I have been in Merritt almost every year for the past 16 or 17 years, and I had never seen something I saw this week.

Two-way traffic by the 7-Eleven.

You see, I’m usually in Merritt for the Mountain Music Festival, and that street is made into a one-way street for the duration.

My name is Allan Wishart, and in real life, I am the assistant editor with the Prince George Free Press, a sister paper of the Herald. My secret identity, however, is that of Roving Reporter, going wherever he’s needed (usually because someone is on holidays).

A couple of weeks ago, I was in 100 Mile House for a week. I spent two weeks back at my regular job, and I’m down here this week. Where will I be next week? Who knows? (Although I am starting to suspect I get these assignments because my boss in Prince George likes it when I’m out of the office up there.)

Well, actually I do know where I will be next week. I’ll be with my mom, driving to Saskatchewan to see some relatives. As soon as I finish here, I head back to Prince George to start my own holidays.

One of the things I keep an eye open for on my travels is what I call Blacktop Blockheads. Most of the time it’s motorists doing stupid things, but I have no trouble calling out cyclists and pedestrians who are not playing by the rules of the road (or of common sense, usually).

I’ve only been in Merritt a few days, and I have seen a couple of Blockheads I have seen almost everywhere. One is the Mall Maniac, the driver who figures that even though he is in a mall parking lot, the speed limit is the same as on the road and the lines on the pavement don’t mean anything.

He cuts across parking lanes with impunity, aiming for the spot closest to the door so he can buy his health food. (Don’t laugh. When I worked in Kamloops, I saw vehicles circle through our parking lot three or four times until they got a spot right next to the door of the health club next door.)

Then there are the pedestrians who figure the shortest distance between two points is a straight line (which is correct). What they then do, however, is to step off the curb at the corner of the street, walking towards their car, which is parked halfway down the street on the other side.

The fact this puts them in the traffic lanes for longer than necessary apparently doesn’t enter their minds.

As for cyclists, I can add nothing to the warnings from Mike Touchie and Bob Davis in the story on Page 1 of today’s issue.

So don’t be a Blockhead. Think while you’re driving, cycling or walking, and you’ll make life easier for everyone.