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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1990-01-17, Page 4PAGE 4. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 17, 1990. Senseless deaths It must be frustrating to be a cop. It must be depressing to have to keep investigating accidents and watching bodies being taken away when the life could have been saved with a few simple decisions. The annual survey of traffic fatalities in District 6 of the Ontario Provincial Police showed that 40 per cent of the 108 people killed in car accidents weren’t wearing their seat belts. While only eight per cent of all accidents involved alcohol, the percentage was a staggering 38 per cent when it came to accidents in which people died. It’s only common sense that if you drink, you shouldn’t get behind the wheel of a car. Yet somehow there remains this foolish idea on the part of many that a few drinks really doesn’ t detract from the ability to drive safely. There are even those who still maintain that they are actually better drivers with a drink or three under their belts. No doubtthey’re also the kind ofpeople who think all the warnings about the dangers of cigarette smoking are a hoax. At least the people who drink and drive can be excused on the rather weak argument they were too drunk to know better when they got behind the wheel. But what about the people who don’t use their seat belts? Statistics show that seat belts save lives but many people refuse to buckle up. Common sense, and the couple of seconds it would take to do up the seat belt, may have saved the lives of some of those people killed in 1989. Yet there is a kind of macho code (that affects women too, unfortunately) that doing up a seat belt is silly. There are those who will still swear to you they know for a fact that they, or someone they know, would have died if they had been wearing a seat belt. Well, the real fact is that 44 of the 108 people killed in the area last year were completely, or partially thrown from their cars. The sad thing for the police is that even with the publicity surrounding these facts, next year almost the same statistics will undoubtedly be reported again. Police officers will continue to have to go to accidents and investigate bloody deaths that could have been prevented with a few simple precautions. If people learn from the tragedy of others then the deaths can at least have some nobility. But when people ignore the facts, when they think that somehow the odds won’t touch them, then these deaths are especially senseless and tragic. So much fuss Never has so much fuss been made by so many who did so little as the fuss this past few weeks over the cancellation of VIA train service to many parts of Canada. The news has been dominated by reports of protest marches and mock funerals for our rail service. Municipal politicians from the big cities across the country joined in a court challenge to the cancellations. One has to ask, however, how many of the politicians, how many of the reporters, how many of the protesters, ever used the train? There is not much doubt that the inefficiency of the VIA system was a planned thing. Going way back to the time when CN and CP ran the passenger service, it often appeared the railways were more interested in driving away customers than they were in attracting them. Some of the timetables seemed designed to make sure that the train travelled at times that were of use to absolutely no one. The equipment often seemed like Sir John A. MacDonald himself might have ridden on it. Nothing changed but the colour of the trains when VIA was set up to take passenger service off the hands of the railways. The equipment was just as bad. The timetables were often useless. The one difference was that the railways now got to charge exhorbitant amounts for the rights to use their rail lines. Many critics claim the lines that are left in the VIA system seem set up to purposely fail and give the excuse to cancel rail service all together. All that being said, however, what has been happening in the latest round of cuts is only a continuation of the cuts that began back in 1971 when passenger service was cut to large areas of rural Ontario. People were not using the trains enough to warrant the expense of them being kept up. Back then, however, because only smaller centres were being hurt, the changes were looked on by the city politicians and big-city media, as just part of the inevitable deterioration of the rural way of life. Now, when the cancellations hit the big cities, it’s a national tragedy. Ata time when we’re worried about the environment, when traffic congestion in cities like Toronto is getting to be frightening, a good rail service seems to make sense. But the fact is the VIA service just didn’t cut it and nobody seemed innovative enough, and gutsy enough to make the radical changes that would be necessary to improve the situation. It’s sad to see the trains go from the cities, just as it was nearly two decades ago to see the trains go from the small towns. But the justification for keeping the trains rolling now is no better than it was then. It’s only the location that has made the fuss louder. P.O. Box 429, BLYTH, Ont. NOM 1H0 Phone 523-4792 P.O. Box 152, BRUSSELS, Ont NOG 1H0 Phone 887-9114 Weeds in winter There are people who will tell you that the important decisions in town are made down at the town hall. People in the know, however know that the real debates, the real wisdom reside down at Mabel 's Grill where the greatest minds in the town [if not in the country] gather for morning coffee break, otherwise known as the Round Table Debating and Filibustering Soc­ iety. Since not just everyone can partake of these deliberations we wdl report the activities from time to time. MONDAY: Julia Flint said that while she feels a romantic twinge to see the end of train service in so many parts of the country, she really won’t miss it personally. The only times she ever went by train, she says, she got to see the grungiest parts of every town, got to be insulted by the grouchiest conductors the railway could find if they’d recruited for months and got to eat sandwiches that tasted like felt insoles. Tim said he regretted now not having taken the time earlier in life to take a trip across Canada in the Canadian. “Ever since I was a kid I’ve seen the pictures of people sitting in that dome car looking up Mabel at the mountains and I’ve wanted to see what it was like.” Hank Stokes said when he hears people talk about the Mulroney government cancelling the last Canadian he knows they’re just talking about a train but with the way this government is going, he wishes he could be really sure. WEDNESDAY: Picking up a Tor­ onto newspaper this morning Ward Black wondered what the media in Toronto would have to cover if it wasn’t for the ongoing saga of the Ballard clan. “This must be the fifth day in a row there’s been something about Harold or Yolanda on the front page,” he said. Well, Julia said, what do you expect. The press has to have something to sell papers. In the U.S. they talk about the president’s wife, his kids or his dog unless he takes their mind off it by invading some little country in a warm climate where the press can all rush to for a warm working vacation. In Britain the press is endlessly fascinated with the Royal family. And we get the Ballards. Good grief, Tim said, maybe we really are as dull as people say. THURSDAY: Billie Bean was say­ ing he’s had about enough of winter already and spring can come any time now. “Look,” said Hank pointing out an article in the paper, “there may soon not be anything to look ahead to summer for anyway.” He was showing an article that said the Saugeen Indian Band may have a legitimate claim to Sauble Beach. “First Grand Bend, now Sauble Beach! Where are people going to go to get a tan?” “Bahamas,” Billie said, watch­ ing the town crew clear away the snow outside. Well, said Tim, he wouldn’t worry too much. He figures that even if the guy in Grand Bend and the Saugeen Indians win their case, he figures the government will have to step in and buy the beach back. The whole local economy depends on it. Sure, Ward said, and add even more to the deficit. Well, said Hank, looking over at lawyer Tim, the government could easily pay for the beaches if it just put a tax on lawyers to get back part of the legal fees they charged for fighting all these cases. FRIDAY: Julia was wondering what kind of person the British want for royalty after seeing that “Fergie” has been criticized for being too “earthy” and a woman with a past. “Maybe they should just make the princes marry Barbie dolls,” she said. Well, said Ward, at least when they stuck pins in them it wouldn’t hurt. The Citizen is published weekly in Brussels, Ontario by North Huron Publishing Company Inc Subscriptions are payable in advance at a rate of $19 OO/yr. ($40 00 Foreign). Advertising is accepted on the condition that in the event of a typographical error, only that portion of the advertisement will be credited Advertising Deadlines: Monday, 2 p m - Brussels, Monday, 4 p.m. - Blyth. We are not responsible for unsolicited newscripts or photographs. Contents of The Citizen are © Copyright. Serving Brussels, Blyth, Auburn, Belgrave, Ethel, Londesborough, Walton and surrounding townships. Editor & Publisher, Keith Roulston Production Manager, Jill Roulston Advertising Manager, Dave Williams Second Class Mail Registration No. 6968