Community Column by Don Butt (December 2019)

Town of Mono, ON (Don Butt) Well, we are into the real winter now. Get out the snow brushes, ice scrapers, warm clothes and mittens. Drive slower. This all depends on weather and road conditions.


Got your snow tires on? Highways are usually ok this early, but driveways and gravel roads are filling up so travel with care. Top your washer fluid up. There is nothing worse than having a truck go by, spraying your windshield with salt, sand, etc. and you can’t see. Carry an extra jug in the trunk. Carry a small bag of sand. Better than paying for a tow truck. 

Be aware and watch for areas often producing "black ice". These can be very dangerous. On bridges and overpasses, alongside rivers or lakes close to the road, are the places to watch. You cannot see "black ice" but a very tiny touch of the brakes will tell you if it’s there. A friend of mine, who was an excellent driver, hit some on the Hockley Road one early morning and wound up upside down in the ditch. As mentioned, the Nottawasaga river was right beside the road.

Another point in Winter driving is, keep your vehicle as clean as possible (we know this is very hard) but a vehicle covered with white salt streaks and mud is much harder to see! So drive carefully and a little slower in winter; if you do, you may see Spring OK.

Just a note here that once again our Bike Rodeo was almost a failure again. 3 or 4 kids attended. We would like to keep doing this, but would appreciate some suggestions.
   
Safety Tip
Brake sooner in anticipation of icy patches at intersections. Your goal is to stop fully before the crosswalk. (This tip comes to you courtesy of Doug Annett, safe driving expert and head of Safe Roads Canada)

Phone Nos. (a list of valuable numbers to have)
For all emergencies – 911
To report non-emergency incidents or bad drivers 1-800-310-1122
Or by cell phone only *677

Road Watch
To report unsafe driving behaviour contact OPP Communications Centre:
*OPP (*677) on your Cell or
1-888-310-1122 on your Landline.

If you prefer a paper form, our forms are available at Mono Plaza and OPP at Primrose. Please use them, the life you may save could be your own or a loved one.


Don Butt is currently the Public Relations and Media Contact for the Mono Community Policing Committee. If you would like more information on anything covered in Don’s Column or would like to see a topic of public interest or safety covered; contact him here.