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Home My WebLink AboutThe Times Advocate, 2008-07-23, Page 44 Times–Advocate Wednesday, July 23, 2008 OC Editorial Opinion TIMES ADVOCATE PUBLICATIONS MAIL REGISTRATION NUMBER 07511 We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada, through the Publications Assistance Program (PAP), toward our mailing costs. Canada Deb Lord – Manager Scott Nixon – Editor it The Times -Advocate is owned by Metroland Media Group Ltd. Metroland 424 Main Street South, P.O. Box 850 Media Group Ltd. Exeter, Ontario NOM 1S6 • 519-235-1331 Doug Rowe -General Manager, Southwestern Ontario Division EDITORIAL Road rage Anyone hearing about a recent highway death that police say was due to road rage robably had two thoughts — first, some people have such fragile nerves they should not be operating anything more challenging than a tricycle on a fenced -in front lawn. The second thought involves speculation on how many other such deaths have been mislabeled as accidental. This time someone had the courage to call it like it is — road rage, not careless driving, and definitely not a mis- take. Road rage is one of those eloquent terms that seems to say it all. A dictionary definition indicates it is violent behaviour by a driver that causes accidents, often trig- gered by stress. But any action that can be predicted or prevented is no accident. Speeding so you can zip in front of someone and slam on your brakes just to get even with him for cutting you off, driving too slow or whatever, has a tragically predictable, and completely preventable outcome. Stress affects some people worse than others. Most of us would regard a slow moving vehicle, perhaps a piece of farm machinery or a car with engine trouble, as a mild annoyance. We realize the other vehicle has as much right to be on the road as we do, and that it might take a minute or two for us to safely pass it. There is a certain kind of person, though, who takes the presence of the slower vehicle as a personal attack. He tailgates, honks, flashes his high beams, makes rude gestures and in general acts like a bleeping idiot. Something pushes him over the edge, and suddenly he starts acting like a two-year-old in desperate need of a glass of milk and a nap — a two-year-old operating over a ton of metal and glass at 100 -plus kilometers per hour, through a fast-moving obstacle course where there is no room for error. Most parents of two -year-olds could come up with a list of useful suggestions to curb road rage, beginning with a snack and five minutes of quiet time when somebody is on the verge of losing it. There would surely be a reminder of the need for good manners, and that big boys and girls do not hit other children with their toys or threaten to hurt them. If they refuse to play nicely they will not be allowed back in the sandbox. To put it in adult terms, when the traffic is getting the better of a person, it is time to stop for something to eat and drink (decaf and non-alcoholic, please!), and per- haps a few minutes listening to soothing music with one's eyes shut. Beethoven and a peanut butter sand- wich really can save lives. More to the point, anyone old enough to drive should have outgrown tantrums, no matter what the provoca- tion. Another driver behaving badly is all the more rea- son to keep a cool head. The cost of losing control and having a tantrum in a sandbox is a few minutes in the "naughty chair"; in a ton of metal at rush hour, the cost could be someone's life. — from The Minto Express The days are disappearing The waning days of July always bring a bit- tersweet feel because they bring with them the realization that before we even really start to enjoy the lazy days of summer, they are start- ing to slip away. But the last days of July mean different things to different peo- ple. For homeowner husbands, to whom everything seemed possible in the first warm days of May, July is the month decisions are made, or more precisely, unmade. The plans of fence building and painting, tree trimming, grass cutting and long sweaty days of deck sanding have given way to long sweaty days of not much at all. Because by July, there doesn't seem to be anything better to do but lie in the hammock and drink yourself silly and/or into the roman- tic mood and grant the wife some quality time. But everyone has different ideas of what should be done with the last days of July and for many families that means, what else, to go meet grouchy old uncle Frank, although grouchy old uncle Frank has become grouchy old uncle Pat, unless uncle Pat decides to avoid his sisters' phone calls/e-mails/invitations and leave them with the jobs of doling out the cole slaw and undercooked chicken at the family reunion. For Leaf fans, it's that magical time of year when last season has conveniently faded from the memory, if not the stats page. It's the best (only) time of year to be a Leaf fan when last year's group of stiffs and next year's draft choices have been gotten rid of and the forecasting maga- zines haven't hit the stands yet, with their predications of "out by Christmas" and "Leafs" usually close together. For season ticket holders it's also a safe time of year as they can feel free to put their money down still hoping that Brian McCabe won't be throwing hand grenades at both ends of the ice again next season. For kids the winding down of July is even worse. After they have just managed to erase the last of the hard learned lessons from their minds and finally managed to get the school smell out of their clothes, the last days of July means parents are sneaking more looks, first at the calenders and then at their watches, knowing the time is growing short until they can toss them back in the firm embrace of the school. Where did it go indeed? PAT B BACK 40 VIEW OLEN 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 4:30 pm. CLOSED ON HOLIDAYS. Contact Us By Phone or Fax Classified ad & subscription sales 519-235-1331 24-hour automated attendant 519-235-1336 Fax number 519-235-0766 Fax number for accounting dept. 519-235-2449 Subscription Rates One year rate for addresses in Canada: $42+GST Two year rate for addresses in Canada: $75+GST One year rate for addresses outside Canada:$160+GST Call 519-235-1331 to order a subscription. Classified Rates Word ads: $13 for 20 words, 20¢ for each additional word+ GST. Notices (births, announcements, coming events, memoriams, cards of thanks): $16 + GST for up to 50 words, 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 4:30 p.m. or evenings 519-235-1336 (leave message) or toll-free at 1-888-270-1602. Deadline: Fri. 2 p.m. Web site: www.southhuron.com E-mail Us TA e-mail addresses consist of the person's first initial and last name followed by @southhuron.com. For example, Deb Lord's e-mail address is dlord@southhuron.com Our general e-mail address is ads@southhuron.com. The Times -Advocate Team MANAGER Deb Lord ext. 103 ADVERTISING Deborah Schillemore ext. 112 COMPOSITION Nikki Cyr ext. 101 Kelly Gackstetter ext. 101 EDITOR Scott Nixon ext. 105 REPORTERS Pat Bolen ext. 113 Nina Van Lieshout ext. 107 CUSTOMER SERVICE Sue Rollings ext. 101 Jennifer Skonieczny ext. 102 ACCOUNTING STAFF Anita McDonald ext. 104 Ruth Slaght ext. 106 Marg Pertschy ext. 108 Heather Clarke ext. 111