HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1999-01-20, Page 44 -THE HURON EXPOSITOR, January 27, 1999
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Wednesday, January 20, 1998
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ieaferth, Ontario, NOK 1 WO
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Brain freezes
could cost local lives
Winter weather conditions still seem to cause
brain freezes for some motorists and
pedestrians. •
While police were stopping motorists for
driving well in excess of 120 km/hr on Highway
401 during a snowstorm, it's not too hard to find
the same level of carelessness in Huron County.
Simple precautions have to be taken and
,certain laws, found in the Highway Traffic Act,
have to be followed.
After a snowfall, a short drive will reveal a
number of drivers who have cleared snow off
their windshields by rolling down their side
windows part way and .turning on their
windshield wipers. Car manufacturers have
improved designs over the years to increase
visibility but covered in snow, the rear window is.
all but useless despite the fact that rear view
mirrors are mandatory in vehicles.
These are the same vehicles whose headlights
and taillights are left covered in snow. While the
headlights may be turned on, drivers don't seem
to be aware that the snow doesn't just melt off.
And signalling a turn, which is also a mandatory
driving practice, becomes a moot point when the
signal lights remain covered.
It takes a. few extra minutes to clean cars off
properly.
It's the law.
Unfortunately, it seems to go unenforced as
cruisers drive by vehicles whose drivers are
peering through slits in the snow on their
windshields without issuing so much as a
warning. •
Letting it go reinforces the notion that it's an
acceptable driving practice.
It's not acceptable, it adds to the risk of injury
or death on the roads and it needs to become a
little more frequent part of an officer's routine
when he or she is on patrol.
And local pedestrians seem to suffer the same
type of brain freeze and step out between
parked cars in front of oncoming vehicles. •
While it's a nice practice of motorists ife wn to
stop and let pedestrians pass, it's not something
a pedestrian should just expect to happen,
particularly when the roads are. slippery.
It doesn't Matter how slow the traffic is
proceeding, a car can't stop on a dime when its
travelling on an icy road.
It's only a matter of time before a pedestrian
gets hit.
Everyone needs to be more patient and
cautious when it comes to winter. The rules of
how we interact with traffic chahge. When we
don't follow them, people get hurt.
STH
How to access us
Letters to the Editor and other submissions
can be made to us by noon on Mondays at
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All letters and submissions must be signed
and accompanied by a day -time telephone
number. All submissions are subject to editing
for both length and content.
Dont forget to check oat our homepage at:
wvvw.bowesnet.com/expoeitori •
Police target snowmobilers
Winter has arrived in full
force and Huron County has
an abundance of snow that
every snowmobiler has been
waiting for. Many of these
people are so eager to get out
on the trails that many have
forgotten to take the required
safety measures necessary to
prevent injury or possible
death to valued friends and
family members. Ninety-five
percent of the drivers do
drive and use their machines
properly but the other five
percent have abused
snowmobile privileges.
Last year, there were 15
fatalities in the province, of
which one occurred in this
immediate area. During the
past two seasons, three
victims had their
snowmobiling season cut
short.
The fatalities that have
occurred usually involved
excessive speed with 70%
having been out drinking at
'the time. Remember
snowmobilers are subject to
the same laws and penalties •
as drivers of motor vehicles
and if convicted of driving a
snowmobile while impaired,
you will lose all driving
privileges (car, truck,
motorcycle, off-road vehicle
and snowmobile).
Secondly, a large number
of snowmobile deaths occur
on lakes and rivers while
most injuries occur on streets .
and highways. . if it is
Ontario
Provincial
Police
necessary to ride on ice,
always check the conditions
first. If you don't know, don't
go.
When it comes to roads or
highways, first stop before
the road, look both ways and
if safe, directly cross the
road, continuing on the trail.
The Huron O.P.P. will be
beefing up patrols on the
trails -and have several
members being trained for
this purpose. During the last.
two weekends, the five
member R.I.D.E. Unit from
Mount Forest has been in the
northern and central regions
of the county while the two-
man patrol has been out from
the local office. These units
are enforcing the "Don't
Drink and Ride" theme as
well speeding while looking
for machine problems.
Here are some safety
oriented, responsible riding
actions and suggested
procedures on safe operation:
•Safety Check Off: Much
of snowmobile safety'centers
on the proper condition and
operation of your
snowmobile prior to use.
Observe these simple
precautions and you will.
have taken the first steps for
safe snowmobiling.
Check your throttle before
you turn on the ignition -
does it freely return to the
idle or closed position; check
your fuel and battery; check
your ski askemblies,and rods;
check your variable speed
drive -belt; turn handle bars
both ways; check your
headlight and taillights;
check emergency switch;
check the free and smooth
operation of your brakes;
check the weather forecast,
your clothes and your wind
chill index - will you be
warm enough; check
emergency parts and
supplies. Spare spark plugs,
drive belt and fuel,
emergency rations, first aid,
kit, flares; knife or small axe,
waterproof matches, spare
clothing, flashlight, tool kit,
extra ignition key; be sure
your snowmobile is pointing
into a clear space free of
people or objects; idle engine
slowly for 30 seconds before
starting out.
Responsible riding
actions: Stay on Ontario
Federation of Snowmobile
Club trails (49,000 total
kilometres); close gates
where applicable; report
property damage of any kind;
avoid riding late at night too
close to homes; leave tracks,
not trash; help preserve small
shrubs and, saplings; avoid
disturbing domestic animals
or wildlife; be polite and
respectful of landowners and
their families; leave private
property when asked to do
so; use the trail only for
snowmobiling in the winter;
stay off the trail during all
other seasons; obtain
permission before camping,
setting a fire or having a
cookout along the trail; use
toilet facilities provided by
clubs or at local pit stops; do
not contribute to noise
pollution by altering stock
exhaust pipes; obey the
speed limit; refrain from
obnoxious br boisterous
behaviour; do not drink and3
ride.
Suggested procedures for
safe operation: Maintain
control of machine at all
times; use care to keep
maximum stability when
cornering; learn braking
distances at various speeds
for sure stops; maintain ski
contact with snow for more
control; check moving parts
to avoid fly -off; don't over
drive your lights at night; use
power wisely to assist in
better handling: be prepared
to "stop everything" in an
emergency; have handlebars
at a proper height for shifting
weight; maintain adequate
rear lighting for night
driving.
D.F. (Don) Shropshall
Senior Constable
Community Services
Officer
Town staff To the Editor:
We are writing with respect to sidewalk
• snow removal leading to and from Seaforth
super Public School.
We would like to take this opportunity to
at removing congratulate, the town staff on doing a superb
job of snow removal. Sidewalks have been
cleaned early in the morning before students _
snow begin walking to school. Market Street and
Goderich Street have "particularly been well
done. .
The town should be congratulated for the
exceptional work done, especially during the
weeks of January 4th and 11th.
Well done.
•. Lorne Rideout, Principal
John Lansink, Custodian
and staff at Seaforth Public School
Ice harvest . begins as D.D. Wilson lays in a supply
Jan nary 20, 1899
Alex Winter, Seaforth,
advertises "Marriage
Licences 'issued _ No
witnesses required."
The ice harvest has begun
in the area and D. D. Wilson
of town has begun to lay in a
supply.
Charles A. Stewart, son of
Mr. Alex Stewart of town,
writes from Manila in the
Philippines where he is
serving with the U.S. Army.
Captain Norman McLeod,
formerly of Seaforth, reports
from Dawson City in the
Klondyke that it is dark at 3
in the afternoon.
The death of Mr. Andrew
Govenlock of Winthrop,
which took place on
Thursday last, was not
unexpected.
At town council, a
committee was set up to
purchase a set of scales to
weigh stock at the railway, at
a cost not to exceed $250.
January 18, 1924
Butter is advertised at 38¢
Ib., and white beans for
cooking at 80 Ib., at Sproat
and Sproat, phone # 8, in
Seaforth. Canadian cheese
sells for 300 a pound.
Curlers seem to be out of
In the Years Agone
uck this season, as every
Wednesday's bonspiel so far
this year has had to be
cancelled, owing to soft ice.
At its first meeting, town
council voted in favour of the
Public Utilities proposition
of sinking another well. John
Knight was engaged as
pound keeper at $65 per
month.
Mr. William Hopper
finished drilling an artesian
well for Mr. Con Eckert. He
struck water at 49 feet. which
rose to within 11 feet of the
top.
In Londesboro, almost
every child is down with the
measles. The school has been
closed for the past two
weeks.
Coming next week to the
Princess theatre in Seaforth -
"Prodigal Daughters" with
Gloria Swanson and
Theodore Roberts.
January 21, 1949
A tornado-like windstorm
caused many thousands of
dollars damage in Seaforth.
Tuckersmith and McKillop.
Traffic was disrupted when
three trees fell across the
highway between Seaforth
and Clinton.
Reeve John Armstrong, of
Hullett Township, was.
elected Warden of Huron.
Tuckersmith's Reeve, a.
Nicholson, was runner-up in
a close race.
The treasurer's report at the
annual congregational
meeting of First Presbyterian
Church in Seaforth indicated
receipts from all sources
amounted to nearly $14,000
during the year.
Department of Transport
radio inspectors were in
Seaforth this week searching
for any causes that might
account for radio
interference.
A large party of hunters
from Windsor were guests at
the Queen's Hotel on Friday
and Saturday. They enjoyed a
rabbit drive, organized by A.
A. Corby
January 17, 1974
Secondary school teachers
who were absent from school
on Dec. 18 will lose a day's
pay, the Huron County Board
of Education has decided.
They joined thousands of
teachers across the province
who stayed away that day,
protesting government
legislation that would
invalidate the resignations of
7,800 teachers, trying to
hasten salary negotiations
and order compulsory
arbitration.
Dr. Rodger Whitman was
re-elected president of the
Seaforth Horticultural
Society, Mrs. William Scott
and Robert Newnham were
named vice-presidents, Mrs.
Leo Stephenson, secretary.
and Irvin Trewartha,
treasurer.
William (Wink) Teall is.
carnival chairman as
Seaforth's Optimist Club
sponsors its seventh -annual
Winter Carnival. Martin
Murray and Jack Bedard are
co-chairman, with activities
planned for snowmobilers,
curlers, skaters and dancers.
A torch -light parade open to
all snowmobilers and cross-
country skiers forms part of
the agenda.
Westcott was called a sycophant and a psychopath
Some time ago 1 wrote about how
dangerous life can be as an employee of
government. Crashing in
airplanes...getting punched by an irate
taxpayer, fighting through picket lines
to get to work...and yes, even getting
shot at.
Things happen that insult, offend and
embarrass. A man or woman working
in the shadow of a politician is a handy
target and it is difficult for an employee
of government to fight back.
When I received a medal from the
Pope it became news I suppose because
I was a Protestant. A Globe story
quoted a Toronto priest as saying I
likely got it because I had nine kids
who attended the separate school.
Wrong. They did attend the Catholic
church - but they all went to the public
school. A Toronto Star reporter claimed
I got it because I was instrumental in
getting a lottery licence approved for
the church. The truth is that I helped
Father McGoey and other priests from
the Scarborough Foreign Missions
(many came from the Seaforth/Dublin
area) by shipping surplus equipment
and supplies from the Ontario
government to their missions on many
different islands in the Caribbean.
Clare
Westcott
rti]
In the 1960s I was called a sycophant
in the Legislature by an Opposition
member of the Legislature during the
Department of Education estimates
debate, it was mistakenly printed in
Hansard as psychopath ...and nobody
bothered to correct it.
Sometimes innocence alone cannot
protect one from the mischance of bad
timing. in the early 70s I took my son
Jamie to see Canada and Russia play
hockey. After the first period we went
for a hot dog and I ran into Paul
McNamara, chairman of the board of
Maple Leaf Gardens. He invited me to
join him for a drink in the directors
lounge between the second and third .
period and I accepted.
The first person I met as I walked in
was Harold McNamara, Paul's cousin
and President of McNamara
Construction. He greeted me with,
"How are things, Clare" and I answered
"Everything is going along great,
Harold." Sounds simple enough....?
Around that time the R.C.M.P. were
raiding offices and seizing documents
and records of companies in the
dredging business. It was referred to in
the press as price fixing or "The
Dredging Scandal". Apparently Harold
kept meticulous notes in his diary -
which the Mounted Police seized. It
contained.a notation saying, "Met the
Premier's Assistant Clare Westcott at
the game last night and he informed me
that things are going along great."
Harold and Sid Cooper the President of
Foundation Company were later
charged and convicted and sent to
Kingston Penitentiary. It taught me that
under certain circumstances there is no
such thing as an innocent remark.
And there are other dangers. A bit
more subtle than a raid by the mounties
but equally as serious. Honour and
integrity cah be jerked away by talk of a
scandal...especially in government.
Some Opposition MPPs are always on
the prowl for grist for the mill of
Partisan politics- Especially if one's
position is in the sensitive working area