Another year of column writing behind me, it is time for my annual “all about me” column.
Narcissistic of me?
If you read my last column the way my father-in-law did, that adjective might jump to mind. He chuckled as he read the part where I was explaining how injuries occur in car crashes, referring in this way to unrestrained portions of the body: “Consider everything below your lap belt. Some of us have more down there than others”.
My wife considered writing a rebuttal to clarify the matter.
It wouldn’t have been the first time for a wifely rebuttal. Use “Hergott road head rebuttal” as search words to find her May 29, 2012, response to one of my driver safety columns that concluded “I, for one, resolve that if I am ever presented with an offer (of road head), I will gently but firmly scold my wife and pull over to where the offer can be accepted safely”.
I started out with a more serious tone eight years ago, hoping with my “Achieving Justice” column to correct inaccurate perceptions and give those entitled to fair compensation for injuries a fighting chance against ICBC and other huge insurance companies.
Over the years, with over 400 published columns, the “Achieving Justice” theme has more and more often been interrupted by column topics geared towards road safety as a campaign of “One Crash is Too Many” began taking shape.
I feel that the two themes fit well together: the very best injury claim is no claim at all.
I wonder whether I am making any difference in our community on either front, but so long as I continue to be given a soap box I feel compelled to stand on it and do my best.
A complete archive of my 400 plus columns is available on my blog: www.paulhergott.com. If there are topics you would like to learn about, or you would like to give me feedback, please send me an e-mail.
I will take this opportunity to wish all of you a safe 2015. Please remember that you are operating dangerous, heavy equipment when you get behind the wheel and give that important task the attention and care it deserves.
