Archive for March 30th, 2008
Two provinces to ban driving with phones
Well it is going to come here sooner or later. But I still think we need to deal with other distractions too. People who watch DVDs while driving for instance. Hands free phones are as bad as hand held in terms of distraction, but both hands on the wheel is still pretty rare. Use of mirrors and signals is unusual too. Observance of the speed limit – you have got to be joking! Being aware of pedestrians or cyclists? Hah!
ICBC could do something about all this – make it very clear that contributory negligence will cost those responsible for collisions very dearly indeed. Not just in terms of higher premiums later but in the percentage of the claim they will be forced to pay. In the same way that a cyclist who does not wear a helmet is penalised now.
Group irked by perimeter road
There is no news in this piece. What makes it noteworthy is the growing distance between the Asper family and Gordon Campbell. The Province – and the rest of the canada.com stable – have been quite supportive of the BC Liberals in general. Although individual reporters and columnists do step outside now and again. And the Fraser Institute still has a special place in their opinion columns, and it is not unusual for Campbell to be chided for not being free market enough.
As you can see, the association is just beginning to learn what other community groups, primarily in Delta, discovered long ago — that there are many serious, valid concerns over this project that the Campbell government foolishly sticks to despite viable alternative routes.
Ah, so that’s all right then. We don’t have to oppose building freeways. Or question the non-existent case for port expansion or the Gateway. Just go for a different route.
But there is also quite a bit about John Les too – which is linked up to BC Rail and Ken Dobell. I think the sharks are sniffing blood in the water
(And as an aside have you noticed that 9 out of 11 columnists on the Province are white, older males? As one myself, I find this disturbing. We are not in the majority in society. Nor should we be as commentators in popular newspapers.)
Stephen Rees's blog 