Blog Find: Langley Politics Dotcom

This website popped onto my radar a short while ago when they linked my story about the Surrey Memorial Hospital, even though they’ve been around for the last four years.

Langley’s longest-running and most popular Town Hall forum, hosted by Langley Township Councillor Jordan Bateman and Sam “Politics” Kirk. Featuring more than 150,000 visitors, 500,000 hits, and 9,000 Dotcomments in the past year. [LangleyPolitics.com]

Together the Jordan and Sam have been covering politics in the Township, in some form or another, for the last 10 years and Jordan is “youngest elected member of Langley Township Council, representing 100,000 residents.” They touch on everything from Council meetings, local news, national politics, school board meetings and opinions.

Recently Jordan wrote an article in the Abbotsford Post about a Facebook group of young drivers who admit and boast about speeding along a stretch of road near the border, he also cross-posted this on his site.

A small Facebook group offers a frightening glimpse into the mindset of some of the young drivers who regularly use 0 Avenue.

The “0 and 16th Ave Speeders” are a group of about a dozen people who “admit to speeding on those roads.” Some of their comments should worry you.

“I must admit I like doing between 90 and 100 ks,” wrote the group’s founder, Richard Allegretto. “Speeding is only dangerous if you drive like an idiot while doing it, if everyone is doing the same speed and not weaving in and out of traffic, things should go just fine!” [LangleyPolitics]

Naturally that post has tons of comments, on both sides of the argument, especially seeing as how some Western Canadians feel speed limits should be increased on certain city roads [News1130]

Like I said, these guys have been blogging about Langley Township matters for several years so I’m a little late to the story. Just the other day Jordan was in the Province and on CKNW talking about Aldergrove border issues.

I find what they’re doing is absolutely wonderful. They’re creating a dialog, discussion, forming opinions and letting others express theirs in a local political situation that is, thanks to them, far from closed off from the public – as it should be.