Behave on TTC or pay the price
Lesser-known fines include bringing skis, sleighs, bikes on board at the wrong times
The video of a woman sitting on a male passenger’s feet on the TTC unearthed one of the lesser-known TTC bylaws: “Placing foot or feet, laying on or soiling a seat of a vehicle” will set riders back a cool $235, if caught.
The TTC has almost 60 bylaws that have corresponding fines, some more unexpected than others.
“Of course all we’re looking for, especially on the transit system, is voluntary compliance,” said chief special constable Mark Cousins. For example, if you give away your transfer, be prepared to be fined more than if you defecated on the TTC. In the last two years, the most common broken bylaws have been failing to comply with posted regulations, failing to comply with conditions of use of fare media and invalid fare media, according to data from the TTC.
“A lot of them have to do with fare,” Cousins said. “You’re going see those always be up in the top10 because we have so many fare inspectors now in proof of payment.”
There are 80 full-time fare inspectors and 41 special constables who respond to a variety of things not limited to bylaw enforcement, added Cousins. Almost 11,000 charges were laid and 4,358 cautions were issued for failing to comply with posted regulations, the top bylaw infraction, in the last two years. In 2016 alone, 18,500 tickets and warnings were issued in total, with two-thirds of those being tickets.
Among the lesser-known bylaws was one for “urinating, expectorating or defecating on TTC property,” which carries a fine of $235, almost $200 lower than the fine for the “unauthorized sale, exchange or give away of transfer,” a $425 whopper.
The fine for defecating on the TTC is the same as the fine for “expectorating,” which is to spit. Vomiting, however, isn’t a banned activity. Cousins said it is likely not included because it could be “medical.”
Many of the highest fines were to do with fares, which could run as high as $425, the same amount riders can be fined for possessing a weapon while on the TTC or “any dangerous thing, object or material.”
Some of the more vague bylaws, like “behaving in indecent or offensive manner on TTC property” could include a variety of acts, including exposing oneself, said Cousins. But, they have to be taken on a case-bycase basis, he said.
The same goes for “interference with ordinary enjoyment of transit system” which could include loud music or boisterous behaviour, or even doing chin-ups on the TTC, something Cousins said he’s seen.
Over the years, the TTC has seen some “indecent” behaviour, including a couple filmed having sex on the subway, and later at the Spadina station platform after they were kicked off the train. They were later charged with engaging in a lewd act.
Along with putting your feet up, lying down on TTC property is also banned under the bylaw. Sneaking a snooze sideways will cost you $235, enough to get your beauty rest in style in a hotel for a night.
Also banned in the bylaws is bringing or attempting to bring internal combustion engine vehicles on TTC property, leaning out of the window of a vehicle, shining light at an operator or passenger and delaying the closing of a vehicle door.
Most Canadian among the bylaws is the ban of unauthorized objects, which include skis, ski poles, sleighs, toboggans, bikes and other large objects on “TTC property during prohibited times.”