Weekend Granville Street a Zoo..Good Luck Getting a Cab!

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Zoolander! 

I've finally managed to venture into Vancouver's now called "entertainment district", (which is basically same old Granville Street with a face lift) to see what all the hype was about. And it might be fair to say the hype is about the hype.

I love the majority of restaurants and the fact that there are actually people on the streets after midnight in Vancouver and there was plenty of opportunity to people watch (as after 3:00am everything goes a little wacky even if it's on the edge of Yaletown) However, the most entertaining thing about the "entertainment district" was the plethora of drunk people yelling at police officers in big, black SUV's, who were allegedly trying to film crimes in action -- people fighting and yelling too much.

After researching why this was happening -- it was really confusing to see a bunch of police doing this -- I learned according to a Globe and Mail article that the police are calling to install video cameras along Granville (which is about a good 4 blocks of fun). Apparently they're using footage to document (a friend tells me) their experiences. It was very amusing to see unmarked police vehicles down Granville --almost like in Cops -- with video cameras in the back filming everything. I didn't have my camera, but I'm sure someone snapped a picture. Lots of lights, sirens and more unmarked cars later, the official procession would block sections of the street, turn on the sirens and head to a new section of Granville to film. Yes, the streets were chaotic and almost everyone is wasted beyond wasted-ness, as now they can guzzle until 4am instead of 2am. But that is the issue. The alcohol. Is there maybe to much boozing for too long?

By the way, according to an article in the 24, this is the third time the VPD has proposed to have cameras installed in the streets, one of the unsuccessful attempts was in 2002, when 16 cameras were proposed to be installed in the Downtown Eastside.

 
Cabs Suck!

Another interesting nugget of information I learned last night about partying in the "party district" was that certain cab drivers from certain cab companies (it could have been a coincidence) won't pick you up and drive you home if they feel you live too far -- or actually if they just don't feel like it. A disappointing fact to learn. 3 cab drivers from different cab companies refused to drive me home after I told them where I wanted to go was not in the West End, but across the Lionsgate Bridge. Granted.. it was late and I've heard that they can refuse service to anyone.

But is it not their job to drive people where they need to go? And clearly, as my cabby informed me, some of them just "feel they can make more money staying downtown and focusing on the late night party-fare that need to go to downtown locations." Maybe next time, instead of waiting a half-an-hour in the cold rain for a taxi-ride home, I should take the advice of a nice stranger who suggested I do what she does and just "tell them that you live in the West End, and then pretend to change your mind as you get closer to the bridge." Really comical and sad, but I might have to take-her up on her advice.