1201 replies to this topic

[Mike K.]

Just a guess, but I'd say you don't enter unless you are local traffic, and if you are, you should still yield to pedestrians.

You’re right! Lots of guessing going on.

[Victoria Watcher]

Victoria’s shops and restaurants are keen to keep expanded patios in place through the winter months, but they want Government Street reopened to at least one lane of vehicle traffic, the Downtown Victoria Business Association says.

 

The city’s Build Back ­Victoria plan, approved in June to aid the COVID-19 recovery, allowed businesses to increase their ­seating areas by setting up tables and chairs on sidewalks, streets, boulevards and public plazas.

 

https://www.timescol...dvba-1.24215773

[berzele]

News flash - Sometimes people behave in irresponsible, self-absorbed, thoughtless, or dangerous ways, even breaking laws or rules.  People do this while riding bikes, driving cars, walking, and in many other situations.  In many cases I believe it is the same people, and they are multi-modal jerks.    

 

Apparently you specifically notice, and are bothered by, people behaving badly while riding bikes.   Do you seriously believe that a higher percentage of people on bikes are breaking rules than people driving cars? That somehow bikes attract a greater share of jerks than cars? That people are less attentive while biking than driving?  Come on.

 

I know that you're likely more than aware that simply not liking any given by-law, or a personal belief that the breaking of any given by-law is "no big deal" is absolutely no excuse for breaking it.

 

It's precisely this attitude that justifies 99% of what car drivers and pedestrians say about cycling bad behaviour ... and it really is time that cyclists got over themselves and began behaving in a manner that reflects the massive amount of taxpayer funds put into reinventing the downtown core in order that cyclists can ride in a safe, and law abiding manner.

[On the Level]

 

Apparently you specifically notice, and are bothered by, people behaving badly while riding bikes.   Do you seriously believe that a higher percentage of people on bikes are breaking rules than people driving cars? That somehow bikes attract a greater share of jerks than cars? That people are less attentive while biking than driving?  Come on.

 

 

While there are jerks in cars, I have yet to see them commonly drive over sidewalks while basically yelling at pedestrians, cross an intersection diagonally while it's red while giving everyone the stink eye or finger.

 

Of course if you are in Oak Bay, all bets are off since there is apparently some challenge with determining which pedal is the gas and which is the brake  

 

Anyways, back on topic.....

[JohnsonStBridge]

Just to be the devil's advocate this reminded me of a accident last year where the vehicle did indeed drive over the Blanshard St sidewalk. Jerks exist in all forms of transportation.

 

[rmpeers]

News flash - Sometimes people behave in irresponsible, self-absorbed, thoughtless, or dangerous ways, even breaking laws or rules. People do this while riding bikes, driving cars, walking, and in many other situations. In many cases I believe it is the same people, and they are multi-modal jerks.

Apparently you specifically notice, and are bothered by, people behaving badly while riding bikes. Do you seriously believe that a higher percentage of people on bikes are breaking rules than people driving cars? That somehow bikes attract a greater share of jerks than cars? That people are less attentive while biking than driving? Come on.

Yes.

[Victoria Watcher]

Councillors agreed Thursday to reopen Government to one lane of vehicle traffic for the winter, when there will be fewer pedestrians and increased demand for curbside pick-ups and drop-offs.

 

They will decide in the spring whether to close the street again for the summer.

 

https://www.timescol...nter-1.24218004

[Spy Black]

I think Munros made the effective argument for this re-opening, with a reference to some of their deliveries being a couple of thousand pounds of books in a few dozen boxes ... and the need to cart them two or three blocks just to get them into the building.

 

Of course Munros also conveniently forgot to make note in the TC article that they also have an entrance to their store on Langley Street, with a commercial loading zone right outside their private, four vehicle parking garage ... but then those are just unimportant details when you're *****ing to the press in order to get something you want for reasons having nothing to do with your stated reasons for wanting it as noted in the article.

[mbjj]

I didn't realize that portion of the street was open again but we just drove along it. I told my husband, hey don't go up there, it's blocked but he said, I'm going to see what's happening! We just followed the other traffic, lol. 

 

Was this reopening publicized or did the city keep it secret so no one would drive there and they could say, hey look, no one's driving there, we can close it permanently, lol. 

Edited by mbjj, 29 November 2020 - 04:01 PM.

[Cats4Hire]

I didn't realize that portion of the street was open again but we just drove along it. I told my husband, hey don't go up there, it's blocked but he said, I'm going to see what's happening! We just followed the other traffic, lol. 

 

Was this reopening publicized or did the city keep it secret so no one would drive there and they could say, hey look, no one's driving there, we can close it permanently, lol. 

seems BC Transit wasn't aware as they still have the 10 using Warf according to Nextride

[Mike K.]

The Fort to View portion is open again?

[Brantastic]

No, it's now completely open to cars between Fort and View and has been for weeks. I'm disappointed in the change and haven't been down there as much lately as it just feels like any other street now. In the summer, I'd go for a walk along Government nearly every day, and occasionally stop at Murchie's, Munro's, Tractor, etc. Those businesses alone are not enough of a draw for me and I'm less inclined to hang around that part of downtown as much as I was before. 

[Brantastic]

*Well, one lane is open. They still have some barriers up, but you can now drive through the whole length of Government. It's traffic-calmed, but car traffic has picked up from the summer. It feels like less of a special place now to me.

[mbjj]

I like it being opened as it's easier to get to the Bay parkade, lol. I wanted to go to Munroes and it makes parking easier as I'm still having trouble walking too far. I know, I know, I could go along Yates etc but part of it was closed down to one lane last week and it was a pain. 

[johnk2]

Of course it should be pedestrianized. Install removable bollards for commercial deliveries 6-9am. Get rid of the cars. Apart from burgers and coffee you can't buy too much else sitting in your car. Should be sidewalk cafes etc. Bring some life to it.

[Victoria Watcher]

Of course it should be pedestrianized. Install removable bollards for commercial deliveries 6-9am. Get rid of the cars. Apart from burgers and coffee you can't buy too much else sitting in your car. 

 

what about adding a drive-thru to the burger king there on government street then?  or murchies.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 30 November 2020 - 12:00 PM.

[Nparker]

Of course it should be pedestrianized. Install removable bollards for commercial deliveries 6-9am. Get rid of the cars...

So it would have neither pedestrians nor cars after 9:00 AM from November-March.

[FogPub]

Of course it should be pedestrianized. Install removable bollards for commercial deliveries 6-9am.

Fat lot of good a 6-9 a.m. delivery window is when a truck coming over on the first ferry doesn't get downtown till close to 9:30...

[Victoria Watcher]

most trucks coming over on the ferry are not doing relatively small retail and food service deliveries to places like lower government. they are mostly going to distribution warehouses or construction and industrial sites.

[Victoria Watcher]

While it’s no surprise the retail environment has been ­devastated by the ­COVID-19 pandemic, a new study on ­Canada’s main streets, released Monday by Vancity, underscores the depth of the losses ­downtown retailers have endured.

 

According to the study, ­Government Street in Victoria saw a massive drop in feet on the street, with nearly one million fewer visits this year to the retail block between Humboldt and Johnson streets between April and September.

 

About 85 per cent of the businesses on the strip reported lower revenues this year with more than half saying revenues were less than 50 per cent of pre-COVID numbers.

 

 

The survey noted five businesses on the block had permanently closed, 75 per cent are operating with fewer staff, and of the 78 storefronts 10 are now empty.

 

https://www.timescol...ggle-1.24251815

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 08 December 2020 - 05:21 AM.