Councillor Shellie Gudgeon's bad driving habits

[Bob Fugger]

Originally Posted by Mike K.

I live near Councillor Gudgeon...[i]n fact just yesterday she did something I felt wasn't very kosher but I'll keep the details to myself.

Originally Posted by Mike K.

I don't want this thread to become a debate about who drives what and I myself am guilty of helping to move it in that direction.

C'mon, Mike - you can't seriously think I was suggesting that you're aiding and abetting Councillor Gudgeon by your inaction. Your average citizen doesn't report traffic incidents like that, so why do you thik you'd be held to a higher standard. Maybe you didn't read what I wrote so well, being so high up on the cross and thus so far away from the computer screen.

All I asked was if it was so egregious, why didn't you report it? There's a difference.

[rjag]

Originally Posted by Mike K.

...and for the record, a Porsche Cayenne has no business being off-road unless its highly modified with aftermarket parts (but then again, which vehicle isn't capable of going off-road when highly modified with aftermarket parts?). But for some reason Porsche, BMW and Benz SUV drivers think otherwise.

Nope, they are one of the most capable off-roaders out there, I took an off-road course in a stock Cayenne GTS at Mosport a few years back and the only other vehicles I would consider better stock off-roaders would be the Landcruiser and the Range Rover.


Anyway, back to the subject at hand, If this person or any other elected official endangers the public (or the perception thereof) then they should be treated no differently than any other member of society.

[Mike K.]

Sorry bob, I didnt mean to quote you in my last post. I wasn't responding directly to your post but making a general statement.

Anyhow, reporting incidents to the police is ineffectual. Can anyone here seriously claim that an individual's driving habit has been affected by a report to police? And I'm not so sure that police even care much unless they themselves witness a driving infraction. Gipper confirmed as much in his contributions to the 299km/h bike ride thread. And speaking of that thread I have a feeling the rider will continue in his ways despite the entire world (literally) viewing his escapades.

[Bob Fugger]

Originally Posted by Mike K.

Sorry bob, I didnt mean to quote you in my last post. I wasn't responding directly to your post but making a general statement.

Anyhow, reporting incidents to the police is ineffectual. Can anyone here seriously claim that an individual's driving habit has been affected by a report to police? And I'm not so sure that police even care much unless they themselves witness a driving infraction.

I have to tell you from experience that you are completely wrong on this. I witnessed an absolute nutbar doing 80-100km/h southbound on Cook. I managed to catch him at a red light and confronted the individual. He looked like he was coked out and he sped off. I noted the plate number and filed a report with Victoria PD. I checked the box that said I would be willing to go to court as a witness.

An officer followed up with me and then went out to Langford (!) and served the ticket on the individual. He disputed it, we ended up in court, I acted as a witness and the charge stuck. The officer prosecuted the charge just as if he had seen it himself. The fact that I was willing to take time out of my day and bear witness went a long way with the JJP.

Moral of the story: don't drive like an a$$hole in and around Cook Street Village. Cuz I'll git ya!

[Plain Jane]

I live in Vic West and I see Shellie driving almost daily. Whenever she is behind the wheel I feel like she is in a real hurry to get to wherever she is going.

[Mike K.]

Originally Posted by Bob Fugger

I have to tell you from experience that you are completely wrong on this. I witnessed an absolute nutbar doing 80-100km/h southbound on Cook.

Hold on a second, though. Nobody is saying she drives like an absolute nutbar and deserves the entire VicPD to descend onto her driveway. I don't think that's reasonable nor what anybody wants. The point is her newfound position as councillor comes with responsibility and that responsibility should perhaps translate to less aggressive driving behaviour.

[Sparky]

^^ Welcome to Vibrant Victoria Plain Jane.

[Bob Fugger]

Originally Posted by Mike K.

Hold on a second, though. Nobody is saying she drives like an absolute nutbar and deserves the entire VicPD to descend onto her driveway. I don't think that's reasonable nor what anybody wants. The point is her newfound position as councillor comes with responsibility and that responsibility should perhaps translate to less aggressive driving behaviour.

I guess I'm assuing that when you said that she "...[i]n fact just yesterday she did something I felt wasn't very kosher but I'll keep the details to myself," that it was something more egregious than forgetting to flip on her turn indicator.

And I'm not saying unleash the forces of Hell on her. The VPD traffic officer with whom I dealt told me that for most cases, a trip by a VPD officer to the offending individual's home for a friendly chat about driving responsibly is enough to put the fear of God into them.

[Bingo]

Speaking of polititians...

... anyone remember "Flying" Phil Gaglardi?

Minister of Highways
Gaglardi was appointed Minister of Public Works on the day Bennett's cabinet was sworn into office, August 1, 1952. His office included responsibility for highways. In 1955 Bennett created a new Department of Highways and appointed Gaglardi as the first Minister of Highways. His term was marked by rapid expansion of the province's paved road system, as well as the completion of most of the major road bridges in British Columbia.

Bennett described the building program as "the greatest highway building program...per capita in the entire Western world."
Gaglardi as Minister of Highways was also given responsibility forBC Ferries and its rapid expansion soon after it was nationalized in 1960. He claimed he "built the whole system around my own impatience."

He is probably mostly remembered for his flamboyant style. He was first noted for the "Sorry for the delays" signs he had put up at road construction areas (hence, "Sorry Phil").
What really got him noticed was the way he managed to convince a reluctant W.A.C. Bennett to buy the government a Learjet (hence, "Flyin' Phil"). Premier Bennett was travelling in a newly inaugurated government-owned ferry to Prince Rupert. To demonstrate that the ferry was too slow for government business, he convinced a pilot friend to fly him to Prince Rupert in a Learjet, thereby managing to get there before Bennett did. Gaglardi waited on the dock to greet the Premier with a purchase contract for the plane. The plane was quickly purchased.

Another explanation of Gaglardi's nickname was his propensity for getting speeding tickets whilst driving in large-engined cars around the province checking on the progress of road construction or in his own words "testing the curves".

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philip_Gaglardi

[LJ]

Originally Posted by Mike K.

Hold on a second, though. Nobody is saying she drives like an absolute nutbar and deserves the entire VicPD to descend onto her driveway. I don't think that's reasonable nor what anybody wants. The point is her newfound position as councillor comes with responsibility and that responsibility should perhaps translate to less aggressive driving behaviour.

I think maybe her new-found position as a councillor also makes her a target.

Anyone who is in public service or a celebrity etc. gets much more scrutiny than Joe public. As such everything they do gets noticed, and if you don't want the notoriety you should conduct yourself accordingly.