“Slow down and enjoy life. It’s not only the scenery you miss by going too fast - you also miss the sense of where you are going and why.”
–Eddie Canfor
As Quesnelites finally peer into the soft, glowing light at the end of the cold, firm grasp of winter, we need to be aware with spring comes safety issues.
Most everyone is feeling the itch to shed the parkas, head outside and enjoy the warm breeze, longer days and bare sidewalks.
And that includes children.
Little ones are out in full force, donning rubber boots and splash pants, hitting the puddles with two-footed enthusiasm, racing to meet friends after school and taking full advantage of the added daylight.
Because everyone knows you can’t go in if it’s “still light out.”
This means as drivers we need to be aware our side streets are, most likely, harboring our most precious commodity.
Far too often motorists scream down neighborhood roads only to spot a group of mud-pie-making citizens, perched on the side of the yard.
It takes but one step back in a gum-boot clad foot and lives could be shattered forever.
Speed bumps on heavily-populated neighborhood roads would certainly help the situation, but they’re expensive and the city is facing an already tough budget process.
Soon bikes will be dusted off, skateboards rolled out, basketballs pumped up and skipping ropes unravelled.
All these activities pose a risk. It’s up to us to pay attention, take it easy and watch out for our, at-times overly enthusiastic and often forgetful young ones.
After all, what’s the hurry? Come on, it’s spring... slow down and smell the roses.
–Autumn MacDonald, Observer