Beach Avenue traffic problems
Dear Editor;
Summer is with us again. The town that we once knew is turned into a resort. No one obeys the the traffic laws. Pedestrians expect vehicles to stop on a dime and that is if they use a designated crossing. Cyclists ride on sidewalks and Centennial Way.
When on the road, signals of their intentions are not on their minds, plus, no helmets, the law in B.C. which also applies to Beach Avenue.
After weeks of pursuing municipal authorities last June, the ‘Single lane for bikes and vehicle’ sign was changed to a sign with converging lines and a vehicle following a bike. No change from earlier instructions.
The law states that when overtaking a cyclist one leaves a space of three feet. Fair enough. The existing signage instructs one to follow a cycle using single file. What does this council want ?
According to a police officer that stopped me for crossing the solid yellow line on Beach Avenue, vehicles do not cross the center solid line. I received a warning. Take note. The law is on their side. Therefore if cycles or these trikes hinder vehicle movement, you must not overtake and cross the center line. The law also states that slow traffic will not impede the flow.
And even more important now that the traffic pattern has changed on Hwy. 97 and 13th Street, traffic eventually gets on to Beach, which is a main town artery.
Unless council decides to close Beach for local traffic only and divert traffic to the south Beach entrance, this situation will once again drive locals to shop elsewhere.
Driving from Princeton to Beach, to park at the stores plus museum, one has to, by law, enter the alleyway and come back to angle park. Certainly no thought on the part of local officials. I am sure the attitude is, it will work out. With an insurance claim.
Mick Read
Peachland
- Excited
- Informed
- Amused
- Bored
- Sad
- Angry
The situation on Beach Ave. Will not disappear unless Council stop playing around, Mr. Schierbeck thinks 30Kpm is going to stop accidents. Well, at 30kpm it takes a vehicle roughly 40 feet to stop. That includes reaction time before you apply the brake. Children as well as adults jump out between parked cars, rarely use the expensive Crosswalks. If they do, you are expected to stop on a ‘dime’. Many of us locals enjoy the Avenue trip. I can put-up with the speed limit but not the hazards that present themselves.The Police catch the so-called speeders etc. What about Jay-walkers. No Helmet riders.They look for seatbelts and other vehicle infractions.
Frankly I do not care. You are wasting your breath and writings. It will never be solved as long as Council make decisions without looking at possible affects down the road. And that is certainly a common situation that arises.
Well l Dave you can do what you like. Read BC Traffic Act 151 Driving on laned roadway. I was stopped by a motorcycle officer at 9am.monday. 25th. June. Of course many of us have executed this move dozens of times providing it is safe to do so. He was Not obnoxious by any means. Just informing. You can cross a Broken line. Good luck.
In Quebec one is allowed to cross the solid lane when overtaking a bike, a farm vehicule, or animal motorised one. But we can’t turn left on a red light if engaging in a one way. You can.
The same law says you can’t do reverse on a public road, when entering or leaving it… but to get off the driveway, one must do it loll. Funny how laws contredict themselves.
DP.. A single broken centre line solves part of the problem. Drivers as soon as they leave their cars and become bikers and pedestrians forget the rules..
I believe it is perfectly legal to pass a vehicle (whether motorized or not) on a single yellow line.
In reply, I am of course of the opinion that many will find that parking in the Drugstore area is no problem at all. My main concern has been Councils playing around with the Highway Code on Beach Avenue.and the lack of Invalid parking at the Drugstore/ Doctors office. You have to admit that there are Elderly and others that cannot park at some distance and walk to these premises. On top of that Mr. Bell I bet you would enter Beach Ave. South. Observe an angle parking spot on your left, cross the solid yellow line and park. I and many have done this for years when it was safe to do so.. That is illegal. Even to pass a cycle leaving 3 feet clearance one has to cross that line. Yes, you might get behind a 3 wheeled bike that ambles along. You cannot overtake it. Yet the law also states that one cannot impede traffic. The Highway Traffic Act applies to Highways and Main Roads which Beach Avenue is one. I guess one can obey the Speed limit. But Beach has become a free for all and is waiting for an accident to happen. One solution is to change to Solid line to a staggered line. One can cross that if safe to do so. Enough said.
We don t use Beach Ave anymore when we go to the business section of town, we stay on the hiway and enter from the Princeton Avenue turnoff. It just makes getting into town easier, and it s not a problem to do so. We have a small area which comprises the business district, and with that comes limited parking opportunities at times. We go to town daily, and have seldom had any problems parking. If it s necessary to turn around in the alley to angle park that s not a big problem either. Guess we can t have everything eh?
I suggest changing the center line to one that allows cross-overs, and allows you to overtake an obstructing or pokey vehicle, like a bicycle rented by gauzy tourists.
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our little tourist-trap, gives me a great pain in the head!
Thanks for the info!