32 — Friday, January 29, 1999 -

The Gamage, the wreckage, t

CITIZENS of the
North Shore, you
should be ashamed of
yourselves.

As promised last week,
here’s a continuation on a
theme: Drivers are required to
react to an emergency vehicle
actively engaging in an cmer-
gency in a very specific way.
Why the redundancy? Because
you're not listening, folks, at
least not to me.

Sgt. Bob Beaudoin of the
North Vancouver RCMP
Traffic Section has been kind
enough to lend a hand — nor
so much to give this little
back page column some offi-
cial weight, but because he
desperately wants North
Shore. drivers to smarten up.

The officer is one of the
many men and women who
deal with car crashes every
day.

The carnage, the wreck-
age, the death.

“It goes way beyond the
bending of metal,” explained

“Worse, none of
the drivers who
witnessed her
‘flight’ (from the
roadway) stopped
to lend a hand.”

— North Van RCMP
Sot. Bob Beaudoin

Sgt. Beaudoin when dis-
cussing the broad ramifica-
tions of car crash aftermath.

“It’s not just the insurance
hassles, the days missed from
work, the court time. People’s
lives are forever changed. It’s
disheartening.

“More and more frequent-
ly now, motorists tend to
ignore emergency vehicles —
be ita fire cruck, an ambu-
jance or a police. car — and
treat thera like just another
urban annoyance.

“All acress Canada, and
specifically on the North
Shore, good men, women
and children have perished as
a direct result of this atti-
tude.”

North Shore News

: aaa

go too fast and careen off the

road during a heavy snowfall.
While this was actually a

joke, such a statement was

north shore news

& AUTO

somewhat irresponsible, espe-
cially from the sole traffic
columnist in the Lower
Mainland

Sorry about that little lie. I
would stop were Eto see any-
thing so disastrous as a car
“fying” off the roadway, I
only laugh at drivers who
bump curbs or stick it ina
snow bank and hurt their cars
a little, not themselves.

At any rate, my sceming
lack of caring aside, Sgt
Beaudoin’s story is quite mor-

tifving. Sickening really.

No one stopped to lend a
hand. Fine, proud, North
Shore citizens, be ashamed.
Hurry that drive home, make
it on time tor the evening
news, to hell with everyone
else — but be very ashamed.

And it doesn’t end there.

“On December 24,” Sgt.
Beaudoin continues, “a young
lady from Calgary was broad-
sided by another vehicle at
the intersection of Lynn
Valley Road and Williams

Avenue. - fire, ambu-
lance and police had a diffi-
cult time making their way to
the scene because motorists
focused on getting home put
convenience before safety and
neglected to pull over.”

And to reiterate what's
being said, driving home the
obvious, Sgt Beaudoin
implores: “Pay attention to a
Constable’s directions at an
accident scene. And follow
the traffic rule which
demands thar vehicles pull

over to the side of the road
and stop for emergency vehi-
cles.

“Life is precious and any-
one of us can become part ‘of
a much larger tragedy if we
choose to disregard the rules
of the road — particularly
with regards to vielding the
right of way to emergency
vehicles. The men and
women who serve our com-
munity in the fire department,

See Move page 33

Source: Runzheimer Canada data for drivers who were
claims-free for at least four years purchasing all-purpose
auto insurance with $1 million third party Hability
coverage, a $500 comprehensive deductible,

and a $250-$300 collision deductible.

And that’s not the worst

of it. North Shore drivers, as

- well as ignoring the regula-
tions requiring them to
immediately yield the right of
Way to active emergency vehi-
cles, are showing a serious
lack of compassion when it
comes to thcir fellow citizens.

“For example,” cites Set.
Beaudoin, “during that heavy
snowfall just betore Christmas
we had a motorist who lost
control of her vehicle and
went off deep into the bush
on Highway 1, on ‘the cut,”
northbound.

This person could not be
found immediately simply
because emergency vehicles
were not being given right of
way. Worse, none of the dri-
vers who witnessed her ‘flight’
(from the roadway) stopped
tolendahand.”

At this point it is Yours
Truly who must swallow a
humility pill.

You see, in my clever,
witty way, i Tecently
announced in Signalsthat 1
enjoy laughing at drivers who

$2,500

$2,000

$1,500 51.470

Regina Winnipeg ‘Moncton Calgary St. John’s "Montreal Toronto "Vancouver

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