RANTS: Road respect, done with Denman Dogs and where not to shove it
Walk, drive, bike but be polite
I’m a keen walker. I love cycling and my beloved 1970s Italian racing bike is my pride and joy. I really enjoy driving. I therefore have no axe to grind when making these observations: 1) Could we DRIVERS please use our direction indicators once in a while, learn how to use the roundabouts properly, not drive out of the lanes without looking or at least give a wave of thanks for being let out of a side turning (or into a line-up), keep off our cellphones, and just concentrate? 2) Could we PEDESTRIANS please stop thinking that we own the road and take a look around before walking across the road (often with earphones in place rendering us deaf to approaching traffic), especially in adverse weather conditions when cars’ and bikes’ stopping distances are longer than normal and at night when we can be pretty much invisible? And hey, couldn’t we acknowledge drivers/cyclists with a wave of thanks for slowing down to let us across? 3) Could we CYCLISTS please be less arrogant and stop thinking that, just because we ride around without a pollution-generating motor, we’re above just about every law of the road... like running red lights, not wearing helmets, going the wrong way up one-way streets, not signalling, cycling on the sidewalks and not having any lights so we can be seen in bad light.... Oh yes, and giving the finger (or two) to drivers or pedestrians who point this out to us? I know that I’m sometimes guilty of some of the above traits and nobody’s perfect but, as we all have to share the road, wouldn’t it be great if we could all just respect each other?
Roger, via email
Put a muzzle on it
Regarding the rants about dogs in the Denman Place Mall (Rants Feb. 16), the odd dog sits outside the store when someone goes in; it doesn’t cause a problem for people except people who just don’t like dogs. Regarding the lady who was bitten, a dog that bit a lady outside the mall has nothing to do with Denman Mall or the security in it. People just like to bitch about something. Dogs aren’t the problem; people are usually the problem. Give it a rest.
Anonymous, via Rant Line
Look at the other end of the leash
Okay people. Enough already with the complaints about the dogs in Denman Mall (Rants Feb. 16). Now someone is even complaining about a dog outside the mall. Come on. The problem can easily be solved — just walk on the other side of the mall corridor. No one is forcing you to walk right past the dogs. Just for the record, I’ve never had a problem with the dogs in the Denman Mall. It’s the idiot people I can’t stand.
Mary, via Rant Line
This is what garbage cans are for
I am walking down Barclay Street, westbound from Jervis, and some dog owner cleaned up their dog’s big shit, put it in a bag and nicely put the bag at the base tree. Moron. What is the sense of tying it up in plastic if you don’t dispose of it properly? You think you are doing something good; you’re only just assuaging some guilt that you’re the only person who owns a dog downtown. Clean up after yourself. Don’t leave it for other people to put up with.
Anonymous, via Rant Line
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