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More incidents of wheels falling off, drivers explaining their out-of-province plates

Rising plate hatred?

RCMP are investigating after a Saskatchewan driver had a wheel come flying off near Enderby on Tuesday – and the man believes the lug nuts were intentionally loosened.

Cpl. Jocelyn Noseworthy of the Kelowna RCMP, who are looking into the allegations, says the man believes the nuts were loosened while he was visiting the Kelowna area.

"We received a report from a gentleman Tuesday morning alleging that he had lost a tire on his vehicle, and it was his assertion that his lug nuts had been loosened," Noseworthy said in an email to Castanet.

"We have not located any surveillance video or witnesses that substantiate that this was an intentional act."

But, the incident follows growing vitriol on social media directed at drivers with out-of-province plates.

And, just last weekend, a woman driving home to Alberta had a front wheel come off on the Trans-Canada Highway.

Krista Paulsen had been staying in Summerland, visiting her family with her three children since the beginning of July. 

She felt a vibration, and she pulled into the slow lane, when "there was a large thunk and my driver's side tire went rolling on past me," she said.

“Everybody’s heard the stories about people in B.C. with Alberta plates, the car being keyed, tires being slashed, and I wondered 'did somebody loosen my lug nuts?'" Paulsen said. 

Cpl. Mike Halskov with BC Traffic Services said highway patrol wouldn't handle files on such incidents unless they resulted in a fatal collision on a provincial highway.

But, Noseworthy said, if someone were caught tampering with a vehicle in this way, they could face a variety of charges, including mischief. 

The rising tensions prompted one driver in Penticton to post a note in their car window explaining their Georgia licence plates.

“Canadian Citizen. Completed 14 day quarantine," the note read.

In Sicamous, Mayor Terry Rysz has launched a campaign called We’re People, Not Plates, encouraging residents to be respectful.

Premier John Horgan and provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry have also cautioned that B.C. residents can't know everyone's circumstances or their reasons for being in the province.

One couple who just moved to the Okanagan from California tell Castanet they are very aware that their licence plate may be causing concern for some.

Deborah says she and her husband are originally from Vancouver and they moved to California for work, and then decided to take last year off and travel before the pandemic struck.

"I understand that people are concerned when they see Americans driving around," said Deborah.



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