Dark mornings are coming for the Langley school run, and the fix is cheap
With BC staying on daylight time all year, winter mornings stay dark late. Here is what a dark crossing needs, and who to tell.
This is an opinion post. It is about a situation, not a person.
The clocks are not going back on November 1. That is good news for the evening commute and a real change for the morning one: in the middle of December the sun does not come up in Langley until close to 9 am by our rough numbers. Plenty of kids will be walking, biking or crossing a busy road well before that.
None of this is anyone’s fault. It is the cost of a decision that has other benefits. But it does mean a few corners that were fine at 8 am in October are going to be dark at 8 am in December, and nobody has had to think about that for a long time.
What a dark crossing actually needs
- Street lighting that works, over and near the crossing, not just down the block.
- A crossing that is marked clearly and is easy to see from a driver’s side.
- Bright clothing on the walker: reflective strips, a light on the backpack.
- Drivers who slow down near a school in the dark. Your own driveway is the easiest place to start.
The fix is small, and it starts with you
The Township and the City both have a form for burnt-out streetlights and road safety concerns. A report with a street address and the time you noticed is something they can act on. One report per problem, and say it is next to a school or a bus stop if it is. See our Report a problem page for both links.
We think the right ask is simple. Before the shortest days arrive, walk your child’s route once in the dark, report the lights that are out, and tell your school’s parent group about the crossings that worry you. Dark mornings will pass. A fixed light stays.