EDITORIAL: Buses no-booze rule goes too far
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The decision by B.C. Transit to not allow anyone to carry alcohol of any kind on its buses on July 1 is going overboard.
That said, we feel bad for drivers who have had to endure alcohol-fuelled rowdy behaviour on their bus over the few years on Canada Day.
However, this is a case where a few jerks spoil the fun for the rest of us. To lump together everyone who might choose to ride the bus that night is unfair.
Why should it include people who have made a responsible decision to plan ahead and choose an alternative form of transportation for a night of partying, rather than driving? We’re basically telling them they’ll have to fork out anywhere from $20 to $50 for a cab ride.
We understand the police want to ensure Victoria’s family celebration remains so, by keeping booze out of the downtown activity zone. What about those who are taking unopened alcohol to a house party, then plan to walk to the main gathering downtown?
We also don’t like the idea of drivers searching the bags of passengers they suspect of hiding alcohol. If a person has already been drinking, the potential for harm coming to bus drivers is increased. And what about sticking to a schedule, a philosophy to which Transit holds dear?
If B.C. Transit is so worried about drunks causing mischief on the buses, they should hire security people to ride the buses heading into town. That would be a pretty inexpensive insurance policy to help avoid the kind of damages the company estimated at $100,000 last year alone.
We do like the idea that Transit operators can still call police if they get into too sticky a situation, so to speak.
Excessively rowdy behaviour is not for bus drivers to deal with. It’s a police issue that should be dealt with accordingly, with the law as the starting point.
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