February 4, 2009

Basic Civility

Ottawa's transit strike has finally ended.

Of course, it'll be two months before service returns to anything approaching normal.

And I fully expect to see a surge in bike commuting and walking to work as soon as the snow melts. Not to mention the huge number of people who are just going to stick to their cars, thereby setting back the cause of public transit in Ottawa by at least a decade.

This has been a frustrating couple of months for the residents of Ottawa. It's cost us thousands of dollars apiece and countless hours of our time (one of the reasons this blog pretty much went dark for the duration is that I was spending most of my blogging time sitting in traffic or running around the city to get friends and family where they needed to be). I know I'm one of the lucky ones -- I had the resources to get myself to work (however inconvenient and expensive it was), and an employer who was understanding when the traffic meant I arrived an hour later than usual. A lot of people were not so fortunate. The pain inflicted on the people of this city by the combined forces of the union and city council is real, and severe, and both sides should be ashamed.

But you know who else should be ashamed? The hostile, vindictive commentators who've been advocating nastiness directed at the returning bus drivers.

Here's a sample of the comments to this article about the end of the strike:


I encourage you all to give the bus drivers attitude when you hop on the bus! Give them a piece of your mind!!

The greedy fools will probably expect a basket of fresh baked cookies. They've got something else coming!!!!!!!


I was hoping this would go longer and the union would go bust.
Yeah i will make cookies for them, with ex lax in them.
And i hope some people cause them lts of grief and show no respect.
back to work you bums.

Remember your anger and your outrage, bus-riding citizens of Ottawa, when regular service resumes. Remember the lack of sympathy and the cocky smirks from this grotesque mockery of a union

Remember, this strike was supposedly about "respect". They have shown us NONE, and that is precisely what they should receive in return! Pay your fare in pennies if you have to!

They deserve everything that will inevitably come their way.
Classy, no?

And there are plenty more where that came from. People making veiled threats about how drivers will have their backs turned to angry commuters... or suggesting that commuters vent their feeling upon the first driver they encounter.

That's not even to mention the folks who, demonstraing a complete lack of understanding of labour laws, have been screaming "fire the bums" from day one of the strike, and are still screaming it to anyone who will listen.

I have to wonder if anyone ever taught these folks basic manners or how to control their anger. Acceptable outlets for transit-related frustration include writing letters to Larry O'Brien, city council, André Cormellier, and anyone else you can think of. You can even make a sign and picket whatever public location you like. But taking your frustration out on the drivers just isn't okay. They're just trying to do their job. They're going to get you to your destination safely. The least you owe them is some common courtesy.

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