Submission To Toronto & East York Community Council (2)

Read my deposition to the Toronto & East York Community Council Meeting September 19th, 2006.

Regards, Mark

Submission To Toronto & East York Community Council

Here's a submission from Fran (Last name withheld by request):

As a longtime resident of...Oriole Parkway, I would like to submit my comments with respect to the installation of a stop sign at the corner of Oxton & Oriole Parkway. Clearly, this installation would be only one-step above having nothing at all, when in fact the only solution is a crosswalk or lights. Nonetheless, I appreciate that it is better than nothing and I so appreciate the efforts of my neighbour, Mark Rees.

Following is a list of the concerns I have with the current situation:

1. I leave my apartment at [every morning] and believe me when I say that I wait and wait and wait for the elusive gap so I can simply cross the street and head toward the subway. If a kind motorist traveling east on Oxton stops to let me cross, the north bound motorist, desperate to turn onto Oxton, usually will not. I have almost been clipped more than once. If the way is clear of the north bound motorist, the drivers behind the Good Samaritan lean on their horns or shout obscenities. What a start to the day!

2. Please refer to the above, only in reverse, when I arrive home at...

3. Although I appreciate the installation of the “Quiet” sign, it has absolutely no affect on the boors turning right off Oxton. They don’t care what time of the day or night it is and the blaring of horns is constant. I have dared to point to the sign in the midst of an angry driver leaning on the horn and he screamed “There is no yield sign!” I guess he felt he was explaining his position.

4. Speaking of yield signs, one in five drivers don’t realize that they can legally just race around the corner and so they actually pause to look left and check for oncoming traffic. (Oncoming traffic, by the way, does not know the meaning of a solid line). This brings on the horns again, along with the shouting. There are also numerous rear end collisions, all neatly handled by the exchange of information. They can’t possibly be reporting to the various collision centres or else we would surely be on the list of “Worst Intersections in Toronto.”

5. I am also a driver. I am not allowed to enter my garage coming south on Oriole Parkway because there is a solid line and I know what it means. In any case, I couldn’t sneak over if I wanted to because of the cars tearing around the corner. I can barely get over into the right hand lane so I can make a right onto Kilbarry and go around the block. So, my solution it to get off of Oriole, go along Oxton and turn onto a side street, do a U turn, wait for a gap and make a right onto Oriole and whip into my driveway. If there is a car behind me, I usually get “the finger.”

To summarize, this corner is an accident waiting to happen. If it is not a car and pedestrian, then it will be car against car. I know the City calls it a highway but I don’t understand how you can have a “highway” through a residential area without some concern for the residents. I can’t speak to the speed limits because I am unable to judge how fast cars are moving but I do appreciate the new 40 kph that have been posted. By way of closure, why don’t you simply move the crosswalk to our corner? No one uses the one on Oxton anyway.

Fran (Last name withheld by request):
Oriole Parkway
Toronto, ON
M5P 2G8

I'm So Excited About The Stop Sign...!

Here's a note from Crystal, a local Oxton-Oriole neighborhood resident, who writes...

Mark,

Excellent job – I meant to write sooner and say so. I was so happy to read that not only did they really listen to you, they’re acting! I’m so excited about the stop sign – I can’t wait!

Anyway, thank you for taking up the campaign on behalf of all your fellow Oriole Pkwy neighbours, can’t say how much I know everyone appreciates your hard work. Also, special thanks to all the Municipal folks involved, for taking our concerns seriously.

Cheers, Crystal (Last name and email address withheld by request)

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This Came Close To Being A Terrible Tragedy...!

Here's a note from Glen, a near-by Oxton-Oriole neighborhood resident, who writes...

Hi Mark,

Thanks for setting up a site to deal with this problem. I was referred to your site after complaining to the City about the Oriole/Oxton intersection.

If you interested, here's our near-death experience....

I was walking along Oriole with my wife and 1-year old in her stroller last Sunday afternoon (Sept. 18, '05) and we waited for a gap to cross Oxton (which was a
long wait).

As there was never a moment when there was no traffic approaching, we waited until there was enough of a gap to make it across and proceeded. However, a car that was surely speeding turned left from Oriole onto Oxton an almost hit our baby (within 2 to 4 feet). He was driving as if Oriole and Oxton were one continuous road, which the signage encourages and which I've observed other drivers doing. I don't think he would have stopped had I not screamed just beforehand! As we were frantically trying to get out of this car’s way, another car from Oxton was rapidly approaching (and I'm also certain speeding) and had to stop very abruptly and closely to avoid hitting us.

I've just never seen such inane street rules - that actually seem to be asking for a fatal accident. It's also the cockiness of the rule that favours motorists to the detriment and possible death of pedestrians. I also believe that the rule of the road in pretty much any Western country is that the pedestrian has the right of way - but Oriole and Oxton contravenes common practice and common sense. I'm just glad that my baby didn't have to pay the ultimate price so that motorists could get somewhere one minute faster!

Thanks again for your time and effort to fix this potentially lethal problem.

Glen (Last name and email address withheld by request)

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City Finally Taking Our Concerns Seriously!

Here's a note from Pooja, a local Oxton-Oriole neighborhood resident, who writes...

Hi Mark,

It's relieving to to see that the city is finally starting to take our concerns seriously. I'm very pleased to have our Stop sign back. I'm sure they'll find in their evaluation that it goes it a long way to restore public safety in the neighbourhood.

Pooja (Last name and email address withheld by request)

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Pleased That Stop Sign To Be Re-Installed!

Here's a note from Don, a local Oxton-Oriole neighborhood resident, who writes...

I am pleased to see that there will be a "Stop" sign restored, to replace the "Pedestrian Wait for the Gap" signs at Oxton and Oriole Parkway. I am a firm believer that the pedestrian should always have the right of way in any traffic situation. All drivers should remain extremely cautious of children, and elderly at all intersections; all the time. This should be re-inforced now that children have returned to school.

The reduction of speed from 50k to 40k along this very busy thoroughfare, will hopefully assist in enforcing the law as it regards to X-walks. I use these on a daily basis, and am looking forward to an improvement.
The "Quiet Residential" signs are a welcome sight for those of us whose property face onto Oxton Avenue. I trust that the "Hidden Driveway" signs will also remain in place. For the many years that I have lived here, I now find it quite treacherous exiting my vehicle, and entering the northbound, and southbound traffic on Oxton Avenue.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank Mark Ress for his valiant efforts in setting up these petitions with our many neighbours, and his very creative blog that has kept us all abreast of these developments. A job well done. Thank you, Mark!

Donald (Last name and email address withheld by request)

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Visitors To Oxton-Oriole See The Danger Too!

Here's a note from Daina, a regular vistor to Oxton-Oriole neighborhood who writes...

Hello Mark,

My mother resides at 130 Oriole Parkway and I am a frequent visitor to the area. I have been following your mission to finally get the city to recognize how dangerous that intersection is. Although it has provided endless hours of entertainment for my young boys (they love sirens and flashing lights), I can certainly understand how annoying and scary it is to be a resident approaching the intersection by car or, god forbid, as a pedestrian. I hear the road rage blaring through car horns while talking to my mother over the phone. It would be inappropriate for me to repeat
her response to the rude interruption!

As a visitor to the area (if this counts!) I am uncomfortable using that intersection with my three children in the car. Fortunately our SUV is equipped with many safety features, side impact beams being one feature that would help if rammed into the southbound traffic. However, I fear for those who may be in a less desirable position if rear-ended by aggressive drivers who feel that diving into oncoming traffic is perfectly acceptable because of a lack of appropriate signage. I suppose these are the same individuals who need to be told not to use a blowdryer while taking a bath.

Best of luck in your endeavors. It appears that some headway is being made by the upcoming installation of a stop sign and bold pedestrian lines on the pavement. I hope that regular traffic jumpers are able to recognize the big red sign and respect those who take their lives in their hands by using the pedestrian crossing area.

Sincerely, Daina (Last name and email address withheld by request)

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Parties In Power Should Try Sitting In My Living Room...!

Here's a note from Fran, a local Oxton-Oriole neighborhood resident, who writes...

So discouraging to see all the work you have done, almost to no avail (see comment below - Mark). Perhaps the parties in power should try sitting in my living room or for that matter, try sleeping in my bedroom.

Someone leaning on the horn at 5 in the morning on a Sunday is enough to change anyone's mind as to whether or not there should be a stop sign. Neither can I hear my television with the windows open...

...when they publish the list of most dangerous intersection surely Oxton and Oriole [must] be on it.

I so appreciate all the time and effort you have put into this Mark. Hopefully your meeting with Michael Walker will be beneficial. Keep me posted.

Fran (Last name and email address withheld by request)

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Traffic Control Lights Are The Only Solution...!

Here is s a note from Mark Rees, a local Oxton-Oriole neighborhood resident and initiator of the Oxton-Oriole safety Petition, who writes...

Hello Folks:

In looking through all the neighbourhood emails (also see the Archive links on right side-bar) I am more convinced then ever that the installation of Traffic Control lights offers the only real solution for protecting our local pedestrians from serious injury which I think residents all agree is inevitable.

Oriole-Oxton is the perfect test case as to whether or not the City is serious about pedestrian safety let alone its desire to adhere to its own principles as espoused by the Toronto Pedestrian Charter.

As the emails suggest our piece of Toronto has been seriously "down-graded". I believe a city is only as good as its capacity to create a “people” (my term) environment, or more succinctly, a cities measure of success can be found in the degree its public places, cultural facilities, museums, living areas, public transportation, and of course its residential spaces, etc, add value to the whole.

I would like to see Toronto strive harder to reach this “people” orientated environment. “Forcing” a highway through a long established neighbourhood against the wishes of its residents is to say the least “car-headed.” Yes, traffic must move (enlightened cites would say public transport must move), but unfortunately for the city the local residents did not get out of the way. We’re still here and the City needs to respect us too!

Oxton-Oriole is in fact a 4-2-4 lane bottleneck and to pump 20,000 cars a day into this bottleneck and expect nobody to notice (or wanting to notice) the traffic impact (safety, noise, pollution) on local residents is of course folly. Where will traffic volumes be in a few years – 30,000?

Traffic control lights were only installed at Killberry and Oxton after someone was hit by a car (fortunately not seriously). With the Oxton-Oriole intersection the City is for now, just lucky. I hope the City will take pro-active action and begin the process towards installation of traffic control lights as of September 13th!

Regards, Mark Rees

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I Second Any Motion To Put In Traffic Lights...

Here's a note from Natalie, a local Oxton-Oriole neighborhood resident, who writes...

Hello!

I second any motion to have [traffic] lights put in this area- it is dangerous!

I have an infant and when I go to visit my sister I am so incredibly nervous about even daring to cross the road to get to her place.

This is a must someone is going to be maimed or killed!

Natalie (Last name and email address withheld by request)

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Pedestrians Are Second Class Citizens

Here's a note from Victoria, a local Oxton-Oriole neighborhood resident, who writes...

Dear Mark,

Definitely add my name [to the Safety Petition]...

...I have been a resident of the area for ten years and totally agree - the problem is worse, not better. I've read the police and city reports/findings on your site, and no surprise! Pedestrians are second-class citizens in this city, and especially at this obscene corner. I do believe that one day there will be a serious injury.

The only reason there hasn't been one to date is thanks to the cautious pedestrians who dare not step off the curbs until completely certain there isn't an SUV barrelling down on them from one of two - no three - directions.

The drivers don't even bother to look now; they just blithely pour off Oxton into oncoming traffic. I've witness this on a daily basis. If bodies and vehicles don't collide one of these days, two vehicles
will...

Victoria (Last name and email address withheld by request)

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It's Man Vs. Oncoming Traffic & It's Crazy!

Here's a note from Melissa, a local Oxton-Oriole neighborhood resident, who writes...

I live right at the corner [of] Oriole Parkway and Oxton and was thrilled when I saw you had started this course of action.

I love living in this part of Toronto; my only complaint has been coming to and from my apartment every day. I actually feel that my senses become very very heightened when I have to deal with the ridiculous lack of pedestrian safety.

It is like man vs. oncoming traffic. I suppose in some ways you get used to having to look for traffic coming at you from all angles - when I have family (which includes an eight month old nephew) and friends visiting, they are always so frightened and overwhelmed to cross the road which again reminds me of how brutal and life endangering it really is.

We should have some of the key leaders in these municipal decisions come and cross the street a few times at heavy traffic times to see what this is like. I find the comment on the website interesting about walking further (see main page: Issues) to use the street lights.

If you are heading north, you still have to cross that crazy "Pedestrians wait for Gap" section. This sign alone is a good laugh, it sounds like you are signing a waiver to hike an active volcano or something. If you go south to the next set of lights... well who would do this? That would add a lot of extra minutes on to get to the subway and seems a ridiculous approach if you want to head north.

Good luck, and thanks for taking this on!!

Melissa (Last name and email address withheld by request)