My poor little Toyota Corolla was dead in the driveway on Tuesday morning and since I had a LOT of running around to do on both Tuesday and Wednesday (pick up Ange and Ryan at respective workplaces and IKEA on Tuesday; and run out to Kemptville to get Mom’s OHIP card renewed on Wednesday) I was going to need a car ASAP. The only rental company I could find that had a vehicle on short notice was Hertz. And while I had promised NEVER to rent from Hertz again after the fiasco when moving back from New York (paid in cash to the penny in US$ and was charged as well on my credit card and told I had to deal with the New York City branch… Visa simply refunded my money when I faxed my receipts but STILL!), I had no choice.
They had a brand new Chevy Cruze for me. Dark blue, 25km on the clock and the brand new car smell.
I set the alarm off in the parking lot of Hertz and took AGES to find the seat adjust handle (there are three… seat tip, seat height, and back adjust which I didn’t find until after I got out of the car later in the day.
A very comfy ride but the pick up was spotty, sometimes having to floor it in a tight spot and then feeling the gas come and go. Good braking. No complaints there. However, as with any American car I have used, it is a gas guzzler. I used half a tank just going back and forth across town and then another half driving down to Kemptville. In my Corolla (2003), while not getting the mileage I did when I first bought it, if I fill up in Ottawa, we can spend the day running down to Kemptville and all over the countryside before filling up in Kemptville (where gas is cheaper than in town) after only using less than 1/2 tank.
Nice car… nice ride… but until the American car-makers get around to building cars that are gas efficient, I won’t be buying on.
According to Ontario Law, service employees who have to work on Saturday (Rapture Day) AND the May 24th holiday (held on Monday May 23), will get their Victoria Day on Tuesday May 24th. Quebec residents who work in Ontario have the choice of taking either the Victoria Day on May 23 or on St. Jean Baptiste Day. As “The Rapture” is a religious holiday and not a federally recognized statutory holiday, employers are not obligated to provide employees with the day off. Employees may take the day of without pay. Normal rules regarding time-an-a-half and double-time apply only to the Victoria Day holiday. Quebec residents working in Ontario will be paid either for the St. Jean Batiste holiday or the Victoria Day weekend not both.
Mudpuddle 