Going Places

SPEAKER'S CORNER 8 G O I N G P L A C E S | W I N T E R 2 0 1 5 To the Beach Tap your Sorel boots together and repeat after me: there's no place like a beach. ere's no place like a beach. ere's no place like a beach. For many Manitobans, the promise of an upcoming hot winter getaway is enough to get us through the most bitterly cold days of the season. If you're like me, you've daydreamed, while brush- ing the snow off your car, about swapping snow shovels for sand castles – even if only temporarily. But imagine this: a winter storm hits the day you're scheduled to leave. Some of us will check our flight status and wait out any delays at home. But those who have taken a risk will be in their cars waiting for Hwy. 75 or 10 to open, hoping they'll have enough time to make it to North Dakota before their plane leaves them in the dust. Although CAA travel consultants can book more direct flights to sun destinations from Winnipeg than ever before, some travellers with cost savings in mind are opting to book their dream vacations on their own through American airports. e airfare ticket price may be appealing, but there are added expenses that you would not incur if flying from home, such as for long- term parking, gas, hotel and baggage fees – which can be more than double the price Canadian airlines charge. Also the price you see isn't what will hit your credit card bill thanks to an abysmal exchange rate. For me, I prefer the simplicity of leaving from home. The amount of time spent in transit is another big reason I haven't ever made the trek to a U.S. airport to fly away. Case in point: total travel time to get to Orlando from Winnipeg via the Grand Forks airport is five hours and 38 minutes, versus three hours and 50 minutes direct from home. Plus, the last thing I want to do en route home is drive for another few hours after flying. ese vacations are more than just an escape from the cold; they're about making lifetime memories with your family, so you want to do it right. For me, that starts the moment I book with a travel professional. Not only will I know all the costs I'll incur, they are also able to offer a ton of other services, and may even end up saving me more. Nothing complicated, no added stress. Just me, my family and the sun on my face. GP –Mike Mager President and CEO, CAA Manitoba Not Tough Enough I agree with your fall 2015 issue ("Putting the Brakes on Distracted Driving," Speaker's Corner). I still feel we need more of a deterrent, and impounding a phone and vehicle would be a good place to start. Maybe even double or triple the fines. We seem to protect and worr y more about the perpetrators than the victims. Just how much is one's life worth? –Chuck Fenton, Winnipeg I have been a CAA member for more than 25 years and really enjoy getting your Going Places magazine. It is good the fall issue mentioned the problem of new young driv- ers and cellphone talking/texting. But what about drivers who have been doing it all along? And most young people don't care about demerits; Mom and Dad are probably paying the ticket. We need to make it where they have their vehicle impounded, and maybe their cellphone at the same time. –Carol Chmil, Winnipeg WRITE US: Going Places P.O. Box 1400, 870 Empress St., Winnipeg, MB R3C 2Z3 email: goingplaces@caamanitoba.com facebook.com/caamanitoba twitter.com/caamanitoba

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