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Home My WebLink AboutTimes-Advocate, 1984-05-16, Page 3Local PRIDE get more information on drinking drivers Letters to politicians can assist effort The drinking driver Is an age-old problem. However, In horse and buggy. days, the horse could find its way safe- ly back home, using good old horse sense to avoid colliding with obstacles on the way, even if its drunken driver had passed out. Not so with the inanimate automobile. Impaired drivers behind the wheels of motor vehicles have left a trail of death, permanent maiming and disfigurement and ro- perty damage in their w>e. About? 3,000 people are killed by drunk drivers in Canada each year. Ontario alone has 30,000 alcohol-related ac- cidents each year, or one every 17.5 minutes. These points were among the introductory remarks matte by Dr:Paul Whitehead, guest speaker at the first ,public meeting called by the Board gets financial aid Over half a million dollars has been granted to the Huron County Board of Education for roof and boiler replacements. The board learned recently the ministry has approved up to $500,000 for roof replacements and $73,000 for boiler replacements. The ministry gives these grants on roofs and boilers that are over 20 years old. Superintendent of Opera- tions Don Miller said every November the board sends a list of capital projects to the ministry for approval. The .list forecasts the board's priority projects for three years. The superintendent added that the exact schools af- fected by the grant have yet to be named by the ministry. ad hoc committee appointed by Exeter council to suggest ways to reduce the incidence of drinking drivers In - this community. Whitehead, a sociology professor at Western University, has been researching and writing about alcohol and drug- related damage for the past 16 years. Whitehead said the single most important way to reduce the number of drinking drivers is random spot checks for the purpose of ascertain- ing if drivers are over the legal limit. The intensive two-week campaign each year at Christmas and New Years has resulted in a very small number of drivers being ap- prehended, as awareness of enhanced surveillance deters the majority from getting behind the wheel when im- paired. During the other 50 weeks of the year, it is business as usual. Only one in 2,000 is apprehended and then usually by actions which bring him to the attention of the police. Whitehead emphasized no police force can devote con- siderable effort to drinking - driving without taking resources from other tasks, and police departments will require added resources ear- marked for that purpose. Most municipalities can't af- ford the added costs, and need financial help from government. Whitehead referred to the report of a provincial govern- ment task force. He said the fear of being caught is not identified as a major deterr- ment, despite the weight of evidence now available. Whitehead is afraid the government, with an election coming up, will launch a media campaign armed at changing people's attitudes rather than their behaviour. USBORNE CONCERT — Shelley Miller and Deborah Pfaff are supporting Steve Sillery as a pioneer during a recent Bi -Centennial concert at Usborne Central School. T -A photo ACCOUNT VG Rate subject to change. subject change. VICTORIA ORIA AND GREY MU Since 1844 Exeter: 425 Main St. 235-0530 Member Canada Deponit Insurance Corporation Fresh Baked Bread, Pastries, Cookies, Donuts Large variety of Canadian and Imported cheeses. "Fresh off the Block" Bulk snacks and candies For your barbecue enjoy our fresh rolls. Onion and parsley or I� Monterray Jack Cheese Ib$s.99 TastyNu laktry & Cheese House Exeter 235-0332 "Ladies and gentlemen, we don't have to do anything about changing people's at- titudes: We want to change their behaviour. We don't care what they think - we care what they do," Whitehead declared. In response to a question from the audience, Whitehead traced the history of the lowered drinking age in Ontario. "Your MPP and mine did it,"he said. efore the 1971 election, and without any lobbying pressure from young people or the brewing and liquor in- dustries, the Davis govern- ment decided to bring in a three-part package that lowered the voting age, the age at which young people could sign legally -binding contracts, and the drinking age, to 18. The drinking age has since been raised to 19. The state of Michigan, which had lowered the drink- ing age to 18, raised it again to 21 through a binding referendum despite opposi- tion from the state legislators. Studies showed a dramatic in- crease in alcohol-related col- lisions during the period 18-year-olds could legally drink, and a dramatic decreased in such incidents after the age was upped again to 21. "Our members of parlia- ment are the most backward group of jp ple in our socie- ty rtegardlng an increase in the legal drinking age. They display the most civil liber- tarian attitude and are the most backward quarter of society you can find on the drinking -driving issue," Whitehead said. The speaker suggested one of the most effective ways to try to alleviate the problem of the drinking driver is for peo- ple to work in concert with their council for more effec- tive enforcement of the drinking -driving laws, and take pen in hand and write to their MPPs. The government should be petitioned to sup- port and assist financially a stepped-up campaign of ran- dom spot checks. Whitehead stressed the im- portance accorded consti- tuents' letters. They are read, counted, collated, packaged and studied. Twenty or so on an issue make a "very large difference.." Exeter policeman Kevin Short said he agreed with all that had been said. The town police are awaiting delivery of an ALERT, a roadside screening device that allows Biddulph receives eight building jobs At its regular May 1 meeting, Biddulph township council accepted eight building permit applications. The first one came from the Granton Lions Club to build an addition to their existing building at Granton Com- munity Park to provide a kit- chen area; storage room, washroom facilities and a meeting room. Five of the applications were for additions to existing residences in the township. They were from Wayne Hind - marsh, Harold McAdam, Robert Pincombe, Gary Jones and Orville Langford. The others were to Gerald Mason to erect a barn at lot 39, concession 3 and to Mrs. Mary Dewan to construct or place a trailer on the south half of lot 27, concession 10 subject to an agreement which will have the trailer removed when no longer needed by Mrs. Dewan. An application from Mrs. Edna Arnold to amend the zoning bylaw from restricted agricultural to residential use was received and will be for- warded to the township plan- ner with direction to prepare a notice for the public meeting and a draft bylaw which is to be available on or before the date of the public meeting. Tile drain loan applications totalling $37,050 were approv- ed. Herman Lansink and Wilfred Riddell presented the proposed budget for the Bid- dulph recreation, parks and community centre committee for 1984. in the amount of $2,484 for maintenance and capital expenses of 88,198. Council instructed clerk - treasurer Ray Hands to prepare guidelines for the control of dogs runnings at large in the township after meeting with dog control of- ficer Howard Currie. The Ausable-Bayfield Con- servation Authority has re- quested as many members of council as possible attend a floodplain management meeting in Parkhill on May 24. The Upper Thames Conser- vation Authority has also ask- ed for attendance at a similar meeting to be held in the near future. The Middlesex -London District Health Unit has re- quested that all building per- mits issued by the township of Biddulph have approval of the health unit before being issued. Council has no objection to zoning change by the township of London to allow a motor vehicle sales and ser- vice establishment at part of lot 17, concession .16. The clerk has been authorized to purchase one set of booklets outlining Bid- dulph township cemeteries from the Ontario Genealogical Society. Disturbance brings fine An Exeter man was fined $300 or 15 days in jail after pleading guilty to a charge of causing a disturbance in a local restaurant when he ap- peared in Exeter court, Tuesday. John Ivan Barrett was charged on January 2 after police were called to Good Times where the accused had been shouting and making physical threats against a bartender. When Exeter police con- stable Jim Barnes arrived, Barrett swung an ash tray at him. A female patron was ac- cidently struck in the incident. Crown Attorney Paul Bailey, London, noting Bar- rett's long record and the seriousness of the incident, said he felt police were very lenient in laying only a distur- bance charge. The accused was given 60 days in which to pay. In the only other case heard on the docket which contain- ed 11 names, Judge W.G. Cochrane levied a fine of 8100 or five days in jail against Susan A. Markson, RR 1 Granton who pleaded guilty to a charge of theft. She had been charged on February 18 after being observed putting items in her purse while shopping at Zehrs. She was apprehended outside the store after not paying for the items which were valued at $17.48. The 27 -year-old mother of three was given 90' days in which to pay the fine. snnnnmmnmntmmm�nnnnnnnmimumummnnmmnnnnnmminmmnmmnm g I Susan's Greenhouse. 3 and Nursery 1 RR 1, Crediton, Ont. NOM IMO 11/2 mile south of Crediton Phone 234-6464 Will provide you with all your GARDEN NEEDS Box Plants Annuals - Perennials Hanging Baskets Geranium Rose Bushes Evergreens & Shrubs Patio Pots Good variety of houseplants OPEN Mon. - Fri. 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. Sat. i Sun. 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Laanaumwawtmuwwuuumuuwcaummummulmasawunmmmomuu 1 aliceman to po perform a breath test at the scene. The machine registers pass, warn or fail. If the dial reads .05 mg. per 100 ml. of blood, the driver is given a warning. If his blood alcohol content is above the .08 he will be taken for an official test with the breathalizer at the Exeter OPP detachment. (Th8 Ex- eter OPP now also have an ALERT unit.) Dr. Ecker hopes to have Sgt. Short and a crown at- torney from Huron County at the June meeting to make people more aware of some of the problems from their point of view. Short said drinking - driving trials are the number one problem for policemen in this area; they can expect to spend the longest time on the stand and every detail must be perfect. Adding to the reluctance to lay such a charge is the light punish- ment often imposed. "It makes the police rather cynical after while," Short admitted. Those in attendance agreed to form an Exeter chapter of PRIDE. Councillor Bill Rose offered to prepare and print brochures for the new association, and pay for the initial ad advertising the June meeting. Dr. Whitehead donated his speaker's fee to the new chapter. 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