So ICBC is planning to raise the insurance rates for habitual offenders — i.e. immature, inattentive, selfish drivers.
For a full 2.5 seconds after the radio announcement, I was thrilled and muttered “well, it is about frickin’ t…” Wait. Rewind. What?
You mean, they aren’t already hammering drivers who are costing the corporation and, more importantly, all of us, tens of millions of dollars every year?
I checked my ears to make sure nothing was blocking the path to my brain. Nope, nothing there.
Looking at my dog in the rear view mirror, I asked Hershey why she thinks ICBC doesn’t have two cents to rub together and forecast exorbitant rate hikes.
Hershey didn’t have much to say, gesturing, instead, with her wet nose towards the aforementioned motorists in the left-hand lane on Westminster Highway driving about six feet behind each other.
ICBC has finally cottoned on to the region’s horrible road habits and are trying to “encourage” people to drive without their brain in park.
But what is with drivers in Canada, no, I mean B.C.; no, I mean the Lower Mainland, that they think they can react to anything at all unexpected at that close a distance?
The brainless practice isn’t peculiar to adolescent teenagers, male, female or ethnicities. It’s everyone!
And don’t get me started on the order of play when it comes to changing lanes.
In my native U.K., we were taught MSM (mirror, signal, manoeuvre). Around here, they do it in reverse, with astonishing frequency.
I read the other day someone — let’s call him Dave — on a local social media community page saying he had caused “just four” fender benders.
Really? Is it a round of applause you seek?
In the U.K. — yes, I’ve lived here for 10 years now and shouldn’t be making such references, but come on… — the insurance companies wouldn’t be touching Dave with a 10-foot pole (longer than Dave’s braking distance). Dave would be off the road until he could prove he’s not that Dave anymore.
It’s really quite simple. Hammer the Dave drivers of the world so much that they are petrified to be the cause of anything.
If he doesn’t change. Get him off the road. Problem solved. Next please.
Two things to look out for in this issue:
1. The amazing volunteers at the Royal Canadian Marine Search and Rescue Station 10 in Richmond need your help to raise funds to keep people safe on our waters (page 8). They get relatively little funding for what they do and are hosting a charity dinner next week;
2. We hear a lot in the Richmond News about what’s wrong with Richmond down at city hall, some of it justified, some not. This weekend is the good side in what looks to be mouth-watering array of local and Canadian talent, cuisine and entertainment at the Richmond World Festival. Get yourself out there. It’s free!
