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AUTO

Hats off to
mehead factor

seaeeees. obeenoeccccncesenoersesousensssoensoen

signals

ANOTHER year over.

A geod time to reflect on
the past events and how
things might be made better
in 1998.

In the spirit of reflection,
compiled for you, faithful
reader, is a list of the various
boneheads and bonchead
manoeuvres as discussed in
Signals over the last year:

In February we discussed
the boneheads who ignore
or can’t read sonte of the
signs in front of the
Horseshoe Bay Ferry
Terminal. On the west side
of the strect several signs
read, in kindergarten-picture
form, “No Stopping, Taxies
Park Here.” On the east
side of Bay Street similar
1Q-of-20-or-more signs
read: “No Stopping, Buses
park here.”

Boneheads continue to
stop here.

In March I mentioned a
bonehead who drives the
Cypress Bow! Road on a
regular basis. He enters this
road from the west off the
Upper Levels Highway and
has an ongoing complaint
about drivers entering the
same road from the west-
bound off-ramp.

“Those people are sup-
pose to yield co me!” was
his lament but when one
realises that the word
“vield” means “give,” this
fellow is actually whining
“gimme gimme gimme, |
need, I need.” Gimme a
break bonehead.

In April 1 related a story
about the time I sat behind
a left-turning woman who
astutely observed oncoming
traffic and decided to yield
ro it. In her astureness,
however, she failed to notice
thar said oncoming was
slowing noticeably and tinal-
ly came toa full stop in
front of her. Their light had
gone red, Ours remained

Where ds you turn
with a complaint
against the press?

To us...

‘The Brit Columbia Press
Council ic aa independent review
board which considers unresolved
camplainis about newspapers. Te
lodge a cumptaine, all it takes is the
cost of a fetter,

B.C, Pres Council

Bos 5414

Victoria, B.C. V8R GS4
Tel: (604) 595-2571
Fan; (604) $95-2573

green and was accompanied
by an arrow. Ir was a fine
example of deer-in-the-
headlights syndrome.

Make that bonehead-in-
the-headlights.

May was a pretty slow
moath for boncheads but
June saw discussion on the
traffic that has developed
outside of L’Atelier
Goldsmiths since the open-
ing of a new big, fat Royal
Bank on the Southwest cor-
ner of 18th and Lonsdale in
North Vancouver.

“I don’t know what's
gong through these pcople’s
minds but they'll come
screaming down our alley at
50 or 60 clicks and then
appear totally surprised by
the presence of traffic once
they reach 18th,” related

“This would be a
dull column
indeed were it

not for the thick
of skull.”

Smith the Goldsmith, “They
treat this alley like a main
road.” Yep, bonehead dri-
vers,

That same article: also
noted that the crection of
Humungus Bank has created
a humungus parking prob-
lem, There are 40-odd park-
ing stalls located in a spiffy
new parkade under the
spiffy new bank. This inves-
tigative reporter discovered,
one traffic-clogged after-
net, that said parkade was-
n’t quite half full, or just
too darn big, depending on
your sense of optimism,

Also in June T related a
road trip story and compiled
a list of pet peeves, the first
and foremost being “People
who drive slowly in the fast
lane.” Hey Joc, check thar
rear-view mirror once ina
while. Sce that chain of anx-
ious tailgaters back there?
Do them and you a faver:
Use those sections at the
side of the read that say
“Pull Out.” Go ahead and
keep ’er slow and steady if

you must — I don’t con-
done overdriving one’s abili-
ties in order to please the
masses — but let people
pass you when the opportu-
nity arises.

In July I mentioned thar
the mighty Motor Vehicle
Act tells us that when a yel-
low Jight is exhibited at an
intersection “the driver of a
vehicle approaching the
intersection and facing rhe
yellow light shall cause it to
stop before entering the
marked crosswalk on the
near side of the intersection,
or if there is no crosswalk
then before entering the
intersection, unless the stop
cannot be made in safety.”
Pretty straight forward, ch?
STOP unless you can’t stop
safely. There is little grey in
this law, but judging a sate
stop scems to leave a little
too much power in the
hands of bonehead drivers
— power being something
easily abused by drivers with
a private definition of
“safe.”

Also in July I responded
toa reader and discussed
advice given him from a
well-meaning friend, *She
informed me thar there are
rules here (here being
Beautiful B.C.) that go
bevond the Highway Trattic
Act (sie). Ata four way stop
intersection the car that is
turning left, crossing the
path of the car travelling in
the opposite direction, must
always yield.” This well-
ineaning friend, sorry to say,
falls neatly into the bone-
head category not only
because she was categorical-
fy wrong, but because it is
“instant experts” like her
that are part of our bad dri-
ver problem.

Anyway, threughout the
year the species bonehead
was discussed in great detail.
Often, boneheads made the
same mistakes in different
circumstances, which varied
the theme but not the maral
of many a column.

I'd like to take the
opportunity to thank you
boncheads for providing,
great material.

This would be a dull col-
umn indeed were it nor for
the thick of skull.

Happy new year, folks!
Be sate.

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gee qT |

9-6

Friday, December 26, 1997 ~ North Shore News —- 33

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