenue is one spot which irked me for a long time. It wasn't until I was tained in the nuances of the Motor Vehicle Act that proper procedure became apparent. You see, when I travel west along Marine Drive a new lane appears on my left just before McGuire which is designed to accommodate people who wish to turn left on to Capilano Road (where the lane splits again for a left-turn pocket), or for those whe wish to trave! on into West Van rather than go over the Lions Gate Bridge. For a brief stretch, there is no dotted line. Whar I often encounter is a vehicle with an inappropriate left-turn signal flashing which Lincorrectly assume to mean that the driver is going to turn onto McGuire and down past the Incernational Plaza. If I mean to carry through to West Van Tam foiled by this driver for he does not turn off. Fine, 1 drive parallel to this fellow and Pye got another block- and-a-haif'to make the lane change and I’m pretty good at those. However, if traffic is thick or if P's an inept lane- changer, ] might cause prob- lems. So it’s come to the point where E no longer assume that turn signals indicate turning and lane changing, but lane selection as well. Now ?’'m foiled by the driver who really is turning onto McGuire and as I ruck in behind him or her 1997 Quest XE T must wait while he or she vields to oncoming traffic. Were I not such a patient fellow I might cause problems by lurching around this vehicle which did everything right. When you come right down to it, Fam thrice foiled because [ still encounter bone- heads who don’t signat any- thing, anywhere. A wrong turn signal not only adversely affects the persons behind you, but those approaching you and those perpendicular to you. You’re surrounded by nosy people w! ho want to know what you're doing and where you're going. What’s a patient, adept dri- ver we do? Vell, write a column about it lor one thing. Try to explain thar signalling is a way of com- municating one’s intentions, that, knowing this, wouldn't it be nice if everyone considered how a signal — or lack of one — is affecting, those around us; that accurately communicating is the first and best way to be safe. ( JaAvLORMOTIVE™ TUNE-UP SPECIALISTS. SERVICE LT CA. A. Gov. Certified #50222 | AirCare - A.R.A. - APPROVED | TUNE-UPS ~ FUEL SYSTEMS - ELECTRICAL eiow races GUR 39TH YEAR ue} 76 PEMBERTON AVE. 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