Better late than never.
Spring might have slept in a lot longer than usual this year, sluggishly dragging its heels out of bed following winter’s long slumber, but the weather finally seems to be improving.
Slowly but surely, the snow is melting and motorists are undoubtedly starting to consider switching out their winter tires for all seasons.
Meanwhile, motorcycle enthusiasts must be eagerly chomping at the bit to finally take their rides out of storage to head out on the highway.
Unfortunately, just like the first winter snowfall always seems to catch many drivers off guard, resulting in a substantial number of collisions and sometimes fatalities, spring also has a tendency to surprise some drivers as motorcyclists return to the roads.
So every year, authorities and media remind everyone to exercise caution as well as courtesy to safely accommodate all road users.
In a rural area such as Sundre, that includes agricultural producers who must by now be getting fairly anxious to start their seeding operations. So as soon as conditions improve enough, expect to also see more tractors than usual lumbering along the roads and highways.
All too often, motorists turning onto a highway from a rural road fail to stop completely, instead rolling through to proceed into a perceived opening in front of oncoming traffic, often with catastrophic results.
Drivers are encouraged to bear in mind that approaching motorcycles can be deceptive, creating the false impression that there is enough room to turn in front of one when there isn’t.
So if ever in doubt about an oncoming vehicle’s speed, better to err on the side of caution and just wait another few seconds until it safely passes before continuing to turn onto a highway.
Whether sitting on a motorbike, behind the wheel of a motor vehicle or operating farm machinery, we all play a part in helping to ensure one another’s safety.
Our roads are shared spaces, not closed-off racing courses.
Risking lives to save a few seconds is not worth it, and we hope everyone will take a few extra moments to ensure the way is safe before proceeding from a slower rural road or street onto a faster speed highway.
— Ducatel is the Round Up’s editor
