City
Saturday Brew: 12th Pedestrian Death, Reservation Frustration, More Zzzzzs on the TTC, Use Your Temporary Adult Tickets Soon, Michael Bryant a No-Show
Photo: "Mirrors" by rbraeken, member of the blogTO Flickr pool.
What's happening in the GTA (and sometimes beyond):
In another example of an alarming trend, a 12th pedestrian was struck and killed by a vehicle yesterday. Involving a dump truck and a 57-year-old man on crutches, the incident happened at Broadview and Danforth. The death represents a 21 per cent increase in pedestrian fatalities compared to this point last year.
Nobody likes to be asked to finish up and vacate their table at a restaurant, but for some, a request like this can drive them to violence. The Globe rounds up some of the frustration people are expressing over the (not-so-recent) trend of restaurants refusing to take reservations. Although the article indicates that Sheryl Kirby, editor of Taste TO, chocks these policies up to Toronto's provincial attitude toward food, couldn't it be quite the opposite? If you can't get in right away, get a drink across the street -- that way you can enjoy the experience of two places.
Another photo of another TTC fare collector sleeping has been making the rounds. I understand why people are annoyed by these images -- particularly given the salaries these collectors receive -- but it's not particularly surprising, is it? It must be boring in that box, and, as some people have pointed out, there's pretty good job security...
Sticking with the TTC, blogTO reader, Sean Connors, sent a note reminding us that the temporary adult tickets purchased in December will expire on January 31st. Without possibility of refund or exchange, today might be the day to do some city traveling. Or perhaps you've been looking for a nice place to take a nap...tsk, tsk.
Not sure if it means anything, but Michael Bryant was due in court yesterday, but instead was a no-show. His appearance has been pushed back to Mar. 5, 2010.
And in what might considered doubly good news, the lack of much snow in January has saved the City heaps of cash on clearance costs. Thus far, the cost of snow removal has reached $21 million, which is $11 million bucks less than last year. With a $500 million gap in the City's projected income and its expenses, every "little" bit counts.
Discussion
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Christ, we can all name lots of restaurants that don't take reservations.
http://www.torontosun.com/news/torontoandgta/2010/01/22/12581011.html
What about the fat guy thats has a heart attack because he wolfed down too many McDonalds burgers? Your not annoyed at his hospital visit because he did it societies way instead of natures?
Hmmm... They always take reservations in my wife's Japan, don't take tips, and the service is better. When we call for reservations and they don't take them, I put down the phone. Plenty of good restaurants in this town still do take them. Because Torontonians put up with this crap, this crap spreads.
Oh my god, you're so clever! What a put down!
I am.
"a restaurant is in the business of making the most money possible from the fewest people possible....so of course they ask you to sit at the bar and spend an extra 40 bones....Establishments do their best to survive horrendous expenses and property taxes, the nice part is just a game face"
Yeah, but you see, when you make that too obvious you lose the business of people who aren't sheep. Yet there may just be enough sheep in this town to keep places like Pizza Libretto open. C'mon, wait in line for pizza?
It happens all the time, and actually puts the public in real danger.
You got the statistic very wrong here. 21 percent increase would be much nicer than what we've seen. The statistic is that in the first 23 days of 2010, we've seen 21% as many pedestrian fatalities as occurred during *all* of 2009. We're on track for a *240%* increase. That almost certainly won't happen, of course, but even if deaths from this point on happen at the same as in 2009, we'll still see a 15% increase.