This issue deals with winter safety and preparedness on a common-sense level for you and your vehicle.
I’m not talking about super ninja snow tires and enough gear to prepare you for anything from being stranded or caught in an avalanche somewhere, just everyday things dealing with going to work, dropping your kids off at school, or just going shopping.
I drive a school bus, so I am on the local highways and around town every school day. What I see horrifies me! People are driving vehicles that they can barely see out of. Over 50 per cent of the vehicles I see after a snowfall haven’t taken the time to clean the new snow off of their windows, the hood, the lights, or the roof. They simply rely on the front and rear wipers or defoggers to clean enough off so they can maybe see like a horse with blinders on.
Sometimes all you can see is a little peep hole in the windshield for them to look through, hunched over at that.
Ninety per cent of those who clean the windows, forget the roof, and we all know what happens to that at a stop sign or red light. Yup, it slides down the windshield and oops, they’re blind again.
To compound this, they may be drinking coffee or talking on the phone at the same time they’re driving blind, whether they are taking their kids to school, going to work, etcetera.
It takes five to 10 minutes to clean off your vehicle so you can be one of the safe drivers.
There are four basic categories that these people fall into - you know - the ones that aren’t safe. They’re as follows: late, lazy, don’t care, or just plain stupid.
Do you fall into one or more of these areas?
These incidents are pretty much equally divided between private company vehicles, so I’m pointing the finger at all equally.
Yes, I do take the time to clean my vehicles before driving, always! Why? Because I care about others. Do you?
Remember, the lives you put in jeopardy mean the world to someone. And if you are in any way offended by this letter, then you’re definitely a part of the problem.
In closing, a story about a contender for a Darwin Award.
On Tuesday, April 17, I saw a man at a local gas station fuelling up his vehicle while walking around it with a lit cigarette in his mouth. He was cleaning off all of the snow at the pump island from his vehicle. Really!
Thank you for listening, and have a great day, and at the same time, make it possible for others to have a great day.
Sincerely,
Will Bridges
Local bus driver