Editor:

Friday afternoon after the fire at the BC Hydro substation, it seems that many of the driving motorist in Chilliwack kind of went nuts- running red and yellow lights, making u-turns at T-intersections, cutting each other off, speeding, giving each other the one-finger salute along with what appeared to be some choice vocabulary.

One wonders where was the constabulary to restore order to the mayhem.This all observed from a pedestrians view while strolling downtown Chilliwack.

But the law was on patrol last Sunday afternoon on a cold rainy day in Abbotsford. While driving by a sportsfield that was unoccupied, a black car suddenly came up behind me with lights flashing. I pulled over and stopped. An RCMP officer got out with a radar gun in hand and indicated to me that I was driving 53 kms per hour in a 30 km/h playground zone. Section 147(2) of the Motor Vehicles Act.

OK, can't argue with what's on the radar gun.That'll cost $196 and if the ticket is paid within a certain period there will be a $25 discount.From this I assumed that any sportsfield in B.C. is considered a playground and a speed limit of 30 km is mandatory when driving past those grounds.

While the officer was writing the ticket, an Abbotsford Police Department officer drove by, didn't appear to pay much attention to this old guy but he certainly eyed the RCMP officer with what appeared to be the look of why are you stopping motorists in my jurisdiction. Maybe the Abbotsford police don't do radar speed checks.

So in conclusion, Friday was a lucky day for a good many motorist in Chilliwack in that they didn't get stopped for doing stupid acts while driving or causing an accident and possible injury to themselves or others but that one Sunday was my unlucky day for not knowing or observing the speed limit when driving past a B.C. playground.

Walter Soltys

Chilliwack