Friday, January 10, 1997 — North Shore News

*e

ot wheels under

THE 1397 Pacific international Auto and Light Truck show opens next Friday at B.C. Place. Highlights of the
10-day show inciude the new Subaru Legacy Ouiback, the Volvo 850 AWD Wagon, the 50th Anniversary
Saab 9000 and the 30th Anniversary Camaro 228 coupe convertible. Show hours are Monday through
Thursday 4 p.m. to 10 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays 11 a.m. te 10 p.m. and Sundays 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

THE best thing about
snow? The skiing? No.
‘The Christmas white-
ness? No. The ceddly
fireplaces and hot
chocolate? Not even
close.

The best thing about a big,
dump of snow like the Big,
One that recently swept the
North Shore is that it gets all
the lousy drivers off the road.

» Yessir, in the driving world

a good snowfall sure separates

the sheep from the goats; the

vinegar from the wine; the
danger-prone from the grace-
ful. The group does by no
means include those folks who
were forced to drive into
sometimes extremely haz-
ardous areas (i.e. drivers of
emergency, police, rescue,
maintenance and transit vehi-
cles — the extremists, as it
were).

I'm talking about the
boncheads who thought they
could manage 2 bit of extreme
driving.

I was out there, folks (look
ma, I got me-self a day job),
and it wasn’t pretty — it was
hysterical! Anybody sec: a 4X4
trucking by with all fowr tires
spewing white stufP Dit you
see it shortly later in a ditch
because its driver had no idea

-~that the ability to go and the
ability to stop have nothing to
do with’cach other? Anybody
see the boneheads motoring
quite smoothly down Taylor
Way or Upper Lonsdale only

‘27M realize that snow and gravi-

signal:

ty don’t mix? Don’t these
morons understand why hock-
ey players skate on sharp, steel
blades and not soft, rubber
balloons? Talk about crashing
the net.

Then there was that
strange cross-breed of brain-
dead pedestrian and bonehead
motorist ~— the Bonedead.

Kind but thoughtless
strollers who thought they’d
give that fellow a hand because
his car was stuck. Just trudge
on over and give him a push
— hell, he’s flung open his
door in frustration, he could
use a break. Guess what folks?
He’s stuck because it’s slippery
and in such a circumstance it is
just as difficult co STOP as it is
to go.

That is to say, you kind-
hearted folks with your thick-
treaded boots and your car-
shoving mittens should not be
slogging around in the path of
other cars -— even when they
want to stop they can’t, neces-
sarily. They'll mow you over
or get stuck trying to avoid
you. As we all know the power
of the positive mitten is limit-
ed.

And of course there was

the nearly-competent driver
who drove along slowly,
smoothly and calmly but failed
to realize that the driver in
front of him or her was not.
They crash, you crash or, as
Homer Simpson puts it when
assaying the miraculous pow-
ers of the shochom, “Shoe
goes on, shoe goes off, shoe
goes on, shoe goes off...”

I won’t even mention the
clever folks who found a safe
place behind a working plow-
truck but failed to notice that
following too close only leaves
you with a face full of sludge,
sand and road salt (it’s much
clearer if vou can actually sce
the road that’s being plowed).

EF also drove on the day
after the record breaking,
snowfall. Peace at last.

The only people left
motoring were the safe, the
attentive and the courteous
(well, in the main, anyway).

People that would wait and
watch after their light rurned
green because, sure enough,
somebody couldn’t quite stop
for the adjacent rea. Cool.
There was a lot of “go ahzad,
buddy, finish that turn off that
slippery side road, i’ve got lots
of traction here on this cleared
road.”

And a lot of “Woa! That
light up there looks like ir'll be
red before J get there, I'd bet-
ter start slowing down now.”

Tons of excellent driving in

tons of excellent snow. A tp of

the togue to you guys. I wish
it snowed all the time.

Big Snow. A time of
extreme sports, extremely

MERCEDES BENZ OWNERS

If you wish co sell your vehicle directly to Mercedes Benz or if you would like a current

happy holidays and extremely
excellent driving behavior; a
time for mountain guats, fine
wine and grace, too.

Hoping you all had a
Merry Christmas, off the road,
and a Happy New Year’s Party.

As for 1997, remember
what you’ve learned and be
safe.

Venture Pacific f

GROUP OF COMPANIES —

f VEHICLE LEASING }

IR NEW & USED © CARS & TRUCKS

"Eddie Aauer Edition"
Leathes, load

8 S2Z7S/EHO $0 don. pisine |

»9907773-

, plus tans,

Land Rover Discovery & Range Rover
4.0SE and 4.6HSE

available now for immediate delivery

SALES & SERVICE
FULL VALET SERVICE
FOR PICK UP & DROP OFF
For information call

Kevin Machell-Cox, Centre Manager
273-6968

Land Rover of Ri¢hmond :

Richaond Automall.

©
Register Now for

Pottery Classes at

Delbrook recCentre

Adult Classes begin
Jan 13th

There is still room in children’s &
teen classes!

Call 987-PLAY 987-7529

The perfect time to purchose
Grad Gowns & Mother of the Bride Gowns &
Casual & Elegant wear
Last day Jan. 30/97

Janéo

Fashion Gallery

Park Royal South (upstairs) 925-3682