I think it was a physics teacher of mine that gave me a new way of thinking about traffic laws.
He was talking about how a law of physics differs from a law in the legal system. He compared human laws to laws of physics, saying that driving through a red light was against the law, though there was nothing physically stopping people from doing it. It was a mutually agreed upon set of social conventions that keep us safe, and essentially act as the basis of society. He compared that to a law of physics 鈥� gravity 鈥� by saying that no matter what, gravity would attract two masses together, no matter how those two masses felt about it.
The goal of the lesson was to explain a scientific concept, but it had the bonus effect of putting our legal system into perspective, particularly around traffic. The traffic rules we have are entirely rules that we as a society have agreed upon to keep everyone involved safe. There is literally nothing preventing a truck from driving on the sidewalk or into a building, but for the most part we don't do those things because they put other people in harm's way. We protect the most vulnerable people by behaving reasonably and following a set of rules. People who don't follow these laws are unpredictable, and therefore dangerous, particularly when it comes to cars.
Another lesson: when I was learning how to drive, my mom told me that I was sitting in a 3,000 lb bullet, and that if I messed up, I would very likely kill someone. That stuck in my mind as well, probably a lot more than I realize.
So all that to say, the roads we all use every day are used by many different kinds of people. We are going into summer, and there are more and more people on bikes on the roads. This seems like the perfect time to remind folks how people and bikes and people in cars can interact so that everyone gets to where they're going safely.
Just this week, crews are putting the finishing touches on new bike lanes along Cumberland Road from Grieve Avenue to Fitzgerald Avenue. The lanes include stretches that are painted green. According to the Government of B.C., "bike boxes help prevent collisions between bicycles and motorists at intersections. Drivers must stop behind bike boxes at intersections, leaving the space available for cyclists."
That means that unless you're driving through the box and continuing on your way (i.e. the light is green and there are no people on bikes in front of you), that space is set aside for people on bikes.
Courtenay is also home to a growing network of separated bike lanes. While these are great for both people on bikes and people in cars, they are also a little different when it comes to intersections. At these intersections, people on bikes have the right of way, just like they would if they were walking. The stop sign does not apply to people on bikes in the same way that it does for people in cars. Most of the time, if not all of the time, these intersections will be marked with signage showing the rule.
Another relatively new change to B.C. road law is that there is now a bigger minimum passing distance for people in cars passing people on bikes. Though this came into force in April, 2024, it's worth mentioning again.
"Cyclists and other vulnerable road users will have added protection under the law with new safe passing distance rules for drivers," a provincial press release from last year says. "The changes establish a new minimum distance of one metre that drivers must maintain when passing cyclists and other vulnerable road users. That distance increases to 1.5 meters on highways with a posted speed limit above 50 km/h."
If a person in a car can't pass with that minimum distance, they must wait until there is a gap in oncoming traffic in order to provide the proper amount of space.
Also while I'm at it, I want to give a friendly reminder to my fellow people on bikes. Travel in bike lanes is the same direction as the traffic. That means you ride on the right side of the road.
It would seem that there's a bit of blending of the rules when it comes to people on bikes. In some instances, they're treated like pedestrians, and some they're treated like people in cars. To be honest, it's because they're a little bit of both, and at the same time neither. Riding a bike has its own challenges and benefits, and the rules that we've agreed on as a society are intended to make sure everyone has the easiest time getting from point A to point B. Whether or not they're successful or they promote one form of transportation over the other are up for debate, and I've made my position quite clear here.
Anyway, there are a lot of people on bikes these days. I think that's amazing, but some times we all need a reminder on how this system we've created works. That way we can all be safe using it.
