Ms. Mxxxxx,
I just arrived at work and would be remiss if I did not mention the new and plentiful no smoking signs I found at the station. They are a good start and I appreciate it very much. Thank you. Now if we can have a con-commitment increase in visible enforcement...
As an illustration of the need for same, the usual belligerant smokers were where they usually are this morning, under the original (and till now only) no smoking sign. If there is no enforcement evident, then I fear that the signs will just become new perching places for them.
Again, thank you for your time and thanks to GO for putting up the signs.
M. Mxxxxxxx
4 comments:
I've been following this saga since it showed up on the site. I have to give it to you guys and GO owes it to you guys as well.
You're working to contain it at GO's level without resorting to whining to the media which is good.
What I'm saying is, you're giving GO a fair shake at this rather than avoiding giving them this opportunity and running right to The Toronto Sun or some other outlet.
I used to work for GO. GO is a big bureaucratic machine (it is "government" by the way) and trust me when I say, what Michael has managed to accomplish in tandem with using this blog to advocate for him is huge!
GO is a slow beast that needs customers to stay on top of it.
Good work.
I'm on the fence with this one.
I think there are benefits with using the media as a method to draw attention to issues. At the same time, we're all adults here and diplomacy can go a long way rather than tattle-telling.
The only people who will give a rat's ass about the smokers who smoke where they want are people who pay for and use GO Transit. This translates into a small percentage of a media outlet's viewing audience or a paper's readership.
On a more transit-centric blog like this one, one actually read by the passengers, the exposure could be more effective because we're all here because we do give a rat's ass.
I don't know if this has mobilized anyone to complain outside of myself and Michael but it's my understanding based on texts, emails and comments, others are taking notice.
At this point, with nothing really being done, I would head to the media. At least more people will know and maybe GO will be embarrassed into actually addressing the situation and coming up with a workable, law-abiding solution.
Michael has worked with GO for a long time. In fact, I am under the impression that he hit his limit once he started including the MPPs and CJ on his letters (emails) into GO demanding a not form letter response.
Because it took so long to actually receive a proper (non) response, by my thinking, it is time to talk to the media if nothing is done to stop this ever growing trend. And I am sorry, but signs just don't cut it. If someone is stupid enough to break a well-known by-law, a sign isn't going to stop the problem.
But wait - there is even more! My first sighting of a Transit Safety Officer - in uniform, walking around the places where I usually have to choke from the smoke... It was at 6:15 this evening. I was on an Oakville Bus waiting to leave the station, and the bus driver actually pointed him out - remarking that this was a singular chance to see something rare and unusual. He wore full spiffy uniform with a vest with "Transit Safety" on it and he slowly made at least two circuits of the station building... But alas, like all long awaited firsts, there was a bit of a let down. It was almost comical. As he disappeared one way around the building, a sk8ter/smoker came around the other and parked himself right under one of the new signs - puffing away... The entitlement is strong in Oakville... Don't think I'll be posting thanks on this one until I see the officers rousting "El Presidente" "Safety Man", "Finger Guy" and "Smells Like Socks" at 6:10 in the morning...
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