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Buses(Johnson and Douglas)
Message Board > Controversy and Quarantine > Buses(Johnson and Douglas)
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MindlessMikeyJay
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Did you know that Bus drivers are refusing to stop in front of "Our Place" to do their driver change over. Saying its too dangerous to do so. I was on the 28 Majestic and we ended up stopping On Douglas St just before we made it around the corner onto Johnson. The Driver wouldn't go around the corner. We ended up waiting 15 minutes until the other driver arrived. She said that it was way too bad to go there. I can see why though. Theres atleast 20-30 crackheads and homeless people running around there contantly. Was there some kind of assault that happened recently there? Theres a few businesses that seem to have shut down around there too. There all gone up to that bridal shop. - Sat, 5 Jan 2008 9:02am Edited: Sat, 5 Jan 2008 9:02am
Andrew
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gotta love those crackheads. - Sat, 5 Jan 2008 1:30pm
Mr. Hell
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Oh, but the drug addicted and homeless have rights too. They deserve to have a place downtown to go and loiter and freak out even if it means the rest of us are uncomfortable and threatened and even attacked. Fuck the rights of the general public. Why should we be allowed to park our cars in a parkade and not have to worry about the window getting smashed out for 17 cents sitting on the floor?
Who gives a flying fuck about businesses that were there long before Our Place was that have had to close down, right? They shouldn't have opened a store. They were asking for it, knowing full well that one day whacked out bums would inevitably be running amok up and down Johnson St.
My question is, why aren't the tasers being used for appropriate situations...like downtown on a regular basis.
Can you imagine the constant hell those 7-11 employees on Douglas and Johnson must go through? - Sat, 5 Jan 2008 2:36pm Edited: Sat, 5 Jan 2008 2:39pm
Mutilashawn
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I think that is a bit ridiculous. I agree that the Douglas/Johnson/Yates area is turning into a bit of a cesspool, but there is little danger that I know of at that bus stop. I take a bus from there on a daily basis, and have been for years. Seems paranoid to me. - Sat, 5 Jan 2008 3:03pm
MindlessMikeyJay
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I've been taking the buses from there for years too, i never really had a problem either other than a crackhead yelling at me because i never gave him money. That is why i asked if there was some kind of assault that happened there to make the bus drivers not want to do their change over there. Because from what the Transit Supervisor said that the stop on douglas is going to be the temporary driver exchange point until things change.

I remember when Yates and Douglas was bad for Crackhead at one time but it seems to have really cleaned up. I mean i am not there at 10pm at night all the time so i dont really know. But from i have seen at night when i am down there it isnt bad. - Sat, 5 Jan 2008 3:21pm
Endeløs
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"I think that is a bit ridiculous. I agree that the Douglas/Johnson/Yates area is turning into a bit of a cesspool, but there is little danger that I know of at that bus stop. I take a bus from there on a daily basis, and have been for years. Seems paranoid to me."

Thus spaketh Victoria's A1 death metal hippy. Lend a helping hand, down with racism, can't we all just get along, waaaaar?!?!

Fuck the homeless, they are destroying downtown, they are there of their own accord and they should be swept out to sea like the rest of Victoria's sewage. - Sat, 5 Jan 2008 8:15pm
beazlbub
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its funny how ppl are willing to tolerate their drunken alcoholic friends who turn into complete assholes when drunk or do varius drugs on a regular basis and act like retards ,or go out and beat on someone because they looked at em funny ..but its ok because they are your friends lol ppl need to wake up and smell the coffee i mean we all have our addictions be it cigaretts,booze,drugs,sex,porn,coffee,music,and varius other addictions we all suffer from some form of it, its just that we are lucky enough to have support from our familys and friends ,most of these street ppl dont have that kind of support,and alot of them suffer from mental illness and other problems because of their habits i have some close friends that have some pretty nasty habits that freak me out because im afraid they may kill themselves or someone else because of it but i refuse to kick em when they are down instead i do my best to show support and try to help as best i can . just remember that person who you ignore or kick who is sleeping in an allyway could be your friend or someone you know . - Sun, 6 Jan 2008 3:46am
tom
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more and more the feeling is that when walking around town, especially the small area bordered by Johnson/Blanshard/Fort/Government sreets, is that EVERYONE'S fucked up on something. Is that a result of folks simply avoiding the area and it being overrun by the fucked-up? not sure. Do I empathize with the lady yelling/praying/crying to her self at Pandora/Vancouver streets? Yes, I do. Has she ever asked for change or cigarettes? No, actually. Do I empathize with the teeth'n'jaw grinding, self-absorbed, it's-the-man's-fault cunt that's telling me to give him change? Fuck no. - Sun, 6 Jan 2008 7:51am
Spinvis
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Well I sure as hell wouldnt feel comfortable with my little siblings standing at that bus stop.. whether people say

"but there is little danger that I know of at that bus stop."

The bus drivers go there every day... I am sure there is much more that goes on than we know, especially if you only stand there for a short period of time to take the bus.

So sick of their loitering. - Sun, 6 Jan 2008 11:03am
trevor corey
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Yeah, they're so icky. Someone should run over them all with a car..........oh, wait.

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-columbia/story/2007/12/24/bc-crash.html - Sun, 6 Jan 2008 2:21pm Edited: Sun, 6 Jan 2008 2:24pm
ROSS B AY
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I think crack is relatively inexpensive, considering that you don't eat for a week at a time. - Sun, 6 Jan 2008 2:30pm
KimberleyKaos
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BAWHAHAHAhahahaha.... - Tue, 8 Jan 2008 12:25am
Mutilashawn
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"Thus spaketh Victoria's A1 death metal hippy. Lend a helping hand, down with racism, can't we all just get along, waaaaar?!?!"

how in anyway was what I said pro-homeless or of any "pc" nature, goof ball? if we have to wait at that bus stop at all hours of the day, then it wont kill the bus drivers to do the same. - Tue, 8 Jan 2008 12:56am
bbjones
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http://www.sanpatrignano.org

Or...

http://www.theofficialjohncarpenter.com/pages/themovies/ny/ny.html

Pick one... - Tue, 8 Jan 2008 9:05am
Amber-dawn
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The area doesn't bother me, but then I used to live in East Van. In all the time I lived there I've seen a guy jump off the Burrard bridge, been robbed at needlepoint and had someone whip out their wang at me. I'll walk up Johnson st. Remember-this sounds mean but-if you feel threatened junkies have brittle bones and it probably wouldn't be hard to take one down if you had to. I'm against violence though. - Wed, 9 Jan 2008 12:04pm
The Coug
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Fuck the homeless, they are destroying downtown, they are there of their own accord and they should be swept out to sea like the rest of Victoria's sewage.

Cool so what was it like voting for the Canadian Alliance? Want to protest abortion centers too? - Thu, 10 Jan 2008 1:50pm
Andrew
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abortion is disgusting. - Thu, 10 Jan 2008 4:48pm
Andrew
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and if anyone argues im going to post some pictures from my gr11 school project - Thu, 10 Jan 2008 4:51pm Edited: Thu, 10 Jan 2008 4:59pm
Swingin' Joe
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Hey, it happens. - Thu, 10 Jan 2008 6:40pm
Mr. Hell
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Abortion is helpful to some. - Thu, 7 Feb 2008 4:55pm
Chopper
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I doubt anyone will argue that the actual outcome of an abortion is disgusting. But it's not really anyones place to tell any woman that they can't have one. Not to mention there are other natural ways to cause a miscarriage if someone really wants to be rid of a fetus. - Thu, 7 Feb 2008 4:59pm
Jl
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I hear coat-hangers are hard to come by these days in certain areas. I got a store full of 'em! (does this make me a clinic now?)


/i know, very tasteless... but i couldn't resist. - Fri, 8 Feb 2008 5:03pm
trevor corey
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This thread used to be about BUS STOPS ! - Fri, 8 Feb 2008 10:11pm
dumpstermesh
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Ya, that got ugly fast. - Sun, 10 Feb 2008 9:32pm
Bounce
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Ok, would you ever eat a hotdog from that 7 Eleven? Ewe I can only imagine how many dirty crack hands reached into the relish for their midnight meal...lol...fuck I hate downtown. Its so sick now.we should just start tranquilizing them and dropping them off in the middle of the Sooke Hills. It could be a fun experiment. See how long it takes them to get back downtown! - Tue, 8 Apr 2008 3:04pm
ROSS B AY
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3 minutes. - Tue, 8 Apr 2008 3:14pm
grimlord
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They can fly you know,meth heads can fly, oh and it is sad to see a junkie try and put his or her quarter in a pay phone doing the crack dance dropping the change on the ground over and over, sad .....I have a personal view on this as a family member has a problem with meth and or crack . people choose with what they do in life to be the way they are it is up to them to change no one can do it for them ,and some of these people do not want too . - Tue, 8 Apr 2008 4:03pm
Bounce
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I guess it is kind of mean to laugh at the crack dances, crazy arm and leg movements, much like the Seinfeld "Elaine" dance...but I think most of us have to deal with someone close to us with an addiction of some sort... I know how it feels to watch someone you love constantly choosing a substance over you, loosing any compassion they ever had towards their family or anyone, loosing who they are and everything around them after constant failed attempts to make them see what's going on, while they were still someone normal. Yes it's sad, however, it is after all still a choice THEY made. I am slowly learning that there is nothing any third party can do to stop ones self-destructive behavior... and giving up. So although I sympathize with family members Never Ever will I feel sorry for the addict themselves, they are the most selfish, bastards, everything has to be about them and their "problem".They make me nervous for my children having to exchange busses downtown, and cause so many problems… okay I vented! whew - Thu, 10 Apr 2008 12:23pm
Jl
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just give them free ferry tickets to the mainland ;) kinda like how they(most of them at least) got here in the first place :@ - Thu, 10 Apr 2008 2:16pm
Zedius
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I've never had a problem with homeless people or junkies. Sure, they are sad to look at but they are way less threatening than the average hyped up drunken frat boy fucks who fall around the streets on the weekends looking for pussy. All I can hear from them is screaming and potential altercations and bullshit, while all I get from the junkies is, at worst, someone weird almost bumping into me.

Unless something actually happened there, I think the bus drivers are silly. However, I can understand the businesses' anger because their clientelle isn't necessarily understanding.

As far as civilians go, I think we just need to relax and feel less offended by them. If you don't want to give them change, say so, or say nothing -it's you're right. I've never been bitched at.

Also, greenpeace is way more annoying. - Wed, 16 Apr 2008 3:25pm
Haden
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Sure. Unless something happens, keep the buses there. Then something happens and people ask why the buses were stopped there in the first place. It's called prevention. I worked across the street from the needle exchange and walked by many strung out individuals inbetween there and my bus stop on Yates (or Crack corner as I call it). Most days I was fine with it but every day, there would be people yelling at each other, acting unpredicitable, and threats of violence being shouted out. If you can predict the movements of an addict whacked out, congratulations, but I'm not a psychic. Having security during winter (sun sets before I was off work) walk me to my bus stop because there are junkies at every door of my job isn't ok.

Breathe and relax is fine and all, but there's a serious issue downtown. It's not the annoyance, it's the protecting oneself from potential dangers/hazards. - Tue, 22 Apr 2008 3:13pm
J. Peatman
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"See how long it takes them to get back downtown!"

Well, collecting empties in and around Sooke should be an easy job. Save up 2.25 and then wait for the 61. A day and a half? He he. Problem remains.

And I agree that it takes way more than "relaxing". Is it normal to have to sway out of your path to avoid the clusters of crackheads/panhandlers/drunken natives and street/goth punk kids everywhere? That strip between McDonalds and Blenz Coffee is infested with loitering characters that do nothing but befoul the pavement and grime up the environment. It's fucking disgusting to walk those few blocks usually, trying to avoid the puddles of spit and phlegm that some useless whigger or green-haired 17 year old "street rebel" chick just hawked up onto the sidewalk, if it's not the usual homeless types up to nothing good.

And that's just that side of Douglas. Parts of downtown are not much better than a cess pool in Rwanda. I will try to avoid said areas when my parents come to visit because it's simply an embarassment. Does it really require something bad to happen before steps are being taken to clean things up? I think a simple poll inquiring about peoples feelings about downtown's atmosphere and safety might be a good idea. - Tue, 22 Apr 2008 6:21pm
Aidan Logins
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" think a simple poll inquiring about peoples feelings about downtown's atmosphere and safety might be a good idea."

The RCMP did that about a year ago... tried to find it on the net but I can't. But I remember the results were something like this: Almost everyone thought Victoria was pleasant during the day and felt safe and nice. After 8:00 about a quarter of the ppl said they wouldn't go downtown alone. and after 10:00 only a small amount of ppl would dare to leave their homes, even with other people. It was a pretty comprehensive poll, and that was the basic trend of it. But damn I wish I could find it. - Wed, 23 Apr 2008 10:12am
Zedius
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"I will try to avoid said areas when my parents come to visit because it's simply an embarassment."

How long have you lived here and where did you move from?

"A cesspool in Rwanda"

Are you kidding?

Yes, it's normal to have to sway out of your path for people. I do it all the time for tourists, yuppies, large groups of school children, wiggers, punks, and homeless people.

I'm not saying crackheads are pleasant, but they're not doing anything illegal by being downtown. We can't just assume they are all spitting big gobs of phlegm outside the mac's. A huge diverse selection of ugly people are spitting gobs of phlegm outside the mac's.

Not saying that loitering isn't a problem or anything. It's just not a scary problem. - Wed, 23 Apr 2008 10:50am
JDL
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YOU might not find it a problem because of your stature or confidence while walking down the street. I've never had ANY problems with any addicts; BUT, I can certainly see how and why people are perturbed by someone sniffing the sidewalk in hopes of catching one last particle of crack or by crakkies yelling and intimidating those that aren't confident enough to stand up for themselves. We're not all willing to go as far as fisticuffs with them and THAT's who we need to address the problem for. You might not think its scary, but try being an elderly lady simply waiting for a bus and being acosted by crackheads for spare anything, let alone change. - Wed, 23 Apr 2008 3:26pm
Zedius
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Ok, to be honest I am really tall. And I'm a male, and some people find me intimidating. I understand that I probably don't get the best perspective of how an old lady feels. I still don't think that there's a substantial danger. I've never seen crackheads acosting old ladies ever. I may be wrong, but from my (possibly limited) perspective I think people just get scared and anticipate things like crackheads attacking people.

I never worked across from our place, and I never had switch shifts with somebody at that bus stop so maybe I'm missing something.

Anyway, I don't think EVERYONE should relax, I just think that the average joe COULD relax without getting stabbed by a needle. I think a lot of the fear is out of hand, because I haven't seen or heard of anyone getting assaulted by a junkie, except people trying to buy drugs or one security gaurd in a parkade (those guys probably see some shit).

Of course, there is a problem that has to be dealt with by professionals in the government. - Wed, 23 Apr 2008 4:32pm Edited: Wed, 23 Apr 2008 4:34pm
JDL
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yeah, im pretty relaxed around anyone... But understandably there are people that cant and wont relax around such environments like the 'our place' bus stop issue. There has been fights, between crackheads that hadnt spilled over to common folk, that i've seen(mind u not specifically AT the front of "our place") and would've at least tried to split up if it weren't diseased ridden addicts fighting each other(and at least i didn't film it to post on the net in amidst making profits on said videos). All I do now is shake my head and walk on... or WALK-HARD. And as for people generating some sort of stigma related to crackheads and attacks; while it may be far fetched for someone that can protect themselves, it can be scary for some to be confronted by someone aggressively begging for change.
I have absolutely no solution for the matter; but I can certainly see that there is a problem that needs to be remedied!(said it once and i'll say it again, ship'em over to d'arcy island.. i believe that used to be a former leper colony) - Wed, 23 Apr 2008 4:52pm
Haden
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No. Not doing anything illegal by being downtown. I'm not saying that at all. Nor do I think that the needle exchange is wholey a bad thing. I think the implementation of the programs in place for these people are in good faith, but done in a way that is half assed and is not in the best interest of ALL parties....that being the addict, the by-stander, or the general public.

There is a bigger issue than a bus not wanting to wait at a corner for safety. I was talking to a friend tonight about this and she said that she was taken onto a bus one day by a driver to the next stop for "her safety". That to me says that there is something bigger than has happened or is happening and the blind eyes that keep on being turned need to be opened. Not just for the safety of the general public, but also for the people who need the support and programs.

The buses not stopping there is a symptom of a bigger problem. - Wed, 23 Apr 2008 11:10pm
BBJones
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There is no "blind eye" turning going on.

Almost every organization and every level of local government is activley working together in various ways to solve these issues.

They are important. They know it. They are working on it.

Is it being fixed fast enough? Of course not. They waited too long to start working on the problem.

But, it is being worked on and things are being done.

It will take time unfortunately and we will all have to suffer until things are back in shape.

That is just the way it goes sometimes. - Thu, 24 Apr 2008 8:19am Edited: Thu, 24 Apr 2008 8:20am
Bounce
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I think I'm just going to carry Bear Spray, sure I wish I had it when I was accosted by a crack whore last year, she got pretty close to my face, if she wasn't oozing meth I would have laid her the fuck out... - Thu, 24 Apr 2008 12:23pm
grimlord
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The st.John Ambulance is moveing out of there new building thay put up a few years ago to go to the gorge rood hospital. I know it is not on the same street but it is just as bad there too .I was there at the St.John Ambulance for a refresher coirs in industrial first ad and just to get to the door I had to say i dont smoke to about 4 people and almost puk at the sight of a girl in pink steleto boots and a mini skirt that did not cover her ass, skinny as fuck with scabs all over her face and legs. This is starting to look like Vancouver and i gess thet Van is trying to get them out of there town so thay come here.If there was a poll dun a year ago then it is out of date ,it is in the last year that this has realy gotten out of control. And if thay are diong something about it it seems like thay are waiting for them to move on or die .It is hard to look at and I never thought thet Victoria would let it get to this poin{remember Macbouncers}.For me and I am sure there is someone out there that thinks alike we would like to help fix this but some people look to far gone to help, it is in us to try and care but it is easyer not to . The fact is that if we all wounted this to go away we cant do nothing it is up to the one with the problem to fix them selves all we can do is suport them in there decisions(good ones that is) so unfotunitly we all have to live with it or do what Japan does ,if you are an addict thay put you in a rehab jail till you are clean ,no programs to help you try and get off the shit or no government workers givein you needles and a place to shoot up no people on the street harassing you for change so thay can get there fix, we should be like the Japaness. - Thu, 24 Apr 2008 2:06pm
J. Peatman
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"How long have you lived here and where did you move from?"

Five years to the day yesterday. Moved here from the Netherlands. And things look much worse than they did in 03.

" "A cesspool in Rwanda"

Are you kidding?"

Just exaggerating a bit with some vivid imagery.

"Yes, it's normal to have to sway out of your path for people. I do it all the time for tourists, yuppies, large groups of school children, wiggers, punks, and homeless people. "

Ofcourse, but these are characters who stand in the middle of the sidewalk where most of the pedestrian traffic takes place. If they would move over 3 feet to where there's plenty of room, it wouldn't be an issue. A matter of common sense and courtesy, in which some people are clearly not educated enough.

"I'm not saying crackheads are pleasant, but they're not doing anything illegal by being downtown. We can't just assume they are all spitting big gobs of phlegm outside the mac's. A huge diverse selection of ugly people are spitting gobs of phlegm outside the mac's.

Not saying that loitering isn't a problem or anything. It's just not a scary problem."

It doesn't frighten me in any way, though I would not enjoy a confrontation with a crazed beneedled addict. The whole situation annoys me, sometimes to the point of offense. Might be a personal thing, but at the same time I don't think I have a lower threshold for undesirable public display than most people.

Yeah, there's nothing illegal about it. I wish it didn't have to come to someone, or persons, breaking the law before action is being taken. Undemocratic? Well too bad. - Thu, 24 Apr 2008 2:56pm Edited: Thu, 24 Apr 2008 3:00pm
Jesspycho
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To the guy that thinks crackheads dont harrass anyone but each other...... You are very naive! Do you ever go downtown? Seems everytime I go downtown I see crackheads harrasing people. Just a few weeks ago I witnessed a crackhead randomly walk up to some totally normal and unaware girl in a bustop and punch her in the head a few times. Then he walked about half a block and did some junky dance. The cops came and surrounded him and it took about 4 of them to hold him down. Those junkies are totally dangerous and ticking time bombs! And I am definately not a fraidy cat. I remember one time I was parked in front of the 99 cent pizza place waiting for my buddy to bring us pizza and some junky came up to my car trying to sell me a bike tire. I said no. He kept trying to talk me into it and I told him to please get away from my car. He kept at it until my buddy came out and yelled at him.
I could go on for hours about how unpredictable these folks are but I am too tired right now. - Thu, 24 Apr 2008 4:43pm
Jl
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http://www.defensetech.org/archives/004143.html

heres a solution for the bum problem ;) - Fri, 25 Apr 2008 3:07pm
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