>>> June 20, 2002

Picking up
the tab

It was storming that January night in Waterloo, Ontario. Unlucky conditions for Brant Kardas, who stepped into the path of an oncoming car. Kardas hit the ground 45 metres away from the point of impact. A week in a coma and three months in hospital were about right for his fractured skull and pelvis, broken leg, arm and collarbone. Finally back home, Kardas recently received a bill for $41.43 from the City of Waterloo-his costs for the post-accident road closure.

In Waterloo, costs incurred by the city in the event of a road accident are usually charged to the party at fault. Kardas was crossing on a red. “Should it be up to the general taxpayer… to pay the extra costs?” queried Cambridge Public Works Commissioner Garth James. Maybe not, but Kardas doesn’t think it’s up to him either.

“I don’t plan on paying for it,” he said. “What’re they going to do, take me to jail?” :

-Scott Saxon