People who dont know how to drive?

[Cindypink]

I am so sick and tired of the crappy drivers in Kelowna --I have lived here almost all of my life and this past 2 years has been terrible and this year in particular.
I work down Ellis at one end and live at the other end of the same street. I have absolutely no problems getting to work in the morning but after work at 430 and on it is a huge problem and the biggest problem out there is people who think it is a good idea to sit in the middle of the intersection and yes I mean the middle of the intersection and wait hoping the the traffic will get through the light. Ellis and The hwy is the worst intersection for this (and Richter and the hwy is almost as bad)--it usually takes about 30 min to get across the highway and that is for the same ride that takes me 5-10 min tops in the morning.
I have watched buses sit for 5 to 7 lights in the afternoon and then we wonder why the buses are always late. And that is in town. Poor people who have to come in from the westside.
But Seriously Folks lets start waiting on one side of the street instead of in the middle of the intersection so no one can go anywhere.
I am sure that I have a few fellow castaneters that would agree.
And if we cant get people to drive properly then we need the police out there ticketing people for sitting in the intersection instead of giving out bogus tickets out by Oyama. But that is a whole other subject.

[Triple 6]

Moved to grab bag! Thanks - Trip

[Ramunn]

Very frustrating. I believe the law is you can not enter a intersection unless you can exit it before the lights change, think about it it's just like running a red light .

[gardengirl]

Very frustrating. I believe the law is you can not enter a intersection unless you can exit it before the lights change, think about it it's just like running a red light .

That doesn't sound right to me. I believe that you are allowed to enter the intersection as long as the light is green. If you are turning left, it is pretty much impossible if you have not entered the intersection. If you are sitting behind the stop line, hoping that you have enough time, it is unlikely that you will get there.

If the cars coming in the opposite direction get the amber light, they are supposed to slow down, not speed up. That would give you enough time to negotiate the turn before the light turns red.

Now, if you are blocking the intersection, that is another thing. It could be what the original poster is talking about. When the traffic is very heavy, you are supposed to leave a space to let cars go through onto cross streets. If the traffic is moving fairly well, it's not a problem. It is when the traffic is crawling along that people will move into the intersection, but get stuck in it as the traffic stops.

[fluffy]

I believe Ramunn is on the right track, but the actual law is even more restrictive. It is illegal to enter an intersection if there is not enough room for you to exit once through, even if you have the green light. This is pretty much the case all over Canada and the US. Creeping into an intersection in order to make a left turn once the lights have changed has become an accepted practice because, like GG says, without this tactic your chances of making a left turn are pretty dismal at some intersections, but it is still technically against the law.

[katykat]

Pretty sure the OP is talking about drivers blocking the intersections as traffic crawls south on Harvey Ave/Hwy 97, trying to get onto the bridge. It is a major problem at Ellis and Pandosy (cross streets). Major.

And what I see sort of makes sense from the point of view of the drivers doing the blocking. If they hold back to leave the intersection clear, traffic flowing on from right turns (from Ellis or Pandosy, onto Harvey) keeps the lane full and there will never be a chance to advance. Law abiding folks would sit there, on Harvey, until the cows come home.

So we get gridlock.

- Katy