Officer tickets TTC streetcar operator for blocking Toronto intersection during rush hour
Posted November 10, 2023 1:31 pm.
Last Updated November 10, 2023 3:07 pm.
Toronto police say while they stand behind an officer’s decision to ticket a TTC streetcar operator for blocking an intersection during rush hour, traffic congestion should have been considered.
A Toronto Redditor garnered attention for a post shared on the platform Wednesday describing a chaotic scene in the King Street and York Street area of the city’s Financial District.
The post alleges that a Toronto police officer ticketed the TTC streetcar operator for blocking the busy intersection, causing over a dozen other streetcars to be held up as a result.
“If you’re familiar with this stretch during rush hour, it’s almost impossible for the streetcar to move because single-occupancy cars keep turning into the very short intersections,” the Redditor and original poster wrote.
It’s alleged that the officer was aggressive toward another TTC streetcar operator who asked him why the intersection was blocked. CityNews could not independently confirm that.
The post generated significant attention and comments, including from one Redditor, who claimed they had to walk home in the rain due to the halted TTC streetcar.
“What a joke. I was standing with 40-plus people at the streetcar stop, and the silent collective misery was overwhelming,” they wrote.
A Toronto police spokesperson tells CityNews its officer had grounds for issuing the now-controversial ticket.
“The officer issued a ticket to the streetcar for stopping mid-intersection and blocking southbound traffic,” the spokesperson wrote in an email. “While the officer was justified in laying the ticket, we recognize rush hour traffic could have been considered in this case.”
CityNews has reached out to the TTC for comment.
The current fine for “blocking the box” — or blocking an intersection in Toronto — is $85, but the city wants to see that bumped up to $450.
The city wants to increase the fine from $125 to $500 if someone gets caught “blocking the box” in a community safety zone.
