Comments on: Projet Montréal’s snow-removal plan

By: 18xZoom

18xZoom — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 02:33:24 +0000

This is a fantastic idea that is a step in the right direction. Snow removal is not an environmentally sustainable activity, nor is driving. This policy is a double-help!
Then all those that can't drive will have to take city transit (which is helps to financially support our public-people-movers AND saving money for those who can't/won't move their car).

win win win.
Go Projet Montréal!

sincerely,
A hipster.

By: wkh

wkh — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 06:14:16 +0000

this idea completely sucks. I'm gonna lead the group lighting cars on fire if this goes through. Just watch me. Sucktastic idea. How will the bicyclists get around to be able to cut cars off and drive the wrong way down St. Laurent?!

By: Des

Des — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 22:44:53 +0000

How often does it snow enough to require clearing on Friday-Sunday throughout the winter? If it snows on Friday, yes, it'll be a long weekend of difficult parking, but otherwise, it's a delay of only a day or two. This hardly seems like a life-changing decision. If I ran communications for the Plateau or for Montréal, I'd take a page from the ski resorts' web sites and celebrate the snow - what's the 24h total? What's the base on Mont-Royal? What's the total for the year-to-date? Are we talking powder, tracked powder, 'hard-packed' powder? Did it rain to the top? Which lifts/transit routes are open? What's been groomed/cleared? Provide links to winter activities provided by the borough/city and others. Make it interesting, treat it like something to celebrate, while acknowledging that it is an inconvenience for many. That said, it seems like it must be possible to get the information out there in a more positive way.

By: Becks

Becks — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 18:52:37 +0000

I'll happily drive one of those sidewalk tanks on the weekend to keep the sidewalks clear...for free :o))

By: MM

MM — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 15:56:46 +0000

I knda think the plateau residents deserve it. They're always first to go for the nutty ideas. But in the Ahuntsic/Cartierville area this is really bad. Plenty of houses in the area with cars. This will lead to trouble. Even walking some of those streets will be a problem for the elderly. Making people prisoners in their own homes will make Projet Mntreal look like a bunch of assholes.

By: Fagstein

Fagstein — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 09:00:36 +0000

I don't think even Projet Montréal would seriously believe that their plan will eliminate overtime. But we'll see.

By: Jim J.

Jim J. — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 02:47:05 +0000

Point conceded. Some employees want to work lots of overtime, some don't want any overtime. When you tell them that they can't have ANY overtime, though, that tends to make the union unhappy, like poking a hornets' nest. Since I'm beginning from the assumption that Saturdays & Sundays is pretty much guaranteed overtime for those who choose to take it, then you're taking away that overtime opportunity. My assumption may be incorrect, although I expect it isn't.

By: Fagstein

Fagstein — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 02:14:10 +0000

Honestly, as someone who currently belongs to a union that has overtime rules in its contract, there are some people who will take overtime as much as they possibly can to earn more money, but it still means sacrificing a lot of inconvenience. Overtime means exactly that - working a longer day or week than normal. A lot of people aren't crazy about doing that because they like to have a life.

By: Maria Gatti

Maria Gatti — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 02:01:34 +0000

I have never owned or driven a car, but I'm a bit concerned as a pedestrian. All that piled-up snow will mean horrible puddles and ice when it melts. I'm not young any more and am terrified of breaking something. I don't live on the Plateau, but have friends who do, and I frequently walk down there.

By: Caroline Lavergne

Caroline Lavergne — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 01:37:07 +0000

For more info on the snow issue, I also recommend reading (in French, sorry), the latest entry on Projet Montréal's Plateau team blog: http://projetmontreal-plateau.org/

And thanks for helping convince Luc Ferrandez to keep his blog open. I'm working on convincing all of Projet's elected officials to blog, including Richard Bergeron...

Caroline
Community Manager and Web Communications Officer
Projet Montréal

http://www.twitter.com/projetmontreal - official
http://www.twitter.com/lapinsec - personal

By: Jim J.

Jim J. — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 00:44:54 +0000

I'm not certain of the answer to your question; it's a toss-up. However, taking away the blue collars' overtime is certain to rile them up somewhat - they may call "provocative" or "upsetting labor peace" or some similar tired rhetoric. Typically, when you have overtime-eligible unions, and you deprive their membership the opportunity to earn overtime, they get a bit testy.

By: Karine

Karine — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 23:10:49 +0000

I'm with you on this. I am sceptical but at the same time, I'm willing to wait until I see this plan in action to make a final call.

By: Fagstein

Fagstein — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 22:57:46 +0000

Clearly union issues are the cause of all the overtime headaches, but is it because blue collar workers have a Monday to Friday schedule, or is it because their contract requires hefty premiums for working weekends?

By: Jim J.

Jim J. — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 22:52:18 +0000

Plus, why can't truck drivers be regularly scheduled to work on weekends?

I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that blue-collar union contracts may have something to do with this. Maybe I'm wrong, but I imagine this is a more-than-plausible explanation.

By: jean.naimard

jean.naimard — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 19:39:08 +0000

It would have been quite surprising that Plateau hipsters would not have been angered when their manhood substitute would have been attacked. After all, the emotions surrounding driving and it’s main implement (le bazou) are extremely primal.

In any case, the Plateau is making the best it can out of a bad situation (blue collars being paid double on week-ends) they have no responsibility for (it’s Montréal-central who negociated such a collective agreement).

Someone who drives a car on the Plateau deserves to be annoyed by uncleared streets.