Protect Yourself On The Roads

Pedestrians:

·          Always cross at marked crosswalks or at an intersection.

You forfeit some of your rights as a pedestrian if you cross elsewhere.

·          Obey any pedestrian signals and pause, look left-right-left

to make sure the road is clear in both directions before stepping on the roadway, even if you have the right of way. Keep your head up and look for vehicles that may not see you.

·          If a vehicle approaches, make eye contact with the driver

to be sure she/he sees you before you cross and while crossing.

·          Look before walking past stopped vehicles.

Do not cross just because a driver waves you on. Be sure all lanes are clear first. Check each lane as you go.

·          Remember that bicyclists are not considered pedestrians

unless they are walking their bikes. Otherwise, they are considered vehicles.

·          If you’re wearing an MP3 player (iPod),

only wear one ear phone so you can hear everything around you

·          If you have to walk on a roadway,

walk against traffic, it’s the law. If there’s a sidewalk, you must use it.

 

Bicyclists:

•         Yield to pedestrians.

•         Remember that bicyclists are not considered pedestrians

unless walking the bike. Otherwise, they are considered vehicles

and forfeit their rights as pedestrians in the case of an accident or ticketing.

•         Use marked bike paths or multi-use paths when available.

•         Obey vehicular traffic signals and laws on the roadways.

•         Use extra caution as you transition between bike paths, roads

Be aware that your actions are unpredictable to drivers and pedestrians.

•         Only ride on the roadway in the direction of the traffic, Riding on a sidewalk is illegal.

·          Wear a Helmet, IT’S THE LAW

 

Drivers:

•         Yield to pedestrians in crosswalks and at intersections.

•         Be prepared to stop

at all marked crosswalks and intersections. Stay alert and reduce speed in areas with crosswalks and intersections.

•         Be alert for bicyclists

whose approaches to the crosswalk may be much swifter than those of pedestrians.

•         Come to a complete stop

if pedestrians are crossing or preparing to cross.

•         Wait until pedestrians have crossed at least one lane past the lane you are in

before resuming travel.

•         Never pass another vehicle that has stopped or is slowing down at a crosswalk.

•         Use a Hands Free Device for cell phones,  IT’S THE LAW

•         Wear your Seatbelt

Only 6-8 % of the driving public fails to wear their seat belt, yet this small group is involved in 40% of all fatal collisions.

 

Protect Yourself From Sexual  Assault

There are things you can do to reduce your risk of sexual assault

• Be aware of your surroundings.
• Walk with confidence. The more confident you look, the stronger you appear.
• Know your personal limits when it comes to using alcohol or intoxicants.
• Be assertive — don’t let anyone violate your space.
• Trust your instincts. If you feel uncomfortable in your surroundings, leave.
• Don’t prop open self-locking doors.
• Lock your door and your windows, even if you leave for just a few minutes.
• Watch your keys. Don’t lend them. Don’t leave them. Don’t lose them. And don’t put your name and address on the key ring.
• Watch out for unwanted visitors. Know who’s on the other side of the door before you open it.
• Be wary of isolated spots, like underground garages, offices after business hours, and apartment laundry rooms.
• Avoid walking or jogging alone, especially at night. Vary your route. Stay in well-traveled, well-lit areas.
• Have your key ready to use before you reach the door — home, car, or work.
• Park in well-lit areas and lock the car, even if you’ll only be gone a few minutes.
• Never hitchhike or pick up a hitchhiker.
• Keep your car in good shape with plenty of gas in the tank.
• Keep a cellphone with you and charged at all times

Protect Youtself From Identity Theft

• Identity Theft Tips for Businesses, prepared by the Centre for Forensic and Security Technology Studies British Columbia Institute of Technology
• Attend an Identity Theft Prevention Month information session.

Protect Your Property

• Become involved with Block Watch
• Add extra outdoor lighting
• Make sure windows/sliding doors are secure and can’t be forced or lifted out of their frame
• Use deadbolts
• Keep trees trimmed to prevent “hiding spots”
• When working outside keep any doors and windows you cannot see locked
• Thieves do not like to work too hard, make it difficult for them

Prevent Theft From Auto

• Never leave valuables, such as wallets, purses and computers, in plain view
• Valuables in the trunk are at risk. If you must put valuables in the trunk, place them there before arriving at your destination
• Watch for suspicious acting people loitering in the area of parked cars or sitting in a parked car
• Park in a well lit area if you expect to return to your car after dark
• Keep a record of all your credit card numbers. Write down the serial numbers, makes and models of your personal property

Prevent Illegal Drug Labs In Your Neighbourhood

The following indicators, sometimes noted in combination, are possible indicators of an illegal or clandestine drug lab.  Please contact West Vancouver Police promptly if you have reason to suspect such an operation is in your neighbourhood

• Unusual odours (ether, ammonia, acetone or other chemicals)
• Excessive amounts of trash, particularly chemical containers
• Coffee filters or pieces of cloth stained red and duct tape rolls
• Curtains always drawn or windows covered with aluminum foil or blackened on residences, garages, sheds or other structures
• Evidence of chemical waste or dumping
• Frequent visitors, particularly at unusual times
• Extensive  security measures or unusual attempts to ensure privacy.(newly installed  no trespassing signs, beware of dog signs, fences, other other sudden installed vision blockers)
• Secretive or unfriendly occupants

For more detailed information visit www.methwatch.ca or the Breaking Stories page of  this website.  Join an existing BlockWatch or form your own BlockWatch.

Prevent Marijuana Grow Operations in Your Neighbourhood

The following are some characteristics associated to marijuana growing operations. This list is a guideline only as investigations vary widely and the individual presence of single factors listed here does not necessarily indicate criminal activity.

• Occupants or persons attending residence don't appear regularly employed but drive expensive vehicles.
• Dark coverings or foil over some windows. Lights constantly on in outbuildings or  some rooms in house.
• Heavy condensation on the windows. Absence of frost or snow on the roof when houses nearby have frost or snow.
• Sounds of electrical humming, Fans or trickling water, especially  at unusual hours
• Unusual number of roof vents. Unusual amounts of steam coming from vents in cold weather.
• Sudden installation of extra security measures i.e. fencing, guard dogs, bars on windows.
• Entry exclusively through automatic garage doors with residents rarely seen out of vehicles.
• Strange 'skunky' odour noted in immediate vicinity.
• Unusual or modified wiring on building exterior.
• Localized power surges or brown-outs - neighborhood residences or units experience unexplained power surges or lights dimming
• Residents avoid contact with neighbors. Visitors attend at odd hours, park away from residence and walk in.
• Children's toys and bikes left outside but children are not  seen at residence.
• Quantities of growing equipment and supplies taken into house, shed,garage.  No other indication of active gardening at property. 
• House appears vacant. Yard poorly tended. Flyers accumulatied at the door.
• Hoses running from doors or windows on the exterior of the house.
• Occupants move in unannounced overnight, or move in and then are absent for  extended periods without explanation. 
• On Garbage days there is no garbage, Or you never see normal activity at the house but there is lots of garbage.

Consider that high rise buildings or  condominiums have also been found to be sites of growing operations. Report suspicious circumstances confidentially to West Vancouver Police or contact us at 604-925-7300 for more information. Join an existing BlockWatch or  form your own new BlockWatch.

More Information

For ongoing Self Protection and Crime Prevention Information become an On-Line member of ePolicing with West Vancouver Police.