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Downtown Parking Enforcement / Illegal Stopping

Juan_Lennon416 said:
Some of the blame could go towards the passengers who allow taxis to stop wherever to drop them off or pick them up.
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If the driver isn't in control of the vehicle and following the rules of the road, he/she is at fault, not the passengers, albeit passengers have been charged with dooring. I got doored years back at Spadina and Queen, cop (A Sergeant) wouldn't charge the cabbie (I used to drive cab decades ago in Toronto, know the rules) and the passenger was found guilty, *even though the cabbie stopped illegally in the then cycling lane that continued north through the right turn lane northbound on Spadina at Queen, so the cab wasn't even at the curb. He was blocking two lanes of traffic. (To this day, it is illegal for a driver, cab, bus or private vehicle, to discharge a passenger away from the curb) Toronto Licensing were livid, cabbie should have been charged, but TPS wouldn't share the cop's notes.

Go figure.

It is the *driver's* full and complete responsibility for driving infractions.
 
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Transportfan said:
Passengers need to get off somewhere. And keeping with the thread subject, couriers and repair guys need to park to make deliveries or unload equipment. The car-hating cyclist crowd needs to realize that.

Naming and shaming? Get serious! The lack of dissenting voices on this site is astounding.
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Posted: Tuesday September 01, 2009 at 03:02 PM by rhamilto@toronto.ca

Presently, Toronto has two specific on-road bicycle lane designs. 1) Immediately adjacent to the curb. Typically the lane is 1.7m to 2.0 m in width. Our traffic bylaw prohibits stopping/driving at all times in any bicycle lane, the only exception being: for the purpose of crossing the lane to access a driveway/laneway; for making a turn at an intersecting roadway (may enter and drive in the lane within 45 metres of the turn location); for the purpose of picking up/dropping off a disabled person, while actually engaged in doing so; for the purpose of loading/unloading passengers by a school bus; and for the purpose of a taxicab picking up/dropping off a passenger.

2) The bicycle lane is delineated to the roadway side of the parking lane (typically about 2.5 metres out from the curb). In this format the above-noted stipulations apply with respect to activity that may take place in the bicycle lane, with the added provision that a motorist is allowed to cross the bicycle lane to access a curb lane used for parking. This scenario is typically used where there is a high demand for curb lane parking and the road is sufficiently wide enough to support the combination of parking, a bicycle lane(s), and traffic movement. Also, in this scenario parking is allowed on a 24/7 basis. In both bicycle lane scenarios the the restrictions on the use of the bicycle lane do not apply to emergency vehicles, public transit vehicles (TTC, GO, or other transit agency authorized to operate in Toronto), or vehicles engaged in works undertaken on behalf of the City/TTC/Public Utility.

Ron Hamilton, Manager, Traffic Operations, City of Toronto/President, OTC
 
In suburbs, I often see drivers making left turns even after the signal has turned red. Can I make videos of such vehicles and share somewhere? Will it help?
 
BurlOak said:
My guess is if there is a "no stopping" sign, then a taxi (or any other vehicle) can't stop to pick up or drop off a passenger.
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I believe taxis are exempted from the no stopping rule when dropping off/picking up passengers. They are also allowed to stop in bike lanes, but not cycle tracks.
 
The difference between prohibited Parking, Stopping and Standing, from the Highway Traffic Act (via Toronto by-laws, I think). I didn't research any exceptions, such as bike lanes . . .

No Parking:
Section 1(1) of the HTA defines park or parking where prohibited as: "the standing of a vehicle, whether occupied or not, except when standing temporarily for the purpose of and while actually engaged in loading or unloading merchandise or passengers"

No Standing:
The same section defines stand or standing where prohibited as: "the halting of a vehicle, whether occupied or not, except for the purpose of and while actually engaged in receiving or discharging passengers"

No Stopping:
The same section defines stop or stopping where prohibited as: "the halting of a vehicle, even momentarily, whether occupied or not, except when necessary to avoid conflict with other traffic or in compliance with the directions of a police officer or of a traffic control sign or signal;"​
 
lenaitch said:
The difference between prohibited Parking, Stopping and Standing, from the Highway Traffic Act (via Toronto by-laws, I think). I didn't research any exceptions, such as bike lanes . . .
car,
No Parking:
Section 1(1) of the HTA defines park or parking where prohibited as: "the standing of a vehicle, whether occupied or not, except when standing temporarily for the purpose of and while actually engaged in loading or unloading merchandise or passengers"

No Standing:
The same section defines stand or standing where prohibited as: "the halting of a vehicle, whether occupied or not, except for the purpose of and while actually engaged in receiving or discharging passengers"

No Stopping:
The same section defines stop or stopping where prohibited as: "the halting of a vehicle, even momentarily, whether occupied or not, except when necessary to avoid conflict with other traffic or in compliance with the directions of a police officer or of a traffic control sign or signal;"​
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What does "except when necessary to avoid conflict with other traffic" mean.

I would assume that this applies to parking/standing/stopping in any curb lane - be it car, bus, or bike.
 
BurlOak said:
What does "except when necessary to avoid conflict with other traffic" mean.

I would assume that this applies to parking/standing/stopping in any curb lane - be it car, bus, or bike.
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If you're driving along in a curb lane - which is also a parking lane - and you enter an area where stopping is prohibited, but traffic stops, you are not in violation. There are any number of exceptions and exemptions written into bylaws, and others that simply assumed as common sense. There is no parking in front of fire hydrants, but obviously fire trucks can park there to use them.

Whether a law is enforceable against a bicycle depending on the wording. A bicycle is a 'vehicle' under the HTA but it is not a 'motor vehicle', and I have no clue about Toronto bylaws.
 
It was, and probably still is, an ongoing battle for the Tim's on Bathurst between Fort York and Lake Shore.
 
the problem is that all these locations are in new buildings - they should have the retail being serviced through the internal loading dock. I imagine it's just incompetent drivers not knowing to look for the internal loading dock, or managers not instructing them to go to the dock. I know by building has a Subway restaurant in it and the loading trucks always park in the Shuter bike lanes intead of pulling literally around the corner onto the loading dock which has specific rear access to all the retail units.
 
innsertnamehere said:
the problem is that all these locations are in new buildings - they should have the retail being serviced through the internal loading dock. I imagine it's just incompetent drivers not knowing to look for the internal loading dock, or managers not instructing them to go to the dock. I know by building has a Subway restaurant in it and the loading trucks always park in the Shuter bike lanes intead of pulling literally around the corner onto the loading dock which has specific rear access to all the retail units.
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No, the problem is, drivers need to accept that if there is no parking in front of their Timmie’s...then they cannot park there. Or park further away where there actually is parking.

It isn’t rocket science.
 
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pstogios said:
Do you really think the TPS gives a rats ass about this and will respond to it? I’m as frustrated as you with stupid drivers illegally parking but I have zero faith in TPS.
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IDK, I’ve sent the developer the same question yesterday. My understanding is the app alerts tow truck operators, who then go to the scene, and themselves call TPS for permission to tow. But I’ll post what I find out.

Until now I’ve just been calling TPS parking enforcement dispatch.
 
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