Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/593532
Watch for hazards on the trail. Stay alert. For your SAFETY When snowmobiling, beware of thin ice near hydro dams. Guy wires attached to hydro poles usually have bright covers but they can be hard to see when buried by snow. 9229-TP-MBH-CAA-MagAd-SnowmobileSafety[3.5x4.93]-Sept2015-FNL.indd 1 2015-09-08 10:06 AM istock W I N T E R 2 0 1 5 | G O I N G P L A C E S 45 Crowd the Plow" as a road safety campaign, something Manitoba's SAFE Roads commit- tee is adopting this season to help motorists remember to stay back and stay safe. rough an extensive advertising campaign, including billboards and radio, the committee aims to increase awareness of safe driving around snowplows, reducing the risk of collisions and alleviating stress for all road users. "We like the 'Don't Crowd the Plow' slogan because it sets a clear expectation for motor- ists," says Chris Lorenc, chair of the SAFE Roads committee. "Drivers need to be patient and give snowplow operators room to work. Not only for safety's sake, but it'll make clear- ing operations go quicker too." Nicole Chabot of Chabot Enterprises, one of the City of Winnipeg's snowplow contractors, says that part of the problem is drivers can't anticipate a plow's movements since they behave differently than other vehi- cles. at's why it's important to give them room to manoeuvre, and only pass when it's safe. "The other issue is that many motorists may not know how a clearing operation works, and how it differs in rural and urban settings," she notes. In the city, snowplow operations can have up to 12 pieces of equipment work- ing in one area at a time. Each of these vehicles moves differently, and they all may be working in tandem, making it especially confusing, and sometimes frustrating, for motorists. Unlike the swar m-like ap proach o f city snow-clearing efforts, highway-clearing op erat ions may only have one or t wo machines working in the same area at a time. Working on long stretches at high speeds, these machines are far more predictable in comparison, but highway settings bring another set of issues. For example, when approaching a clearing operation on a high- way, it may look like you are headed into an isolated blizzard when really it is a cloud of snow created by a plow. is can significantly reduce your visibility, so it's best to slow down, stay back and wait for the plow to move aside at the next intersection. ey know they hold up traffic, so operators are trained to take breaks to allow cars to move through. "It all comes down to being patient," adds Kubic. "We are clearing the streets for you, for us, for all drivers. By staying back, we can get the job done quicker and better. Isn't that what we all want?" GP Plow Pointers • Remember: don't crowd the plow. Reduce your speed and double your following distance when behind a plow. If needed, come to a complete stop to allow the plow to manoeuvre. • Wait for the snowplow to pull over to pass. Operators know they hold up traffic and are trained to take frequent breaks to allow traffic to flow through. Be patient. • Make eye contact. Don't assume the machine operator can see you. Wait until you make eye contact or receive a gesture that it is safe to pass. • Danger: unplowed road ahead. Remember, if you pass a plow it is likely that the road ahead of you is not plowed. Slow down and drive for the conditions.