Bumper crop: We give the gears to five of Winnipeg’s gridlock gladiators

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 05/11/2011 (5456 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Watch where you’re going.

When CTV Morning Live made its debut six weeks ago, it became the first a.m. news and information show in Canada to offer viewers an as-it-happens view of the morning rush hour.

“A lot of TV shows do traffic updates but what we’re doing is definitely unique,” says Jesse Carlson, CTV Morning Live‘s “traffic specialist.”

“First, we’ve got Terri (Apostle) in-studio, referring to cameras situated in various parts of Winnipeg. Then what I’m doing, nobody else is doing: I’ve got an iPhone mounted on the dash of my car so while I’m driving around town checking out delays, viewers can see what I see, live.”

Carlson says the technology proved beneficial mere days after the show’s launch. “There was a fire on Alexander (Avenue) that Terri told me about. I was in the area already so within a couple of minutes we were doing a live hit, from the car.”

Interesting? Winnipeg’s resident traffic guru thinks so. “I’ve bumped into Jesse a couple of times on the road already, and yeah, that camera-thing he’s got is pretty cool,” says Brian Barkley, who has been patrolling the streets for CJOB for 21 years.

Barkley doesn’t hesitate when he’s asked how important traffic reports are to local commuters. “Oh, there’d be a huge reaction if we ever stopped,” Barkley says. “They’ve definitely become a big part of people’s days.”

Hear, hear. With that in mind, we recently sat down with some of Winnipeg’s traffic authorities, to get their take on everything from what irks them about this city’s drivers to what tunes they like to listen to when they’re behind the wheel. Here’s what Apostle, Carlson, Barkley, Sabrina Carnevale (Bob-FM, Fab-FM) and Fiona Odlum (CJOB) had to say…

 

First off, you guys must be the best drivers in town, simply from watching what the rest of us do wrong on a daily basis. I’m guessing you all passed your driver’s tests the first time out?

 

FIONA: I went for my license when I was 17 and flunked the first time. I was driving down a side street and according to my tester, I didn’t pull over far enough. The person coming the other way had to hit the brakes, because he couldn’t get by me, apparently. Automatic failure.

BRIAN: I wasn’t 16 — it was definitely a little later than that. I took the test in Portage la Prairie where I grew up, and failed the first time out. But it was so long ago, I don’t remember why exactly.

SABRINA: I got my beginner’s when I was 16, but I didn’t go for my road test until I was 19. I failed the first time; I remember driving down a residential street somewhere in Garden City where there were a bunch of parked cars. Except instead of just driving along beside them, I literally pulled in and out from behind each one, signalling each time. The instructor was like, “That’s not at all what you’re supposed to do.”

TERRI: I grew up in Preeceville, Saskatchewan, and went for my licence as soon as I turned 16. I hate to admit this, but I failed for not slowing down in a school zone. I also got in trouble for not changing lanes properly, which didn’t make any sense because in Preeceville, there’s only one lane.

JESSE: I was in no rush to drive because all my buddies had cars and I just milked them for rides. But when I turned 18 I figured if I wanted girls to talk to me, I’d better have a car, so I went for my licence. First thing the instructor said was, “OK, to start, we’re going to parallel park.” I was all nervous and had a lot of trouble manoeuvring around those cones and sticks. He said I was too far from the curb and failed me before I even got on the road.

 

OK — so you all failed your driver’s test the first time. But by now you must be a stellar drive, right? Is there one special talent that you’d like to brag on?

 

FIONA: I’m awesome at knowing my directions; plop me in a corn maze and I’m out in five minutes.

TERRI: I’m a good rule-follower. I always remember my signal lights, and I always drive the speed limit. OK, I like to go five over; just enough so I don’t get a ticket.

BRIAN: Probably because of what I do — broadcast while I’m driving — but I think I’m really good at being aware of everything that’s going on around me. A couple of weeks ago there was a kid standing on the boulevard and for whatever reason, I got a feeling that he was going to bolt out into traffic. Sure enough, he did. But I was ready for it.

JESSE: I’m not good at anything. Signals — I forget all the time. And I’m still horrible at parallel parking. There are actually times when I’ve gotten out of my car and made my wife park, because I’m so bad at it.

SABRINA: Well I will bet that I can parallel park better than anybody — either side.

TERRI: Sabrina and I used to commute together and I will say she’s a very good parallel parker. I’ll back her up on that.

 

Let’s talk about other drivers: is there one thing Winnipeg drivers do that absolutely drives you nuts?

 

SABRINA: I hate people who slow down and rubber-neck at accident scenes. I mention that a lot in my reports.

JESSE: What bugs me is people who don’t wave to you after you let them in. I understand that sometimes you forget there’s construction up ahead, or you don’t realize you’re in a turning lane. But if I’m going to be nice and let you in, you better give me a wave.

SABRINA: That reminds me: I hate people who know there’s a barricade coming up but drive right up to the construction, expecting to be let in.

BRIAN: The thing that bothers me the most are tailgaters. My wife often notices when I’m driving that I’m looking in the rear view (mirror) almost as much as I’m looking ahead, because of some idiot who’s riding on my bumper.

TERRI: People that don’t merge; I think they’re my least favourite. Especially the ones who sit in the merge lane while there are miles of open road ahead.

FIONA: One thing that I frown upon is people who drive on the shoulders to pass vehicles. I really hate that, and I see it a lot on major routes — all the time at Fermor and Lagimodiere.

 

You must feel for people whose cars die in the middle of rush hour; have you ever stalled out yourself?

 

JESSE: I’ve never stalled, but I have had accidents on side streets. One time there was slush all over the road and I created a fender bender, but I’ve been lucky so far — never had an engine overheat, never ran out of gas.

SABRINA: I ran out of gas one time — I have a tendency to let it go really low even though I know that’s really bad for your car. I was very close to a Domo, however, and I was able to make it to the curb, with the car in neutral.

FIONA: I haven’t ever stalled out but what I have done is spun out into the ditch. Admittedly, for the conditions I was probably driving too fast — I was driving the speed limit of 70, but it was still too fast. I was horrified, then super-embarrassed.

TERRI: One time, something happened to the brake fluid in my husband’s car. I went to press on the brakes, and they went straight to the floor. Nothing. I managed to roll to a stop at the corner of Bishop Grandin and St. Anne’s, but I wasn’t about to try again. I just put on my flashers, and got on the phone.

BRIAN: I was driving into the city from the Perimeter a couple of years ago when the traffic cruiser died. I ended up broadcasting my own lineup. “How do I know Inkster’s backed up? Because I’m the one backing it up!”

 

Golden Earring’s Radar Love is considered the greatest driving tune of all time; do you have a favourite song, or artist, when you’re behind the wheel?

 

BRIAN: There isn’t one favourite; mostly it depends on my mood. Right now I’m listening to Don Amero, a local performer I really like.

TERRI: When you say Golden Earring, I’m like, for sure. I’m with you on the classic rock; I’m a big fan of Fab (94.3 FM).

JESSE: I’m a classic rock guy; I like Led Zeppelin and do a lot of drumming on the steering wheel. My kids look at me like I’m weird.

SABRINA: There are plenty of driving songs I like, including Month of May by Arcade Fire, Through the Wire by Kanye West and Reptilia by the Strokes.

FIONA: 9 to 5, by Dolly Parton. I sing that at the top of my lungs, but I change the lyrics to “Five to 9,” which is my shift. I also love My Sharona, only I sing it “My Fiona…”

 

Last month in Los Angeles, the 15th annual Golden Pylon Awards were handed out to that city’s fleet of traffic reporters. First off, do you think it’s high time Winnipeg followed suit?

 

TERRI: I’ve never heard of the Golden Pylons, but I definitely think we should all band together and get an event going ourselves.

 

Still with the awards, if you were ever the recipient of a Golden Pylon for your traffic reporting skills, whom would you thank during your acceptance speech?

 

FIONA: I would thank all the people who were late for work, and also all the traffic tipsters and tweeters. I would also thank the non-sober tipsters — they’re always very entertaining.

JESSE: I’d thank the people who forget how to drive on the Perimeter when there are icy conditions.

BRIAN: I would thank all the Winnipeg traffic watchers who supply me with tips, insight and invaluable information, every day.

SABRINA: I’d thank Mr. Hunter, my driving instructor in high school, for teaching me how to make left-hand turns at intersections. I’d also thank my parents’ awesome 1983 Pontiac Parisienne I learned how to drive on; if you can drive that boat around in this city, you can drive pretty much anything.

 

david.sanderson@freepress.mb.ca