Dear Editor:
Re: Speeding Ferrari Hit with 60-day Impound, July 7 front-page story.
The news of the 22-year-old speeding at 210 km/h over the Lions Gate Bridge in the early morning is both horrifying and completely unacceptable. It displays several things that we as North Shore residents have to put up with.
1. The complete and utter disregard for community, the arrogance and sense of entitlement and power attached to immense wealth that displays itself by ignoring the rule of law in many different situations. This is not to say that immensely wealthy citizens all behave in a similar fashion, just some. It also shows a complete lack for the value of life – both that of the driver’s and any other unsuspecting person in his path.
2. The other disturbing factors are the lack of sufficient laws and intention on the part of the West Vancouver Police Department to protect its citizens by preventing this situation from being replicated. It seems that there is no legal deterrent after the first, second or third offence. As a citizen I’m appalled by that. I know the car by sight, both standing and driving. We all know many of the ultra luxury cars in this very small community. I can hear them whining along Marine Drive from my apartment on Bellevue Avenue at any time of the day or night. I also hear many other sirens during the day but none directly related to the speeders.
I’m patently aware of the lack of visibility of the police on the streets. I read in the North Shore News about things they have done – white collar crime, accidents that are reported and sometimes community events. I drive along Bellevue Avenue or Marine Drive every day, past the police station. They are not to be seen.
Several weeks ago one policeman was hiding behind the shrubbery at John Lawson Park on a Saturday morning. He emerged to give a lone cyclist a warning. I told him that I was happy to see him there and that this street, Bellevue, is a nightmare during the weekends.
He agreed, never to be seen again although I have counted up to 30 cyclists in pairs riding along the street, never stopping and behaving aggressively with car drivers and pedestrians. If it seems that cyclists and ultra-fast cars are not related, the important link that this current situation shows us is the lack of authority on the part of the police. If offenders think they will get away with whatever they do, they will continue to do that. It will reinforce their sense of power and entitlement and make it dangerous and difficult for the rest of us in the community, many who are elderly.
An important comparison might be the details of penalties that are imposed in Ontario. If you drive north on Highway 400 you will see extremely large signs with this information printed clearly. Even that doesn’t always stop the offenders.
Lorna Froidevaux
West Vancouver
Editor’s note: In Ontario, the fine for “stunt driving,” which includes speeding in excess of 50 km/h or racing, is double the fine for drunk driving. If convicted, the minimum first-time fine is $2,000. That fine can go up to $10,000. The driver can also end up with six months in jail and a two-year licence suspension.
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