So, Who’s on the Street?

By Jim Gerwing

Of course, there are the cars and trucks and buses. Different vehicles and different drivers. Sometimes I get the impression that Victoria boasts of some of the worst drivers in the country. Some seem to use their turn signals only after they have already entered the turn if they use them at all. Some never use them to make lane changes. Some drivers, painful as it is to lose this measure of independence, should really be encouraged to turn in their driving licenses because they have become a danger to themselves and others. Some drivers use their powerful machines to roar through residential streets to show off their straight line mufflers and fine driving skills. The list goes on.

But there are other wheeled conveyances on our streets. Skateboarders use the streets to get from here to there. They avoid sidewalks because they are too rough and present a danger to pedestrians. I stopped one of them to chat. He uses his long board (as distinct from the shorter boards used for tricks) to travel to and from his job. It is much faster than walking or taking public transit. He was surprised when I asked him whether he always uses the same leg. Yes, always. Then I questioned whether that shoe wears out sooner than the other, and that leg gets stronger than the other. "I never thought about that," he said.

Cyclists often use sidewalks rather than some of the narrow streets. Without special lanes for their use, they can get a nasty surprise when one of those silent cars sneaks up behind them. Some seem unaware that they must use the same rules governing traffic as automobiles, like signaling turns. A question may arise whether sooner or later we will see mandatory licensing for bicycles. If that would eliminate any significant lessening of bicycle use, I would oppose such laws.

What about all those scooters and wheelchairs on the street? Why aren't they on the sidewalks? The city takes great care to keep sidewalks as smooth as possible, but the streets are significantly smoother. Countless driveways, designed for the convenience of automobiles, present a hazard for both scooters and wheelchairs. Scooter salespeople say that scooters have a low centre of gravity, but the incline of a driveway could topple a scooter ridden by a large person on a narrow scooter unless it slows down and takes the incline carefully. Same goes for wheelchairs. It is rather obvious that some people on the scooters could use training to improve their safety and to raise awareness of their impact on others around them.

And of course, the horse-drawn vehicles, an irritation when they poke along one behind the other, but a welcome sight for tourists and residents alike. Maybe the owners should be more diligent about cleaning up behind them. What they leave on the streets hardly enhances the neighbourhood.

After traveling in several cities of Europe and seeing no provision for handicapped people to gain access to sidewalks or shops, I am proud that we have come as far as we have. On the other hand, there is a lot of room for improvement. The answer does not lie in more legislation. We have way too many laws already, some causing more inconvenience than usefulness, some opening the way for unnecessary lawsuits.

Thank goodness, there are only a few really rude people on our streets. There is only one rule that makes any sense. Be courteous. Courteous people watch out for themselves and others. Courteous people do not insist on putting themselves and their needs ahead of the rights of anyone else. Courteous people make James Bay a wonderful place to live.