Snow on Connector.......

[Even Steven]

Oh my, snow in the mountains?! Stop the presses!

[Gixxer]

They made a TV show focused on the tragic results of our poorly maintained and unsafe public roads and people didn't even question it. Instead they paid taxes and additionally paid to watch a TV show about how they were getting screwed (and hurt/killed in some cases).

Those that remember know it wasn't always the Highway to Hell. It was properly maintained.

Nothing wrong with that highway in the winter. If anything they made a show about idiot drivers that shouldnt be driving.

[dieseluphammerdown]

Nothing wrong with that highway in the winter. If anything they made a show about idiot drivers that shouldnt be driving.

Agree 100%.

[pepsilover]

They made a TV show focused on the tragic results of our poorly maintained and unsafe public roads and people didn't even question it. Instead they paid taxes and additionally paid to watch a TV show about how they were getting screwed (and hurt/killed in some cases).

Those that remember know it wasn't always the Highway to Hell. It was properly maintained.

If you want to discuss highway privatization that story is about 20, no make that 30 years old. Really? Not only do I remember, I was in the protests 'Solidarity Forever' along with my then 6 year old son. I remember. I also remember the trip I tried to take to Vancouver that June, and that was about 20 years ago as well, don't recall if it was before or after the privatization of the highways crews.

I did not agree with the privatization of road maintenance/highways but I also do not agree with you that 'all was well' when the Province was running things, not just on the Coq but here at home. That highway IS a highway thru hell and has little to do with maintenance but more to do with unpredictable weather conditions and topography. Building that highway in the first place was a total gamble. Fast but deadly. Still the same.

The Highway Thru Hell was a good reality tv series unless you prefer shows like the Bachelor. As reality tv goes it was great to have one so close to home, that was about REAL life and not fantasy and scripted.

[Atomoa]

I did not agree with the privatization of road maintenance/highways but I also do not agree with you that 'all was well' when the Province was running things, not just on the Coq but here at home. That highway IS a highway thru hell and has little to do with maintenance but more to do with unpredictable weather conditions and topography. Building that highway in the first place was a total gamble. Fast but deadly.

Most of the closures are due to commercial trucks getting stuck or crashing due to trying to shoot the pass without chaining up. Where is the enforcement? Why is there not a 24/7 staffed mandatory checkpoint ensuring that all commercial traffic is chained up before attempting the snow sheds in the wintertime? Where are the mandatory and dedicated truck lanes and speed limits for the passes? Ask the Liberal Government and the lobbyists from the trucking industry.

Second to that when you scale back services to save tax dollars the roads get plowed less. That means worse driving conditions. I've watched the road conditions go from Europe levels of mountain pass maintenance to "might as well be on the Alaska highway" levels of maintenance in the last 20 years.

There were so many crashes they made a TV show about it. Nobody even thought to suggest that our public roads (and the people who travel on them) might be getting shorted. Of course there are bad drivers but our main roads shouldn't be triple black diamond skill level use-at-your-own-risk. We pay for safe public roads so don't short change yourself. Instead of giving yet another tax break to someone making 150,000 a year in BC, perhaps it's time we started plowing the road more?

Or are we trying to provide the conditions for yet another TV show about the death and destruction on our roads? Is this a way to boost the film and television industry in BC?

[pepsilover]

Most of the closures are due to commercial trucks getting stuck or crashing due to trying to shoot the pass without chaining up. Where is the enforcement? Why is there not a 24/7 staffed mandatory checkpoint ensuring that all commercial traffic is chained up before attempting the snowsheds in the wintertime? Ask the Liberal Government and the lobbyists from the trucking industry.

Second to that when you scale back services to save tax dollars the roads get plowed less. That means worse driving conditions. I've watched the road conditions go from Europe levels of mountain pass maintenance to "might as well be on the Alaska highway" levels of maintenance in the last 20 years.

There were so many crashes they made a TV show about it. Nobody even thought to suggest that our public roads (and the people who travel on them) might be getting shorted. Of course there are bad drivers but our main roads shouldn't be triple black diamond skill level use-at-your-own-risk. We pay for safe public roads so don't short change yourself. Instead of giving yet another tax break to someone making 150,000 a year in BC, perhaps it's time we started plowing the road more?

Or are we trying to provide the conditions for yet another TV show about the death and destruction on our roads? Is this a way to boost the film and television industry in BC?

I don't disagree with much of what you said, unfortunately it's all about the money, whether it is private and for profit, or whether it is the government cutting back. It's ALL ABOUT THE MONEY either way.

As to the topic itself, did you ever watch the tv show? It focus'ed on the towing industry, the interest was in the 'big rigs' and how much they were capable of, and yes, the horrible situations that nearly ALWAYS were commercial truckers, found themselves in. There WAS some narrative that pointed out what these people were doing wrong at times (like the no chains and etc.)

Look, here's the thing, you can't fix stupid, and some of those truckers think they own the damned road. Some don't but SOME DO and most of those particular ones can't speak English well at all, let alone know what a 'chain' is on their tire. And they work for bosses who care even less than they do. Sorry, but that's the reality. Anybody can drive a big rig now it seems. This is a BIG problem on that highway and not all of it can be laid at any one politician's feet. The series was good, and interesting. You should have watched it if you didn't.

[Atomoa]

I don't disagree with much of what you said, unfortunately it's all about the money, whether it is private and for profit, or whether it is the government cutting back. It's ALL ABOUT THE MONEY either way.

As to the topic itself, did you ever watch the tv show? It focus'ed on the towing industry, the interest was in the 'big rigs' and how much they were capable of, and yes, the horrible situations that nearly ALWAYS were commercial truckers, found themselves in. There WAS some narrative that pointed out what these people were doing wrong at times (like the no chains and etc.)

Look, here's the thing, you can't fix stupid, and some of those truckers think they own the damned road. Some don't but SOME DO and most of those particular ones can't speak English well at all, let alone know what a 'chain' is on their tire. And they work for bosses who care even less than they do. Sorry, but that's the reality. Anybody can drive a big rig now it seems. This is a BIG problem on that highway and not all of it can be laid at any one politician's feet. The series was good, and interesting. You should have watched it if you didn't.

I've seen a bunch of episodes on a flight across Canada. The first thing I thought about when I was watching that show was that "killer highway 63" between Edmonton and the oilsands that took years and years to turn into a divided highway (still not done). The highway directly serviced the oilsands that were made of money but the companies/government couldn't provide a safe road for their workers to get back and forth to work - gotta keep taxes low!

We could have better enforcement and maintenance, but the BC Liberals want to give tax breaks to millionaires. Christy Clark directly takes money from these corporations that she gives tax breaks to. They pay her salary! She needs to keep maintenance costs down.

The trucking industry has been whittled down to the lowest common denominator due to profit chasing. The trucking industry and the Government are responsible for the lack of skilled drivers on the road - not the people themselves.

I think we've discussed this point to it's end. The road doesn't have to be that unsafe but in order for the BC liberals to keep their rich friends happy they need to short change the maintenance and regulation of the roads that the peasants use. It's only peoples lives that are affected and not a profit margin. No big deal, right?

We need a TV show about how hard the maintenance workers work, keeping that highway safe. Not the opposite where a TV show is focused on the aftermath and cleanup.

[dieseluphammerdown]

*Removed

[pepsilover]

I've seen a bunch of episodes on a flight across Canada. The first thing I thought about when I was watching that show was that "killer highway 63" between Edmonton and the oilsands that took years and years to turn into a divided highway (still not done). The highway directly serviced the oilsands that were made of money but the companies/government couldn't provide a safe road for their workers to get back and forth to work - gotta keep taxes low!

We could have better enforcement and maintenance, but the BC Liberals want to give tax breaks to millionaires. Christy Clark directly takes money from these corporations that she gives tax breaks to. They pay her salary! She needs to keep maintenance costs down.

The trucking industry has been whittled down to the lowest common denominator due to profit chasing. The trucking industry and the Government are responsible for the lack of skilled drivers on the road - not the people themselves.

I think we've discussed this point to it's end. The road doesn't have to be that unsafe but in order for the BC liberals to keep their rich friends happy they need to short change the maintenance and regulation of the roads that the peasants use. It's only peoples lives that are affected and not a profit margin. No big deal, right?

We need a TV show about how hard the maintenance workers work, keeping that highway safe. Not the opposite where a TV show is focused on the aftermath and cleanup.

To answer your (not so veiled) question, I don't like Christy Clark - lol. And I DESPISED Gordon Campbell. In fact it was BC politics that made me 'opt out' completely of political debates and interest for many years. Lost cause. Prior to that I was a staunch NDP'er. Stephen Harper re-ignited my interest in federal politics. There isn't anybody here I am interested in locally. Provincial liberals are different than federal ones.

[LANDM]

Just stuck at the snowshed because of a northbound accident inside the shed. I am southbound and have been waiting for a while. There was actually a pretty good little snowstorm on the connector late morning.

[Gixxer]

I would estimate 99% of the accidents up there are from bad drivers not driving to road conditions, and nothing to do with road maintenance.

[pentona]

I would estimate 99% of the accidents up there are from bad drivers not driving to road conditions, and nothing to do with road maintenance.

Cops stated on the TV news that people insist on doing 120kph even in bad conditions; THAT is the cause of so many accidents. What ever happened to the variable speed signs that the Government said they were putting up? They shouldn't be necessary but some people just can't deal with slowing to the road conditions and need further enticements to slow down.

[Gixxer]

I drove the Coq in a Super B for 3 winters. Sometimes twice a day. At the time before the highway to hell TV came out I wanted to use a gopro to film the idiots I seen everyday up there, and than make a youtube channel called `The idiot drivers of the Coquihalla. Too bad I didnt.

The real highway from hell in BC is the Alaska Highway from Fort St John to Fort Nelson.

[Always Sunny]

I drove the Coq in a Super B for 3 winters. Sometimes twice a day. At the time before the highway to hell TV came out I wanted to use a gopro to film the idiots I seen everyday up there, and than make a youtube channel called `The idiot drivers of the Coquihalla. Too bad I didnt.

The real highway from hell in BC is the Alaska Highway from Fort St John to Fort Nelson.

I've done the FSJ to Fort Nelson drive many times at different times of the year, usually as a return day-trip. I actually found the roads surprisingly well maintained in the winter.

[Gixxer]

The real highway from hell in BC is the Alaska Highway from Fort St John to Fort Nelson.

I've done the FSJ to Fort Nelson drive many times at different times of the year, usually as a return day-trip. I actually found the roads surprisingly well maintained in the winter.[/quote]

Spend 8 winters hauling out of there, and it will change your opinion really quick.