06:37 on 2012/06/02 Reply  

• Ian 06:47 on 2012/06/02 Permalink

  Considering how many times I’ve seen a cop standing around ignoring bikes on the sidewalks, pedestrians crossing against the lights, and cars blocking the intersections, it’s hardly surprising this law isn’t enforced either.

• Ephraim 08:50 on 2012/06/02 Permalink

  Can we afford to enforce it? The police would be busy all day long if they actually enforced all the rules of the road. Can you imagine actually handing out tickets for bicycles driving on the sidewalks and the crosswalks. Cars for idling and driving beyond the speed. Cars for parking too far from the sidewalk. People for jaywalking. There are an endless list of bylaws that aren’t enforced.

• Kate 09:51 on 2012/06/02 Permalink

  As I posted this, a thought crossed my mind: Of course the police don’t ticket that, because drivers cut other drivers some slack. But a policeman actually walking the beat would be better able to notice these things: someone parked too far from the sidewalk, motorists idling.

  A lot of the small things that irk urban dwellers and make the city less civil could be looked after by the cop on the beat, if we had them again.

• ant6n 10:47 on 2012/06/02 Permalink

  …or more cops on bikes.

  In Germany, they do ticket bicyclists. AFAIK if you also have a driver’s license, they can even give you points on your license.

  Also, Jaywalking laws are reta…, err, stupid; don’t ticket pedestrians.

• Chris 12:26 on 2012/06/02 Permalink

  ant6n, ticketed Quebec cyclists also get demerit points, if they have a license. Oddly, ticketed pedestrians that have a drivers license do not get demerit points.

• Ian 13:54 on 2012/06/02 Permalink

  Why have laws that aren’t enforced? If the cops have such little respect for the laws, why should we? I agree, beat cops that actually enforced these “politeness laws” would go a long way to improving the assholery endemic to motorists, bicyclists, and pedestrians alike in this city. The only reason we would need the police busy all day long (at first anyhow) is because apparently they’re not doing their jobs right now. Once people realize rules are being enforced, they will follow them of their own accord.

• Chris 18:11 on 2012/06/02 Permalink

  Ian, enforcing all laws all the time would require a police state. Be careful what you wish for.

• Ian 21:25 on 2012/06/02 Permalink

  While that may be true, Times Square is now safe and Torontonians don’t run red lights the way Montrealers do. It’s not because we’re edgy & cool, it’s because cops enforce politeness laws in other places.

• Kevin 07:56 on 2012/06/03 Permalink

  Every unenforced law weakens all other laws- Heinlein
  And we have way too many laws.

• Hamza 08:09 on 2012/06/03 Permalink

  Why Kevin, what a lovely description of another law going unenforced [starts with 7 ends with 8].

  Just wondering if this is true for anybody else – I’ve paid city hall and the cops an exponential amount more in ticket fines than I’ve had stolen from me by the prototypical street-thug-with-zorro-mask.

• ant6n 09:59 on 2012/06/03 Permalink

  @Hamza
  It’s not the function of the police to result in a positive economic benefit for all citizens, where this benefit is merely measured in prevented thefts minus their collective salaries. Given your arguments about the student debate, you should probably know that. And besides, if you say that not many things were stolen from you that may be an indication that police works, even given the somewhat strange measure of effectiveness you gave.

• Hamza 14:20 on 2012/06/03 Permalink

  Actually according to their admissions about quotas, the part of their job they spend the most time on is issuing tickets to people. Does it make any sense in the context of the police’s mission to defend citizens from crime that I never worry about theft or muggings but always get nervous at the sight of the ol’ blue n red? Am I a crook?

  My point is Montreal is heavily overpoliced. The city is naturally safe and has a crime-free vibe. As I like to brag to family and friends, it’s the only city I know of where the biggest concern for a girl walking home alone wasted at 4am is where to find a 24hour McDo or dep. Ok maybe like Zurich or Vienna too but somebody else can testify about Europe better than I can.

• Kevin 11:43 on 2012/06/04 Permalink

  @Hamza Got it in one!

  I however have had recourse to sic the cops on vandals, thieves, and muggers, in Montreal and other cities. (and why I won’t rely on cops to deal with violent crime anymore, but that’s a different story).

  NDG is a rough ‘hood ;)

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