508 replies to this topic

[Mike K.]

On last Friday’s radio segment, I specifically mentioned that area of Douglas Street as a major problem. Days later a stabbing occurred during business hours.

There was also a stabbing on the other side of the block, on Douglas and View, on the east side, wasn’t there? Back in March?

[Victoria Watcher]

What is the motive in all these stabbings?

I’m going to presume most are over drugs/money.

Another reason that illicit drugs should never have been legalized.

[Blair M.]

 

I used to love going to town. Now it is very seldom, if at all. I am a busy woman; I can’t risk being stabbed and then the recuperation time, let alone being murdered.

 

This needs to be read a few times to absorb the full impact of the writers statement.

When people begin thinking like this it's already too late. 

Downtown may ultimately be salvageable, but the suburban concerns noted above indicate that we're certainly within a year or so from an irreversible suburban vision of the downtown core being far too dangerous to visit. 

As the OP above noted, concern about serious injury or death isn't really an option simply to go shopping. (and there's an inadvertent element of comedy to that statement, if the thought itself wasn't so serious).

 

The folks purchasing all of those downtown condo's will be in and around the downtown core regardless, as after investing a million or more on a home, they really don't have much of a choice.

I know a lot of locals believed that there couldn't possibly be a worse City Council than the previous one. It's too bad those feelings weren't at all accurate.

[Victoria Watcher]

I can’t afford to take the time off work if I’m murdered.

[Mike K.]

There's also the less talked about stuff, like vehicle break-ins and vandalism. Nobody wants to return to their vehicle, only to see the window was smashed in.

 

VicPD are also so busy, that the small stuff isn't much of a concern for them. If it's not a serious threat, they'll ask you to call non-emerg, which can take an hour or more to connect. Are you going to file that police report, or just tape up your window and put in an insurance claim?

 

The streets are also filthy. Every alcove smells of urine, or worse. There are people smoking drugs in doorways and on public benches. You can't stand at a bus stop in the downtown core without someone carelessly smoking cigarettes where they're not supposed to, or worse yet, smoking from a drug pipe with complete indifference to the rest of the people around them.

 

The situation is simply untenable. Until we change our laws and bylaws, the situation will only worsen, and under the current system, I cannot see laws or bylaws changing, not when we are now creating drug use zones in hospitals as the answer to violence, drug dealing and drug use in patient care areas.

[Nparker]

The laws have no chance of being changed until we abandon woke governments once and for all. Their philosophies have proved detrimental to society wherever they have been allowed to flourish. They are simply untenable.

[spanky123]

The 2,000 or so zombies living on the streets and in Government housing will all be given a pencil and told how to vote at the polling station set up close to their shelters. Until people get upset enough that they actually vote then nothing will change.

[lanforod]

I think you need the police report number for most insurance claims...

[spanky123]

^ Most businesses aren't going to report damage under $5K as any payment less deductible will just be offset by future premium increases (assuming your carrier evens wants your business).