By: Olivia Visser, Copy Editor
Content warning: mentions of car accidents and death.
Those who drive to class on Burnaby Mountain are hopefully aware of the 60 km/hour speed limit. Yes, I’m talking to you, in your shiny blue BRZ with an even shinier N plastered on your rear bumper. Or, maybe you’re one of those retro Civic drivers with (definitely illegal) window tint and a ridiculous fart can muffler. Either way, I’m not intimidated by your following speed. I have a laundry list of reasons as to why I’m not interested in speeding up that mountain, and none of them involve your convenience.
Speed limits exist for legitimate reasons. Yes, they can feel rather slow for the experienced driver, but they’re designed to protect everyone on the road. The chance of a driver dying in a frontal crash is 60% at around 80 km/hour, and 85% for a side-impact. The risk of a pedestrian dying from a car moving 64 km/hour is around 80%. This is well below the average speed I’ve observed from most vehicles on Burnaby Mountain, which is concerning considering the number of cyclists that frequent this road in the warmer months.
Speed limits are for everyone’s safety. I’m not putting myself in harm’s way because you’re running late. Minimizing deaths on the road should be paramount when your lifetime risk of dying in a car accident is 1 in 112. Given that driving is commonplace in many people’s daily lives, risk desensitization is typical. It’s healthy to have an awareness of the dangers associated with driving — this is natural, and will protect you and those you share the road with. As with most risky activities, following safety precautions and having a low risk tolerance can only benefit you.
Burnaby Mountain is not a highway. It’s a massive hill with wide turns, cyclists, pedestrians, and, most dangerously — people driving at drastically different speeds. Do you really think you’ll be able to slam on your brakes quickly enough at 100 km/hour when the speed-abiding vehicle in front of you needs to stop suddenly? I know you’d like to think your answer is yes, because you’re just a better driver and your car is good enough for that. You go on thinking that, and tell me how it pans out for you in the long run.
Again, I’m not bothered by your reckless tailgating antics. You’ll be at fault if you rear-end me, and we both know damn well that Burnaby Mountain is frequently patrolled by police carrying out speeding checks. Why would you want to risk losing your brand new license to arrive somewhere two minutes before me? Hell, if I know — but I’ll see you at the next red light, pal.
