Skip to content
Join our Newsletter

Driver needs to hang up and drive

I'd like to reach out to the young woman driving the sandy-coloured Honda Accord with the N in the back window, whom I met parked at the intersection of Ospika and 15th at 1:10 p.m. on March 10, and say thank you.
let-glover.12.jpg

I'd like to reach out to the young woman driving the sandy-coloured Honda Accord with the N in the back window, whom I met parked at the intersection of Ospika and 15th at 1:10 p.m. on March 10, and say thank you.

You probably didn't notice me, the blond haired woman in the little white car parked beside you. We didn't have the opportunity to lock eyes--the cell phone you were holding to your left ear was blocking your view, and, despite the red light, you kept lurching forward and away from me at the line.

I want you to know that your audaciousness has inspired me: Why not take risks? Why not indulge my self-importance?

So, let me try this out.

I'm a very important person, not unlike every other driver, passenger and pedestrian the two of us met on our journey together, before you cut me off to turn left on Massey. I'm a mother, grandmother, wife, daughter, sister, friend, with many people who love me and need me and aren't ready to let me go. And I'm not ready either: I have life to live, places to see, fun and important things to do.

And I bet you're the same--fabulous people, hopes and dreams.

So, if I may, I'd like to offer a little advice: Prison and regret are two ugly places to live. I don't want to imagine those years for you knowing you'd killed a cat, let alone a person.

In the event that you choose to repeat your behavior of today and your car is blown apart by another vehicle, injuring only you, which would be the lesser of two evils, and, perhaps, karma, you might want to write this down now and tuck it in a safe, easily accessible place, like your pretty cell phone case--I think it's blue? The Prince George Brain Injured Group has moved. They're now located at 1070 4th Avenue--but their phone number is still the same, 564-2447.

BIG has worked relentlessly for years to educate people about the dangers of cellphone use while driving--their Hang Up and Drive campaign is exhaustive. I'm sorry they missed you. However, given the likelihood that the injuries you'll sustain from this very preventable incident, not accident, will include a traumatic brain injury, they will kindly provide you with their support and rehabilitative services.

So, thanks again, mostly for reminding me how important my life, and the life of every person in this community, is--which, in my audacious opinion, is exceedingly greater than that of your conversation today.

Linda Glover

Prince George