joe posts

Here’s an odd Toronto story: An irate bus driver threatened to have me arrested because I didn’t know that I needed a $3.00 fare to get OFF the bus in York Region. The TTC has to pay that particular section of Toronto extra money to prop up Viva and the other bus service that operates there. Now that I know, I can see that they post a little note on the route maps to let us know that it’s a double fare, and sometimes those screens on the exterior of the bus flash a “double fare” message. But I wasn’t paying attention – when I mapped it out online it looked like I would still be in Toronto.

I was going to a job interview way the heck up Keele street, and the bus driver made an announcement saying it was $3.00 to exit the bus north of Steeles – but of course he makes the announcement as he leaves the stop at Steeles street, and I assumed the NEXT stop would, naturally, be the ‘last chance.’ I wasn’t carrying any cash, just tokens, so I wanted to jump off and just walk there. I tried the back door, but it was locked..

“You have to exit at the front of the bus.”

“Ok…”

“It’s $3.00.”

Rummaging. “… I only have $1.00.”

“Then I’m calling the police to have you arrested. I made an announcement. I HAVE WITNESSES!” (waving towards the other passengers)

He picked up his phone and started dialing.

Oh sure. Call the cops. I know mistake was mine, but it’s trivial, and I almost want to know what exactly the police would do about it. Slap handcuffs on me and take me to the station? Or just force me to ride the bus forever? Part of me really wanted to push it. Hell, if I’m going to get “arrested” over two measly bucks, I at least have to make my feelings known. So I opened my stupid mouth. “Look, you made the announcement north of Steeles, I thought this was the last…”

“WHAT????!”

I stopped myself from going down that dark road. Another strategy:

“Um, I’m really sorry – I must have misunderstood your announcement. Hold on. I only carry tokens.”

“Oh. Tokens are good. You can use tokens, but not passes.”

“Just one?”

“Yes.”

“Can I keep riding? I wanted to get to Langstaff.”

“No, get off the bus. Now. Before I call the police.”

“Thank You. Have A Great Day.” (I actually said it with capital letters)

“You’re the one who needs it, Buddy.”

I swear I did not make that up. Weird scene. I was tempted to vandalize a nearby Viva touch-screen ticket terminal, but someone had already messed it up. Oh well.

Anyways, this morning I woke up extra early because Viva has gone on strike. Something to do with management screwing them over. I can understand that and don’t hold it against the workers, even if they insist on picketing the passengers and not their managers (um?). But I have no use for Viva, and neither do a lot of other people, apparently. I arrived at Downsview full 10 minutes early (I had hit snooze like a dozen times) expecting to find a crush of Yorkians, cursing Viva under their breaths, clambering to get on the TTC’s 107. Nope. It was me and a dozen other people, just like most days. I figured we’d get a lot of people connecting to the bus at Finch and Steeles. But nothing. Apparently almost nobody uses it. The Toronto Star is running an article with the headline “Viva strike causes few delays.” If there’s ever a sign that a service is just slightly redundant… Yeeesh. I guess some people use it as an express route, but there are at least three bus companies running down the same roads. Seems kind of silly.

Meanwhile, part of the subway shuts down for emergency maintenance, and because the whole line is designed as a U instead of an O, and there’s no way to reroute any trains, thousands of people suddenly have a loooong walk.

Funny place to live, Toronto is.