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Home My WebLink AboutTimes-Advocate, 1999-01-20, Page 66 Actcja Fu.M. rin...,Aewc.e. Edit�rial&Opinion. Wednesday. January 20. 1999 ii\( .43 1 Ar r 4 PUBLICATIONS MAIL REGISTRATION NUMBER 07511 Jim Beckett Publisher and Editor Don Smith Deb Lord General Manager Production Manager Published by J.W. Eedy Publications Limited 424 Main Street South, P.U. Box 850 Exeter, Ontario NOM 1S6 • (519) 235-1331 EDITORIAL Time to consider the real cost In response to those who wish there were a fine for stupidity - there is. It is the $105 fine for going around a "road closed" barrier in a winter storm. Most people make the correct assumption that if..the plows have been pulled from the roads because condi- tions are too dangerous, a small, light -weight car does not stand a chance. They regard the option of driving around the road barrier as the choice between sitting stranded in a snowdrift for five hours, or sitting with a mug of hot chocolate in front of the telly. At the opposite end of the scale are the individuals who look on the road barriers more as a challenge to their winter driving skills than as a warning of danger. The price of meeting that challenge can be high. There is that $105 fine, for starters. Then there is the cost of calling a tow truck. Even if the person has road coverage through CAA or Canadian Tire, and a cell phone in the car, there is still that long wait in snow and cold - a long, dangerous, potentially life-threatening and totally unnecessary wait. The myth that your insurance will not cover you if you go past a road closed barrier and total the car is, unfortunately, just that - pretty much a myth. Jon Gaiser of Gaiser-Kneale Insurance Brokers Inc. explains that while there is nothing in a policy excluding a company from refusing coverage in that situation, it has never been tested in a court of law. Technically, the company would have to pay. The only thing that affects a claim is a Criminal Cotte' charge like impaired driving, not Highway Traffic Act charges including failing to yield the right-of-way: or crossing a road closed barrier. But if there were a million dollar liability at stake, a company could attempt to deny a claim, and if successful, the other companies would surely follow. "There is a big grey area," Craig said, adding that he would not want to be the one to test it. The real expense is salaries and equipment for emer- gency crews to rescue the individuals who "can drive through anything" and who end up wrapped around hydro poles. Each winter storm means people will get called out in the middle of the night to extricate someone from the wreckage of a car. Yes, the radio had been warning peo- ple to stay home, that barriers were up and the highway was closed. Yes, everyone knew the snow was blowing around, and conditions were fierce. The police, firefight- ers and paramedics would like nothing better than to stay off that icy, snowdrift covered highway. But they willwork their hardest to get the fool out alive. They have more respect for his life than he has for their lives, or his own, for that matter. But the person who foots the lion's share of the bill for the rescue is still you, the taxpayer. Perhaps if the person who drives around a road closed barrier were charged the complete bill for the rescue fire trucks and crew, police cruisers and offi- cers, ambulance and paramedics, and any other equip- . ment and personnel - he might think twice before zip- ping past to meet the elements head-on. A mere $105 fine does not even begin to cover the expense of rescuing people who paid no heed -to a warn- ing of danger, and who cause others to risk their lives. About the Times -Advocate Address & Office Hours Times -Advocate, 424 Main Street South, P.O. Box 850, Exeter, Ontario NOM 1S6. Our office is open Monday to Friday, 8:30 am to 5:00 pm. Contact Us By Phone or Fax Classified ad & subscription sales .... (519) 235-1331 24-hour automated attendant (519) 235-1336 Fax number for all departments (519) 235-0766 Subscription Rates One year rate for addresses in Canada: $35+GST Two year rate for addresses in Canada. $63+GST One year rate for addresses outside Canada: . . $102 Call (519) 235-1331 to order a subscription. Father shows his love with 10 meson strides What have you been doing since April 10? Most of us have been working to make a living. Others have been going to school, looking after their families or enjoying retirement. To say John Davidson has been spending that time unlike anyone else in Canada is the under- statement of the year. Since April 10, he has been walking across Canada at a rate of 33 kilo- metres a day on Jesse's Journey A Father's Tribute. And today, he reaches his destination — Victoria B.C. The enormity of his trek is beyond imagi- nation. He has walked 8,300 kilometres from the Atlantic to the Pacific. Thirteenoutof every 14 days, Davidson wakes and after a breakfast of oatmeal, hits the road. After seven kilometres, he takes a 10 minute break. For most of us, that would be it for the day. But not Davidson. He starts another seven -kilometre segment until he walks the equivalent distance of Hensall to Lucan. I can't fathom maintaining that routine for more than nine months. So much has gone on in our community since he dipped his shoe in the Atlantic Ocean and all the while, Davidson has been plodding^.across our country. When we were enjoying an early spring, he was starting his journey in Newfoundland. While we were relaxing on our summer holidays, .he was enduring the hottest summer on record in Southern Ontario and was still in Ontario at Thanksgiving. At Christmas, when we were at goodness knows how many parties and dinners and complaining about eating too much, Davidson was still walking. As we griped about shoveling snow each day in the first half of January, he was still walking. Some people say you'd get used to walking that far each day. I have my doubts. Many people walk miles at -their jobs, but throw in a .predominant headwind, rain, snow, heat and humidity? The demands on his body have been extraordinary. Mentally, the demands have been greater. He has spent months away from his family, friends and everything familiar. Why is he doing this? Three reasons: to raise funds and awareness for genetic research, to pay tribute to his son Jesse for his heroic wheelchair tour of Ontario and to salute the daily efforts of Canadian fathers. Davidson's crusade is not going to save his son from the deteriorating muscle disease but neverthjless, Davidson is doing what he can for others. As lu read this, Davidson will be wrapping up his incredible journey after raising only $2 million of his $10 million goal. He's had tough competition for donations. There are many good causes out there. Anyone who has experienced a family tragedy has a special spot for the organization that battles that disease. It's argued cancer and many other diseases are genetic in nature. Do you feel lucky? Do you think you or your family are immune to genetic disor- ders? I'm not that confident. While I'm not encouraging you to ignore the charities you traditionally donate to, I am asking you to consider donating to Jesse's Journey A Father's Tribute. Six months from now, will you miss the money you donate to Davidson's cause? I doubt it. KA KAT TE MONK E'S TAKES Classified Rates Word ads: $9.00 for 20 words, 15$ for each additional word+ GST. Notices f,births, deaths, announcements, coming events, memoriams, cards of thanks): $11.00 + GST7 for up to 30 words, 15¢ for each additional word. All ads must be pre -paid. The classified ad deadline is Monday at 10 a.m. Display Advertising To place a display ad, (519) 235-1331 weekdays 8:30 to 5 p.m. or evenings (519) 235-1336 (leave message) or toll-free at 1-888-270-1602. Deadline: Friday 4 p.m. E-mail Us TA e-mail addresses consist of the person's first initial and last name followed by @ta.eedy.com. For example, Jim Beckett's e-mail address is <)beckett@ta.eedy.com> Our general e-mail address is editor@South Huron.com. The Times -Advocate Team Advertising Barb Consitt Craig Bradford Kate Monk Reporters Customer Service Production Staff Accounting Staff Scott Nixon Sue Rollings Carol Windsor ext. 110 ext. 113 ext. 107 ext. 105 ext. 101 ext. 102 Deb Lord ext. 114 Alma Ballantyne, Brenda Hern, Laurel Miner, Mary McMurray, Barb Robertson Cassie Dalrymple ext. 206 Anita McDonald ext. 111 Ruthanne Negrijn ext. 104 Ruth Slaght ext. 106