Traffic Officers in the Okanagan are again asking what it will take to change the behaviour of a high risk driver dubbed Okanagan Bob who does not seem to be getting the message despite previous enforcement action.
Okanagan Bob came to the public’s attention in September 2016 after several videos were posted on-line. Police at that time expressed their displeasure with the dangerous driving seen in the videos. He came to the attention of police again in December, 2018 (link to previous article) at which time he received numerous tickets and had his vehicle impounded.
In late August, 2019, Central Okanagan Traffic Services (COTS) received information about Okanagan Bob’s dangerous driving which was similar to that described in previous complaints: Excessive speeding, tailgating, aggressive driving and abrupt lane changes. It appeared that all the previous enforcement action had no impact on Okanagan Bob’s driving behaviour.
Over a three-day period, several members of COTS made observations of Okanagan Bob’s driving during his daily commutes between Vernon and Lake Country.
On August 29, 2019, Okanagan Bob was stopped and issued numerous tickets for the violations that had been observed including: Two counts of Excessive Speeding (minimum $368 + 3 points each), Drive without Due Care ($368 + 6 points) and Drive without Consideration ($196 + 6 points). In addition, his vehicle was impounded for 30 days on account of the fact that it had been impounded previously (in December 2018).
But police did not stop there. A report was submitted to RoadSafetyBC asking for a lengthy driving prohibition for Okanagan Bob based on these recent occurrences and his long history of dangerous driving. On September 17, 2019, Okanagan Bob was served an 8 month driving prohibition.
2014 white Dodge Pickup
This kind of aggressive driving behaviour not only endangers innocent motorists, but it is completely unacceptable, says Cpl. Mike Halskov of BC RCMP Traffic Services. The actions of this driver could have easily resulted in a catastrophic fatal collision.
Police in no way condone this type of driving and encourage people to obey the rules of the road – for everyone’s safety. Police are unwavering in their resolve to utilize all legal means possible to remove this type of driver from our highways.
If you encounter an aggressive or dangerous driver, do not respond by taking action that could escalate the situation. Stay calm and, if you can, gather information (including dashboard camera video) and contact police from a safe location.
At BC RCMP Traffic Services, we are committed to road safety…and your safety. Please drive defensively, obey speed limits, wear seat belts, drive sober and drive distraction-free every time you get behind the wheel. Find us: BC RCMP Traffic Services