Due To The Extended COVID-19 Public Health Emergency, West Coast Driver Training Will Not Be Offering Driving Lessons Until At Least 14 April 2020

Posted on By Mark Anderson

In compliance with precautionary measures announced under the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency declared by the B.C. government on 17 March 2020, West Coast Driver Training has not been offering lessons since Tuesday, 17 March 2020.

B.C. Premier John Horgan announced that the provincial Public Health Emergency for COVID-19 has been extended for an additional two weeks until 14 April 2020.

West Coast Driver Training will therefore not be offering Driving Lessons until at least 14 April 2020.

But the B.C. Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry has also announced that the COVID-19 emergency is unlikely to end until at least 1 May 2020, so it is quite possible that West Coast Driver Training will not be able to offer any Driving Lessons or Driver Training until at least 1 May 2020.

We regret any inconvenience caused by this and we look forward to resuming lessons for our present clients and with new clients as soon as the present COVID-19 Public health Emergency is over.

Here is Premier John Horgan announcing the extension of the B.C. Public Health Emergency until 14 April 2020:

Here is Br. Bonnie Henry’s news conference on 31 March 2020:

Here are links to some news reports about these COVID-19 Public Health requirements:

Our 2020 Toyota Prius Prime is now available for lessons (photo: West Coast Driver Training)
Our 2020 Toyota Prius Prime (photo: West Coast Driver Training)

To Comply With COVID-19 Precautions, West Coast Driver Training Will Not Be Offering Lessons For The Next Two Weeks

Posted on By Mark Anderson

In compliance with precautionary measures announced under the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency declared by the B.C. government on 17 March 2020, West Coast Driver Training will not be offering lessons during the two week period from Tuesday, 17 March 2020 to Tuesday, 31 March 2020.

As part of these precautionary Public Health measures the Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry and Health Minister Adrian Dix have required the closure of bars and restaurants unless they can provide enough room to allow for “social distancing”, meaning they can keep people six feet away from each other and no more than 50 people gathered at once.

Dr. Bonnie Henry has also stated that people need to keep one to two metres away from each other, describing this as individuals being at arm’s length “fingertip to fingertip” from one another.

Since we obviously cannot comply with this “fingertip to fingertip” distance requirement while giving driving lessons in motor vehicles, we will be complying with these the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency requirements by ceasing driving lessons with clients until Tuesday, 31 March 2020.

We regret any inconvenience caused by this and we look forward to resuming lessons for our present clients and with new clients after 31 March 2020.

Here are links to some news reports about these COVID-19 Public Health requirements”

Our 2020 Toyota Prius Prime is now available for lessons (photo: West Coast Driver Training)
Our 2020 Toyota Prius Prime (photo: West Coast Driver Training)

Would you like to leave a comment or question about anything on this post?

ICBC Has Cancelled All Road Testing Due To COVID-19 Precautions

Posted on By Mark Anderson

We has just frecieved formal notification from ICBC that all Road Testing has been cancelled until further notice due to COVID-19 precautions.

Here is is the statement from ICBC:

Suspension of road testing due to COVID-19 health concern

Based on recommendations from the federal and provincial health authorities, and in an effort to protect customers, employees, and our driver training school partners, ICBC is suspending all road testing due to the ongoing COVID-19 (coronavirus) health concern.

In addition, every customer that visits an ICBC driver licensing office (DLO) will be asked a set of COVID-19 screening questions. If a customer responds “Yes” to any of these questions, or indicates they have travelled outside of Canada within the last 14 days, they’ll be asked to return at a later date. We’ll also be limiting access to our waiting areas at DLOs to ensure appropriate social distancing — instructions and guidance will be provided by DLO employees.

We understand that this decision has a direct impact on you and your customers, and greatly appreciate your understanding. We’ll continue to monitor the situation over the coming few weeks and will be reassessing the suspension of testing on a regular basis with our health authorities.

Please share this information with your staff and encourage them to check for important news and updates on Our update on ​COVID-19 (coronavirus) page on icbc.com.

Ministry of Health self-assessment tool

The Ministry of Health has developed a self-assessment tool to help determine whether someone may need further assessment or testing for COVID-19.

BC COVID-19 Self-Assessment Tool

ServiceBC office, 5785 Duncan Street, where ICBC Road Tests are conducted in Duncan, B.C. (photo by West Coast Driver Training)
ServiceBC office, 5785 Duncan Street, where ICBC Road Tests are conducted in Duncan, B.C. (photo by West Coast Driver Training)

New ICBC Announcement – ICBC Will Be Screening Road Test Examinees For Coronavirus Symptoms

Posted on By Mark Anderson

ICBC has just announced a “Mandatory Questionnaire For Road Test Examinees To Screen For Potential COVID-19 Symptoms”.

We had a student do a Class 3 Road Test today at ServiceBC in Duncan and he was not screened for COVID-19 symptoms. But anyone going for a Road Test should be prepared to be scrfeened for Coronavirus symptoms.

Here is the ICBC announcement:

“Mandatory questionnaire for examinees to screen for potential COVID-19 symptoms

ICBC is taking additional measures to protect our driver examiners where a road test examinee may have travelled to a high risk country or is presenting symptoms known to be associated with the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic.

Effective immediately, every examinee coming in for a road test will be asked about their recent travel destinations and asked some medical related questions.

After completing the questionnaire, an examinee will be advised if they can continue with their road test or be rescheduled. A minimum waiting period of 14 days will be required for a rescheduled road test.

Until further notice, a driver may cancel their road test within 48 hours of their test — and won’t be charged a Late Cancellation Fee — if their reasons are directly related to ICBC’s screening questions about COVID-19.

To help prevent the spread of COVID-19, continue to take appropriate steps to maintain clean driver training facilities and vehicles, and to remind students of proper hygiene practices.

External resources:

·        ​World Health Organization: About Coronavirus

·         World Health Organization: Advice for the public

·         Government of Canada: FAQ

·         Government of Canada: Travel advice and advisories

·         BC Centre of Disease Control: BC update

Please share this information with your staff and encourage them to check for important news and updates on our driver training web site dtcbc.com.”

ServiceBC office, 5785 Duncan Street, where ICBC Road Tests are conducted in Duncan, B.C. (photo by West Coast Driver Training)
ServiceBC office, 5785 Duncan Street, where ICBC Road Tests are conducted in Duncan, B.C. (photo by West Coast Driver Training)

Would you like to leave a comment or question about anything on this post?

We Have Added A New 2020 Toyota Prius Prime To Our Training Fleet

Posted on By Mark Anderson

In October 2019 we added a new 2020 Toyota Prius Prime to our training fleet. With the 2020 Prius Prime and our 2018 Toyota Corolla, we can now offer driver training on on all current automobile technologies: gas, hybrid and electric.

Our 2020 Toyota Prius Prime is now available for lessons (photo: West Coast Driver Training)
Our 2020 Toyota Prius Prime is now available for lessons (photo: West Coast Driver Training)

To book Class 4 Restricted, Class 5 or Class 7 driving lessons with West Coast Driver Training, please Contact Us by phone or text at (250)732-8093 or by email at mark@WestCoastDriverTraining.com.

Would you like to leave a comment or question about anything on this post?

 

1940 Advertisement For Plymouth, By Begg Motor Company, Government Street, Duncan

Posted on By Mark Anderson
Historic Automotive Advertisements – 1940-1949

We came across this 1940 advertisement for Plymouth, place by the Begg Motor Company, which had dealerships in Victoria and Duncan.

1940 advertisement for Plymouth, sold by Begg Motor Company, 865 Yates Street, Victoria and on Government Street in Duncan.
1940 advertisement for Plymouth, sold by Begg Motor Company, 865 Yates Street, Victoria and on Government Street in Duncan.

Continue reading 1940 Advertisement For Plymouth, By Begg Motor Company, Government Street, Duncan

1940 Advertisement For Dodge, By Begg Motor Company, Government Street, Duncan

Posted on By Mark Anderson
Historic Automotive Advertisements – 1940-1949

We came across this 1940 advertisement for Dodge, place by the Begg Motor Company, which had dealerships in Victoria and Duncan.

1940 advertisement for Dodge, sold by Begg Motor Company, 865 Yates Street, Victoria and on Government Street in Duncan.
1940 advertisement for Dodge, sold by Begg Motor Company, 865 Yates Street, Victoria and on Government Street in Duncan.

Continue reading 1940 Advertisement For Dodge, By Begg Motor Company, Government Street, Duncan

1954 Victoria Newspaper Story About A Planned Police Crackdown On Drivers Not Using Hand Signals

Posted on By Mark Anderson

Drivers taking ICBC Road Tests are required to demonstrate hand signals and many of our students ask why they have to know this since vehicles are equipped with turn signals and brake lights.

Here is a bit of history on the use of hand signals by drivers: a 1954 Victoria newspaper report about a planned crackdown by the Victoria police against drivers who fail to use hand signals.

Victoria newspaper story about a planned police crackdown on drivers not using hand signals, 1954.
Victoria newspaper story about a planned police crackdown on drivers not using hand signals, 1954.

Note the comments in the right hand column:

“Blinking lights on both sides of car (i.e. turn signals) that have an indicator inside on the dash are allowable if the blink 32 times per minute. Certain mechanical hands on commercial vehicles are allowed [note: some trucks and commercial vehicles of the period had mechanical indicators or pointers that signaled turns or lane changes], but the lighted trafficators on some British cars [note: some British cars of the period had lights which illuminated, but did not flash, to signal turns or lane changes] are against the law.”