On the bus platform at Oakville GO this morning. A guy was sitting there puffing away - his cloud of persistent particulate allergens hanging in the air. I paused before passing him - while I was still upwind, and asked him to please respect the no smoking sign he was sitting under. His reply was to ask whether I worked for GO transit. So it has come to this - smokers can sick up the air and ignore any request for them to respect the rights of others, if those requests don't come from GO employees. How neat, 'cause we all know from experience that actual living breathing enforcement officers are few and far between... so this guy could stink up the air with impunity. I lost it. I yelled at the guy that NO I WASN'T a GO employee, but I would stick that thing up his nostril and whip his ass if he didn't stop. You see, I have lost all patience. I had just come from the station where I had seen in stark physical terms what four years of complaining has achieved: the three guys who used to stand under the no smoking sign by the station doors, the ones who got me started complaining, have moved twenty metres to stand right between the VIA handicapped ramp and the tracks. They are now flouting local, provincial and federal no smoking policies. From 6:00 to 6:30 every morning. The buttsucker on the bus platform put out his smoke, but he'd already "crop dusted" the whole platform, and I started to get an allergic reaction even as I walked away. An acquaintance on my regular bus told me that the guy had done the same thing the day before - telling people who asked him to stop that they had no right to - since they didn't work for GO. So its a rehearsed speech. I called up the GO enforcement line and asked to speak or leave a message to Grodzinski. The pleasant voiced officer told me that she would transfer me to customer service and... all of a sudden I was too fucking tired. I've been to this rodeo before. I'd get palmed off to some "report taker" in customer service who would ooh and coo and promise action... and would then suggest I contact Halton Health... who would ooh and coo and promise action... who would then suggest its an Oakville Transit matter who would ooh and coo and promise action... , who would then say that Halton Regional Police should be involved, who would ooh and coo and promise action... who would then route my complaint to ... GO Transit Enforcement... The bus driver allowed as how he doesn't think he has ever seen any station with such an ingrained and habitual and routine contingent of entitled smokers... I have had it. The GO "safety and comfort commitment" is just so much bullshit.
Does the list of fines here imply that the footriders who treat fellow passengers to their cheese-toes will get TWO $75 fines, one each for "fail to wear footwear" and "place foot on vehicle seat"? Or will the "All Your Space" donkeys get fined for "place foot on vehicle seat" and "place object on vehicle seat"?
It's never made sense to me why it's so "fashionable" to spit on sidewalks and in doorways. I'm surprised to finally see someone actually DO something about this long-ongoing dilemma and "common social practice". Shouldn't it actually be considered some kind of "health hazard" to do this?
Oh, while they're at it: Make it unlawful to litter as well. Public and commercial areas shouldn't also be "domestic landfills".
9 comments:
This is only good news if someone enforces it. Otherwise, it is a good news on paper only.
On the bus platform at Oakville GO this morning. A guy was sitting there puffing away - his cloud of persistent particulate allergens hanging in the air. I paused before passing him - while I was still upwind, and asked him to please respect the no smoking sign he was sitting under.
His reply was to ask whether I worked for GO transit.
So it has come to this - smokers can sick up the air and ignore any request for them to respect the rights of others, if those requests don't come from GO employees.
How neat, 'cause we all know from experience that actual living breathing enforcement officers are few and far between... so this guy could stink up the air with impunity.
I lost it. I yelled at the guy that NO I WASN'T a GO employee, but I would stick that thing up his nostril and whip his ass if he didn't stop.
You see, I have lost all patience. I had just come from the station where I had seen in stark physical terms what four years of complaining has achieved: the three guys who used to stand under the no smoking sign by the station doors, the ones who got me started complaining, have moved twenty metres to stand right between the VIA handicapped ramp and the tracks.
They are now flouting local, provincial and federal no smoking policies. From 6:00 to 6:30 every morning.
The buttsucker on the bus platform put out his smoke, but he'd already "crop dusted" the whole platform, and I started to get an allergic reaction even as I walked away.
An acquaintance on my regular bus told me that the guy had done the same thing the day before - telling people who asked him to stop that they had no right to - since they didn't work for GO. So its a rehearsed speech.
I called up the GO enforcement line and asked to speak or leave a message to Grodzinski.
The pleasant voiced officer told me that she would transfer me to customer service and... all of a sudden I was too fucking tired.
I've been to this rodeo before.
I'd get palmed off to some "report taker" in customer service who would ooh and coo and promise action... and would then suggest I contact Halton Health... who would ooh and coo and promise action... who would then suggest its an Oakville Transit matter who would ooh and coo and promise action... , who would then say that Halton Regional Police should be involved, who would ooh and coo and promise action... who would then route my complaint to ... GO Transit Enforcement...
The bus driver allowed as how he doesn't think he has ever seen any station with such an ingrained and habitual and routine contingent of entitled smokers...
I have had it.
The GO "safety and comfort commitment" is just so much bullshit.
Let's see if any enforcement happens. Then it will be a big banner news day.
This is a step in the right direction though.
Does the list of fines here imply that the footriders who treat fellow passengers to their cheese-toes will get TWO $75 fines, one each for "fail to wear footwear" and "place foot on vehicle seat"? Or will the "All Your Space" donkeys get fined for "place foot on vehicle seat" and "place object on vehicle seat"?
I'm assuming it's a double whammy.
It's never made sense to me why it's so "fashionable" to spit on sidewalks and in doorways.
I'm surprised to finally see someone actually DO something about this long-ongoing dilemma and "common social practice".
Shouldn't it actually be considered some kind of "health hazard" to do this?
Oh, while they're at it: Make it unlawful to litter as well. Public and commercial areas shouldn't also be "domestic landfills".
That's weird - nothing about not being able to put your feet up on the seats yet you macke such a stink of it.
Did you read section 60.1 on the image provided???
Nothing? You sure?
Post a Comment