DRIVING like a bone- head can not only adversely affect other drivers, it can be of dire ‘consequence to people far and away from the . streets and roadways. " Last week we touched on -penalty points and fines for consistently driving like a bonchead. Today we'll discuss - one of the more obscure dri- ving infractions which, while ~ uncommon, is of "great impor- 3G erally, penalty points ‘.” are credited to one’s driver’s licence every time one is con- Wicted of a traffic violation under: the mighty Motor Vehicle Act. Speeding, failing to a pedestrian and “unsafe. passing are cummon caamples of three-point infrac- : Things like . driving . too slow; ‘running «a light or stop north shore REeWS __#» AUTO unning over hose will get you in hot water NEWS photo Mike Wakefield NOT only will you make firefighters hot under the coi- lar if you run over a fire hose — you'll also pay for it. sign or making an unsafe U- turn will net you two points, In fact, the two-point infraction list is pretty long and it gener- ally describes most of those “little” bonehead manoeuvres which can disrupt traffic and/or lead to collision. But-in the thick of this list are two tolations which can affect peoyte other than other road users quite dramaticalls- _ one of which we'll discuss next For today, there is this: dri- ving over a fire hose is illegal (unless directed to do so by a fireman). The violation will net you two points. Why so, you ask? It’s just a hose. [rt just lies there on the ground as a conduit for lifeless water, There’s no people near- by to worry about ~~ they're all over there by thar flaming ouilding. What's the big deal? Well, obviously the hose itselfis not the crux of the mat- ter (though it does factor in). Whar resides at the ends of a fire hose, however, is crucial. Areme end there is the water supply for said hose. Ac the other end, the busine Cl there is a fireman TRY TO PUT OUT A FIBRE! It's not that the weight of a car will dramatically change the water pressure thereby jolting the mas or men doing the fighting — there are pressure valves which compensate for thar sort of event. Ic is the fact that driving over a fire hose can rupture it. Rupture a sup line and those men in th burning house are suddenly out of water. You get two points, the fire-fighters get really, really hor. “It’s very serious,” North = Vancouver states Fire Department Deputy Fire Chief Barry Sotham. “You're endan- gering a firefighter’s life.” if vou choose to be a bone- head and drive over a fire hose without authorization, you may not be reprimanded immediately for your infraction — there are more important issues to deal with -during a house fire, like a house on tire. Odds are, however, you'll have your licence plate number taken so you can be dealt-with later. ; Better still, damage“'a fire Friday. May 29, 1998 — Keni. hose and vou'll most like be billed for your handiwork. “We don’t think the taxpay- Serham plane “Damage a fire hose and we will bill you.” Shore News ~ 35 ~. The last bill che North Van Fore Department. sent out amounted to $750 for one dri- ver ignorant of the fire hose rule, Oh yeah, and nwo points too. 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