As I walked briskly down Mayberry Street on Friday, I heard a horn honk.
I broke into a jog – which in my current physical condition isn’t the best idea – but I had a feeling I knew what the honking was about.
I had been tipped off by Metrotown-area resident Sanjeet Shivkar that people were pulling dangerous U-turns on Willingdon.
It only took about 10 seconds to see this was true.
A driver heading south on Willingdon had taken her U-turn too wide and touched the sidewalk. She then put her car into reverse, leading to the honking from the driver behind her.
She deserved the honk. It was a stupid thing to do.
Shivkar says this behaviour has become common since the city made changes to the intersection of Beresford and Willingdon – eliminating the option of turning left to head east on Beresford. There is now a cement barrier in place.
“Drivers have now started going further down the road towards Mayberry Street and taking risky and sudden U-turns, putting both the oncoming traffic on the opposite lane in danger, as well as the risk of a pile up,” Shivkar said.
He’s right. I saw it with my own eyes. I actually saw three drivers do this in 20 minutes. Others turn right at Mayberry and then pull a U-turn so they can turn left on Willingdon and then right onto Beresford.
Anything to save a few seconds, right?
Come on, people. Stop making such risky decisions just because you don’t want to drive around the long way.
As noted in an article published on Saturday about city changes in this area, I received an email from a City of Burnaby engineering staff member – who didn’t want their name used – saying that a left-turn signal arrow for southbound to eastbound left turn from Willingdon onto Maywood (this year), and the southerly extension of McKay Ave from Central Blvd to Beresford St (future).
"This will provide safer and alternative routes to travel.”
Follow Chris Campbell on Twitter @shinebox44.
