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RANT/RAVE (Week of June 18)
It’s in the bag
Not every store’s security policy is environmentally friendly. I was followed around during my entire shopping trip and finally approached by a security officer upon leaving [a downtown supermarket]. I was able to produce receipts for every single item. When asked why he had zeroed in on me, he said that people take stuff all the time, and so coming in with my own bag was a red flag. How about being professional and courteous, and also adopting a store policy which is more environmentally friendly?
Green Bag Gal
The wanderers
Could someone please explain to me what exactly the [Downtown] Ambassadors do? Despite their stated mandate to “provide information and assistance to the public,” I’ve yet to see one actually interacting with a member of the public anywhere in the city. In South Granville, where I live, they do a total of three things: (1) stand in the alley, scribbling furiously in their notepads; (2) talk into their radios, and; (3) wander into stores to browse aimlessly. Maybe we’ve averted some sort of crime wave thanks to their prodigious note-taking, but I doubt it. Visitors to Vancouver invariably look confused and a little alarmed when they see the Ambassadors. No wonder. Hampered by an ugly outfit that looks like a cross between ski-patrol gear and the Salvation Army uniform, the Ambassadors compound their problems by hiring the least intelligent-looking and least friendly-looking people possible. The whole project is embarrassing. Either cancel it permanently or start the project from scratch with people who know what they’re doing.
Alexandra
Life’s a beach
Every beach in Vancouver is “closed” at 10 p.m., except English Bay, which closes at 11 p.m. I have seen it enforced by the VPD. Since the dawn of time, man has left his cave, sat on a log, and compensated (sic) the mysteries of the cosmos. But finally, in Vancouver, the tin gods have stopped that — no more dastardly ne’er-do-wells leaving ugly footprints in the sand. The logs are protected from perverted abuse. I have travelled extensively, and every city in every country I have been in has had their public beaches open at night. Only in Vancouver, the fun capital of the West Coast, can tin gods close them for the “public good”. Shame on the Park Board, shame on the VPD, bigger shame on Vancouverites for allowing it to happen. Tell the Park Board they are elected representative of the people, not an appointed arm of the Gestapo.
Frank
Bike bitchin’
This responsible cyclist is puzzled by the wave of iPod-wearing, helmet-nixing riders everywhere. Where is your sense of self-preservation? If you care so little for your body, for your life, that’s sad enough. But what about the lives of others? A collision, which is quite likely since you can’t hear over that pumped-up soundtrack to your life, would ruin not only your existence, but that of one unfortunate driver. Your recklessness is more than stupidity or masochism; it is selfishness. Protect your precious cranium, open your ears, and have respect for human life.
Nancy
The home is sacred
Little Mountain is about to be demolished. Little Mountain was one of the first subsidized housing units that was built in this city, and it’s an excellent example of how it works. It worked excellently until, of course, the developers got an eye on a piece of real estate they want, and now they’re going to demolish it. Gregor, hello! You’re an advocate on housing. Please intervene. Spencer! Calling Spencer Herbert! I know you’re a West End housing advocate, but this is a provincial issue. So, hello, somebody, please! Stop this demolition. In a time of homelessness, this is not acceptable. As a taxpayer, I protest. As a citizen of this city who is surrounded by homeless people, I protest. What kind of government do we have here in this day and age?
Anonymous Rantline caller
Bike bitchin’, part 2
Yeah, this is just asinine. I’m driving home on Beach Avenue and there’s a guy riding his bike down the middle of the street — right next to a fucking bike trail! Like, what is it with people?
Anonymous Rantline caller
May you have this dance?
No, you may not
When did we stop knowing how to dance with each other? We all appreciate a good grind on the dancefloor, but I long for the days of dance cards and intrigue. As an avid dancer, I’m appalled at the limp leading, awkward hand placement, and inappropriately timed boners. It’s time for a dance revolution. When did dancing become all about sex and less about seduction. Why do we have to clamour and scratch at the few socially awkward but eager guys who may have failed at all other attempts to woo a girl? Men, where are your testicles? Grab on and lead me!
Elena and Michelle, Rantline callers
Bike bitchin’, part 3
So, I was taking my wife’s sparkly stage costume to the cleaners on Denman, and there was this guy on a big ol’ mountain bike riding along the sidewalk. I couldn’t resist asking him, “Do you really need to ride on the sidewalk?” His response boiled down to this: “Stop being such a whiny old grandmother/crybaby and let me do what I like,” punctuated liberally with profanity and homophobic remarks (he thought the garment in my hand was my own, thus his complaint that “You gays are always complaining and blaming everyone else!”). He also claimed to be a veteran road and off-road bike racer, and to have logged more miles on a bike than I.
Okay, listen up, punk: I teach people how to ride bikes for a living, on the road, where we belong. I have also raced on and off road — not that such experiences have much to do with navigating city streets. Judging by your slack physique, I’d guess those glory days are long since past for you... And that stained, fuzzy Rocky Mountain jersey, with the zipper undone to show off all 44 of your chest hairs? Maybe it could stand replacing.
During the time we were exchanging witticisms on the sidewalk, about four pedestrians heckled you on their way past, expressing the general societal concensus — expressed most eloquently through the law, which states quite clearly that cycling on sidewalks is illegal — that we, as a civil society, all would prefer if cyclists learned how to ride safely and confidently on the road. If you don’t possess the ability and the nerve to do so, why not change into something a little more, um, comfortable, and walk?
Road-safe
Protesting the protest
My rant is with the so-called people that decided to block the intersection of Hastings and Abbott during the afternoon of Saturday the 13th. It pissed me off because they had decided to block off a major bus route. I was lucky enough to have been able to hop off the shuttle bus and walk to the SkyTrain, passing four buses with passengers in them. I was going to work. I am sure that others were, too. And the thing is, despite blocking all these buses and cars, and annoying us tax-paying citizens, nobody cared. By which I mean, I read the [daily newspapers] end to end, I went to the websites of the local news-radio stations, and nothing — not a single line written about this protest, which I think was about housing, or crack pipes, or techniques on how to smell like crap in order to offend the most people. I did see some people taking tons of pictures of the junkie speaker who was going on an on about jobs, or hooking, or being a filthy piece of human garbage, but I don’t subscribe to the Bum Towne Gazette, nor to the Crack Pipe Post-Intelligencer, so I won’t be able to read any of the award-winning articles that are sure to mention this gathering of tweaked-out shitrats who don’t matter to the rest of the world. I wish the city would just tear down the entire place.
The Right Hon. zombie corpse
of Pierre Trudeau
the right hon zombie corpse of pierre trudeau: your comment is the most insulting and unenlightened one had the displeasure to read in a long long whiile. attitudes like yours only show how incredibly selfish and stupid you are. you got a long way to go...you were waylaid for how long? after your crappy job you got to go home. some people dont’ have that and in your next life i hope you experience what they are.
This is to Frank, who was complaining about the beaches being closed at 10. While I sympathize, the reason for this is because Vancouver and Canadians as a whole have proven themselves to be in need of babysitting. The reason we can’t have beaches open late is the same reason why Canada pretty much remains one of the only alcohol consuming countries in the world where you can’t walk to 7-11, buy a beer and stroll down the sidewalk drinking it. We are babies and rednecks, for the most part, who can’t be trusted. If you want an example of this, go to the fireworks this year. Fights, attacks, disorganization - we’re spoiled brats who can’t take any responsibility.
Mike: I take exception to your comment that Canadians are, for the most part, babies and rednecks who can’t be trusted. But I agree with you that there are enough of them that spoil the fun for the rest of us, so that these bylaws need to be in place.
There is also the fact that Vancouver is surrounded by beaches that are in close proximity to residential areas and sound carries. People need to sleep at night and all it takes is one or two drunk fools to wake hundreds of people up.
And Frank: If all these people did was sit on a log and contemplate the mysteries of the cosmos, the beaches wouldn’t close so early, if at all. But we all know how a little alchohol can cause even the quietest of us to get just a bit louder. Get a group together and you’ve got a sleepless night for many.
We may have what many consider no-fun laws, but ask five people who live within five blocks of a beach how they would feel if people could drink late at night on the beach. I’ve got a good ideal what the answer would be.
Come on people, there are plenty of things do do during the day and plenty of nightspots that stay open late at night...quite the pissing and moaning already.
This is to the fine managers and employees of the BMW Store at 5th & Burrard.
Although you seem to think that it is your right to park your cars and your clients cars on the sidewalk on 5th Ave, I would just like to
point out that it isn’t.
Vancouver Street & Traffic By-Law No. 2849, 17(c) clearly states that “No person shall stop a vehicle… on a sidewalk”
The fact that you continue to block the sidewalks with your vehicles on a daily basis shows incredible contempt to the people that live and walk in this neighbourhood.
It is a considerable inconvenience and hazard in particular to those who push children in strollers, and the mobility challenged that must use scooters or wheelchairs.
PLEASE, try to be a good corporate neighbour, and refrain from blocking the sidewalks!
Today around 1pm, I was walking towards the Subway. I cut across the Canada Post parking lot, like a lot of people do when going towards Stadium Station. It was hot out so I took off my sweat shirt.
Two officers saw me, pulled up to me, and demanded to search me, and denied my question whether they had a search warrant. Both officers were Caucasian, one female with very short blonde hair with blue rimmed sunglasses.
I had nothing to hide, I was just on my way home from the library, and these two officers were acting like bullies more than anything, acting on a power trip, trying to scare me or whatever. I honestly believe they wanted to arrest me for something, but, since I did nothing wrong, and co-operated with their illegal search of me and my posessions, I think they were unhappy about not being able to arrest me. The female officer said they were suspicious and not really trying to “jack me up” but honestly believe that was a lie.
Its funny, they act like bullies, on a power trip, going after people while the real criminals (rapists, killers, pedofiles, gangsters, drug dealers, thugs) walk by unnoticed.
And so that was my experience with Vancouver’s “finest.”
I would file a formal complaint if I remembered their names, badge numbers, and car unit number, but i didn’t, thanks to my anxiety. Gotta love the psychological intimidation tactics cops use to scare people. For all I know if I asked them to produce a search warrant a second time, I would have been hit with the baton or Tasered.
I’m a good person, and I can prove it with a record check that will come out clean. But I feel about the police almost the same way as I do about the bad guys; in the sense they are bullies.
Shame.
Bike Bitchin’ #1, #2 and #3 - You’re absolutely right - sidewalk bikers need to get back on the road where they belong.
To the losers on bikes who think they can share an already crowded sidewalk - Hey kids - if the big bad street scares you that much then leave your bike at home. Got it?
“We may have what many consider no-fun laws, but ask five people who live within five blocks of a beach how they would feel if people could drink late at night on the beach. I’ve got a good ideal what the answer would be.
Come on people, there are plenty of things do do during the day and plenty of nightspots that stay open late at night...quite the pissing and moaning already.”
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Gene, I happen to be someone who lives by the beach. Yes, it can get loud and annoying when people drink at the beach at night, but I deal with it. Why? Because I live in a city, and an extremely quiet city at that. I realize that I can’t control each and every noise all the time and I just let it go.
Yes, we do have no-fun laws, in a no-fun city. Vancouver is probably one of the dullest cities in the world and maybe if the residents were slightly less whiney and bitchy about unimportant things like bikes and sidewalks (Vancouver’s sidewalks aren’t half as crowded as people seem to think they are and I’m far more often annoyed by the snail’s pace that people walk at here than people biking next to me) and people drinking at the beach, Vancouver could finally ditch the “no-fun” reputation.
Vancouver is a no fun city because we bitch - a lot! If we just learned to be less self-centred and had a sense of humour then I’m sure Vancouverites would have more fun. Bikers, beachers, and downtowners alike. We live in a city filled with many people, act like it! You want “me me me” time? Go live in the Arctic.
Enough! with the tragic Cambie merchants.
A few years ago, I lived near Cambie and shopped there regularly. Frequently, I was the only browser in a store, or the only customer in a cafe. I also made the acquaintance of a store owner, one of the merchants who are most vocal now in the cause of compensation. She had signed an expensive lease, more expensive, IMHO, than the possible revenues from her business could justify.
I moved back shortly before skytrain construction started. Certain businesses, like Black Dog and Choices, did well (isn’t it amazing how customers always find their way to Starbucks?) Otherwise, nothing had changed. You could shoot a gun up most of Cambie, and only hit a dog asleep in the middle of the sidewalk.
Not that I’m against compensation. Obviously, some businesses have taken a hit. But only on the condition of full disclosure—are they willing to open up their books and show us how thing were going before construction started?