power-lines

Acting appropriately around fallen power lines could save your life, and others.

You should treat all downed power lines as being live wires. The coating is not insulation.

If a power line contacts the ground, a tree or vehicle, the ground becomes energized over a wide area. Electricity will spread out like ripples in water from the centre point of contact, though not necessarily in even rings. Each ring outward will have a decrease in voltage until it eventually drops to zero. If the ground is wet, voltages remain high over greater distances.

Anyone in the hot zone can get a fatal shock. This could happen, for example, by touching an energized source with your hand while your feet are on the ground, or simply walking on electrified ground. In either case, the difference in voltage from one extremity to the other causes electricity to flow through the body.

For safety, stay at least ten metres (one bus length) away from any fallen or low-hanging power lines, as well as vehicles or conductive objects (tree/fence/guardrail) in contact with it. Remember, electricity can arc through the air if you’re too close. Don’t stand underneath adjacent power lines, which may overheat and fall. Also, equipment on a utility pole may explode from the overload.

If a metal fence or guardrail is in the hot zone, voltages can remain high and deliver a fatal shock at great distances from the source, so keep clear over its entire length. Temporary lane striping, used in construction zones, also conducts electricity, so never assume you’re safe to stand on the road and gawk because you’re “far enough” away.
<blockquote>RELATED: <a href="http://www.wheels.ca/news/driving-on-this-quebec-highway-watch-out-for-that-hydro-pole-2/">Hydro pole left in middle of Quebec highway finally removed</a></blockquote>
Escape plan

If your vehicle contacts a power line, remain inside and call for help. Wait in the car until electrical workers arrive and give the all-clear. Warn onlookers to stay clear and tell them the ground could be electrified. If possible, drive away until you’re at least ten metres clear of the wire.

However, if your vehicle won’t move and there’s immediate danger from fire, fully open a door that’s away from fallen power line. Stand with both feet together on the door ledge, and then jump out and pull both arms in toward your chest. You must land with both feet together and not stumble. Never touch the vehicle and ground at the same time.

After landing, shuffle away keeping both feet close together, but not touching, and never let the heel of one foot move past the toe of the other. Alternatively, hop away by launching and landing with both feet close together. Short hops are safer to avoid stumbling or falling. Keep going until outside the ten metre danger zone.

These are last-resort escape recommendations from electrical utilities for dire emergencies only. Use it at your own risk and always stay in the car wherever possible.

<img src="http://s3.amazonaws.com/wheelsca/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/06040835/shutterstock_117253756.jpg" />

The science behind the escape 

The reason a person standing on electrified ground can’t walk away normally is because each foot would land in a power ripple with a different voltage. The resulting voltage difference will cause electricity to flow through your body, up one leg and down the other. Shuffling or hopping aims to avoid this.

While tires may smoke or explode, don’t exit the vehicle unless there’s actually a fire. After high voltage exposure, tires may suffer internal damage resulting in explosive failure within 24 hours — even if deflated. Other motorists who foolishly drive into the hot zone or over fallen wires likewise risk an explosive blowout of all tires up to a day later.

Never spray an electrical fire with a garden hose, you could die. Even firefighters must stay back and use high-pressure water in a fog pattern to avoid being shocked.

If a main transmission tower line has fallen, rather than a roadside utility pole wire, the minimum safe distance is 32 metres.

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What to do if your car hits power lines

We safely use gasoline in our vehicles on an daily basis. Perhaps familiarity breeds complacency, since we sometimes forget that it’s extremely dangerous if mishandled.

A long-term U.S. study found that one-quarter of hospital acute burn admissions are gasoline-related. Almost all incidents involve inappropriate use of gasoline.

Here are some tips to stay safe with gasoline or other flammable liquids:
<ul>
 	<li>Never pour gasoline onto a fire, including barbecues, campfires, leaf piles, etc. Flames will trail up the liquid stream and ignite the container, which may explode.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
 	<li>Gasoline should only be used as a motor fuel. Don’t use it as a cleaning solvent. To safely dissolve oil paint or grease from hands, apply baby oil or petroleum jelly and then wash with dish soap.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
 	<li>Flammable vapours can travel long distances to an ignition source, so extinguish all pilot lights if using varnish or other flammable products indoors. Wherever possible, move items outdoors for varnish or solvent application.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
 	<li>Avoid storing gasoline in large quantities or for long periods of time. Aside from the fire hazard, old fuel gums up engines. Keeping a small jerry can in the garage for outdoor equipment is fine but don’t store gasoline more than a month without adding stabilizer. Old fuel can be mixed 1:1 with fresh gasoline and used up in a lawnmower — but don’t risk using it in your car.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
 	<li>At the gas station, fill jerry cans on the ground, not in a pickup bed. Static electricity generated during filling can spark a fire.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
 	<li>Transport fuel containers such as jerry cans, propane or camp fuel outside the passenger cabin wherever possible. Fuel containers including aerosol cans may rupture or propane tanks may vent if stored inside a closed vehicle parked in the sun.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
 	<li>Use only approved jerry cans for gasoline, as other containers may burst. Don’t store gasoline inside your home.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
 	<li>Most Ontario self-serve pumps don’t have trigger locks. Don’t circumvent this safety feature and lock on the gas pump nozzle with your gas cap, then return inside the car. The static discharge the next time you touch the nozzle can ignite gasoline vapours.</li>
</ul>
<img src="http://s3.amazonaws.com/wheelsca/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/14102253/Jerry-Can-Gas.jpg" />

If you do walk away while refuelling, always touch a metal portion or the pump housing, which is grounded, to discharge static energy before handling the nozzle.
<ul>
 	<li>Turn off the engine before refuelling. Use caution, as spills can be ignited by hot exhaust components.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
 	<li>Refuel small engines outside a garage or shed. If you do it inside, explosive fumes can accumulate or seep into an attached home.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
 	<li>Place rags soaked with gasoline or oil inside a closed metal container, as these may spontaneously combust.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
 	<li>Remove fuel-stained clothing immediately, as it will readily ignite. Never put clothes spotted/soaked in gasoline or other flammable liquids into a clothes washer.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
 	<li>Never cut, weld or grind a metal container previously used to store gas or other flammable liquids. Such “hot work” can ignite residual vapours and cause an explosion. It only takes about a tablespoon of residual acetone evaporated inside a 44-gallon drum to make it explosive. In British Columbia, a worker who water-rinsed an empty acetone drum and then began welding was killed when sparks penetrated the container and it exploded.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
 	<li>Whether a warning sign says flammable or inflammable, both words are synonyms meaning “easily set on fire.” Although the prefix “in” often negates something in English grammar (for example, the opposite of visible is invisible), this isn’t the case for “inflammable,” where it expresses intensity rather than negation. So inflammable means highly flammable; it does not mean non-flammable.</li>
</ul>
<blockquote>RELATED: <a href="http://www.wheels.ca/news/dont-overfill-at-the-pumps/">Don't overfill at the gas pumps</a></blockquote>
&nbsp;

Freelance writer Eric Lai is a regular contributor to Toronto Star Wheels and, as an honorary Aweres Township Fire Captain, is committed to fire safety education.

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Handling gasoline? Here’s what you need to know

2013-ford-police-interceptor2

Q: Are black and white cars restricted to police? Do retired cruisers have to be repainted all one colour by civilian buyers?

The RCMP used black and white “panda” cars from the early 1950s through to 1973, and then they switched to blue-and-white vehicles until 1992. Currently, RCMP cruisers are solid white with multicolour stripe decals.

The OPP used panda cars from 1941 to 1989. Then, as a cost-saving measure, cars were left entirely factory white rather than repainting both ends black. Besides the initial repainting costs incurred, retired panda cars typically sell for less than solid colour cruisers at auction. Nonetheless, OPP reverted to the black-and-white colour scheme in 2007.

<img src="https://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Old-RCMP-car.jpg" alt="" />

In 2011, Hamilton Police switched to black and white. Other agencies may use panda cars as well, but the colour pattern is not mandated by the Police Act.

It’s perfectly legal for anyone to drive a black and white car in Ontario, whether it’s a retired cop car or, for example, a Best Buy “Geek Squad” car. In certain U.S. states, such as California, buyers must repaint the doors of ex-cruisers to be legal — and Geek Squad cars there have all-black sides.

Similarly, to avoid potential confusion, Waterloo Regional Police repaint their retired blue and white cruisers to all-blue before sale.

Canadian TV icon “Red Green” famously refinished a black and white former cop car by adding black duct tape stripes to white areas, and white tape stripes to black areas — thereby making the car a uniform zebra pattern.

https://youtu.be/xoLtegOdYO8

&nbsp;

Q: Why are there so many black-and-white cop cars now? Driving to Florida, I noticed lots of American police departments have switched to this pattern.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security recently issued recommendations that local law enforcement agencies adopt a uniform black and white vehicle colour scheme for ease of visual identification nationwide. Though not mandatory, many departments have complied. But frankly, unless similarly-painted private cars are banned, such as security company look-alikes, this initiative seems moot.

The new Ford Police Interceptor sedan and SUV can be factory ordered with black and white paint, with “Police” lettering across both sides, and emergency red/blue lights already installed. So, there may be savings available by using such factory options as opposed to aftermarket police modifications.
<blockquote>RELATED: <a href="http://www.wheels.ca/news/ford-offers-stealthy-light-bar-for-police/">Ford offers stealthy light bar for police</a></blockquote>
Q: Is it legal to have a police-type spotlight on my car?

One light is allowed, two lights are not. Under S. 62 (22) HTA, only emergency vehicles may be equipped with more than one spotlight. According to the Ministry of Transportation, it’s a violation even if the second spotlight isn’t functional.

Don’t activate the spotlight when driving or shine it into other vehicles. That’s just asking for trouble.

Freelance writer Eric Lai is a regular contributor to Toronto Star Wheels. Email your non-mechanical questions to him at <a href="mailto:wheels@thestar.ca">wheels@thestar.ca </a>. Due to the volume of mail, personal replies cannot be provided

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Speeders beware: More cop cars getting the ‘panda’ paint scheme

service ontario

Auto Know, taxes, car valuation, Ontario, MTO, purchasing, tax, mud flaps

Q: I bought a used car for $16,300, but Service Ontario said the "wholesale value" was $29,800 for calculating taxes. My only recourse was to get a professional appraisal, which valued the car at $19,000. This saved me $1,404 in taxes, but I still paid $351 more than what was rightly owed.

How does the government come up with these unrealistic values? What if I got a real bargain at a car auction?

Scott Blodgett of the Ministry of Finance replies:

The Red Book value of a vehicle, used for tax calculations, is part of the Used Vehicle Information Package (UVIP) required when a vehicle is sold privately. The cost of the UVIP is $20. If a Red Book value has been assigned to a vehicle, it will be provided on the UVIP. If no Red Book value has been assigned, which can occur in cases of older or newly-manufactured vehicles, you’d pay the tax based on the bill of sale amount.

As the reader notes, consumers can have a vehicle professionally appraised if they disagree with the Red Book valuation used by the ministry.

Eric Lai adds: For cars purchased from a registered dealer, including an auction house, HST is collected by the seller based on the actual price paid. The dealership will also handle transferring ownership to you.

Q: What are the rules on exposed tires and mud flaps? I often see SUVs with extra wide tires hurling back stones and debris, and a neighbour has a hot rod without fenders. I am tired of replacing windshields.

Bob Nichols of the MTO replies:

Section 66(3) HTA requires that “every motor vehicle and trailer shall be equipped with mudguards or fenders or other device adequate to reduce effectively the wheel spray or splash of water from the roadway to the rear thereof, unless adequate protection is afforded by the body of the motor vehicle or trailer or by a trailer drawn by the motor vehicle.”

Additionally, HTA Regulation 661 specifies that no (original equipment) bumper, fender or mudguard shall have been removed; each mud flap, where applicable, shall be in position; and no bumper, fender or other part shall have hazardous broken, bent or sharp protrusions.
<blockquote>RELATED: <a href="http://www.wheels.ca/guides/10-ways-to-soup-up-your-car/">10 Ways to Soup Up Your Car</a></blockquote>
Did you know?

New or replacement Ontario personalized licence plates without a graphic can be ordered with the French slogan “Tant à Découvrir” in place of the English “Yours to Discover” at no extra charge. For graphic plates, it’s available with the Franco-Ontarian plate image only.

<img src="https://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/ontario-tant-c3a0-dc3a9couvrir.jpg" alt="" />

Freelance writer Eric Lai is a regular contributor to Toronto Star Wheels. Email your nonmechanical questions to him at <a href="mailto:wheels@thestar.ca">wheels@thestar.ca </a>. Due to the volume of mail, personal replies cannot be provided.

How is tax on a used car purchase calculated?

turnsignal

Why doesn’t the government require amber turn signals, which are more visible than red, on new cars?

Transport Canada states:

An amber-only rear turn signal standard would force manufacturers to design different vehicles for Canada than the rest of North America. This would raise vehicle costs without providing a clear benefit to road safety.

However, Transport Canada is working with the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Society of Automotive Engineers to set common standards for motor vehicle lighting throughout North America.

Why are ultrabright headlights that produce blinding glare allowed on new cars?

Transport Canada states:

Headlamps using new technologies can light the road further ahead of the vehicle. These lamps meet the same brightness and antiglare standards as any past headlamp. Levels of glare light are kept to the same values that were set in the late 1970s. However, these newer lamps may create more discomfort glare than older ones when they are not properly aimed. Also, a dirty headlight lens can scatter light, creating glare and reducing your forward lighting.
<blockquote>RELATED: <a href="http://www.wheels.ca/news/better-and-brighter-headlights-go-high-tech/">Better and brighter: Headlights go high-tech</a></blockquote>
<img src="https://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/HeadLights.jpg" alt="" />

A win for car buyers

Four days after release from a U.S. jail in 2014, former New York car dealer Robert Vernon applied for a car salesperson’s licence here. The Ontario Motor Vehicle Industry Council (<a href="http://www.wheels.ca/news/dealers-self-regulated-by-industry-council/">OMVIC</a>) denied his application and Vernon then appealed.

Shockingly, the Licence Appeal Tribunal reversed OMVIC’s refusal, citing that the crime Vernon had been convicted of — which luckily didn’t kill anyone — didn’t involve cheating consumers.

This individual had been convicted and jailed for his part in firebombing the offices and vehicle of a U.S. motor vehicle regulator and he then tried to mislead OMVIC to gain registration here, explains OMVIC registrar Mary Jane South. “There was no way in hell we thought this man was entitled to registration.”

OMVIC then took the matter to Ontario Superior Court, which overturned the tribunal decision in January.

The court stated the tribunal made errors in law and their decision was unreasonable. Further citing that there were no reasonable grounds to believe Vernon would conduct business in accordance with the law and with honesty and integrity, the court permanently blocked his application rather than sending it back to the tribunal for another hearing as usual.

This is an incredibly important ruling for Ontario car buyers and the industry at large, says Michael Rothe, OMVIC’s director of legal services.

“Had the tribunal’s decision been allowed to stand, OMVIC’s ability to protect consumers by keeping out individuals who might prey on them would have been dramatically reduced.”

Freelance writer Eric Lai is a regular contributor to Toronto Star Wheels. Email your non-mechanical questions to him at <a href="mailto:wheels@thestar.ca">wheels@thestar.ca </a>. Due to the volume of mail personal replies cannot be provided.

Should Canada make amber turn signals mandatory?

police drone

Q. Recently, all southbound DVP lanes were closed for four hours after someone jumped from an overhead bridge. In another case, a motorcycle crash closed the Gardiner Expressway for six hours. Why? One was obviously self-inflicted and the other a single-vehicle crash.

A. Eric Lai replies:

Rather than make assumptions, police must determine — based on evidence — if any fatality was self-inflicted, misadventure or a crime. High-speed motorcycle crashes tend to be serious or fatal, necessitating a detailed investigation. If the rider was cut off by another vehicle — even if there was no contact — that driver may be liable for charges.

A thorough investigation is necessary for: possible charges against another person; a coroner’s inquest; potential lawsuits against the road authority or automaker; to determine if any road factors may have contributed, and if anything (fencing, crisis hotline, phone) can be done to prevent such deaths in the future.

New technology may soon cut road closure times dramatically. York Regional Police Det. Sgt. Randy Slade advises that their Traffic Bureau Reconstruction Team is currently implementing a high-tech drone mapping system that should reduce police highway closures from 6-8 hours down to just two hours total.

Q. Apparently, I bought some bad gasoline. The engine light came on and it ran rough driving home. Days later, the light went out and it’s running fine again, but I’m upset they’d sell contaminated gas.

A. Eric Bristow of the Canadian Fuels Association replies:

Have a mechanic safely extract a sample of gasoline from your tank. If water or other sediment contamination is found, you can pursue a claim with the gas station owner. This presumes that contaminated fuel was from the last station you refuelled at — which might not be the case. A mechanical inspection may determine operating problems aren’t fuel-related.
<blockquote>RELATED: <a href="http://www.wheels.ca/news/vehicle-really-need-premium-gas/">Does Your Vehicle Really Need Premium Gas? </a></blockquote>
Q. How can I check before filling if gasoline at the station has water in it?

A. Eric Lai replies:

The glass bubble with coloured float balls on some gas pumps will show if the fuel flow has water contamination. Even with clean gasoline, some moisture (from the environment) and sediments may collect at the bottom of your car’s gas tank over time. If the fuel level is allowed to drop to near-empty, contaminants may be drawn into and possibly damage the fuel pump and injectors.

Near-empty gas tanks also encourage condensation, particularly in cold weather.

Ethanol in Canadian gasoline acts as gas-line antifreeze and may alleviate moisture problems in regularly used vehicles.

<img src="https://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Ontario-Gas-Pump.jpg" alt="" />

Freelance writer Eric Lai is a regular contributor to Toronto Star Wheels. Email your nonmechanical questions to him at <a href="mailto:wheels@thestar.ca">wheels@thestar.ca </a>. Due to the volume of mail personal replies cannot be provided.

Police drones could cut road closure times

Metro Police Car

Q: In Richmond Hill, I was pulled over by an unmarked white SUV sounding a siren. No red/blue lights were seen and the “officers” were in plain clothes. One quickly flashed a badge, asked for my papers and said it was a ‘random’ stop.

No ticket was issued, nor any violation claimed and they never returned to their car to run computer checks before releasing me. Unfortunately, I didn’t get names, badge numbers, nor a licence plate. Were these fake cops?

York Regional Police Const. Andy Pattenden replies:

Police officers in Ontario can stop vehicles to check for proper documentation including drivers licence, proof of ownership and proof of insurance. They can also stop vehicles that they believe may have been involved in an incident for investigative purposes.

York Regional Police do utilize unmarked vehicles and have officers that work in a plain clothes capacity. Such officers will quickly identify themselves in a traffic stop, usually by activating red/blue lights in their vehicle and/or showing a badge, and will generally inform the driver for the reason for the stop.

If citizens have any doubt it’s really the police signalling them to stop, call 9-1-1. Ask for the officer’s name, badge number and police photo identification, which should all be provided.

Your reader is welcome to file a report, with particulars, for investigation.
<blockquote>RELATED: <a href="http://www.wheels.ca/news/mega-ride-spot-check-cracks-down-on-drunk-drivers/">Mega-RIDE spot check cracks down on drunk drivers</a></blockquote>
Q: Do police utilize MTO traffic cam footage for investigative purposes?

The MTO says highway cameras are generally intended to monitor traffic flow rather than for enforcement purposes, but police are granted access to recorded traffic video upon request.

<img src="https://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/loc76.jpg" alt="" />

Q: Twice, I’ve been charged a $4 “eco” fee for patching tires at a certain garage. They say it’s a government mandated charge, but I don’t think it applies to tire repairs.

Melody Gaukel, speaking for Ontario Tire Stewardship, replies:

We spoke to the retailer and don’t believe the charge described was the Tire Stewardship Fee. It’s our understanding this is a Hazardous Waste Disposal charge, which we don’t have insight into.

The Tire Stewardship Fee only applies to the purchase of new tires, not repairs to currently-owned tires.

Your reader can call the Ministry of Consumer Services at 416-326-8800 or 1-800-889-9768, if they feel they have been incorrectly charged and can’t resolve the matter directly.

Eric Lai adds:

No hazardous wastes (used oil, antifreeze) are generated patching a tire. You might consider taking your business to a shop that doesn’t add such charges.

Freelance writer Eric Lai is a regular contributor to Toronto Star Wheels. Email your non-mechanical questions to him at <a href="mailto:wheels@thestar.ca">wheels@thestar.ca </a>. Due to the volume of mail personal replies cannot be provided.

Were fake cops behind suspicious 'random' stop?

Firetruck_repairs_2

Aweres Volunteer Fire and Rescue serves an unincorporated northern Ontario township with just 650 winter residents. Funds are tight, and they recently had to buy a new $250,000 fire truck to replace an aging 1977 vehicle.

The 2011 International DuraStar truck was delivered in February of 2011 with 2,247 km. In January of 2015, with only 5,154 km, total brake failure occurred, and it was towed to the dealer in Sault Ste. Marie.

Towing, diagnostics and repairs cost over $7,000 (the brake module alone was $3,000). Despite extremely low mileage, they said the warranty had timed out, so, too bad.

Navistar, the parent company for International, acknowledged but didn’t answer our repeated inquiries, nor would they confirm basic warranty information.
<blockquote>RELATED:<a href="http://www.wheels.ca/guides/insider-report-how-to-put-out-a-truck-fire-canadian-style/"> Insider Report: How to put out a truck fire, Canadian-style</a></blockquote>
Further research uncovered that Meritor Wabco, the brake module manufacturer, lists its own three-year/482,000 km warranty on ABS air brakes, or two-year/321,000 km on ABS hydraulic brakes.

Michael Lambie of Meritor Wabco explained that, particularly in extreme climates such as northern Ontario, non-use or little usage over many years can sometimes be as tough on braking systems as ultraheavy usage. (Several independent mechanics confirmed this is generally true across all brands, for both passenger cars and transport trucks alike.)

Though outside warranty, Meritor Wabco generously stepped up in lieu of the automaker, and we conferred with Aweres firefighters to come up with a creative resolution.

We asked what equipment they needed most, and, as per their request, Meritor Wabco gifted a Honda high-volume water pump, hoses and accessories to Aweres Fire and Rescue for remote backwoods firefighting. The donation is valued at over $5,500.

“I hope it saves many lives,” adds Lambie.

Meritor Wabco, incidentally, is a leading global provider of electronic braking, stability, suspension, and transmission automation systems for heavy-duty commercial vehicles. Their “collision mitigation” systems constantly monitor traffic conditions and can warn the driver, or even fully apply brakes, if there’s danger of a collision. According to legislators, such systems may soon be mandated on all new cars.

Our reader, Ernie Gulyas, representing the volunteer Local Services Board, provided this update:

Our community sincerely thanks the Toronto Star and Meritor Wabco. That unexpected repair bill really hit us hard and we were stonewalled seeking redress from International. We’d given up hope, but Eric Lai persevered for over eight months to help our small township.

In gratitude for his outstanding service in assistance to our community, the Board is pleased to award Eric Lai the title of Honorary Captain with the Aweres Volunteer Fire Department.

Follow <a href="http://facebook.com/torontostarwheels">Toronto Star Wheels on Facebook</a>

Freelance writer Eric Lai is a regular contributor to Toronto Star Wheels. Email your nonmechanical questions to him at <a href="mailto:wheels@thestar.ca">wheels@thestar.ca </a>. Due to the volume of mail, personal replies cannot be provided.

Wheels rescues volunteer firefighters

headlights

Q: Is driving without daytime running lights legal in Ontario?

The Motor Vehicle Safety Act dictates all vehicles sold or imported into Canada after Dec. 1, 1989, must have automatic daytime running lights (DRLs). However, Ontario’s Highway Traffic Act doesn’t require the use of DRLs. Full lights must be on in darkness or poor visibility under S. 62 HTA.

If you see a vehicle without DRLs, it was either built before December ‘89; it’s a U.S. visitor’s vehicle; has a broken or disconnected DRL system; or was imported after it was 15 years old (the federal government has no jurisdiction over these).
<blockquote>RELATED: <a href="http://www.wheels.ca/news/kenzie-why-its-time-to-discontinue-the-headlight-switch/">Why it’s time to discontinue the headlight switch</a></blockquote>
Q: Can I drive without daytime running lights throughout Canada?

Transport Canada advises that all road users in Nova Scotia, including visitors, must have either DRLs or low beam headlamps on during daytime hours. And of course, full lights must be on at night or in poor visibility.

Nova Scotia is the first — and presently the only — Canadian province to pass such a law.
<blockquote>RELATED: <a href="http://www.wheels.ca/news/ford-lights-the-night-guided-by-psychology/">Ford lights the night guided by psychology</a></blockquote>
Q: Is keeping a pocket knife in my car or on my belt illegal? How about hunting/fishing knives when going camping?
Below is a simplified overview

for law-abiding citizens who don’t want to inadvertently run afoul of the law. See Criminal Code, Section 84, for specifics.

As a rule of thumb, knives that can instantaneously be opened with one hand (switchblade gravity knife, butterfly knife) are prohibited weapons in Canada, as are push daggers and knives disguised as innocuous objects under 30 cm (comb knife, belt buckle knife). These are illegal to possess at any time.

Manually-opened knives, such as a multi-tool pocket knife or a folding knife that can be slowly opened with one hand, are permitted regardless of blade length, as are fixed blade (fishing, kitchen) knives.

Legal knives only become illegal “weapons” when carried or used for a dangerous or criminal purpose.

“Assault with a weapon” is defined as accost, impede, or beg while openly wearing or carrying a weapon or an imitation thereof. So instigating a “road rage” confrontation with a pocket knife clipped on your belt might theoretically result in weapons charges.
We do not condone carrying knives for a dangerous purpose.

Retired Toronto Police Sgt. Al Verwey adds:

A knife is just a tool until it’s used or intended to be used as a weapon. Unless it’s a prohibited weapon as per the Criminal Code, it can be kept anywhere on one’s body or in a vehicle.

Brandishing a weapon, however, will get you arrested.

<img src="https://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Knife-shutterstock-385239634.jpg" alt="" />

<a href="https://www.facebook.com/torontostarwheels" target="_blank">Follow Toronto Star Wheels on Facebook</a>

Freelance writer Eric Lai is a regular contributor to Toronto Star Wheels. Email your non-mechanical questions to him at <a href="mailto:wheels@thestar.ca">wheels@thestar.ca </a>. Due to the volume of mail personal replies cannot be provided.

Is driving without daytime running lights legal in Ontario?

auto-know

Q: My 1992 Accord that I rust proofed annually lasted over 600,000 kilometres, rust-free until I sold it a few years ago.

For my 2012 Prius V hybrid, the dealer suggested a Toyota-approved vegetable oil application to avoid the high-voltage wires.

The Toyota owner’s manual says rust proofing isn’t required due to the quality of materials used. Unfortunately, such optimism doesn’t translate into the real world, as rust spots are now appearing on the tailgate.

Kelly Hughson, a Mississauga Rust Check franchise owner (<a href="http://kellysrustcheck.ca/">kellysrustcheck.ca</a>), replies:

I’ve been rust proofing hybrids for many years, including Hydro City vehicles, GO Transit, and countless customer autos. We undergo special training each year to safely apply rust proofing to any new model vehicles. The only thing to avoid with hybrids is drilling too close to any of the wires. I’ve never had any issues after rust proofing a hybrid.

Any car with metal can benefit from rust proofing. It’s my belief that the rear hatch on the reader’s Prius likely wouldn’t have rusted if was rust proofed even once.

Eric Lai replies:

Rust spreads faster the warmer it is above freezing — the rate doubles with every 10 C increase — so spring is an excellent time to rust proof. My own cars are sprayed either annually or biannually, depending on usage.
<blockquote>RELATED: <a href="http://www.wheels.ca/news/rustproof-your-car-if-you-want-it-to-last/">Rustproof your car if you want it to last</a></blockquote>
Q: I live on a busy street and prefer to back into my driveway to ease getting out later. Many times despite my signalling, drivers from behind won’t give me any space or will pass. Who’s at fault if we hit while I’m backing into my driveway?

Retired Toronto Police Sgt. Al Verwey replies:

If one car is stopped and another backs into it, the driver of the moving vehicle might be charged for “start from stopped position — not in safety” under S. 142(2) HTA or “turn — not in safety” under S. 142(1) HTA even when the turn occurs while reversing. The driver in the rear would be guilty of being inconsiderate, but that is not a ticketable offence — although perhaps it should be.

Eric Lai adds:

The same rules apply to on-street parallel parking.

If, on the other hand, the forward vehicle hasn’t yet begun its turn and is stationary when struck, then it’s a simple rear-ender with the rear driver at fault.

<img src="https://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Parking-Lights.jpg" alt="" />

Q: What happens if I leave before a parking ticket is stuck on my car? Can they mail it? If so, is it valid?

Eric Lai replies:

Parking bylaw officers have no police powers of arrest or detention and cannot lawfully obstruct you from leaving. If you peacefully drive away before you’re tagged, the ticket wasn’t properly served under the Provincial Offences Act and is invalid.

Freelance writer Eric Lai is a regular contributor to Toronto Star Wheels. Email your nonmechanical questions to him at <a href="mailto:wheels@thestar.ca">wheels@thestar.ca </a>. Due to the volume of mail personal replies cannot be provided.

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Eric Lai

Articles by Eric Lai