Westshore Towing Ltd. has been busy over the past few days towing drivers — many with summer or all-season tires — off the roads and the Malahat.
Owner Dave LeQuesne said the biggest problem was that most of the vehicles they towed were not equipped with winter tires.
“It was just chaotic up there,” LeQuesne said about the Malahat. “The mood went from happy to ugly in a matter of minutes … and it’s the people themselves that caused the problem.”
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Westshore Towing had trucks on the Malahat up to the Shawnigan Lake area as well as in Sooke, East Sooke and the Highlands.
LeQuesne noted all of the company’s trucks and drivers were out Sunday night helping to clear vehicles off the roads.
Many people, LeQuesne said, just left their cars on the roads and highways and walked to their destinations.
On Trans-Canada Highway near Thetis Lake, LeQuesne said there were at least 15 cars abandoned with some parked in the slow or fast lanes, which is not only dangerous, according to LeQuesne, but also blocks the way of other vehicles.
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In some areas, LeQuesne said people with all-season and summer tires could not get through at all but vehicles with winter tires were driving by with no problems.
There were three incidents on the Malahat where Westshore Towing had to specifically tow vehicles so plows could continue working.
“People just weren’t using common sense,” LeQuesne said.
With more snow expected throughout the day Tuesday, LeQuesne said Westshore Towing will likely be kept busy again.
shalu.mehta@goldstreamgazette.com
