Dear Editor:

I am writing to express my displeasure at the B.C. impoundment laws and the Invermere police department. I was driving home with my family from a lovely weekend at Copper Point Resort when I stupidly decided to pass (in a passing lane) three campers that I was stuck behind. Unfortunately, I was caught traveling at 125 kilometres per hour in an 80 km/h zone. I was wrong and didn’t argue for a second, but then I was walloped by some B.C. reality — mandatory impoundment of my vehicle for seven days. Worst of all, I was with my two girls and pregnant wife. The police officer gave us no guidance except to call a tow truck. As it was a Monday of a long weekend, there were no rental cars available for three days. The night bus takes nine hours to get from Invermere to Calgary, and the express was only leaving the next morning. All my friends and family were away because it was the long weekend. So the only option was to call a taxi and take a $645 taxi ride to Calgary.

Look, I know I broke the law, but there is no humanity in leaving a young family with a pregnant wife in isolation in your fair town. The police officer (Constable Hennig) seemed to take pleasure in this mandatory purgatory that he was putting me into. He told me how ashamed I should feel for putting my family’s life in danger by speeding. He has a point, but is stranding us 300 km away from home with no help any better? Mandatory impoundment laws work in major cities with resources that can get you home. But in small-town B.C. and rural roads, this is total hell. I’ll be in Inveremere again Tuesday to pick up my vehicle but you won’t see me back.

Tony Giantomaso

Calgary