Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1981-04-08, Page 21Stark reality of death will bring meaning to safety BY DAVE SYKES One of these days someone is going to be killed and then people will want to do something about it. , The statement has universal applications but OPP Constable Eric Gosse insists the stark reality of a death or injury will bring a new perspective to school bus safety. But unfortuneatelyc someone may have to get hurt before attitudes change. A small child gets off a school bus and walks in front of the vehicle to cross the road. But j ust as the student reaches the end of the vehicle and peers around the corner, a car whizzes past and is lost ina cloud of dust on the sideroad. If the child had been careless and not looked before crossing, it could have easily beenkilled. But a -child getting. off a stopped school ,,bus, with flashers boldly signalling the discharge of passengers, should not have to take the precaution of checking for on- coming traffic. Traffic should bestopped in both directions when such a bus stops to take on or discharge passengers. The cargo is precious but impatience, and drivers who think time is vitally more im- portant, will pass busses. It has been happening in Huron County with increasing regularity and 'will happen again: One day a child will be seriously hurt or killed by an impatient driver who can't spare the time. Undoubtedly. it is an in- congruous act, done on ,the spur of the moment without serious consideration given to the consequences. There , was such an incident outside 'Goderich , just a few weeks ago' and Con- stable Eric Gosse of the Goderich Detach- ment of the OPP says in most cases it is difficult to lay charges. But he still would like something done.'about the situation._,. ___, "Recently we have had three serious complaints and something must be done," he said° "There are many more complaints that -aren't reported but there is not much - we (police) can do." • There isn't much police can do unless they witness the situation and can lay .,a charge on the spot. Under the Highway Traffic Act the police crust charge the driver of the vehicle which complicates matters. If a bus driver is alert enough to record the licence number of a passing.car, police may pursue the matter, with the vehicle owner, but the onus is on the police to prove the owner was the driver. Gosse says a change in the law is required to rectify the situation. If. police could simply charge the owner of the vehicle in that case, he said, there would less risks on. the highway. "We've done everything we can in the schools to educate the children," he said. "If we can't identify the drit'er we can't lay a charge. It °would take a law change. We should be able to charge the owner of the vehicle." Gosse hears numerous horror stories in his school rounds, about drivers disregar- ding bus signals and he insists that a child will be hurt before something gets done. One of the difficulties is educating the driving public. The children are well aware of bus safety, much more so than public. Grey and Bruce counties use a bus patrol 'system, in which designated students act as monitors on the bus. They can report .. students to the principal for misbehaving but more importantly, they see that students get across the road safely at each stop, making sure traffic has stopped before escorting children across the road. "There is no problems in areas that use patrols. People know about them and what their job is," Gosse said. "Patrols are taugltit to control the pus if something happens to the driver and they have seminars every year." Bob Sherwood of Sherwood Tran- sportation saysthe public's disregard of school bus signals is not a. new problem but one that has plagued drivers for years. "More training is necessaary to educate the public," he said. "People have to realize that the big yellow vehicle with all those windows is more than a cattle truck." Sherwoodspeaks highly of the bus patrol system used in other counties and aside from the safety benefits, he says it helps cut down on bus vandalism as well. He said. patrols are most usefull in the densely populated urban areas where traffic flow is heavier but added that the program has useful applications here. The safety problems in this area are more acute in May and June when visitors begin flocking to the cottage areas. In some areas busses have been equiped with four flashing lights, both in front and at therear of the bus,. tohelp slowdown traffic.. in both directions. More lights will not help in all cases. People have to realize that a stopped bus is either discharging children or loading and drivers must stop. Why take the chance of passing a school bus. It could result in injury or death. Drivers must be educated about school bus safety to protect children getting on and off buses each day. Too Many drivers are still passing stopped buses, endangering the lives of youngsters who N cross the road thlning traffic is stopped in both directions. (photo by Dave Sykes) 133 YEAR -14 WEDNESDAY, APRIL 8, 1981 f they coiihital: SECOND SECTION! The Canadoc, a 17 -year-old bulk cargo ship, docked in Goderich harbor last Thursday for a load of corn. Its arrival heralded the beginning of the shipping season here. (Photo by Joanne Buchanan) First grain boat into harbor heralds new shipping season BY JOANNE BUCHANAN The first grain boat of 1981 arrived at Goderich harbor last Thursday morning to herald the opening of another shipping season here. The Canadoc, a 17 -year-old bulk cargo ship, docked for a load of corn at 11:30 a.m. en route from Hamilton to Sorel', Quebec. The last grain boat to be the first into Goderich harbor was the Quebecois which arrived April 6. 1977. For the next three years after that, the salt boat M.V. Agawa Canyon arrived first, last year as early as March 31•. #s is tradition, upon his arrival, Cahadoo captain John McKenaie was presented with a top hat by the mayor at town hall. McKenzie has been sailing on the Great Lakes for 30 years and has been a captain for five years, the last two and a half with the Canadoc. But this is the first time he has ever had the honors of being to"si tutu put L. No one is quite sure where the top hat idea originated but it has become a tradition down through the years in all the ports along the Great Lakes to present one to the captain of the first ship to arrive every season. In Goderich, the same hat is used year after year with each captain being asked to sign his name to the inside . of it. As a momento of Goderich. Captain McKenzie received a' large framed photograph of the lighthouse and he and his wife, Marjorie, who drove from Mildmay for the occassion, were taken out to dinner by town officials. The captain said ice was encountered two miles outside Goderich harbor and for 30 miles on Lake Erie. On Wednesday evening, the ship stopped to wait for the wind to die down. Otherwise,, it was a smooth trip, making April 2—an early arival date for a grain boat—an easy feat. A drive in the country isn't complete without a stop at Les Jervis' farm east of Holmesville. Upper left is a sad -looking Highland cow, at right this white deer peeks from behind a tree. lower left this Canada Goose glides serenely on the pond, and at right this fellow looks like he'd enjoy a good `yak'. (Photos by Cath Wooden) ..