The TTC approach to handrails on the subway beats the Montreal approach "hands down". Sensible signage and encouragement is the way to go. See the poster, on the right, from the TTC:
Laval police are the ones who should get a grip
The Gazette
When a Laval police officer first suggested to Bela Kosoian - who was on an escalator headed down into Montmorency métro station - that she should hold onto the handrail for her own safety, it seemed to be done in a spirit of friendly concern.
Not that that's how she understood it. The words of advice came at her in French, not her first language or, it turns out, the police officer's. She was further handicapped, comprehension-wise, by having been absorbed in looking in her backpack for métro fare.
The police officer told Kosoian, 38, a second time to grab hold of the handrail. She refused, saying, "I don't have three hands."
The third time he issued his directive, she crossed her arms. That's when he went into full police mode: He demanded her identification, which she refused to provide on the grounds she had done nothing wrong, handcuffed her, and detained her in a small holding room at the station.
The third time he issued his directive, she crossed her arms. That's when he went into full police mode: He demanded her identification, which she refused to provide on the grounds she had done nothing wrong, handcuffed her, and detained her in a small holding room at the station.
There, she was issued with a $100 ticket for failing to hold the handrail, along with a second $320 ticket for obstructing police.
This is ridiculous. In Montreal, no one is ticketed for failing to hold the handrail. In Laval, tickets are a rarity.
4 comments:
This incident has really made me reflect on something.
I NEVER touch railings anymore. Long before concerns over swine flu were sounded, I decided that most colds I got were from public places.
Now I wash my hands regularly, try to be aware of public items I touch, and try not to touch my face. The last one is laughable. Who never touches their face? If I could sit around and think about not touching my eyes, scratching an itch, removing an eyelash, etc, I'd have WAY too much time on my hands (literally ;).
Part of being aware of touching items in public, I have become a master at not touching doors if at possible, using fingertips to press elevator buttons (then washing when I reach my floor, not reading papers left behind at coffee shops, using paper towels to open doors as I leave restrooms. I also avoid all handrails - particularly those in areas where tens of thousands of folks walk through every single day.
I have good balance, I am willing to hold on if I need, but why would I willingly plaster my hands with the sweat and germs of every person who happened to be heading to the station that day?
That's just the kind of outlaw I am, I guess ;)
You seem like something of a free radical! LOL!!!
Sometimes I think I'm the only one who thinks that fascism is on the rise. I may be completely paranoid but I am nevertheless concerned.
This incident was more than wrong. It was an abuse of power by someone who was armed. Had anyone attempted to prevent this assault, they would have likely been arrested too.
Someone should lose their job period at the least and perhaps jailed for a couple of days so he can think things through a little. State sanctioned thuggery cannot be allowed to happen.
Actually, c, considering the fact that they're using the TTC suggests that the vast majority of the passengers are 416'ers.
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