Monthly Archives: February 2012

101 Street at 111 Avenue

Posted on by Tim Tuxworth

Update: The city has fixed this! WOW! Sometime in early 2012 it changed (I was away so I don’t know when), I have to give kudos for fixing the problem, but the messages still has to be – think about this in the first place, please!

If you drive north or south on 101 Street through the 111 Avenue intersection you will know what I mean.

Not that I’m saying it’s happening, but is it possible that someone might design an intersection like this to cause fender bender’s? Hypothetically it might be someone who knew someone who worked for an insurance company! Not that I’m saying that’s what’s happening of course, but just trying to figure out any kind of logical explanation for the design (I’ll try to describe it below), it just seems like it’s only purpose is to cause accidents, but not serious ones. I’m just saying …

So imagine if you will, driving in the left lane down the road. The right lane as usual has cars parked, so you usually can’t drive there except during peak hour, normal Edmonton stuff. You approach 111th avenue going South. You’re going downtown. As you approach, slow down, light is red. Ooops – whats going on … this lane doesn’t go ‘straight through’ suddenly you realize that this lane has become a left turn lane. What? Damn! Ok – and a bunch of other people have the same problem – ok now everyone is trying to merge – lotsa unexpected merging. How many fender benders here? Insurance companies- kaching!!! But wait – thats not all!

Ok – you’re merged over, whew! Ok, light changes, into the next lane going south. WHOA what the? After you get through the intersection the lane does this weird wiggle back left to where it was, as if the ‘straight through’ you thought you were on kept going straight through. If you don’t wiggle you hit the guy in the right lane. Bang!, another fender bender, because of the cars parked along the right hand side even during peak hour. Wow – way to cause damage guys.  So – what is that for City Transportation Department? Saved some money? Can’t figure that? Traffic Flow? Dunno? Might have something to do with the buses? Definitely not safety for sure!

I just think the cost of insurance and accidents should be included when ‘costings’ of road decisions go to council!

Bill C-30 Section-34 without a Warrant

Posted on by Tim Tuxworth

Copied and pasted direct from the bill, English and French – find the word “warrant” – anyone?

Paraphrasing:

“An inspector may enter any telecommunications service provider, examine any document or  information and take copies of anything they have without exception and without a warrant.”

Don’t beleive me? It’s right here – you can read it yourself if you don’t believe me – tell me that it doesn’t say pretty much exactly that? Find the word “warrant”? You won’t!  (You can find the entire bill here at the Government of Canada website if you want to check).

Really? And that’s ok with you?

If you don’t agree you might want to sign this petition:

OpenMedia Petition

34. (1) An inspector may, for a purpose related to verifying compliance with this Act, enter any place owned by, or under the control of, any telecommunications service provider in which the inspector has reasonable grounds to believe there is any document, information, transmission apparatus, telecommunications facility or any other thing to which this Act applies.
34. (1) L’inspecteur peut, à toute fin liée à la vérification du respect de la présente loi, entrer dans tout lieu appartenant à un télécommunicateur — ou placé sous sa responsabilité — s’il a des motifs raisonnables de croire que s’y trouvent des installations de télécommunication, des appareils de transmission, des documents, des renseignements ou des objets visés par la présente loi.
Accès au lieu
Powers on entry
(2) The inspector may, for that purpose,
(a) examine any document, information or thing found in the place and open or cause to be opened any container or other thing;
(b) examine or test or cause to be tested any telecommunications facility or transmission apparatus or related equipment found in the place;
(c) use, or cause to be used, any computer system in the place to search and examine any information contained in or available to the system;
(d) reproduce, or cause to be reproduced, any information in the form of a printout, or other intelligible output, and remove the printout, or other output, for examination or copying; or
(e) use, or cause to be used, any copying equipment or means of telecommunication at the place.
(2) Il peut, à cette même fin :
Autres pouvoirs
a) examiner les documents, les renseignements ou les objets se trouvant dans le lieu et ouvrir, directement ou indirectement, tout contenant ou autre objet;
b) examiner toute installation de télécommunication ou tout appareil de transmission ou matériel connexe s’y trouvant et lui faire subir, directement ou indirectement, des essais;
c) faire usage, directement ou indirectement, de tout système informatique s’y trouvant pour vérifier les données qu’il contient ou auxquelles il donne accès;
d) reproduire ou faire reproduire toute information sous forme d’imprimé ou toute autre forme intelligible qu’il peut emporter pour examen ou reproduction;
e) faire usage, directement ou indirectement, du matériel de reproduction et des moyens de télécommunication se trouvant dans le lieu.
Duty to assist
(3) The owner or person in charge of the place and every person in the place must give all assistance that is reasonably required to enable the inspector to perform their functions under this section and must provide any documents or information, and access to any data, that are reasonably required for that purpose.
(3) Le propriétaire ou le responsable du lieu, ainsi que quiconque s’y trouve, sont tenus de prêter à l’inspecteur toute l’assistance qu’il peut valablement exiger pour lui permettre d’exercer ses attributions au titre du présent article, et de lui fournir les documents, les renseignements et l’accès aux données qu’il peut valablement exiger à cette fin.
Assistance
Inspector may be accompanied
(4) The inspector may be accompanied by any other person that they believe is necessary to help them perform their functions under this section.
(4) L’inspecteur peut être accompagné des personnes qu’il estime nécessaires pour l’aider dans l’exercice de ses attributions au titre du présent article.