whats happening to Calgary? - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

feartheflames · 02-01-2007, 10:33 PM

I'm a good old born and raised Calgarian girl and I take pride in the city and its people. I understand were expanding but there have been a few changes that are really disturbing...

heres my story, I was going to work and got off olympic plaza station to cross the street, there was homeless man attempting to cross the street as well ( obviously heading towards cups) he had a severly broken leg and came crashing down in the middle of the street, people walked right past him. I noticed the light was going to change and the guy would be stuck in the middle of heavy traffic. So I did my best to get him on his feet, but this guy was 6'2 at least and huge, I'm a rather small individual and wasn't making an progress ( and to make matters worse the homeless man was terrifed of me for some reason), I asked some guys to help me (they were approx 25-30 yrs of age), the scoffed and said "please, you gotta be kidding me there no way I'm touching that" and walked past, another jerk thought it was appropriate to hit on me, but again did nothing to assist me. people in their cars started honking there horns, impatient that we were holding up trafic, finally after about 10 minutes a police office came by and walked the guy to cups.

This is not the Calgary I remember, and it makes me very sad

Stranger · 02-01-2007, 10:55 PM

I think people in general are looking out for themselves more and more. It just seems to get worse and worse. Sad really. When were old what will it be like?

Jiggy_12 · 02-01-2007, 10:59 PM

Sadly, this isn't surprising.

But for a city of over a million we aren't too bad. I hear Toronto is much, much worse.

Vulcan · 02-01-2007, 11:06 PM

Sometimes I think cities should be limited to 1/2M or so. When I moved to Calgary in 76 it was about 400,000. Great city, great size.

Crazy Flamer · 02-01-2007, 11:07 PM

http://forum.calgarypuck.com/showthread.php?t=37147

This thread might cheer you up a little.

PsYcNeT · 02-01-2007, 11:28 PM

People just don't attempt to embrace the 'Big city, small town mentality' thing anymore. Though, if you live in other places, Calgary is still fairly backwoods.

And remember: There's always more ***holes when there's more money.

feartheflames · 02-01-2007, 11:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Crazy Flamer

http://forum.calgarypuck.com/showthread.php?t=37147

This thread might cheer you up a little.

That did cheer me up, thanks

Phanuthier · 02-02-2007, 01:32 AM

... and that's why I'm not sad I moved

C-Four · 02-02-2007, 02:00 AM

Or we can think that they aren't from Calgary at all

JohnnyB · 02-02-2007, 02:27 AM

I'll preface this with being nothing but personal opinion. Attack it if you want, it's just my feelings based upon having lived my life in the city and now making regular but spaced out returns. It's just what I feel is changing each time I come back.

I'm born and raised Calgarian too, and have always loved Calgary and had a strong feeling of affinity with Calgarian culture. On the other hand, I'm happy I'm not living there now. I think Calgary has long been a blue-collar city, one with plenty of jobs, but with the vast majority being lower end. Calgary is a working class city where most of the higher education lies in engineering and there is not a whole lot of culture supported by Calgarians.
The thing is that now everyone is making a tonne of money in Calgary, and many of the masses of people in lower end jobs that have populated Calgary, as well as those coming to Calgary in order to move up from those jobs, now have money and opportunities being planted in their laps just because of a booming economy and work shortages that are driving the job market wild.
Everyone in Calgary has money now, but those with culture are still few and far between. Many of those without culture are now becoming arrogant and self-interested because of money and opportunities that allow that behaviour for the first time in many peoples lives. There are a lot more small minded people that are in a financial position to have others listen to them now, and are acting like self-important jerks now that they've got it. It's too bad.

This probably sounds really really elitist, but it's how I feel each time I'm back recently.

kipperfan · 02-02-2007, 08:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jiggy_12

Sadly, this isn't surprising.

But for a city of over a million we aren't too bad. I hear Toronto is much, much worse.

It is.

Looger · 02-02-2007, 09:08 AM

i heard a story once that in tokyo, a guy collapsed and died right on the street, slumped against a wall beside a newstand or something and no one paid any mind for days.

there's also that tidbit urban legend (or true story, who knows) alluded to in 'collateral' that someone died on LA's metro rail and no one noticed right away.

as cities grow, people drift apart - maybe the knowledge that you're less likely to even see them again prevents you from forming a bond, who knows.

i've found, paradoxically, that when the smallest of 'situations' happens or when you're one step away from just walking on a street, people are far friendlier, say when you're stuck in a line during an airport delay, or some other bare minimum 'probably not some random creep' set of circumstances.

as soon as you're some other guy getting screwed over by the same company / circumstance or whatever there's a sympathetic reaction - it's you and them against the world!

i'm a calgary implant but even i have noticed a dramatic change in the last decade. over time walt healeys die, dustys sell their saloons, and calgary loses its rootin'-tootin' roots and morphs towards vancouver. not good in many respects but times are a changin.

fredr123 · 02-02-2007, 09:11 AM

Not that this is entirely applicable to your situation but something sort of similar happened to me on the Red Mile after a playoff win. A homeless guy in a wheelchair had passed out and fell out of his chair. People walked by stepping over the poor guy. My brother-in-law and I tried to help the guy out and get him back into his chair. We struggled for a while and he resisted. Eventually we just gave up.

Anyways, I told some nearby cops about it just to make sure the guy didn't die or anything. They went to chat with him, one thing lead to another...

Used needles in the guys pockets. My brother-in-law and I were lucky. Not every homeless guy is a druggy and lots of people are in need of a helping hand now and again. But it's things like this that make a guy think twice about trying to be a nice guy.

SeeGeeWhy · 02-02-2007, 09:33 AM

I think it has a lot to do with the way the city is structured. People bustle into downtown to work, hate their jobs (and thus their co-workers) and are dreaming of get rich quick schemes to get out of the hole. Then they hop in their car, or the crowed, stinky train in order to get back to their dorm room in the suburbs where there is very little real and interesting human interaction along the entire day.

We are becoming dead to each other. It is really no surprise, either.

burn_baby_burn · 02-02-2007, 09:35 AM

Call me a jerk. But I don't think that it really matters what day and age it is. Most people are afraid of homeless people. Even if they are harmless. A dirty, crazy person is just somebody that the average person would normally stay away from. I don't think it has anything to do with money. Or the times we live in.

fredr123 · 02-02-2007, 09:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by burn_baby_burn

Call me a jerk. But I don't think that it really matters what day and age it is. Most people are afraid of homeless people. Even if they are harmless. A dirty, crazy person is just somebody that the average person would normally stay away from. I don't think it has anything to do with money. Or the times we live in.

Also, my best man was hospitalized during my bachelor party when he was assaulted by a homeless guy down town. With a glass bottle. So put me in the column with all the others who are a bit scared of homeless people. I'm ashamed to admit it but there ya go.

ken0042 · 02-02-2007, 10:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fredr123

Used needles in the guys pockets. My brother-in-law and I were lucky. Not every homeless guy is a druggy and lots of people are in need of a helping hand now and again. But it's things like this that make a guy think twice about trying to be a nice guy.

I have to admit- when I first read this thread last night, a thought similar to this crossed my mind. As much as it is sad to see that somebody wouldn't help, I can't say I really fault the person.

Fred's story also makes me think. One time on my way to a Flames game I saw a homeless guy fall out of his wheelchair. (might have even been the same guy- Native, about 40, both legs amputated just above the knee?) I went to help him up, and my my buddy was quite reluctant. We got him back into his chair, but part of the problem was he was so hammered he couldn't help us help him.

Afterwards I thought of the dangers (needles, Aids, etc) and I'm not sure next time I would be so quick to jump in and help. In the OP's example where he was in the middle of the street, probably. But I can't say I really fault the guys who didn't want to.

Flames_Gimp · 02-02-2007, 11:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fredr123

Not that this is entirely applicable to your situation but something sort of similar happened to me on the Red Mile after a playoff win. A homeless guy in a wheelchair had passed out and fell out of his chair. People walked by stepping over the poor guy. My brother-in-law and I tried to help the guy out and get him back into his chair. We struggled for a while and he resisted. Eventually we just gave up.

Anyways, I told some nearby cops about it just to make sure the guy didn't die or anything. They went to chat with him, one thing lead to another...

Used needles in the guys pockets. My brother-in-law and I were lucky. Not every homeless guy is a druggy and lots of people are in need of a helping hand now and again. But it's things like this that make a guy think twice about trying to be a nice guy.

that was me, you *******!

Jayems · 02-02-2007, 11:08 AM

Sad story, but i don't blame the people who walked by at all. Like others have said, used needles, the risk of TB, scabies...

These people, as sad as it may be, live on the streets and are usually sick in more than one way. Most homeless people I have dealt with were drunk arrogant *******s, and while I hate to lump them into one corner, i'm sorry.

I'm not talking about working-homless who have families and just can't afford to get a place, as I volunteer with In From the Cold several times. I'm talking about the true non-working homless bums. Most have mental illness whichs makes them extremely unpredictable and potentially violent. So even if you do want to be a good samaritan, the risks are just too high for most people. I'm sure you'd regret the decision all your life when you got poked with his HIV infected needle that you didn't see in his jacket pocket. I'm all for helping people out, I am, but I just don't know. This situation is a little different because he was in a cross-walk etc. I understand that.

Slam me all you want, but thats the truth.

Mr.Coffee · 02-02-2007, 11:23 AM

I agree with feartheflames. A lot of the people in this thread have commented on the fact that sometimes it isn't safe to help a homeless guy. And while I agree, I think feartheflames presents an interesting point that goes BEYOND casual aide to homeless or less abled.

Calgary's spirit is lacking. It's a very difficult thing to describe, but I'm sure a lot of the original Calgarians that visit this site would agree with me. Something about casual conversation or general discussion seems colder then it used to be, homeless or not. People often seem dissatisfied with their lives, or their positions. It's like the city's collective attitude has depressed.

Honestly? People are probably overworked. I was just thinking about how Alberta typically works harder then any other province per hour per day. That drains you. Especially in a city like Calgary when you need to spend over an hour to get downtown to your job in order to barely hit a mortgage that on your average Calgarian home is getting beyond ridiculous. Like the other guy says, people get up early, travel forever, work, then travel forever and go home to a suburb community. The new communities are distant. The people there... I dunno.. there's something strange. Nobody knows each other. Neighbours generally don't know each other. Nobody has the time available. Maybe this is the normal course of action for a growing city, but I don't like it.