What's the hottest car colour on the Sea to Sky Highway in 2010? White and blue, of course, thanks to a visible confluence of Olympic SUVs and sedans on our roads.
We're not talking about the VANOC vehicles - although it is ironic these convoys carry mostly single occupants while at the same time requesting a 30 per cent decrease in traffic.
No, what we're talking about is the fleet of RCMP cruisers out in force as part of the $900-million commitment to security. While the full-on circus doesn't start until today, the police presence has been heavier for weeks, reaching what we presume is a crescendo to full battle-readiness in the past few days.
The good news is the beefed-up membership doesn't appear to be busy with serious security threats. The bad news is this may be leaving them with little to do, and what's that expression about idle hands?
Although these surely well-intentioned police officers are undoubtedly just trying to do their jobs, the calm before the storm may be leading to cases of overzealous traffic security, such as the driver who is fighting a $170 ticket, boggled that he got the fine for driving through a yellow light.
While we truly appreciate all attempts at making the highway safer, perhaps we can suggest that police seeking a bust may find opportunities with nightly patrols of Squamish's streets and alleyways.
The District of Squamish is trying to do its bit, but here again we're seeing a little over-zealousness.
The municipality's attempt to get on the security bus by hiring an additional bylaw officer for the duration of the Games has turned into a situation of someone trying to make himself useful by issuing tickets lots and lots and lots of tickets in places that, although clearly posted as limited parking, hasn't seen its enforcement in decades.
And here again we've heard horror stories of fines being leveled extremely diligently - one woman received two tickets two hours apart, coinciding with the time limit on her parking spot, which she's used without issue for four years. She fought the second ticket and won.
If there's an upshot it's that at least that temporary bylaw enforcer's salary will be paid off in spades.
But it seems bad form for the local authorities to have balked at the rules for lo these many years just to spring a ticketing frenzy on locals without warning. Couldn't they have launched an education campaign to let folks know fines would now accompany the suggested parking time limit? How about issuing warning tickets for the first few days?
Well it's all moot now - we're sure to see further security measures adopted over the next two weeks.
Consider yourselves warned.
- Sylvie Paillard
