Time the traffic lights for better flow
Re: “The folly of Victoria’s war on the car,” column, July 26.
Steve Wallace has encapsulated superbly the frustrations so many of us experience in attempting to navigate Victoria’s streets in a timely manner.
His comments with regard to the absence of traffic light timing is right on the money. In non-rush-hour traffic, it takes we denizens of the West Shore perhaps 10 minutes to reach the McKenzie-Trans-Canada Highway intersection, but another 15-20 minutes to get to our destination in the city’s core, thanks to the inappropriate traffic light timing.
Fortunately, Victoria’s drivers are generally polite and courteous and do not express their frustrations in road-rage outbursts, despite the probable inclination to do so. Mayor and Council in “the land close by” are urged to examine all possible avenues to improve traffic flow in the city.
Wallace’s remarks regarding depriving Victoria’s police of the required funds to carry out their duties properly should be of great concern to all of us. Proper funding of this essential service should be an imperative in this fair city.
Murray Ramsbottom
Victoria
Could someone please look at traffic woes?
Re: “The folly of Victoria’s war on the car,” column, July 26.
Steve Wallace’s column voiced the frustration of Victoria drivers finding it increasingly difficult to manoeuvre in chaotic road conditions. It should have been a front page story, rather than a feature of the Driving section.
Our roads are becoming sea-sickness-inducingly lumpy and the patchwork pavement repairs are Third World rated.
Mayor Lisa Helps announced several months ago that a consultant was hired to study and recommend changes to traffic light timing, but nothing further was published.
The driving public, that is the significant majority of the city, is fed up with the neglect and virtual scorn received from city council.
Perhaps at least one of the councillors could concentrate on our needs, rather than all putting climate and reconciliation on their main agenda.
George Zador
Victoria
Consider the impact of expressing opinions
Re: “The folly of Victoria’s war on the car,” column, July 26.
If Steve Wallace’s recent columns are any indication, expertise on road safety is becoming less desirable writing than promoting some unfortunate, albeit popular opinions.
Recent talk of wars, and conspiracy theories floated about traffic signals in cahoots with the car-hating elites are not helping local driving conditions that could be conservatively described as angry.
As a commercial vehicle driver approaching on 20 years experience and as a commercial fleet driving assessor, I’ve paid for and benefited from a fair chunk of training from professional driving instructors.
I feel fortunate to have learned from driving instructors that kept instruction time to the course material which has always been public safety-driven.
A driving educator’s public dissent toward transportation infrastructure change and a cultural shift occurring in dozens of Canadian municipalities (and many more in the United States and the United Kingdom) with measured improvements in safety, efficiency, carbon reduction and economic performance ought to consider the fallout their words might generate.
Ryan Senechal
Saanich
Close a traffic lane, increase traffic idling
Re: “Island of downtown losing to the suburbs,” letter, July 27.
I agree: Drivers are being driven out of downtown. The craziness of the City of Victoria’s traffic La-la land is exemplified by the closure of the lane on southbound Government Street at the corner of Belleville Street.
Previously, if a southbound vehicle were waiting to turn left on Belleville, other vehicles could go straight via the right-hand lane.
Now this passage way has been blocked with white stripes through the right hand lane at this corner.
The frustration of drivers is exemplified by the many drivers who barrel through these white lines. Even a bus driver plowed over these lines to save five to 10 minutes waiting in line. I can only guess that they plan to ticket vehicles whose goal is driving on the roads rather than idling in traffic.
I won’t even begin to describe the bottleneck at the foot of the Johnson Street Bridge that an additional, unsynchronized light has created for inbound traffic. Drivers deserve more consideration.
Elizabeth Beck
Victoria
Deal with cruise ships, not idling vehicles
Re: “Victoria council should stand against idling,” letter, July 27.
I can’t help but think about the huge elephant in the room: Cruise ships.
There will be 260 cruise ships calling upon Victoria this year. One mid-size cruise ship can burn 150 tonnes of fuel per day, which is equivalent to the same amount of distillates of a million cars.
The ships might be using less fuel when idling, but it will be more that a police officer uses while idling in a cruiser — the officer that the writer suggests should wear a toque to keep warm rather than idling in the car.
Do the math on 260 visits multiplied by even 500,000 car equivalents for 12 hours idling. That’s a lot of cars idling. There is an expansion planned for additional cruise ship visits.
Victoria Coun. Ben Isitt asks about Christmas decorations and insults veterans, and Mayor Lisa Helps suggests that green initiatives are in Victorians’ DNA, yet there is no explanation as to why idling cruise ships, cars and additional air traffic are OK. Could it be because it’s good for the economy?
Victorians reap the benefits of increased traffic from planes, cars and ships that burn fuel to bring tourists, but then many of them speak and act to undermine Alberta’s economy while Albertans and others in Canada’s energy industry supply the fuel Victoria’s tourism industry needs to survive.
I can handle ignorance, but the hypocrisy is killing me.
Ron Vermeulen
Victoria
Want to reduce idling? Ban those drive-thrus
The easiest way to reduce idling would be to ban drive-thrus. Does Victoria council have the will to actually do something that will help the environment? The ball is in their court.
S.I. Petersen
Nanaimo
Free drugs for them? Not with my money
Re: “Regulate illicit drugs, health officer urges,” July 27.
Dr. Patricia Daly, chief medical health officer of Vancouver Coastal Health, can take a hike with her suggestion that we start supplying free drugs to addicts.
What’s next? Deliver the drugs to their door and hand feed them?
No way with my tax dollar.
John Walker
Cobble Hill
Welcome the lizards if they deal with flies
There are many lizards here where I live. Has anyone else has noticed how much fewer flies there are since they arrived. Bless them!
Jill Yonge
|Saanichton
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