Strength and stupidity came together to create a hazard in Saanich where as many as five weighty storm-drain covers were removed late Monday or early Tuesday.
The storm-drain covers were lifted off and thrown into the drains below, leaving large holes along the side of Gordon Head Road, near McKenzie Avenue, said Saanich police Sgt. Steve Eassie.
“This could have been a very dangerous situation for someone had they been riding their bicycle or walking along that area of the roadway,” he said. “This was a senseless, dangerous and stupid act on someone’s part.
“You’ve got to remember that these items are very, very heavy,” Eassie said. The covers can range from about 36 to 54 kilograms.
“They’re obviously difficult to remove,” Eassie said. “Somebody has had to put a fair bit of effort into it.”
A local resident out for a morning walk noticed the covers were missing about 7 a.m. and called police, who notified Saanich public works. Public works staff dealt with the problem right away, using special equipment that allows them to “fish” the covers out of the drain, Eassie said.
Saanich Mayor Frank Leonard said there was potential for serious injury.
“Someone could have really been hurt.”
In a similar incident a few kilometres away, near Richmond Road and Kingsberry Crescent, a police cruiser ended up with two flat tires and had to be towed away in the early morning after hitting a manhole cover that was partially out of place.
No one was hurt, but Eassie said the outcome could have been much more serious had a motorcycle or bicycle been involved.
“That manhole cover also appeared to have been intentionally removed,” Eassie said.
He said police believe it is related to the Gordon Head Road incident. Another missing storm-drain cover was reported around midday Tuesday at Richmond and Poplar avenues.
Anyone with information is asked to call Saanich police at 250-475-4321.
On Aug. 9, a cyclist was seriously injured when he was knocked off his bike by black electrical tape strung across Kings Road, near Prior Street. CBC Radio associate producer Sterling Eyford, who was on his way to a 5:30 a.m. shift, suffered a broken jaw and other injuries.
It still hasn’t been determined whether the tape was put in place to deliberately hurt someone or if it was a prank gone wrong, Victoria police said.
Police have canvassed the neighbourhood around Kings and Prior Street. They would like to hear from anyone who saw anything unusual in that area from 3-5 a.m. on Aug. 9. Contact the Victoria police at 250-995-7654.
Having two cases so close together and creating such danger to cyclists certainly brings safety issues to mind, said John Luton, executive director of Capital Bike and Walk.
“It’s strange,” he said. “I hope someone’s giving their head a shake about what they’re doing out there.”
Removing covers from storm drains or elsewhere is a huge concern, Luton said.
“It creates an enormous hazard out there. If your front end hits it first, you’re going over the bars.”
Still, such dangerous scenarios are not the norm for cyclists, he said.
“It’s rare and you don’t want to make the case that it’s unsafe out there. We can’t get rid of all the idiots who are doing stupid things, and the transportation environment is going to throw some curves at you now and again.”
