Getting a grip on the wheel
Richard Gleeson
Northern News Services
Paulatuk (Feb 19/01) - Though the community is off the road system, there's plenty of driving ambition here.
More than 40 people took part in driver education classes aimed at preparing people to get their learner's licence.
Hamlet empowerment officer Gilbert Thrasher Jr., 26, helped bring the course to Paulatuk and was a participant in it. Two weekends in a row.
"It wasn't that hard," said Thrasher of the learner's licence test. "You just browse through the book three or four times, read the book."
Thrasher aced it, scoring 100 per cent, but said he's not sure he will be ready to take the driving test the hamlet is trying to arrange for next month. He figures it wouldn't be difficult if he could take it on a vehicle with an automatic transmission, but his dad's truck -- one of only a few privately owned vehicles in town -- is a standard.
"My older brother has his licence," Thrasher said. "I asked him to teach me and let me drive."
This is the first driver's education course to be provided in the community. The idea behind bringing in an instructor was to give people an opportunity to become more qualified for work.
"A lot of our people don't have an opportunity to learn to drive," said Albert Ruben, the hamlet's senior administrative officer.
"A lot of employment opportunities, even here, more and more require people to have a driver's licence."
A valid driver's licence is a minimum requirement for some of the jobs -- like heavy equipment operation -- that are becoming more and more plentiful with the development of mines and oil and gas exploration in the North.
"I'm trying to work towards getting the people to get their class 3 licence (heavy equipment) after getting their class 5 (driver's)," Thrasher said.
He added a driver's licence can also boost people's self esteem by enabling them to help others. Thrasher said he would like to be able to transport elders, relatives and friends around town and between the town and the airport.
The town has geared up for more drivers. Three or four months ago it put up a host of new traffic signs reminding people who has the right of way at intersections, of the 30 kilometre per hour speed limit and where the school zone begins and ends.
