What they do over here

Just been reading the Telegraph this morning (Afternoon in the UK – 8hrs time difference) with all its stories on street crime in the UK. Next to me is a copy of the local newspaper with the crime statistics from a Ski Resort called Squamish and its suburbs in British Columbia. In one week the crime statistics read as follows; 309 open files, 14 Complaints of erratic driving, 4 impaired driving, 18 false alarms, 24 abandoned 911 (Emergency) calls. Confirmed arrests & ‘crimes’; one theft from vehicle, one breaking and entering, one drunk and disorderly, one outstanding warrant; six bear sightings in the middle of town.

All this in an area over ten kilometres long. On a walk through town, we saw two RCMP patrols doing what Coppers from time immemorial have done best; go out looking for trouble. Over here the courts seem to be better at nailing malefactors to the nearest wall, especially the petty stuff, which the local cops come down on hard & heavy. I’ve never felt more relaxed – now if only they could keep those pesky bears out of town.

Crime in Rural British Columbia

I’ve just worked out why there are so few muggings and so little street crime in rural BC Canada and I had to look at the waste bins in town to work out why. They all have special catches on the lids so that the only creatures that can use them have an opposable thumb and fingers. All the rest of the predatory animal kingdom can do is sniff around the trash in frustration and push off to go and hunt anything smaller and not quite as quick off the mark.

As for the muggers, the Bears, Puma’s and Wolves tend to eat them all. Jolly good stuff this natural selection, what?

New rules

We bought our first car in Canada on Tuesday. A 1998 Ford Windstar. Not the best liked of vehicles, but as both Mrs S and I find it comfortable and apart from a couple of minor niggles like the column gear shift and a warning light that stays on, even though there isn't a problem, not a bad piece of kit.

Being a cautious soul, I am sticking to the posted speed limits, which seemed to annoy one person in a Budget rental pickup that roared past us with much obscene gesticulation, indicating that he was much displeased with my obedience to the traffic laws. I did not respond, basically because I already knew what kind of person he was, and didn't need to make my feelings known by word or deed. That boy needs to grow up a bit.

That said, it feels odd chuntering along in Kilometres an hour, and don't ask me how weird it feels being able to turn right on a red light. I'll get used to it, eventually.

Oh yes, welcome to another Police related site to the sidebar www.police.info

Time differing

Just been looking at the web stats and posting times with a shaking of head until I realised I'm eight hours behind UK time. Silly me.

Could be worse I suppose, I could be watching a foot and mouth epidemic take hold and be bumping elbows on the streets in my old job.

Your Naughty Black Label Directory Listing

Er, ahem. If anyone is visiting from this web site, can I just point out that very little actual sex goes on in this weblog? Just so you guys don't get disappointed you can clutch at your tumescent nethers over some real porn.

Should you have come here in error, may I recommend this site, or perhaps this site here.

Happy whatever!

Things I'm getting used to over in Canada

1. Seaplanes buzzing past at eye level on final approach for landing.
2. Driving on the other (Right? Left? Wrong?) side of the road.
3. New driving rules.
4. Personal space.
5. Lower cost of living (Like having roughly a third off everything at UK prices - with certain exceptions).
6. Being a lot less stressed all the time.
7. The intense blue of wide open skies.
8. Trees.
9. Mountains.
10.More trees.
11.Sedate driving.
12.Hey look! More trees.
13.Friendly people.
14.Friendly trees (Sure are a lot of them)
15.Having to keep my dog on his lead.
16.Trees
17.Dog stopping every five paces to widdle on yet another tree
18.Mountain views
19.Dog fainting with dehydration.
20.Those trees are talking about me you know.

More later when I've gone fishing to get away from those gossippy trees.

BC

Well me shivering hearties ‘tis a slightly greyish British Columbian dawn and my dog and I are the only ones up at present. “Walking the Streets” is about to undergo a sea change from the eccentric observations of a Parking Enforcement Officer to the equally acerbic observations of a traveller in North America and Canada. I’ll be posting stuff about what I see and hear, with an emphasis on the ridiculous and highlighting the silly, mendacious and downright asinine, as well as comparisons with the old mother country.

This morning's recipient of the unintelligibility award is the machine gun delivery of one of the Helicopter borne traffic correspondents on the local radio. How the hell can you understand that gabble? You finish listening to the traffic report, catching about one word in five, they might as well have been speaking Serbo-Croat for all I knew. Sheesh.