Just like Kurt Russell’s Escape from New York had a sequel, so does last week’s tale of a couple who fled Fort McMurray on their motorcycle.
The Toronto Star website has a story about a Fort Mac resident known only as “Mike,” who took the time to help out a local woman who was in visible distress as her only means of escaping the blaze (a bus stop) was threatened by flames. It sounds like this motorcyclist, whoever he is, might have been the key to Marley Walker getting out of Fort McMurray alive, even though he didn’t know who she was when he pulled over and offered a ride away from the flames.
Read the whole story on the Star’s website here. And if you’re thinking, “Hey, nobody would be crazy enough to ride around in that wildfire,” think again. Check out the CBC clip above. Despite the risk from smoke, sparks, and embers, some people were riding as the flames advanced, perhaps in an effort to save their bikes — or their lives.
Someone might have started the fire to get out of a mortgage. Probably several thousand suspects. Without tar sands, why bother rebuilding.?
The video clearly shows the pick-up guy attempting to block the motorcyclist from getting through. WTF is wrong with people? Let the freak’n guy through. WTF does he have to “wait in line”, bikes filtering = one less car in the queue, don’t these mouthbreathers get that?? Especially considering that a motorcyclist would be fully exposed to the elements. Perfect example of the attitudes Canadians have against motorcyclists.
Far too many really really STOOPID people out there.
I think the guy in the truck was just trying to keep his truck away from the flames as well. Do you really think he cared at that point what a motorcyclist behind him was doing? It’s this kind of misinterpretation of intention that leads to road rage I think.
And if that was me on the bike I’d have been on the freak’n sidewalk!
The other thing to remember is that a few seconds later a fire truck passes by – which explains why people were pulling over on both sides of the road. One pickup stopped at the edge of the road closest to the flames! (in order to make room for the emergency vehicles to pass) Extremely class act behaviour by ALL motorists if you ask me.