[ShonTron]

Simply Dan: I'm surprised by your comment. Asking the next of kin to pay the TTC while in grief appears callous, no matter how much the driver is at fault. We don't ask the family of convicted criminals to pay for damages arising from their crimes, now do we?

 

[spider]

Et moi aussi

Am I the only person here willing to admit I did this accidently once (southbound on Bathurst, turning off Lakeshore heading west while driving to the airport). I'll concede I must have missed the sign - but I just aimed straight for the tracks as I knew that was the first lane, and even though I hang around here, I hadn't realised that there was any streetcar-only lane on Bathurst.

I too made what I thought was an ordinary turn onto Bathurst only to notice that gee! this doesn't look right. I was able to correct the situation avoiding a confrontation with a streetcar although the driver did offer a jolly gesture to make me feel better about my gaffe, I think.

 

[simply Dan]

Simply Dan: I'm surprised by your comment. Asking the next of kin to pay the TTC while in grief appears callous, no matter how much the driver is at fault. We don't ask the family of convicted criminals to pay for damages arising from their crimes, now do we?

Sure, it’s just that people’s idiocy is utterly astounding sometimes. Given the speed at which this motorist was travelling to cause such reckless damage made authorities suggest impairment while behind the wheel – unbelievable in this day in age.

 

[ShonTron]

Sure, it’s just that people’s idiocy is utterly astounding sometimes.

Can't argue with you there.

 

[nfitz]

I was able to correct the situation avoiding a confrontation with a streetcar ...

Normally one would be moving with the streetcar after such a gaffe - not so much very dangerous, as just wrong. I simply drove over the curb to get off (and heard the entire underside of the car scrape ... but no damage).

 

[TKTKTK]

Given the speed at which this motorist was travelling to cause such reckless damage made authorities suggest impairment while behind the wheel

I don't know. She drove a cheap Cavalier into an enormous streetcar. Just think of the mass differential. The streetcar was probably moving at a good rate, and the car was probably accelerating.

Whether she was driving intoxicated or not, this is a problematic intersection that just waiting for this kind of mistake to happen - whether it's made honestly or not.

 

[Admiral Beez]

Simply Dan: I'm surprised by your comment. Asking the next of kin to pay the TTC while in grief appears callous, no matter how much the driver is at fault. We don't ask the family of convicted criminals to pay for damages arising from their crimes, now do we?

Yes we do. Under the proceeds of crime act in Ontario, the courts can seize property owned by the criminal, even if he's dead, thus in fact taking it from his estate and family.

 

[cruzin4u]

Whether she was driving intoxicated or not, this is a problematic intersection that just waiting for this kind of mistake to happen - whether it's made honestly or not.

My thoughts as well.

When Citynews was on the scene, they caught a few drivers doing exactly what this victim did. You said it best, it's a problematic intersection regardless.

Some of you are being really harsh here, calling the victim an idiot. You have to realize that downtown driving, for those that are not familiar with the streets, is not easy. People who venture downtown can get confused by all the one way streets, the row lanes and so forth.

Accidents happen and they can happen to the best of them. You don't have to be intoxicated to make a mistake.

Dan, I think your comment about how the family should pay the TTC is asinine. May be you are intoxicated?

 

[adma]

If an autopsy proves the driver was intoxicated while driving, not only is she undeserving of any sympathy from the public for getting behind the wheel endangering the public and ending her life, regardless of if it was accidental, but her family or next-of-kin should be sent the bill for the damages this reckless individual caused to the streetcar and track infrastructure.

Hey, at least you didn't blame it on her being a woman driver...

 

[simply Dan]

Oh c’mon – a drunk driver careening down an obviously raised concrete light rail ROW as if it were a racetrack, endangering the lives of innocent people – society has to pay for her poor driving habits. She paid the ultimate price for her foolish choices, at least she didn’t kill anyone else in the process (only seriously injured the other passenger in the vehicle with her). Sure, the big bad city has some confusing intersections, but a streetcar right-of-way is a little obvious, don’t you think? Coming from Brampton (where the victim lived) often has worse traffic and far larger roads than the downtown core anyway.

Had the victim not been drinking the entire situation would have been different. Even still, perhaps the design of the raised rail tracks does need to be more clearly marked for the many simpletons who didn’t pay enough attention during their Young Driver’s course.

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

cruzin4u:

You have to realize that downtown driving, for those that are not familiar with the streets, is not easy. People who venture downtown can get confused by all the one way streets, the row lanes and so forth.

But that's the point - driving, particularly downtown driving, is not for everyone. However, our current system of licensing does not recognize the fact that driving skills varies among drivers. Why call it a "problematic intersection" when it is the skills of some drivers that is problematic for what the task requires in the first place?

That's not to say the individual is necessarily "dumb" - ability differs, and that's not a value judgement.

AoD

 

[doady]

There is nothing that needs to be fixed on Spadina because no matter what you do, stupid people will still make bad choices. Put a picture of a blackened lung on a cigarette carton and people will still buy it and smoke the cigarettes.

It just nature: the weak die young. We shouldn't crouch to make them strong.

Besides, if the Spadina ROW really is a safety hazard for motorists then it will discourage car use and promote transit even more, and isn't that a good thing?

 

[TKTKTK]

Why call it a "problematic intersection" when it is the skills of some drivers that is problematic for what the task requires in the first place?

Because it is problematic. That intersection confuses regular motorists, even during the daytime. It isn't something you could educated in advance for. It's badly implemented.

 

[Towered]

One thing I always see on Fleet when turning left (north) onto Bathurst - the cars in front of me almost always wind up on the lane with the streetcar tracks even though it's clearly marked on the ground that you should be in the right lane coming out from that intersection, to prevent that sort of dangerous merging. Dummies.

 

[Admiral Beez]

Why can't we simply install railway crossing type automatic arms that allow streetcars and strobe-equipped emergency vehicles to enter, but stay down otherwise?