I'd like to express my sincere appreciation to all members of the Prince George community who haven't complained about the current state of our pothole-filled roads in the past few weeks.
My hat goes off to both of you.
Given the state of city streets, P.G. residents don't have to dig deep for emotional traction when it comes to slandering road surfaces in The Peeg.
I believe every stretch of road is entitled to have a pot hole or two, but the streets of P.G. are clearly abusing this privilege - heck, even Mr. P.G. cringes every time he sees a vehicle run into one of the many behemoth draconian-looking potholes loitering the intersection of Highways 16 and 97.
Try cruising down certain stretches of Ospika Blvd; it's the equivalent of
experiencing a nightmare on Elm Street.
Maybe the suggestion by Abbotsford city councilor Simon Gibson that P.G. should change its name isn't laughable after all. Surprising he didn't advocate for Prince Pothole.
Unlike this big, beautiful Northern region of British Columbia commonly referred to as the Cariboo, P.G. roads do not pride themselves on their natural and astonishing beauty.
However, by scrutinizing the issue in a different light, it's easy to see that potholes aren't necessarily a bad thing; in fact, I believe they are more beneficial to the city than residents realize.
I would even go as far as to say they're good for the soul. Say what?
Here's why:
Every time you step into your vehicle and hit the streets - yes, sometimes it even takes a swaggering display of courage to take this first step - people are faced with an interminable obstacle course of mini road craters (this is also why we've seen so many supremely skilled and gifted drivers in PGARA over the years) waiting to swallow you up, keeping your hand formation 10 and 2, your mind sharp, your eyes on the road, and your smartphone out of reach.
Prince George road imperfections are the best defense the RCMP has during their crackdown on distracted drivers.
It doesn't take a tremendous amount of effort for your vehicle to gravitate towards one of P.G.'s many infamous pot holes, and that's why speeding tickets seem to be rarer than a Cougars playoff game these days, especially around school zones where they seem to be the most prevalent.
Potholes organically force drivers to abide by the speed limits, unless they want to risk having to tap into their RRSPs to battle a hefty mechanical bill.
As the growth of potholes accelerates, so does the local economy.
The City's website has a Report a
Pothole link.
Imagine how many road crews will be put to work once members of the community find out about this link, creating a substantial amount of new jobs.
There's also a window of opportunity for Tourism PG to jump on board the good times, providing out-of-town visitors with city pothole tours and
excursions.
So, while there's panic in P.G. during this time of year over the outrageously circumspect - diabolical, even - road conditions, it's critically imperative to decimate all negative connotations and tap into the power of positive pothole thinking.
Embrace the hate, people. Embrace the hate.
Scott McWalter
Prince George
