A crime against this tourist –who supported the BC economy.
My question for Surrey RCMP is, "When is it up to parents to monitor their children and ensure they aren't playing on city streets?" It was 30 km/hour on a stretch where locals chronically didn't follow the speed limit.
I had to pay a $196 fine. It wasn't a pretty cry, either. Stress'll do that to you. It was the last straw on the worst trip ever. I was so embarrassed. A girlie cry. I'm vigilant with speed limits, despite tailgators. I let people pass.
Then, I locked my keys in the trunk of the rental car, fetching my Ontario driver's licence. It was humiliating. Yes, girlie cry.
Having gotten lost 4 times that day, since GPS isn't accurate in Vancouver, either, I was pretty frazzled. A warning, pointing out the speed limit, would have helped. When the RCMP are used to dealing with criminals, that's how I was treated. People like me, we learn from our mistakes, when given a chance.
We were on our way to the wedding rehearsal, and hubby was ill, his cancer is still present, and he had been ill for the week we were there. I was having anxiety issues with the stress of the drive. Many of your rural drivers are awful, as many are in my neck of the woods. Great big pick-up trucks tailgating in my rear view, and I was trying to keep with the traffic flow.
As a retired teacher, I'm pretty wary of kids at play. On this Sunday afternoon of the long weekend, and wedding rehearsal, there were no kids playing in the park, although when I saw you I noted I was doing 50. This is the speed in such parts my part of the world.
A warning that it was not in yours would have been wonderful. The cars behind us similarly were tailgating and pretty much trying to make me go faster. I am shocked that a visitor to your fair city, who has dumped more than $5000 into your economy, wasn't simply given a warning.
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| My granddaughter knew I was upset. It was an ugly cry. She wrote me a sweet note! |
Those locals who choose to speed should be fined.
This was the worst trip I'd ever had, hubby's 2nd worst!
GPS didn't work, the maps were awful, too.
We got stuck in construction and traffic on the way to the airport. Thankfully, my son navigated, as hubby and I were frazzled.
UPDATE #1: I was wondering why I drew so many trolls to the page. You know trolls, you can't really ID them, most post anonymous comments and are not interested in dialogue, some create fake IDs in order to attack from their high-minded positions. The newspaper posted my blog post URL.
UPDATE #2: Yep, dear readers, I have deleted the messages from the trolls, smart-asses and lurkers. I don't need you to tell me that I'm a troll, or that I shouldn't have a driver's licence. I don't need these vitriolic, abusive, negative comments you've been making. I paid the fine.
I hope the RCMP are successful in slowing traffic, but I seriously doubt it! I think someone should trim the trees around this section. It would make it easier to see the playground.
Those who understand my point, thank you.
UPDATE #3: Some anonymous person was right, the Surrey newspaper was mocking me. They didn't get the message at all. New on the street. Distracted by the radar trap ahead. The paper writes an article that they are short-staffed Surrey RCMP, but put two men on duty all Sunday afternoon of the long weekend.
Certainly, we do more in Ontario to attract tourists. Not in Surrey. I was obviously new to the area. I was driving a rental car.
I posted to this effect, and suggested that one comment, mocking me as well, violates their Comments protocol. My comment has yet to be posted.
No. I didn't see the signage. I did see the RCMP with the radar gun, though, perhaps that was what distracted me. I could see cars being pulled over in the distance. I thought something was seriously wrong. A warning would have sufficed for this law-abiding citizen. I was more concerned with the woman ahead of me, with her rear of her car sticking out in the road.
This is what our OPP do in Ontario. They educate, and try to reform citizens.
Certainly, OPP has had quite the time, and success, slowing racing drivers. We have a street racing law for those going 30km over the limit.
Speeding / Street Racing / Aggressive Driving
The number of people killed in Ontario in speed-related collisions dropped from 113 in 2009 to 87 in 2010 – a reduction of 23 per cent.
Street racers and other drivers who put other road users at risk by driving aggressively now face roadside vehicle impoundment and licence suspensions, and upon conviction face a fine of up to $10,000, a jail term of up to six months, and prolonged licence suspensions.The RCMP are a different story, methinks. I can't blame them, not with mad murderers out there. My message to them, most of us do not break the law. Most of us are good people.
Surrey newspapers do not care about their tourism industry or those who make a living off people, like myself, who don't mind dipping into a line-of-credit to travel, entertain kids and grandkids.
UPDATE #4: I'm being mocked, again, by arrogant tweeps. I am shocked that they didn't take an opportunity for education, rather than punishment. I'm all for consequences, but this was harsh.
Surrey has many problems with violence, a rock through a window, crime, multiple car crashes, theft, assaults, gangs, home invasions, stabbings. You can read them, it *is* shocking. I'm all for traffic calming measure, but target the chronic offenders. Anonymous Tweeps tell me I'm 'livid'. No. Embarrassed, shocked, distraught that I didn't see the sign, shamed that I cried. Don't you dare tell me how I feel. You obviously didn't read my post. Give anyone a platform, and they go nuts.
Not so much a great place to vacation.
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| Beautiful spot, but scary times |
Screen captures of the site
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| Picture RCMP car, officer in driveway You think I was watching signage? I was concerned with them & parked cars. |
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| In the driveway on the right, a woman was pulled over, with another officer. Very distracti |
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| this is what they saw of me |
UPDATE #5: Good news
Web traffic up, 382 views of this post; snarky, anonymous and/or ignorant comments deleted. And no, I don't delete those who simply disagree with me. I deleted mocking, puerile, sarcastic remarks from sanctimonious, perfect hypocrites, registered ID or not.June 16
Still the pejorative comments are coming. When you disparage a good woman, like my friend Kay, you can believe I won't publish it. This is my blog. Disagree agreeably, or suck it up, buttercup. The original Surrey article shows a firefighter being ticketed in a file photo. Interesting.None get my point: this is an opportunity for education. It's an opportunity for good PR for the sexism said to be in the RCMP forces, RCMP who go bad, PTSD in the forces, and investigations into RCMP wrongdoing.
Who is policing the (RCMP) police?
UPDATE #6
I saw this group on a news program. Interesting work, which supports my premise that it is education that wins over drivers, as well as realistic speed limits.
SENSE BC - Safety by Education Not Speed Enforcement
www.sense.bc.ca/
Setting speed limits according to the standards of the Institute of Transportation Engineers (the 85th percentile method) will…
* focus enforcement on dangerous drivers, not revenue collection
* increase speed limit compliance
* provide greater consistency of speed limits
* reduce speed variance resulting in reduced crashes
* focus enforcement on dangerous drivers, not revenue collection
* increase speed limit compliance
* provide greater consistency of speed limits
* reduce speed variance resulting in reduced crashes
The 85th percentile is the speed to which 85 percent of drivers travel below (under average, free-flow conditions).
