Many movies today feature car chases meant to thrill viewers with edge-of-the-seat action, in the style of “Bonnie and Clyde.” When real life intersects with the kind of mayhem depicted in such films, it makes for a whole different — and terrifying — storyline for British Columbia residents.
Waiting at a designated bus stop, whether in an urban or a rural setting, is generally considered a safe space. There is rarely reason to expect bodily harm, as British Columbia commuters embark and disembark, lugging groceries or other items and often accompanied by children.
Our literature is full of dastardly deeds that take place under cover of darkness. The nighttime has been mythologized as a frightening and even perilous time. Some people, such as one hit-and-run driver in British Columbia, seem to believe that their decisions as well as their actions are rendered invisible at night, especially when they flee the scene of a pedestrian accident.
Ancient beliefs in the “genius loci,” or spirit of place, describe locations imbued with intense energy or are, as some say, the abode of great bear spirits or even of fairies. Many such places have been identified in British Columbia where urban centers are nestled among awe-inspiring natural landscapes.
They’re known as the elephants of the road, and, like elephants, require lots of space, move at a steady, slower pace, and are subject to special rules of the road. In British Columbia, as elsewhere in Canada, semi trucks are not always permitted in the passing lane for motorway safety reasons.
No matter what state road conditions are in, some drivers remain oblivious. As such, some accident events cannot be blamed on the extreme weather that continues to dog British Columbia this winter. In a recent car accident, one driver, who apparently didn’t know when to quit, left one crash scene only to cause a second collision further on.
Many young families in British Columbia choose to live in neighbourhoods where traffic is minimal, largely local and with appropriate speed limits. Sometimes, city planning authorities will forge ahead with enhancements, like bicycle paths, which alter traffic patterns so significantly that a pedestrian accident becomes more, not less, likely.
The classic British reply to the question, “how are you?” is “all weather and traffic,” usually delivered with a heavy sigh, whereby everyone gets the picture. That’s just what’s happening in British Columbia this winter, as motorists encounter hazardous road conditions.
Ever since the advent of pop psychology and the Me Generation, there have been labels assigned to the following generations, such as Generation X or millennials. In British Columbia, our young people are sometimes chided, in print or online, for self-centered or irresponsible behaviour.
Increasingly in major cities, public transit has become the poster child of environmentalist progress, promising diminished urban pollution. City buses filled with British Columbia citizens enjoying comparatively stress-free travel from point A to point B implicitly trust their professionally trained bus drivers to proceed without mishap.
