Beware wobbly buildings and drive like a bat out of hell!
Following the double demolition near-miss in Vancouver last Thursday, we have been scouring the Internet, calling upon contacts, and making phone calls to find out more about the twin incidents. Having drawn a blank with all our avenues of enquiry, we have decided to recreate a conversation that may (or may not) have taken place between a driver using an adjacent road and the traffic controller charged with limiting access to the “danger zone”.
Driver: Excuse me but why are we stopped?
Traffic Controller: Sorry ma’am but there’s a demolition taking place up the block
Driver: Will we be stopped long?
Traffic Controller: No. We’re just waiting for the building to stop wobbling and then you can be on your way.
Driver: Wobbling?
Traffic Controller: Standard demolition procedure ma’am. Nothing to be alarmed about.
Driver: But a wobbling building? Isn’t that dangerous?
Traffic Controller: Not for me. I’m stood well back.
Driver: So, just so I understand this fully, you’re expecting me to drive down this street past a building that is wobbling?
Traffic Controller: You’ll be fine so long as you follow the three basic rules
Driver: Which are…?
Traffic Controller: Keep your windows rolled up to keep the dust out; close your sunshine roof to keep falling debris out; and if that big building up there on the left starts to wobble, pin the accelerator pedal to the floor and drive like a bat out of hell.
Driver: I think I’ll find a shortcut
Traffic Controller: Just be careful which route you choose ma’am; there’s another wobbly bit just round the corner.
