“My tires aren’t the greatest, there’s really no point living in Vancouver to get, you know, snow tires. But yeah, a little slippery, but just drive slow, you’ll be fine.”
These words of wisdom came from a young woman standing on an icy city street with a dog under her arm and a small child in tow.
Do you think that this is a reasonable outlook for winter driving in the Lower Mainland, or anywhere else in B.C. for that matter?
We all practise risk management in our lives and the purchase of a good set of winter tires and other safety equipment for our vehicles is part of this consideration.
Too often the part of the equation that tips the balance is our bank account rather than the perception of the possibility of risk when we drive. Worse still, some will realize the risk but drive anyway.
I always carry a flashlight, reflective vest, flares and reflective triangles, jumper cables, fuses and spare bulbs. For winter travel I add a blanket, shovel, tow chain, tire chains and other odds and ends. It doesn’t cost me much to keep them with me and manage them as the seasons change.
The lady did have one part of the equation right, however, and that is the slow down part. The best way to get out of trouble is to avoid it.
Tim Schewe is a retired constable with many years of traffic law enforcement. To comment or learn more, please visit DriveSmartBC.ca