TTC stops are no place to pile snow

 You have to wonder why a plow operator would pile up snow at TTC stops, forcing riders to climb over or detour around them.

After another dump of wet, heavy snow this week, snowbanks along the curb were topped up by plows and won’t get any smaller until we have a long spell of warm weather, which could be weeks away.

With so much snow compared to last year, you’d think plow jockeys would know by now that the area where buses and streetcars stop for passengers must be completely cleared, as a matter of safety.

Apparently not.

An email with “a war on TTC riders, or simply negligence and apathy?” in the subject line arrived Thursday from Joe LaFortune, which was also sent to city officials, saying that plows are creating icy obstacles at bus stops.

“It is very obvious that city crews (and) contractors or the TTC do not want riders and are actively prohibiting them from accessing buses, or there is a conspiracy to discourage or injure potential riders,” said LaFortune.

When a bus stop on northbound Dovercourt Rd., at Geary Ave., he says it's “in the middle of the road because it cannot get close to the curb. Riders are supposed to risk their lives trying to walk on huge banks and slabs of ice?”

Much of the sidewalk, including the bus stop area, on the west side of Dovercourt, just south of Davenport Rd., has not been properly cleared because the plow can’t get around the utility poles, he said.

“Is this what we’re paying for? Lazy, negligent, endangering people?”

While his note is long on hyperbole (he later sent a second to city officials, apologizing for the first), he raised a point I’ve often wondered about: “I suggest that sidewalk crews dispense with plows …and maybe use snow blowers or shovels, like the rest of us.”

It sounds like a reasonable solution in places where the confines prevent plows from doing a good job, like some TTC stops. But don’t count on it.

 

         

          

 

  

 

 

 

          

  

 

  

Variety store operators victimized by teenaged thief

It’s hard enough to earn a living at a corner convenience store without having to confront a teenaged shoplifter, or let him steal whatever he wants.

My 13-year-old son just walked in the door with a story that made my blood boil, about one of the more outrageous examples of intimidation-based shoplifting I have heard.

He and a few of his Grade 8 buddies were outside a small variety store after school today when a boy they know who is in Grade 9 came along, a big kid with an air of menace about him.

This kid has a reputation among the neighbourhood boys for often having a cell phone for sale at a really good price, which he always claims to have found.

His good luck at finding cell phones ended recently, when one of his teammates on a house league hockey team discovered that his brand new iPhone 5 had disappeared from the dressing room during a game.

The coach, who knows enough to identify this kid as a suspect, searched the dressing room and found the phone in his jacket pocket, but did nothing about it, other than scolding him. He suited up for the next game.

The boys were standing around outside the store when the cell phone salesman said he was going inside to get a treat, and would be right back.

He returned with a handful of gum, candy, a five-hour energy drink and other junk, boasting that he didn’t pay for any of it.

Believing that the younger boys were impressed, he went back to the store three times in less than 15 minutes, coming back each time with more loot that wasn’t paid for.

 My son says the grinning older boy “called it free food” and thought it was funny.

Our corner store has been operated for many years by a succession of Asian immigrant couples, as their first job in Canada. They’re behind the counter from 8 a.m. until 11 p.m., an incredible grind, especially after a few years, to eke out a living that can’t be much better than minimum wage.

The couple running it arrived from China less than two years ago and often have their daughter, who looks to be about four, behind the counter with them.

Clearly, the boy did not go in into the store four times within a few minutes to fill his pockets without being noticed.

The people behind the counter had to decide whether to confront him, which could have gotten physical, or turn a blind eye.

Given the slim profit margins on stuff sold in corner stores, the value of the loot could have a serious impact on the bottom line of sales on any one day.

The hard working family running the store must be wondering what they got themselves into, and what kind of people we Canadians are.

 

 

       

 

  

 

 

 

          

Sudden playoff exit leaves hockey Dad suffering withdrawal

When you go from first to worst – and out of the playoffs – in three quick games, it can be harder on parents than the kids.

My 13-year-old son has had quite a season on the high rolling Toronto Penguins minor bantam AA team; 29-3, with four ties, good enough to finish first among 14 teams in the GTHL east division and win the Kraft Cup.

Our boys beat every other team in their division, won both tournaments they entered and were by far the highest scoring minor bantam AA outfit among 31 teams in the east and west division of the GTHL.

To say that we expected to roll over the two teams we’d meet on our way to a division final showdown against the North York Knights, a perennial powerhouse that finished two points behind us, would be an understatement.

Our first victim was to be the Willowdale Blackhawks, which squeaked into the playoffs in eighth place. We crushed them 9-3 in our first game of the year, back in September, and easily beat them 4-1 in November.

As the season wore on, our boys developed the maddening tendency of playing down to weaker teams, which they always got away with, except for a few ties.

It became an entrenched habit that we were never able to shake.

Willowdale beat us 3-2 last Tuesday, in the opening game of a first-to-six-points series. They outplayed us and were clearly the hungrier team.

The shocked looks on the faces of us parents had to be amusing to the Willowdale kids and families, who looked like they’d won the lottery.

Well, the boys will have learned their lesson, we figured, and know they had to come out firing in the second game, last Saturday. It might even be good for them to play with their backs to the wall, we thought. Toughen them up.

Instead, they played their worst game of the year. They looked bewildered, hopeless, and totally swarmed. We were down 5-0 before we scored three goals in the last five minutes. The domination was in no way reflected in the final score.

To say it was embarrassing – hell, humiliating - is an understatement.

Most of the players were unperturbed in the dressing room afterward, and that’s putting it nicely. My son said a lot of them acted no different than if they’d won.

The mood among the parents before game three on Sunday was sombre. Some were still confident that the real team would finally show up, throttle Willowdale and come roaring back to win the series.

The preponderance of evidence suggested otherwise.

The Penguins came out flying and kept the play in Willowdale’s end, but still gave up the first goal. Our team tied it, but they again went ahead, even though we rained pucks on the Willowdale goalie and bottled them up.

We tied it again and it looked like it was only a matter of time until we cracked them, but the Penguins could not cash in on their chances. They got a third goal on a breakaway and it was over.

Our boys – the highest scoring team, remember - outshot them 36-16 but could only manage two goals. At no point in the three games did we have a lead. Willowdale was by far the better team and deserved to win.

The parents were stunned at the scale of the collapse, which seemed inconceivable, even after the first lost. I scurried out of the rink before the final buzzer, not wanting to meet the eyes of my fellow sufferers.

It reminded me of some advice given to me by a far more experienced hockey dad: Remember, it is just kids’ hockey. The most consistent thing about boys at this age is inconsistency. The damndest things can and do happen.

After six months of hockey almost every day, and with a tantalizing championship always just over the horizon, it takes a while to get over the disappointment, at least for this hockey dad.

       

  

  

Yelping poodles snap at the big dog’s feet

You know you’re doing something right when your competitors are whining about you.

I’ve always taken a lot of pride in working for the best newspaper – and news website - in Canada.

I remember the first time I said to the person at the other end of the line that I was calling from The Star, as a summer intern in 1986. I couldn’t quite believe it, and worried that the guy I called didn’t believe it, either.

I still get a kick out of saying I am calling from The Star. Important people will come to the phone, and not because I’m a good guy. The Star is respected, even feared. Nobody wants to look bad in our pages.

Some people don’t like us, but a lot of them still read The Star religiously (and thank you, folks), judging by the comments they post to our online stories.

So it is understandable that some of our competitors cannot help but take potshots at us.

I am a recent convert to Twitter, where I follow the tweets of people in the news business. A guy who works for another paper sometimes tweets out critiques of something or other in The Star, clumsy attempts at cleverness.

He always includes links to our stories in his tweets. Anyone who clicks on them is guided into thestar.com. Adding traffic to the website is what the online news business is all about.

I love that guy.

It is considered bad form at The Star to write about other news organizations, and is seldom done. But since I am warmed up, I’ll pay tribute to the angry, buzzing bee who scribbles city hall columns (using crayons, I think) for a small Toronto daily.

She has carved out a niche as fomenter-in-chief of outrage over the alleged conspiracy to destroy Mayor Rob Ford, which she blames on sniveling, underhanded lefties.

She is superb at connecting the faintest of dots and never misses a chance to hiss at The Star.

I read her religiously.

As long as the poodles are barking about us, it’s okay with me.  

 

     

 

 

 

 

       

  

Not much sympathy for drivers who get parking tickets right after paid time expires

There’s a lot of angry, depressed people out there, judging by the cranky reaction to the city’s 10-minute grace period for overtime parking.

My Wednesday Fixer column was about city councillors Josh Matlow and Michael Thompson, who are working together to persuade Toronto police to instruct its parking enforcement officers to not issue tickets for overtime parking until 10 minutes after paid parking has expired.

The city approved the grace period last summer, but has done nothing to inform drivers that they can cancel a ticket at a parking tag operations office, or online.

In conversations I had with Matlow and Thompson, both agreed it would be fairer if parking cops held back on a ticket until 10 minutes after paid parking ran out, instead of making people jump through hoops to cancel it.

But the reaction of readers who posted comments about it on the star.com is downright hostile, with some saying drivers who are even one minute late should shut up and pay the ticket.

“If you’re not paid, you should get a ticket,” said Alex Downtown. “If you can’t read the sign or ticket, you should not be permitted to drive.”

“Give me a break and give them tickets!” said Notinapanic. “Really, this is ridiculous!”

“Why even charge people for parking? Let’s give them a 24-hour grace period,” said MiltonCon. “After all, we can hardly expect grown adults to be responsible for their own actions.

“Nice to see her Lordship Fiona Crean (the city ombudsman) sticking her highly paid nose into a very trivial matter.”

(Hey Milt, couldn’t you find a way to drag former Mayor David Miller into it?)

“All the problems this city faces and this is what we are concerned about?” asked Karlin2T.

Matlow made a good point: Storefront retailers have complained that when parking cops are johnny on the spot to issue a $30 ticket within a couple minutes of the expiry of paid time, shoppers get angry and feel preyed upon.

To ask police to extend a grace period already approved by city council, rather than put the onus on people to figure out they’re entitled to it, and then make a special trip to one of four city offices, seems like a good solution.

It could just be the time of year, when seasonal affective disorder (SAD) peaks, but it’s hard to believe that extending a courtesy would make people so resentful.

I hope every one of them gets a couple tickets this week.

 

  

 

 

Cyclists should be able to ride side-by-side, but know better on busy streets.

City Councillor Karen Stintz is pedaling in the right direction by trying to repeal a local bylaw requiring cyclists to always ride in single-file.

Stintz is fronting a motion at this week’s meeting of Toronto city council that would kill a bylaw from the former city of Etobicoke that says cyclists must ride in a line, rather than side-by-side.

If not repealed, the bylaw would apply across the city, as have other pre-amalgamation bylaws that weren’t challenged.

It reveals the low regard for cycling in suburban areas at a time when bikes were seen as toys for children and a nuisance to grown ups driving cars.

Stintz’s motion shows how far we’ve come in recognizing the value of bikes as legitimate transportation, and the right of cyclists to share the road.

There’s also the practical problem of how to enforce it, if the bylaw was applied across the city.

It is not unusual to see cyclists riding side-by-side on a quiet residential street, or even in the bike lines on busier streets, which are barely wide enough to accommodate them.

If rush hour traffic is heavy along a street with a bike lane, like Dundas St. E., for instance, it would be dangerous for cyclists to ride two abreast; a sudden swerve could send one of them into the path of a vehicle.

All but a few kamikaze riders, or those with a chip on their shoulder about taking up an entire lane, would recognize the danger of side-by-side cycling and slide into single-file formation when traffic is heavy.

Let’s give them credit for having enough sense to not put themselves in danger, but also concede that there’s no harm in it, as long at it is done near the curb and on quiet streets.

Anyone who’s ever cycled with a friend, talking while riding side-by-side, knows the value of it.

And for those who don’t, get out of your SUVs and give it a try.

   

 

 

 

 

      

 

 

         

                

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

Tall snowbanks are a dangerous sightline obstacle for drivers

Snowbanks piled up in the curb don’t just cause parking problems, but prevent drivers from seeing oncoming traffic until it is right on top of them.

By now, it should be clear that this winter is a return to the good ‘ol days, when snow and temperatures well below freezing were the rule, rather than the exception, as has been the case for the past 10 years or so.

Even if we got a 10 or 15 centimetre snowfall, a rare occurence in recent years, we could count on a thaw shortly after, to melt the snow.

But not this winter. Aside from the Saturday snowfall that caused traffic chaos around the GTA, the forecast calls for at least another 10 centimetres on Tuesday.

The snowbanks are here to stay for at least a few more weeks, along with the problems caused when they occupy curbside space where drivers usually park.

I learned the hard way that snowbanks not only cause parking problems but can hide oncoming traffic, sometimes until it’s too late.

I was turning from westbound Kingston Rd. onto northbound Morningside Ave. the other day, where a small right-turn lane allows drivers to make their turn without stopping at the traffic lights.

A substantial snowbank has been piled up in the space between the turn lane and the sidewalk, which is tall enough to obscure northbound traffic on Morningside from drivers waiting to turn from Kingston Rd.

I couldn’t see the traffic coming my way because of the big snowbank, so I tried edging out, a few inches at a time, while straining to get a better look.

It’s a good thing I was so cautious. A driver in the curb lane who was rushing through on a yellow light nearly tore off the front of my car. Only a combination of him swerving and me moving slowly prevented a collision.

It was a timely reminder that drivers need to adjust for the sightline obstacle created by snowbanks, and also assume that the other guy doesn’t see you.

I’ve had several complaints about snow piled up around a corner at an intersection that kept drivers from seeing oncoming traffic. But only after I had a close call did I understand how serious the problem is.

So watch out, and remember that if you can’t see the other guy, he probably can’t see you.

 

              

 

 

 

         

                

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

 

    

 

 

 

         

Highway 407 earns huge profits, but still puts the screws to debtors

For those who think the sale of the 407 toll road to private interests was highway robbery, its most recent profit report is further proof that Ontario taxpayers were hosed.

The 407 released its fourth quarter financial results for 2012 this week, with a 128 per cent increase in profits over the same period a year earlier.

Net income for the quarter was $39.3 million on revenue of $187.2 million, compared to net income of $17.2 million for the same period in 2011.

That’s a profit margin of more than 25 per cent on revenue, a nice haul by any measure, and money that should rightly be in the province’s cookie jar, instead of in the hands of a private consortium.

The Progressive Conservative government leased the 407 for 99 years to a Spanish-led group in the late 1990s for $3 billion, telling us it was good fiscal management, because it was able to apply the payment to the provincial deficit.

But look what it has cost us. The 407 is the world’s highest-priced toll road, with average revenue per trip at $6.40 in the latest quarter. It can cost as much as 25 cents per kilometre during peak periods.

By comparison, you can drive from Buffalo to Albany on the New York State Thruway, a distance of 458 kilometres, for $10.85. It would cost about $110 to drive the same distance on the 407.

And anyone who gets behind on payments to the 407 knows that it charges nearly 27 per cent interest, compounded annually, on unpaid balances.

I’ve been writing for years about the 407’s rapacious collection tactics, which involves bill “suppression.” It sends an invoice for a few months, and if it isn’t paid, stops sending them for a few years, while the interest escalates. It then resumes trying to collect on the bill, but with the compounded, 27 per cent interest added to it.

Had the province kept the 407, it could have charged as much to drive on it as the private consortium does, but directed the money towards its current deficit, which stands at $13 billion.

That would be good fiscal management.

 

 

 

 

 

 

         

                

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

Florida cops get it right by nixing new law requiring Canadians to carry an international driving permit

It’s a good thing that common sense prevailed in Florida, where the Highway Patrol says it will not enforce a new law requiring Canadians to carry an international driving permit.

I was about to get up on my horse and holler at the sunshine state about biting the hand that feeds it.

Anyone who has ever driven in Florida or plans to do so this winter – and that covers a lot of us – had to be rattled by news this week that tourists, including Canadians, are suddenly required to carry an international driving permit.

The permits can be obtained from the CAA for $25. Tourists driving without it could be subject to a fine and denied collision insurance coverage, for not having a valid license.

Many of the three million Canadians that visit Florida each year rent a car at the airport and keep it throughout their vacation, while snowbirds that stay for the winter often drive down from Canada.

It adds up to hundreds of thousands of us behind the wheel in Florida at any given time, and a huge inconvenience caused by unnecessary red tape.

A Canadian drivers license has always been as good in Florida as those from any U.S. state. We adhere to the same licensing standards as the U.S. and have the same streets, highways, road rules and signs. For driving purposes, there is no difference.

Aside from that, there’s the small matter of our business. Canada is its biggest source of tourists. We spend billions there every winter and own more property in Florida than any other foreigners.

For its state legislature to create a needless obstacle for Canadians seems like a mistake, and even if it wasn’t when the law was passed, it sure looks like it now, and they know it.

The Florida Highway Patrol said Thursday it wouldn’t hold Canadians to it, while the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles said it was intended to help police interpret foreign licenses in other languages.

Canadians had apparently “deluged” the department with calls, “and they are not a shy bunch,” an official told The Star, adding that when the legislature reconvenes next month, it will consider a proposal to exempt Canadians.

And none too soon for me. I’m taking my family for a couple weeks in April and was annoyed by the idea that my Ontario license is no longer good enough. Had there not been some climb-down, it would have been no trouble to book a vacation in Punta Cana.

That must have occurred to them, too.

 

   

       

                

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

 

    

Snow emergency designation would have made storm cleanup easier

Hindsight is always perfect, but the cleanup of Friday’s 30 centimetre snowfall would surely have been quicker and more efficient if the city had declared a snow emergency.

Councillor Denzil Minnan-Wong, who chairs city council’s works committee, conceded today that a lot of vehicles blocking TTC streetcar tracks would have been towed much sooner under a snow emergency.

A declaration of a snow emergency, last used in 1999, when several storms over 10 days buried the city and Mayor Mel Lastman summoned the army to help with the cleanup, allows any vehicle parked on a snow route to be towed.

A snow plow driver who sends me emails about his adventures on the road said a snow emergency would have reduced the time needed for plowing, saved the city money and made his job easier.

It would have been welcomed by many TTC riders who were stranded last weekend in a long line of streetcars because vehicles were parked too far out from the curb and too close to the tracks, due to snowbanks extending into the street.

The vehicles would have been towed ASAP under an emergency, greatly reducing the time that streetcars idled and passengers fumed because one car was parked a few inches too close to the tracks.

Two transportation services officials told me a snow emergency isn’t the cure-all it seems after a big storm. It creates other problems, like where to tow so many cars, how to deal with their angry owners and the possibility it could be seen as an overreaction, if the storm hadn’t lived up to expectations.

But if an emergency had been declared, based on the forecast of 20 to 25 centimetres of snow (the 30 centimetres that fell was the most since 2008) nobody would have said it was an overreaction.

The reluctance of city officials is understandable, given the lack of snow in recent years and how often a storm wasn’t nearly as bad as the forecast. I don’t blame them for holding back.

But I would not be inconvenienced if a snow emergency was declared, based on a 25 centimetre forecast, and a lot less fell. And I doubt that many other people, other than those whose vehicles were towed, would holler about it.