There was the time Darrin Ramey spotted a man drinking tea behind the wheel.

No, not the steeped tea from Tim HortonB次元官网网址檚, all neatly packaged for your driving pleasure in a handy-dandy spill-proof cup.

WeB次元官网网址檙e talking a Royal Albert cup-and-saucer pinkie-extended-while-making-Queen-Liz-proud hot cuppa B次元官网网址� with all the spillage hazards that implies B次元官网网址� as the guy drove through the busy streets of North Vancouver.

Of course that wasnB次元官网网址檛 quite as gobsmacking as the fellow he once saw negotiating urban intersections while plunging his knife and fork into a heaping plateful of mammaB次元官网网址檚 best spaghetti and meatballs.

Drivers, you do some dumb things out there on the road and nearly all of them involve thinking that steering a 3,000-pound clump of chrome and steel at 100 kilometres an hour somehow doesnB次元官网网址檛 deserve your full attention.

Ramey, an RCMP sergeant and commanding officer of the Central Island Highway Patrol can chuckle at the funny stories along with the rest us, but he still issues a pointed reminder that bad driving is not a laughing matter.

B次元官网网址淒riving is one of the most dangerous things people do,B次元官网网址� Ramey said. B次元官网网址淎ny time youB次元官网网址檙e doing anything other than not concentrating on driving B次元官网网址� at some point youB次元官网网址檝e got to draw a line.B次元官网网址�

Nearly 35,000 crashes were on Vancouver Island in 2013.

In three of those crashes someone died because someone was driving too fast for conditions. Another 19 people were killed due to high-risk behaviour such as following too close or failing to yield. Ten more died because of distracted driving and 13 more from speeding.

B次元官网网址淢ost drivers are good drivers. Most of the time we see good behaviour,B次元官网网址� Ramey said. B次元官网网址淏ad drivers are the ones who cause the mayhem. If youB次元官网网址檝e ever been to a scene where there are people in pain, you want to do something.B次元官网网址�

ICBC and the RCMP continue to focus their awareness programs on the unholy trio of risky driving behaviours: speeding, texting, and driving while impaired.

But there are that get made on a frequent basis.

Two of the things that pop up regularly include passing on the shoulder to the right of someone making a left-hand turn, and stopping to wave a jaywalker through. In the latter instance, Ramey said you may think you are just being courteous, but youB次元官网网址檙e not.

B次元官网网址淲hen you start breaking the rules and other people are following the rules, thatB次元官网网址檚 when things collide.B次元官网网址�

Another common failing is that not nearly enough people consistently use their signal lights, or shoulder check while changing lanes. In all the above cases, you are creating or dealing with blind spots.

B次元官网网址淎lways be looking out for another road users,B次元官网网址� ICBC road safety co-ordinator Colleen Woodger said. B次元官网网址淭hey are extremely vulnerable.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淚 ride motorcycles and that makes me a much better car driver,B次元官网网址� Ramey said. B次元官网网址淓ven if you are in the right, you are going to lose every single argument.B次元官网网址�

Eating behind the wheel is not an offence, although extremes like the plate of spaghetti could get you a ticket for driving without due care and attention, a catch-all category for many poor habits.

Woodger suggests drivers should put distractions like cell phones out of reach so they arenB次元官网网址檛 tempted. Frequently B次元官网网址渙ne quick lookB次元官网网址� can turn into several.

B次元官网网址淭hey think B次元官网网址業B次元官网网址檓 kinda expecting this textB次元官网网址� and they look down,B次元官网网址� said Ramey. B次元官网网址淵ou can travel a long distance in three seconds.B次元官网网址�

Finally, Woodger said donB次元官网网址檛 forget to leave early.

B次元官网网址淥ur biggest message is to slow down and give yourself enough travel time,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淒riving takes your full attention.B次元官网网址�

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