Bad Burnaby drivers turn conditions into a snowpocalypse

Let me say upfront that I am a driver – just so you don’t dismiss this opinion as someone who doesn’t drive.

But I am a responsible driver, which means if I’m driving in the snow, I’m doing it on proper winter tires and not “all seasons” that aren’t actually that (“all seasons” should be renamed “anything but snow”).

If I really have to go out in snowy, icy conditions, I’ll also switch to transit because it’s the smarter decision.

I say “smarter” because it’s just impossible to trust drivers in Burnaby and beyond to not turn poor conditions into a Snowmageddon. We saw that in full view on Tuesday when snowy, icy roads all over Burnaby became a nightmare because drivers didn’t have proper tires and didn’t show any restraint in how they drove.

Whether it was notorious hills like Willingdon, Gaglardi Way or Cariboo, or even Hastings through Capitol Hill, drivers were witnessed sliding into curbs and parked cars, as well as just plain getting trapped for minutes at a time until pedestrians helped push their vehicles to safety.

We sadly see this every winter. Local drivers just lose their minds when it starts to snow. The biggest issue is that they just refuse to slow down at all and so when they need to apply the brakes, they just keep on going and going and going. This includes those people in four-wheel drive vehicles who think that makes their ride invincible in the snow (psssst: it doesn't).

In my 20 years of living in BC, I have never seen the roads this bad during a snowstorm.

I realize we have limited plowing and salting capacity but nothing is being done and it’s a complete ice rink on every major route.

If you don’t need to be out tonight, STAY HOME. PLEASE.
— Nihilist Snowperson ☃️ (@Tim_Ell) January 5, 2022

Look, I get that the conditions were bad, but drivers here make things worse by A) not being prepared and B) not driving for the conditions.

It’s just so tiresome.

And we can expect more of the same later today (Wednesday), based on the forecast.

A Winter Storm Warning is in effect for Metro Vancouver, including the following areas:

central including the City of Vancouver Burnaby and New Westminster
North Shore including West Vancouver and North Vancouver
northeast including Coquitlam and Maple Ridge
southeast including Surrey and Langley
southwest including Richmond and Delta

"Hazardous winter conditions are expected," cautions the national weather agency.

The main snow event is set to begin Wednesday evening, thanks to a low pressure system that will spread heavy snow across B.C.'s south coast region.

Metro Vancouver could see 10 to 20 cm of snow, with up to 30 cm possible in the Howe Sound and Fraser Valley.

Snow is expected to fall overnight, transitioning to rain Thursday in most areas, however, the Fraser Valley is likely to receive freezing rain or continued snow Thursday. Freezing rain is possible in some parts of eastern Metro Vancouver Thursday.

"Consider postponing non-essential travel until conditions improve. Rapidly accumulating snow could make travel difficult over some locations. Surfaces such as highways, roads, walkways and parking lots will become icy, slippery and hazardous," Environment Canada cautions.

If you’re an employer, please consider telling your staff to just stay home. We’ll all be better off.