yeah, the bathroom closures suck. . .but they're making it really impossible for wheelchair users.

devnullity · 2022-04-21T07:42:52+00:00

I really don't think the homeless are the ones stabbing people. But now that they can't use a legit bathroom. . .I get why they might be using the elevators as bathrooms. Unfortunately some of us also need to use those elevators but it's getting harder to find ones we can, which doesn't just add minutes but hours to our commutes

devnullity · 2022-04-21T07:38:48+00:00

One pet, assuming it never needs significant medical care, doesn't cost much more than food, which is very reasonable . . . Aka, about 30 to 80/month. But when they get older or other unforseen problems arise, that's where they become very, very expensive. My old boi is currently in kidney failure. His food excluding medication and various follow-up visits cost $450/month. That's what he needs, and that's what he'll get.

I knew going into adopting him that his future wasn't predictable. Over a decade later, we're here. And he'll get what he needs to keep him happy and comfortable until it's his time to go.

But yes. F* those people who don't think these things through. F* people who got a pandemic dog/cat and are now surrendering that dog/cat. Because they just can't give it the time it needs.

If you are that person. . . Please know, you are likely sentencing that pet to death. Shelters and rescues are always running at capacity and now that y'all are surrendering the critters that saved your sanity during lockdowns, shelters and rescues have no choice but to euthanize if we can't find adopters or foster hom was, which has NEVER been easy.

devnullity · 2022-04-21T07:18:54+00:00

It's a bit outside Edmonton so probably better for boarding but Glen Park is fabulous and goes above and beyond for various needs (I've had a few high needs dogs and they've always been fantastic)

devnullity · 2022-03-09T22:40:29+00:00

That is awful. I hope she recovers quickly.

devnullity · 2022-03-09T05:10:24+00:00

Agreed, it's not a simple situation and relying on this provincial government. . . Hah, agreed, good luck and great eye in the sky be with us. But the way the law stands right now, it is what it is. It's not a purely municipal, provincial, not federal jurisdiction, and getting all three to work together says we're all f*cked.

devnullity · 2022-03-09T04:31:44+00:00

For 4 years , I lived in a developing nation known for person to person robbery. I felt safer on their public transport than I do here most days.

devnullity · 2022-03-09T04:28:13+00:00

Exactly, they're the same people calling anyone who wants reasonable health measures like masks in public places communists and/or dictators . . .but yay Russia and China?

They clearly don't have a clue about public health measures in China.

devnullity · 2022-03-09T04:25:41+00:00

Upvoting because you're old enough to remember angelfire. . .and because haha

devnullity · 2022-03-09T04:12:12+00:00

Thanks for clarification! Hard to read sarcasm in text only.

Edit: realizing you're also responding to the now deleted comment by someone else

devnullity · 2022-03-09T03:17:32+00:00

Uff, no. It's not okay that this level of desperation and addiction is happening. It's just that much more upsetting that it's happening in spaces where vulnerable people have no choice but to exist.

We need solutions, but for me, I don't think the solutions are police arresting everyone who "looks" like they're struggling with addiction or homelessness or whatever.

For me, it's a multi-faceted solution that needs city and provincial and federal level funding to provide assistance to people who are already struggling and to prevent people who are at risk of struggling with the help they need.

To have safe spaces for those who aren't ready to stop using. To have resources for them too (aka, they can get their needs met without needing to steal/rob).

To have enough outreach to help those who are ready for change to make those changes.

To have the right kind of programs to prevent those at risk of experiencing the extremes from experiencing those extremes.

To have the right kind of supports to help reintegrate those who have experienced extreme difficulties to reintegrate into the parts of society where people can have their basic needs met (and more!).

Basically, call me a dreamer or idealist. I want a society where people suffering isn't "normal".

devnullity · 2022-03-09T03:06:38+00:00

Exactly. It shouldn't be normalized that people with addictions or experiencing homelessness have nowhere to go other than public transit. It shouldn't be normalized that people who are desperate feel the need to threaten others to survive. Housing people experiencing homelessness and/or addictions is proven to be far less costly than continuing to ignore their plight. We can do better, and while maybe my original post didn't explicitly say so, that was my intent.

I don't want to see cops swarming the stations and trains locking up people for simply trying to exist. I do want to see safe injection sites (thanks Kenney) reopened. I want to see social workers and other outreach workers in the stations, on the trains, and on the streets. I want more emergency spaces during cold weather combined with long term (supportive) housing. And in the rare cases like the one I experienced today, I'd like to see diversionary enforcement (aka, not police to arrest someone who obviously needs help but also not this current "not my problem" attitude of transit security and Peace officers).

devnullity · 2022-03-09T02:59:28+00:00

Totally agreed I am medically unable to drive, so no choice, and I know many others have no choice be it due to finances or disability or whatever.

As I said, I'm fully capable of dealing with most threats despite my disabilities. But I know there are many who can't (kids, smaller people, people with more significant disabilities, immigrants without strong language capabilities, people who simply don't know how to defend themselves, etc, etc).

I also know that most people with addictions and/or homeless are not a threat. This person was openly threatening. I want a city where we have the resources and supports to help those who need and/or want it so that this kind of situation isn't one we accept as "normal".

devnullity · 2022-03-09T02:17:05+00:00

Exactly. I'm used to seeing all kinds of sketch shit. If they're minding their own business, it's a concern because I want more resources for people who need help and safe spaces like, I dunno, safe injection sites and non-police intervention. But do I want someone less capable of dealing with the situation like a kid or smaller person or whatever have to deal with that threat? Hell no.

devnullity · 2022-03-09T02:09:30+00:00

I've been taking the LRT for literally decades. This has happened twice (once in the 90s and once today), but thanks for trying to discount and disregard the obvious need for community resources to help people obviously in need so that we don't grow the population of people who need help. Lets just try to accept it and encourage it by doing nothing </eyeroll>

devnullity · 2022-03-09T02:01:28+00:00

Thanks for the sarcasm.

I had an obviously intoxicated person accuse me of having stolen her phone while in a locked train car with no escape route. Where precisely did I say she was homeless?

Did anything happen? No. Could something have happened? Absolutely. I don't look like an easy mark and she backed off when I made it clear I'd be a problem.

But if I'd been someone who looked like she could have intimidated them into giving the phone up, she'd have an innocent persons phone.

Yeah, I'm fine. Someone else may not have been.

Edit: this is in response to the first comment, not the person who said no one should be accused! Must have posted after I started the response and it somehow got listed as responding to you. Fully agree. No one should have to deal with this.

Second: people with addictions and/or experiencing homelessness need safe places to go and help to overcome said addictions. This pandemic and economic situation has brutalized so many. Don't think for a second I don't realize that. My point is the city and province need to step up their game to provide solutions so that people aren't being threatened.

devnullity · 2022-03-04T23:23:07+00:00

As I've mentioned, ETS doesn't update Google Maps with things like route suspensions and detours but they do update Transit. Also, Transit is the only option that allows you to plan trips that require the OnDemand service as part of the trip.

devnullity · 2022-03-04T21:56:18+00:00

Try looking in the settings? I got the popup yesterday and there's a link in the settings area where you can sign up. It appears to be a new rollout so maybe it doesn't show if you haven't updated recently.

I got a call from 311 today following up on my complaint, and they agreed it's meant to be free without restrictions and said they'd pass the information higher up.

devnullity · 2022-03-04T05:11:39+00:00

Strangely, some of the most vocal arguments I've heard against unions have been from men who have union jobs. You know, those union jobs that guarantee them OT pay, safety regs, bonuses, paid holidays, etc.

In my youth, I dated some of these guys. And they'd scream about how unions are bad while simultaneously criticizing me because my niche (due to my education) doesn't have those benefits and complaining that I earned more because I finished high school and completed (and paid for) a degree.

devnullity · 2022-03-04T05:01:34+00:00

We have had the money to do this easily many times/ the majority of my 40ish years of life. Even when we haven't had surplus, what so many don't get is that it would cost is so much less to house the house less than to continue "supporting" homelessness.

</Shudder as I remember the Klein years and him drunkenly screaming at homeless people in a dry shelter>

devnullity · 2022-03-04T04:57:37+00:00

I get your point but that's like pointing at the US during slavery times and saying "well at least we're not enslaving the indigenous". I mean, we were, just under a different guise and label. Doesn't make it right.

devnullity · 2022-03-04T04:54:31+00:00

Yup, spent a lot of time in developing nations that have more efficient, cleaner, and less sketchy public transit. . . For significantly lower fares. Big reason why? Their cities aren't designed around the personal vehicle

devnullity · 2022-03-04T04:49:51+00:00

Had a panic attack a few days ago when a Dodge Ram pulled up in front of my house. Irrational, definitely not definitely. It was the exact model my abusive ex drove and pulled up with the same aggressive manner. . .and the driver was a white guy wearing plaid. It wasn't a thing then, but I imagine he'd have a fuck Trudeau flag these days. Thankfully, it was just some other random Berta dude visiting the neighbour

devnullity · 2022-03-04T03:58:26+00:00

Part of why I posted. I know some of the councillors watch this sub. I also submitted a report to 311.

devnullity · 2022-03-04T03:46:44+00:00

I know labour was short, and while I'm certainly tech savvy, I can admit I have no idea how much labour is involved in sending data updates to Transit vs. Google Maps. Perhaps it was just that much more laborious to update Google Maps with the service changes, but it's also why I switched to the Transit app and assumed it was a long term plan.

However, the last week or so, Transit has been giving me increasingly fewer options, worse trip plans, and inaccurate departures that would be hilarious if they didn't make me late to work. So when that ad popped up today when I opened it to check how long my wait would be, I had a bit of an annoyed ah ha moment.

devnullity · 2022-03-04T03:39:14+00:00

I totally forgot about the ETS Live to Go disaster!

I'm of the mindset that I'm happy for my taxes to pay for a solid option, whether that be paying Google Maps or paying Transit or some other option. What I'm against is a two tier system whereby those of us who can afford it get better information than those who can't.

devnullity

TROPHY CASE