I am writing this on behalf of our family friend who is in her late 70s and was harassed by a driver on the Mission Bridge Dec. 27 between 4:30 and 5 p.m. There was a driver honking and tailgating the older lady and this made her disoriented. He also phoned the police to report a drunk driver. I’m sure he thought he was doing the right thing, but did this person have any idea that she was blinded by the headlights of his car and couldn’t see the road properly?
She is definitely not a reckless driver or a nighttime driver. Unfortunately, she had to visit her husband who is in a long-term care facility in Abbotsford. This is not an unusual routine for her. It is important to mention that she was on the left lane all the way from Highway 11 to avoid a lane change at the Cedar Valley connector. If you are in a hurry, why didn’t you just change lanes and pass this person? Isn’t that what we should do? Especially, when it is dark and miserable.
Then a police officer followed her home to check on the phone call that was received from the driver. Did the police officer find her drunk? She was angry and frustrated with the situation. The police officer found no evidence of drunkenness and asked her to check her vision.
I hope the people who read this would understand that there are licensed drivers of all ages on the road. As long as the driving is not a threat to you or to others, please take a deep breath and pass the slow-moving vehicle.
I sincerely hope this letter will change the attitude of some drivers. Please take a few extra seconds to think that this lady could be your older mother or your grandmother. Let’s show some kindness, not only for this older person, as it is good for your own well being too.
Chandra Stokes
Mission