Who doesn’t love a bargain?
I have a membership to the Vancouver Aquarium. Membership pays for itself within two visits. The Aquarium sweetens the pot by adding special features. My membership let me take advantage of a free ticket. That’s about a $50 value.
Dana and I had been talking about getting together for more than a year. I hadn’t met her growing tribe of grandchildren so it was decided that we’d turn this into a family expedition. Dana, her husband, Bruce; their pregnant daughter Rebecca, her son, Dawson; and daughter Christy’s almost two and a half year-old, Annabelle. The adult to child ratio was ideal; two grown ups per child. The toddlers would get in free, Dana and Bruce would get the seniors’ discount and Rebecca would get the free ticket. Weren’t we clever?
Weren’t we clever?
We both parked in the sprawling parking lot that swirls around the Aquarium and met – strollers and diaper bags – at the giant sculpture of the orca outside the entrance to the Aquarium.
The day unfolded as it should. The kids loved the Aquarium. We loved watching them love it.
We’d paid for sufficient parking so we decided to have lunch at the restaurant in the Aquarium. During lunch, our timers went off notifying us that our parking meters were about to expire so we both topped up our meters. Payment was accepted.
Photo by Jane Macdougall
Going anywhere with kids is like launching a ship. You have to factor in complicated trips to the bathroom, a thorough inspection of the surroundings for soothers, single mittens or an errant Paw Patrol toy.
We weren’t worried. We had extended our parking.
We weren’t worried.
We had extended our parking.
Let me tell you a little about Dana. Dana used to be the General Manager of the downtown Vancouver Hudson’s Bay store. She then went on to manage Holt Renfrew. Even in retirement, she lives and breathes customer service. Dana is efficient. She is punctual. She is clear. She is compliant. How it is that we’re friends escapes me to this day.
As our caravan made its way into the parking lot, we were alarmed that a parking attendant was writing a ticket for Dana’s car. Rebecca produced her phone showing that she had extended their parking. The man took note. He then tried to reach the office to advise them that there appeared to be a system problem but he couldn’t get through. The conversation went something like this: “I can see you’ve extended your parking. I don’t want to hold you up so, go ahead, and I’ll deal with this. It’s obvious we have a glitch in the system”. The man took a photo of Rebecca’s proof of purchase. The entire event was aimable and courteous. A mistake had been made and it would be rectified.
A mistake had been made and it would be rectified.
A few weeks later, Dana got a letter from EasyPark. Inside was a ticket for $117.
There’s an online dispute process but it wouldn’t recognize Dana’s licence plate number so Dana resorted to calling EasyPark. She spoke to someone named Austin. Austin said there was no photo on the file and that the attendant should have called the office. She explained that their employee had no luck calling the office. The fellow then explained that the attendant didn’t work for EasyPark but for a contractor they hired. Dana explained that, regardless, the attendant represented EasyPark.
The conversation went round and round.
Dana asked to speak with a manager. Testily, Austin told her they don’t transfer calls to managers. It became clear to Dana that Austin’s next job posting wouldn’t be with the diplomatic corp. Dana then asked for the manager’s email address. She’s still waiting on that email address.
Eventually, Austin just hung up on Dana.
Photo by Jane Macdougall
Life is short. You pick your battles. Dana paid the ticket. So, she not only paid for parking in Stanley Park, she also paid a $117 penalty for EasyPark’s inefficiency.
So much for a free ticket to the Aquarium.
This week’s question for readers:
WOULD YOU HAVE PAID THIS TICKET?
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LET’S HEAR ABOUT YOUR POSITIVE RUN-INS WITH THE LAW?
The Province of BC has one of the earliest and most progressive de-escalation training programs for police. In fact, the BC Crisis Intervention De-escalation Course (BC CID) course has been sought after by many jurisdictions across Canada, and elsewhere. I believe what Margaret observed that day at the hospital were the results of professional training that is provided to all police, municipal and RCMP, in the province.
I retired from policing in 2019 but have been involved with the BC CID course as a learner, contributor to training development and maintenance, and instructor since 2012.
Thank you for publishing this story highlighting a balanced perspective of the realities of policing.
Mike Massine
Many years ago my wife and two young children were on our way to a relative’s place in Los Angeles and lost our way. We pulled over to the side of the freeway in what turned out to be a no stopping zone. Within a few minutes flashing lights appeared and a highway patrol officer tapped at our window. He asked the usual questions but instead of giving us a ticket, he said follow me and took us to our destination.
Len Damberger
A few years ago, while driving around the city, we were pulled over by a policeman who politely requested our car registration. This was quickly and apprehensively produced. He then asked if there might be a little sticker in our glove compartment. We were now aware that we had been driving for a month without applying the current year’s mandatory sticker to our licence plate. His final friendly comment was that he would be happy to install it for us – which he did – and sent us on our way. A ticket for the offence was never mentioned.
Margaret Elvidge
Four friends and I, first year students at the University of Toronto, were on a scavenger hunt as an initiation into the men’s dormitory. A police officer asked us to go to the station to be in a lineup and then stayed with us in the room. A second officer brought in the suspect and also stayed in the room to protect the suspect’s anonymity. A third officer brought in a woman who picked out one of my friends as most resembling her assailant. The suspect was released and my friend asked to account for his actions before we were driven back to continue our hunt. Police officers were professional and courteous.
John Clement
My son joined the VPD at age 21 and gave them 33 years of hard work and loyalty. He had many many unpleasant experiences mixed with good. I admired his ability to keep his cool, always trying to be respectful, but firm, on the few times we witnessed him at his work. There are always a few bad apples in every profession but, on the whole, we can all be thankful to have our VPD. It was a wonderful career for our son, with continued education and training offered along the way. Chief Adam Palmer spoke highly of our son’s dedicated service and was sorry to lose an officer of his character and abilities.
I know the police are sometimes not highly regarded but, no matter what, they do their job and continue to try to protect us by enforcing the law. This is in spite of often being spat-on, name-called, and even injured. My husband and I couldn’t be more proud of our son and we extend that respect and gratefulness to all first responders. Where would we be without them?
Caroline Duncan
Just wanted to pass a note of appreciation and thanks for your story about the nobility in policing. It’s so easy to write something critical of the police and takes more understanding and compassion to observe the acts of kindness that occur. They are far greater in frequency than they might seem.
Keith Hammond
I used to live in Niagara-on-the-Lake and work in Toronto. This meant a very early start for my commute: drive to Burlington, park the car, catch the GO train, then the subway to work. It usually took me three hours total.
On my last official day before retirement, I realized I’d have to step on the gas to reach Burlington in time for the train. All was quiet at 6am so I took the back roads through the vineyards and orchards to reach the highway. Suddenly, I see flashing lights in the mirror, and I’m waved over. I rolled down the window, flustered, as the officer asked me if I knew I was doing 95 in a 50 limit zone. “I’m sorry!”, I blurted out. “It’s my last day of work in Toronto before I retire and I didn’t want to miss the GO train!” “Well, he said, at that speed you’ll get demerit points on your licence, but since it’s clean I’ll lower the speed you were doing, but I’ll still have to give you a ticket.” I gushed my thanks, and, as he handed me the ticket, he said “Drive safely .. and happy retirement!” And off he went.
Madeleine Lefebvre
Positive run in with law?
I got a fine one time in which I paid for a ticket I got because I didn’t have my insurance papers in the glove box. To be succinct, I was insured, just the proof was at home and there was not anything wrong with my plates, either. The officer pulled me over because it was late at night and he wondered what I was doing driving at night with temporary insurance on my back window in a car filled with passengers. According to him, he was within the realm of his job duties to become suspicious of a car at night with temporary insurance. Had he not become suspicious of the date on the back – not expired – he never should have pulled me over.
Max Stelmacker