The South Bayview Bulldog

The idea that pedestrian countdown signals at Toronto’s intersections actually increase accidents is, to say the least, counter intuitive. The story is being widely aired this day (Friday, October 4, 2013) but reading down in the National Post report makes one wonder why other cities don’t seem to have this result. Both smaller and similar sized cities — Calgary and San Francisco — say pedestrian counters have increased safety at intersections. The Toronto study is fairly rudimentary, done by Dr. Andrew Howard of the Hopsital for Sick Children  and others. It concluded that the signals at almost 2,000 Toronto intersections were linked to a 26% increase in the rate of collisions. The rate of serious or fatal pedestrian-automobile crashes jumped even more — by 50%, they reported in the journal Injury Prevention.  The numbers are no doubt correct as far as they go but the lack of analysis of accidents in the context of the counters leaves big questions. Is it motorists jumping the light or pedestrians trying to run across the street with one or two seconds left on the counter?  Or something else? In San Francisco the traffic light wonks speculated that maybe it was because Toronto lights permit the yellow signal to light up before the countdown is finished. But hang on, that certainly isn’t the case at Bayview Ave and Moore ave. At that local intersection the countdown ends at “0” before the yellow light flashes on. The startling contradiction between other cities and Toronto hangs there like its own flashing yellow light. There are so many question: Do all intersections show similar results? Are the counter programs exactly the same? Looks like we need a Canada-wide, or North American wide study, before we start messing around with these counters.

Eric  Limeback (left)

At this hour (10.50 ET) Eric Limeback continues to solve Rubiks’ Cubes after having broken the 24-hour record of 4786 as authenticated by Guinness Records for such feats. He is in the cafeteria of Laurier University with his Cube Club buddies having broken the record with  a startling 5040 solves in a 24-hour period. His dad, Leaside’s Rudy Limeback, says that Eric is tired but forging on, apparently determined to set a record that will be hard for anyone to beat. His father says Eric started out with a solve every 14 seconds but has slowed down a bit. His proud father says he is “well chuffed” by the accomplishments of his fourth child. 

The habit of frivolous spending is so deeply set in the culture of the Ontario government that it beggars the imagination how it might ever be dug out and eliminated. Earlier this week the Premier herself was denouncing the head of the Pan American Games for carelessly charging a cup of coffee to his expense account. No kidding. Today it’s revealed that the Tourism and Sports Ministry has given half a million dollars to Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment to help stage the 2016 NBA All-Star Game. This reckless giveaway makes people gag. The enormously privileged and wealthy MLSE taking $500,000 from a province that hardly knows where the next nickel is coming from is grotesque. The sense of entitlement that the never-ending stream of tax dollars has created in government is an insult — and no small threat — to democracy itself. The bureaucrats figure the government will never go broke. It may chase you into the poor house but it will get what you’ve got before you slam the door. Can anyone see what the voters want above everything? The City of Toronto endures living with a mayor who is uncultured, inarticulate  and hopelessly confused about many things. But Mr. Ford’s popularity defies his behavior because he is trusted by hundreds of thousands of people to be careful with their money.  

It’s been a while but Leaside High School alumni who remember may want to spend a minute or two (or more) in front of the television tonight at 8.30 when Will Arnett’s new sitcom The Millers debuts. Arnett is still young-looking enough to play a Miller offspring to his TV father (Beau Bridges) and mother (Margo Martindale). Actually, the former LHS and Sunnybrook Plaza habitue was born in May 1970, so they’re pushing it. 

Ray White, Chair of the Leaside Memorial Community Gardens Board of Management, speaks about the new ice pad and the excitement of the official opening this Sunday, October 6, 2013

An expert panel has concluded the girders used in building Windsor’s Herb Gray Parkway are unsafe. The Independent Expert Review was convened over the summer, after concerns were raised that the support beams used in the $1.4-billion parkway project were not manufactured to code. Their conclusions were made public Wednesday. “With various violations in the design and construction requirements and the uncertainties in the construction of these girders, the IER can not unequivocally opine that the girders are safe and durable,” said the report. “In fact, there is evidence that safety and durability of the girders have been compromised.”   Independent Expert Review

There was considerable drama at the corner of Moore Ave. and Bayview Ave Wednesday night  as a man had climbed onto a ledge outside the balcony railing on the sixth floor of the building on the southwest corner. This all occurred beginning sometime around  9 p.m. and as witnesses report continued on for more than two hours. It had a peaceful resolution however by all indications. Traffic on Moore and Bayview was stopped for quite a  period of time. Photo: rudy.ca