I am writing to bring to your attention an ongoing problem with speedsters in Langford.
Since moving here 19 years ago, my husband and I have noticed an increase in the frequency of speeding, unmufflered, souped-up vehicles racing up and down the highway and particularly near Millstream Road exit 14. Our house is above the southeast corner of the highway and the Millstream overpass. Our windows are new, remain closed all year (since we have air conditioning) and most of the time traffic is a background purr. Except, that is, for these “roadsters,” who disrespect their fellow citizens at all hours of the evening and night (especially on weekends).
They roar about with abandon oblivious to the harm they are causing with their noise pollution. I have variously heard them street racing, or tearing onto the highway down to a subsequent exit, leaving and rejoining the highway, then tearing back, often squealing around the rock island adjacent to the Millstream overpass. They occasionally squeal round and round in one of the nearby shopping parking lots.
At one time, years back, Langford was known by some as “Dog Patch,” a place where many of the wealth-disadvantaged hung out. Thanks to our mayor, those “Dog Patch” days are gone.
Our roads have been replaced with wide, flower-decorated loveliness. Even our strip malls have been given facelifts.
The rest of Greater Victoria visits us for our wide range of free parking shopping opportunities. We have an outstanding recreation centre and kids playground, the best movie theatre in town, Bear Mountain golf course, a Saturday market, new Y facility and much more.
So, I think you will agree, it is long overdue that these “Dukes of Hazzard” be put in their place. It is time to get out the ticket book and stop them from treating us with such a lack of respect, not to mention being stopped from breaking the law, damaging the roads we all pay for, and devaluing our community.
I sincerely hope the West Shore RCMP will have the time and resources to deal with this for the last time and are able to make clear to these persons that this is not acceptable behaviour in any community.
This small group of law-breakers disturbing so many, for so long, and so often, must end.
Delphine Cummings
Langford
Editor’s note: The West Shore RCMP is investigating this complaint. The Capital Regional District’s Integrated Road Safety Unit has also been contacted regarding this problem.