Re: Looking back at the history of Queen Street bylaws [In My Opinion, May 3, 2016]
Tom Jakobek is right: parking enforcement in the Beach is ridiculous. How did I manage to get a yellow tag while parked beside a Green P ticket dispenser?
On Mother’s Day I took my family down to the Green Eggplant for a nice dinner and ended up parking two blocks west of the restaurant on Queen close to Waverley Road. I dutifully fed $4 into the machine right beside our minivan.
Upon our return, there was a tag adorning our windshield in the amount of $60 written 30 minutes after we left the van.
The infraction? “Stand Vehicle – Signed Highway During Prohibited (Times/Days).”
Huh? Trying to decipher the broken English, it seemed to suggest Sunday evening is not a good time to park. So why did the Green P machine provide me with a receipt?
The only thing I can think of is the van was parked partly past the telephone pole, so perhaps we had nosed into a ‘No Parking’ area, although there were no pavement markings.
So why was the machine installed at the very end of the parking zone?
Overzealous parking enforcement officers appear to delight in ruining even quiet Sunday evenings. It’s a miracle any businesses survive on Queen St. at all.
Mark Toljagic
(former Waverley Rd. resident)
Was this article informative? Become a Beach Metro Community News Supporter today! For 50 years, we have worked hard to be the eyes and ears in your community, inform you of upcoming events, and let you know what and who is making a difference. We cover the big stories as well as the little things that often matter the most. CLICK HERE to support your Beach Metro Community News!
You were parked in a No Parking zone. Get over it. Look at the signs, not the pavement markings! I can even tell you where you were parked – in front of the Starbucks east of Waverley. I never get a ticket on Queen. Why? because I park in permitted places and put money in the meter. Simple. There is nothing wrong with the parking enforcement on Queen Street!
Not only were you in a No Parking zone, you were in a No Standing zone, due to the streetcar stop – hence the $60 ticket. Be aware of your surroundings and don’t blame parking enforcement for your errors.
https://www.google.ca/maps/place/Starbucks/@43.6699304,-79.3005235,3a,75y,346h,90t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sn3fWZIX4_Wne8OuGfZTU8w!2e0!6s%2F%2Fgeo3.ggpht.com%2Fcbk%3Fpanoid%3Dn3fWZIX4_Wne8OuGfZTU8w%26output%3Dthumbnail%26cb_client%3Dsearch.TACTILE.gps%26thumb%3D2%26w%3D234%26h%3D106%26yaw%3D346.18774%26pitch%3D0!7i13312!8i6656!4m13!1m7!3m6!1s0x89d4cbf838d459db:0x149f4858b911188a!2s1+Waverley+Rd,+Toronto,+ON+M4L+3T2!3b1!8m2!3d43.667041!4d-79.299602!3m4!1s0x0000000000000000:0xd4eea7cb4926ca9c!8m2!3d43.6700291!4d-79.3005569!6m1!1e1
It is amusing that Google Street View that you link to have a Van parked there, nose protruding into the no standing zone as this letter indicates he was too…
Thanks for the photo, Joe. That’s the spot. I would suggest it is a parking-tag fishing hole. I am a very experienced parking veteran, too. The City has to move the machine because it is misleading in its present position. The situation on Queen Street is untenable. I have friends from Ottawa who came to the Beach for dinner last August on their way home from Stratford. They couldn’t believe the strip was utterly deserted on a Saturday night. Friendlier parking isn’t the entire solution, but it would help.