Grant De Patie died chasing down a couple of thugs who tried to pull off a gas and dash. They filled up and peeled out with Grant trapped under their car. He was dragged to his death for more than 7 kilometres because the drunk teens in the car didnt have $12.30 to pay for the fuel.
It’s horrible it’s disgusting it’s tragic.
His parents fought to have laws changed so that we would have to prepay for gas so that gas and dashes would be a thing of the past.
As of today, February 1, 2008, it is now mandatory for all people in the province in BC to pay before you pump - it’s called Grant’s Law.
Sidebar #1:
In August 2006, a group of radicals in the UK schemed to have some clear fluids brought on to planes and then used to create explosives.
We are no longer allowed to bring fluids in excess of 100ml on to a plane. (yet on my most recent flight, the woman in front of me was brandishing 12 inch knitting needles)
Sidebar #2:
In December 2001, Richard Reed threatened to blow up a plane using a makeshift explosive he stashed in his shoe.
We are now required to remove our footwear for scanning when passing through security at airports.
How are all related? A few bad people have caused a lifetime of hassle for the rest of the population.
I had to fill up today. It’s a full serve gas station. Now, I’m fully capable of pumping my own gas, but this station was the one on my commute route. When I pulled in, I couldn’t find my debit card and elected to pay cash for my gas. Well, at this full serve station, the jockeys can’t handle cash - because of Grant’s Law. So I have to get out of my car and head inside and wait in line to prepay.
Now prepaying has been the way things go in the US for years, and each time it drives.me.nuts. I don’t know how much my gas is before I buy it. I don’t know how full my tank will be before I fill it up. So I have to go inside, overpay, go back outside, fill up, and then go inside and get my change - each time waiting in line.
I’m not a bad man, I’m not going to blow up a plane with my 500ml bottle of Dasani, but someone somewhere thought of maybe doing it, so I can’t take water on board.
I’m not a bad man, I don’t have lighter fluid and matches in my Nikes, but a crazed man one time thought about doing it, so I have to take my shoes off.
I’m not a bad man, I’m not going to gas and dash, but because a few jackasses do, millions of people are inconvenienced.
I am truly saddened for the loss of the De Patie family, and while I understood their original campaign to have prepaying be law in the overnight hours, the government went one step further and made it 24/7.
When will it end? Are we going to have to prepay for our booze at the club? $50 when you walk in, refund when you leave? Are we going to have to prepay for each course of our dinner at Chambar?
We’re not bad people, but just like in high school, when one delinquent gets out of order, the entire class gets detention.
One more aside - While you’re struggling with this new system today and forking over your nearly $1.10 a litre, ponder the profits these companies are raking in. Exxon Mobil released their profits for 2007 today. $40.6 Billion. Not bad, huh?
The Blog According to Buzz. Spread the word, ya heard?
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Completely agree Buzz. A few bad apples cause a panic and government applies stupid reactionary regulations. Prepaying for gas will only ever work if the government makes all debit charges at banks null. Only then will it be as convenient for the consumer. Prepaying by cash is the biggest pain in the ass possible and not everyone wants to rack up charges on debit or buy all their gas on credit.
Is the inconvenience on our part really too much to bear if it means saving just one person? Sure, you’re not a bad man, but who’s to say that some guy that doesn’t look like a bad man isn’t going to sneak a dasani full of explosive material on a plane? Who’s to say an honest looking person can be trusted not to gas and run? On the other hand, who’s to say that someone wearing a veil or is middle eastern will blow up the plane… yet until these laws were passed they were “randomly selecting” passengers to check, yet many of these “random” people were check based mostly on suspicion of their last name or appearances.
I’m more than willing to unlace my shoes at the airport or to prepay for my gas if it means that it makes it safer for others to do their job, or prevents any prejudicial thinking. We’re all so quick to complain about how these things are inconveniencing us but even quicker to complain when simple measures could have saved a life or prevented disaster. It’s five minutes out of your day, if it’s really that much of a problem used debit or credit and pay at the pump.
Thanks for your comment, Jen.
Grant’s death was a freak accident. It’s not something that is a trend, or a widespread problem. It was an unfortunate set of circumstances coming together to form a tragic perfect storm.
Bringing these regs in 24/7 does little more than put a lid on Pandora’s box already after it has been opened.
Much like the liquid and shoe issues, the solutions are brought down after the fact. They are not preventative, they are reactionary and the reactions far exceed the threats that previously existed.