Dear Editor:
Re: Gaudreau Story A Reminder Of Impaired Driving’s Devastation, Sept. 4 column
I’m writing as a resident of Ambleside, a regular reader of the North Shore News, and a passionate hockey player. My love for the game brought me from France to Canada ten years ago, and like many in our community, the loss of Johnny Gaudreau and his brother feels personal to me. I’m also a cyclist, a commuter, a thinker, and an environmental advocate.
In your column, you emphasized the “impaired driver” responsible for the tragedy, which echoes much of the coverage on this matter. While impaired driving is certainly a factor, I believe this framing overlooks a deeper issue that demands attention.
As North Shore residents, we share the roads – cyclists and drivers alike – and these tragic incidents are unfortunately not rare. They will continue to happen, and likely at an increasing rate, unless we address the root causes. The issue isn’t solely about “drinking and driving.”
Having lived and cycled in various parts of the world, I’m struck by how dangerous the roads here in Vancouver feel. The oversized vehicles, aggressive driving styles, lack of respect for speed limits, and overconfidence of many poorly skilled drivers – coupled with the constant distraction of cellphones of now – create a perilous environment.
This is not just an individual problem, but a systemic one, exacerbated by poor road infrastructure, particularly for cyclists, and a driving culture that glorifies cars and speed and booze, leaving the sense of responsibilities from car dealers and advertisers, ICBC, road managers and many others unmentioned.
Rather than focusing on alcohol alone, I believe the conversation should address driving culture, the lack of secure bike lanes, inadequate driver training, and the car-centric policies that are leading to repeated tragedies.
Here’s your headline: “Hit from behind: a man angrily operating a two-ton machine at high speed feels entitled to pass two slower cars and ends up killing two hockey beauticians.”
This raises far more important questions than simply blaming the consumption of alcohol.
There is so much more to be said about Johnny Gaudreau’s tragic death and the lessons we need to take from it. By focusing primarily on alcohol, we risk missing the critical discussion about road safety and the larger responsibility of the car industry and our society.
Aloïs Gallet
West Vancouver
