Fredericton — A shortage of blinker fluid in New Brunswick has caused RCMP to issue a rare province-wide driving advisory. The RCMP’s J-Division, which is responsible for policing in New Brunswick, urges drivers who are low, or out of, blinker fluid to remain off the streets.

The impact of the rampant blinker-fluid shortage was evident on the streets of Fredericton Sunday, as many drivers were forced to make turns without being able to signal.

Officials are uncertain when the blinker fluid shortage can be rectified. As of Monday, not a single auto-supply store in Fredericton had any of the valuable liquid.

“We’ve not had a bottle of the stuff since I started working here,” said Travis McMaster, who added that he has been working at the Irving on the north side for three weeks. “I searched the back rooms, in case we had a bottle, but nothing. Sorry.”

Officials with the Canadian Tire on the south side were likewise unable to find a single bottle of blinker fluid on hand. “Ain’t lookin’ like we’re gonna get any on the next truck, either,” stated a service technician.

Police on Monday urged drivers to either stay off the roads, or use alternate signalling techniques.

“If, for whatever reason, your turn signals are inoperative — such as due to a shortage of blinker fluid — we remind drivers of the standard arm signals,” stated Const. Jean-Guy Aucoin. “Place the left arm out of the window and point left to indicate a left-hand turn, and lift the arm to indicate a right-hand turn.”

It seemed, however, the no-driving advisory did not reach the thousands of Fredericton drivers who were observed making multiple turns without signals during rush hour Monday afternoon. Similar challenges were reported in Saint John, Moncton and many rural areas.

The exception was a red Ford pickup seen driving north on Route 3 away from St. Stephen with its left-turn signal clearly stuck. The driver seemed unaware of the wanton waste of blinker fluid as the vehicle travelled some six kilometres before heading north, out of sight, doomed to signal until the driver either noticed, or the blinker-fluid reservoir ran dry.