A reminder from the Ontario Provincial Police - it’s Friday the 13th tomorrow, so make sure you’re paying attention to hockey mask-wearing, machete-wielding creepers on the roads.
Sorry, that’s something else. The OPP actually want people to be on the lookout for increased motorcycle traffic, as bikers hit the road for the annual Friday the 13th pilgrimage to Port Dover.
Sgt. Edward Sanchuk of the West Region OPP detachment in London said that with the weather looking as nice as it does in the forecast, police are expecting plenty of bikes to be on the road and headed for Port Dover.
“Between all the motorcycles and people in Port Dover last year, we estimated there were more than 150,000 people there,” Sanchuk said. “This day is about people making new friendships, catching up on old relationships and having fun. We want people to be paying attention on the roads with the increased traffic.”
Sanchuk said anyone thinking about heading to Port Dover should be ready to deal with delays going into the village, and to train their brains to look for motorcycles.
“People on motorcycles don’t have the same kind of physical protection as those in cars and trucks do, so motorists need to make sure they take that extra look before making a move,” he said. “But bikers have to be smart and cautious as well. That means put the technology away, no lane splitting and no distracted driving. We all have to share the roadways, and we want this to be a fun experience for everyone.”
Formerly stationed in Norfolk County, Sanchuk said that people come to Port Dover for Friday the 13th from all over. He even recalled an event in February one year where he saw bikers arrive in the lakeside village from Windsor despite there being snow on the ground.
“We want people to have a great time, but we want them to be smart about it,” he said. “The OPP doesn’t want to be knocking on someone’s door to tell them a family member won’t be coming home because of an accident.”
