The Times
On Friday, May 4, police were called to a report of a collision between a semi and a car on Highway 5 near Little Fort.
Police responded and, through an investigation, issued a ticket to one of the drivers.
Thankfully, nobody was injured.
Think before you pass
The collision highlighted the fact that many people are not from the area and just as many are in a hurry.
If you are traveling on the highway in a line of vehicles, (which is just about always these days) and for some unknown reason the line comes to a stop, it is NOT okay to pass the vehicles in front of you.
If the line has stopped, it’s stopped for a reason. Someone could be attempting to turn left at the front of the line, which is why you don’t see any turn signals.
If other people are moving around and or passing another vehicle, it is always your responsibility to determine if it is safe for you to do the same, once you can actually see what is going on. Do not just blindly follow the vehicles in front of you.
Tractor-trailer burns near McMurphy
On Saturday, May 5, police and firefighters were notified of a vehicle fire on Highway 5 north of McMurphy Station road at a pull-out.
It was found a tractor trailer had caught on fire while the driver had been attempting to start the engine after spending the night at the pull-out. The driver was able to escape injury and call for help. The tractor and trailer were completely destroyed by the fire.
Forestry was notified of the possibility of the fire spreading but, thankfully, with the river on one side and a rock face on the other, the fire didn’t spread.
Because the vehicle was outside of the Vavenby fire protection area, there was no fire department able to respond. The vehicle, which was off the road, was left to finish burning and cool down before it would be towed away.
READ MORE: Vavenby Fire Department celebrates 45 years (May 8, 2015)
Useful advice on vehicle fires
As vehicle fires are not one-off incidents, Clearwater RCMP feel it is important that everyone know that, if they come across a vehicle fire, they should stay away from it and the smoke.
The smoke is extremely toxic to breathe due to the plastics, metals and other materials used to make vehicles, and there’s always a possibility of some sort of explosion, whether from bumpers, airbags, gas tanks, contents, etc.
Also, if you happen to have a fire extinguisher, save it. Once a vehicle fire starts, there’s very little which could put it out, short of a fire truck and crew.
Watch for bicycle and pedestrian traffic
With the nicer weather we see more cyclists and pedestrians moving around town and surrounding areas.
If you are driving a vehicle, please ensure you always check for pedestrians and cyclists, especially when turning or changing lanes.
For those of you cycling, if you are cycling on the roadway, you must follow the rules of the road the same as any car. Please also be aware that you are not easily seen by those driving cars and that you are much faster than the average pedestrian.
READ MORE: Bikes and roundabouts
Take care to protect yourself. When a cyclist or pedestrian is hit by a car, the car always wins, even if it’s the car driver’s fault.
Bottom line, when moving around town, be aware that there are more people out using various methods of transportation. Pay attention, so we can all enjoy the sun and warmer weather.
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