Drivers charged $20 'toll' after deadly crash forces detour through First Nation

[OMG!WTF!]

Originally Posted by blankall

I don't really see the big deal here.

These people took a short cut through someone's private property and then complained about the fee. It's also not "just a road". By saying that your looking to invalidate the reserve and treaty system. Canada signed a treaty (in exchange for an end to military hostilities) with that reserve. We should respect it.

These people weren't involved in the medical emergency themselves. They just didn't want to wait in line with everyone else while their own highway was backed up.

I think respect for treaty land goes both ways. Driving on their roads does have consequences. It's wear and tear on the road, dust, litter, annoyance to people and animals. Accepting $20 is basically selling out everyone on your reservation. It's not what treaty land is intended for.

This would not even be a story if the road was closed to outsiders as it normally is or if a few people got trespassing tickets as they normally do. It's the $20.

[Fighting Banana Slug]

Originally Posted by Weitz

If that was my property and my private road you think I am going to let anyone take it as a shortcut?

Not a damn chance. Unless they are paying me.

All perfectly fine, assuming you actually own the road (and it isn't a shared road amongst the community), you made it clear it was private property at the entrancee and that you would call the authorities if there was a trespass.

[ken0042]

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

Call the RCMP if you have a problem with tresspassers.

Didn't the RCMP have their hands full dealing with a fatal accident investigation?

While I agree that it would have been better if the toll imposed went to support the band as a whole, the alternative would have been to either let people pass for free, or turn them back. The land did belong to the men in question; as they are part of the band that owns the land.

A better analogy would be my son charging people to park on my driveway. He may not be on the title, but it is his house. It would be better if the money was going to me; but with the alternative of him letting people park on my driveway for free- it's better that he gets paid.

You also have to remember a bit of the history; and dare I say phycology. As a group of people, there is still a lot of resentment over what us white people have taken from them. Not just hundreds of years ago, but even as recently as a generation ago with the schools. They take a certain amount of satisfaction in being able to charge us back. And I take this info from friends who live on another reserve, who make sure I know exactly what to say to anybody who stops me. I have to be able to say who I am visiting and exactly where I am going, and that they are expecting me.

[polak]

Originally Posted by fundmark19

They should really just set up tolls on roads that cut through their land and collect revenue. They would probably make some decent coin on some of the roads.

Those roads would have to be maintained, patrolled and properly looked after in order to do that or there could be legal consequences.

Frankly, these 2 guys were making the best of Canada's apartheid....

[Weitz]

The band leader was on the News last night and mentioned that he was happy some of his members could make a few bucks for people travelling on roads they are not supposed to.

[Raekwon]

Originally Posted by Weitz

The band leader was on the News last night and mentioned that he was happy some of his members could make a few bucks for people travelling on roads they are not supposed to.

Well corruption does start at the top

[Zarley]

Wow, so have I been trespassing this whole time when I go to their casino or to play hockey in Morley? Seems a bit silly that driving on a government funded road on crown land would be considered trespassing.

Regardless, I agree with Two Young Men - greasy move by these two individuals.

[Fire of the Phoenix]

Originally Posted by Weitz

If that was my property and my private road you think I am going to let anyone take it as a shortcut?

Not a damn chance. Unless they are paying me.

I wouldn't either if it were an ongoing thing, but just for one day because of a fatal accident? I would for sure, no questions asked. It honestly wouldn't even occur to me to charge people in that situation, I would just try to be a nice guy since it would literally have zero impact on my life.

[Fire of the Phoenix]

Originally Posted by Weitz

The band leader was on the News last night and mentioned that he was happy some of his members could make a few bucks for people travelling on roads they are not supposed to.

And yet if the situation was reversed, the PC whining of racism would be deafening.

I realize it could never be reversed as white people don't have reserves, but still if it were somehow reversed, people like the band leader would be absolutely losing their #### over this.

[BigNumbers]

I am so confused. I was stuck in that traffic and took the BV Parkway (Hwy 1A) turn off after canmore, and drove down to Morley and drove through Morley (paved road) back to Hwy 1 after the paving/accident...

Was that not legal? There was an electronic sign on HWY 1 telling people to take the 1A turn off and do as I did... Is that wrong? Or did these guys take a further shortcut?

[polak]

Originally Posted by Fire of the Phoenix

And yet if the situation was reversed, the PC whining of racism would be deafening.

I realize it could never be reversed as white people don't have reserves, but still if it were somehow reversed, people like the band leader would be absolutely losing their #### over this.

Well when the ring road battle was still happening, and people suggested tolling the native reserve access points people on here were saying that we should be trying to grow cooperation and a good relationship with the reserves.

Obviously, this band leader doesn't agree.

[rubecube]

Originally Posted by Fire of the Phoenix

And yet if the situation was reversed, the PC whining of racism would be deafening.

I realize it could never be reversed as white people don't have reserves, but still if it were somehow reversed, people like the band leader would be absolutely losing their #### over this.

So you're assuming all of the drivers who paid the toll were white?

[para transit fellow]

Originally Posted by Fire of the Phoenix

I wouldn't either if it were an ongoing thing, but just for one day because of a fatal accident? I would for sure, no questions asked. It honestly wouldn't even occur to me to charge people in that situation, I would just try to be a nice guy since it would literally have zero impact on my life.

I get a feeling that with all the paving traffic and the series of serious accidents on Highway 1 over the past month that this is not the first day drivers have gone short-cutting through the reserve.

[BigNumbers]

Originally Posted by rubecube

So you're assuming all of the drivers who paid the toll were white?

[rubecube]

Originally Posted by para transit fellow

I get a feeling that with all the paving traffic and the series of serious accidents on Highway 1 over the past month that this is not the first day drivers have gone short-cutting through the reserve.

Yep, it sure sounds like there have been problems in the past. Maybe these two dudes were sick of it.

Christensen said that drivers using the road are a nuisance because they kick up dust, scare livestock and leave litter.

[northcrunk]

Who paid for the road to be paved in the first place?

[Fire of the Phoenix]

Originally Posted by para transit fellow

I get a feeling that with all the paving traffic and the series of serious accidents on Highway 1 over the past month that this is not the first day drivers have gone short-cutting through the reserve.

If this is true, I respectfully change my tune a little bit. One day is nothing, but daily disruptions would be annoying for sure.

[rubecube]

Originally Posted by BigNumbers

Considering it was a pretty ridiculous hypothetical analogy, I'm fine with strawmanning it.

[Baron von Kriterium]

Originally Posted by BigNumbers

I am so confused. I was stuck in that traffic and took the BV Parkway (Hwy 1A) turn off after canmore, and drove down to Morley and drove through Morley (paved road) back to Hwy 1 after the paving/accident...

Was that not legal? There was an electronic sign on HWY 1 telling people to take the 1A turn off and do as I did... Is that wrong? Or did these guys take a further shortcut?

That route is legal as far as I know (prov hwy 133X). The so-called short cut in this situation - I assume - was to turn NORTH at the Stoney Nakoda casino and follow the gravel road that parallels HWY1.

[MrMastodonFarm]

Originally Posted by ken0042

Didn't the RCMP have their hands full dealing with a fatal accident investigation?.

Without doing too much research I'm fairly confident saying the RCMP are more then capable of handing two things at once.