Mudpuddle

This morning, I drove down town for our bi-weekly chiropractor appointments.

As usual, I tried to find a parking space but found that the only free spaces were taken by taxicabs idling in front of the Public Library instead of in the taxi rank outside the Indigo Hotel where there is ample space.

No, firstly, they aren’t paying for the parking spot, which is illegal. Secondly, they are idling which isn’t just bad for the environment, here in Ottawa, it is against the law unless it is above a certain temperature or below a certain temperature. Thirdly, when it is suggested that they need to move their vehicles they either ignore you or are downright rude and refuse to move.

Often, as I am up in the Chiro office, I watch the cars parked along that section of Metcalfe Street and can see the same taxis parked for well over 20 minutes. Often, when I come down tot he car after my appointment, the same drivers are in the same spot or have merely moved up one spot when someone who had parked has moved their car. Often, they are out of their cars, chatting while their cars are idling.

There is no Earthly reason why I, who am willing to pay for parking, should be shouldered out by taxi drivers who DON’T pay for parking. Especially, when parking downtown is at a premium.

So… while I drove around the block for yet another time looking for a space (using yet more fuel and causing more pollution) I find myself behind a line of cars waiting for a woman to cross the street who is slowly ambling across yakking on her cellphone.

So I yelled at he “Get off you fucking phone and cross the street”. As I made my way down the street, she barreled up to the car and whacked my window. As “luck” would have it, after finally getting a taxi driver to move and park my car, who should wander up the street but the woman I yelled at. She called me “vicious” and said she felt “sorry” for my mother because I was so “rude”. She said she had some sort of “injury” which was why she was so slow crossing the street. I opined that if she has an “injury” she seemed to have recovered from it and didn’t seem to be having a problem when she ran up the street to whack on my window.

Fact. She was walking and talking on the cellphone and was too preoccupied with that to know just how slowly she was walking and was oblivious to the fact that she was holding up traffic while she carried on a conversation. Not only is it silly and vain to walk on the street carrying on a conversation on your phone, it is dangerous. End of story.

Regarding the taxis idling, I emailed the taxi company and Cc;d the city bylaw enforcement and the mayor, attaching the relevant City bylaws. So there… Pttthhhhttt….

UPDATE!

I received this response from Christine Vonk at Blue Line, the main culprit in this…

“I have forwarded your e mail to managers and they will ensure that messages are sent out to all drivers regarding this issue—I am sure this will be dealt with asap—thank you for your concerns!”