Updates from July, 2019 Toggle Comment Threads | Keyboard Shortcuts

  • Kate 15:43 on 2019-07-24 Permalink | Reply  

    Over the time I’ve done this blog I’ve noticed a lot of conceptual pendulums, and one of them is how the STM deals with the homeless. Periodically there are announcements (usually in winter) that the STM and its security are going to be more tolerant, and then we’ll get a piece like this in which we find, to our everlasting surprise, that the STM muscle is back to its old ways.

    In addition, this piece talks about the practice of fining the homeless, while we periodically see articles explaining, as to a five-year-old, that there’s no point in issuing tickets to people who have no permanent address, no money and no way to get any – and yet the practice continues.

     
    • Uatu 16:55 on 2019-07-24 Permalink

      Nice of the STM to supply the homeless with free toilet paper. 😛

  • Kate 10:26 on 2019-07-24 Permalink | Reply  

    We already have the road closures for the upcoming weekend.

     
    • Kate 08:49 on 2019-07-24 Permalink | Reply  

      A certain déjà vu here: another truck got wedged under the Guy Street overpass Tuesday night. Story describes the variety of warning signs on both the north and south approaches to the underpass, but clearly it’s still not enough for some drivers.

       
      • Bill Binns 09:04 on 2019-07-24 Permalink

        I have seen a clever solution to this problem a few times. Simply place something else the trucks will hit before they get to the bridge. A big steel I-beam suspended over the road a few meters away from the bridge. The truck will be just as damaged as if it hit the bridge but no stoppage of train traffic and no bridge inspections necessary.

      • Ephraim 14:05 on 2019-07-24 Permalink

        This sign… http://www.funnysigns.net/files/if-you-hit-this-sign-you-will-hit-that-bridge.jpg

        But personally, I would write “If you hit this sign and continue, you are liable for all costs. Minimum $50,000.”

      • ant6n 21:29 on 2019-07-24 Permalink

        Why not Minimum of “1 million dollars!” while at it. And three years of prison time!

      • JaneyB 23:24 on 2019-07-24 Permalink

        @Ephraim – that is an excellent sign alright. One thought: can the drivers turn around once they see the signs that are there? Not really, on Guy at least. Just looking on a map here and their only option would be to turn onto Argyle, get to one-way South Lucien-Allier and be faced with another low bridge. Of course, smashing the truck is just idiocy but no options is probably not helping the decision.

      • Kevin 10:26 on 2019-07-25 Permalink

        JaneyB
        There’s an emergency parking space for trucks right by the Guy Street bridge.
        When the laser triggered warning sign goes off police are supposed to show up and stop traffic so the truck driver can make a U-turn and go around

    • Kate 08:29 on 2019-07-24 Permalink | Reply  

      Four years ago a black man in a car in Lasalle had his car window smashed by police and was pepper sprayed in the face, and now he wants restitution. The only charge police could come up with later was that he’d driven across a solid single line. Ashton Boodoo is seeking $93,000 from the SPVM for his treatment.

       
      • Ephraim 14:08 on 2019-07-24 Permalink

        The SPVM should warn all officers, if you are caught doing something blatantly racist, you will be held personally liable for your actions and subsequent lawsuits. Likely won’t work, but at least the first one will shit their pants when they are personally listed on the lawsuit…. and those subsequent might want to think twice, least they be held liable for their personal actions that violate rights.

      • david100 00:32 on 2019-07-26 Permalink

        Maybe this was a straightforward drunk driving/refusing to blow charge that the guy is racializing to try to get out of it, and possibly for profit, maybe the judge is right that the police just decided to arrest this guy for no reason. But unless there’s something I’m missing, this suit will be barred by the statute of limitations, which makes you wonder if this is a publicity move.

      • Kate 08:44 on 2019-07-26 Permalink

        david100, if it’s a publicity move, why? This man won’t benefit from personal publicity for himself. This is one of a sadly long string of stories of our police acting more harshly against people of colour, and if that needs a light shone on it – good!

        It’s hard to get people in an institutional role to admit they’re automatically more suspicious of people of colour. Nobody wants to admit they have racist impulses, and it’s notoriously hard to get a cop to ever admit they were wrong. Every couple of years the city gets up and says well now, we’re going to deal with racism in the police, and they make some promises about awareness campaigns and anti-racism lessons for the force, and then the same things happen again.

        I don’t know how it must feel to be a black man and know that everything you do is submitted to a different level of scrutiny than white folks get. That’s got to be a hell of a burden over a lifetime.

    • Kate 07:29 on 2019-07-24 Permalink | Reply  

      Shots were fired in the wee hours on the Main in the Plateau but no victims were located when cops showed up. Dig the generic CTV photo showing a cop car on a leafy suburban street.

       
      • Ephraim 14:17 on 2019-07-24 Permalink

        In other news, from the photo, B&Y (Previously L’Intermarché 4 Frères – Provigo) is reopened as a Les Marches Tradition (Sobey’s/IGA) and they were closed last week. I remember watching some of their handling of cooked food and being glad that I never bought anything prepared there. Wonder if it will be better? And if it is new management or just a banner change.

      • Kate 09:37 on 2019-07-25 Permalink

        Ephraim, I walked past there recently and was a little shocked to see the 4 Frères was gone. It wasn’t a great store and was overpriced generally, but it did serve a purpose in being open 24 hours. I’ll always be grateful for its existence when I had to go out and get some groceries for my mother when she stayed at my place a few days over the ice storm.

      • Ephraim 11:54 on 2019-07-25 Permalink

        @Kate – I frequently walked over… since, as you know, I’m close to there. But it’s been closed a few months. I don’t think the expansion was well thought out, nor was the name change to B&Y… because of course, we stopped getting flyers, etc.

      • david100 00:43 on 2019-07-26 Permalink

        The shift to B&Y was, I think, the owners of the shop changing suppliers?

        I think they may have seen an opening with the closure of pretty much all the rest of the groceries in the immediate area.

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