For years, the city of Markham, in the north end of Toronto has been known as a scary place to drive. With it’s very high percentage of Asian Canadian drivers, it is a community of expensive import cars that all sport road rash of some sort or another. Of course over the years, this phenomenon has been the root of many bad driver jokes. Personally, I’ve always found it rather amusing, rather than frightening. It’s incredible to see a little old lady who can barely see over the dash crash into something at 20 kmh, in a 50 zone.
This weekend we’ve had the opportunity to spend a couple of days on the other site of Toronto in the whopping big city of Brampton. Known by locals as Bramladesh, this place is frightening. The Holiday Inn is adjacent to the Bramalea City Center shopping mall. This mall is the size of a small city, so when I went to pick up some poolside beverages from the store on the other side of the mall I drove. Without a word of a lie, it took me almost 20 minutes to navigate the parking lot, while avoiding all the impending collisions. Unlike the Markham crowd, the driver’s here are gunning it across the parking lot and fighting to see who can be first across the many intersections. I could have walked faster, but then I wouldn’t have a steel cocoon protecting me. This is almost as bad as driving in Jamaica!
Having lived there for two years, travelled there on business for another 15, and known it for probably 30, I’ve never noticed any unusually “high percentage” of Asian Canadians up there. And even if I did, I wouldn’t care.
Markham is a nice place, and growing rapidly. It did used to be a fairly far-out suburb, even quiet, but growth caught up to it. A number of conventional suburbian areas got run over, and retirees are no longer a large percentage. And it’s well past the north end of Toronto, not at all “in it”.
Yes, the whole topic is politically incorrect. Reality is that the entire metroplex is a unique place, a place that works well. It’s far cleaner than average, it’s better integrated than average. It has it’s problems, but it’s better to live in and work in than, say, a Chicago.
So accept it. It’s a great place to live and work. I enjoyed living there, and I enjoy travelling up there.
hey JW, don’t forget that markham township spans much farther west than the actual town 😉
don’t take my rant the wrong way. i’ve worked in the community for years and proudly wear my honourary Gui Lo (sp? – rough translation ghost man) badge. i’m the king of self depricating humour (just search the blog for fat guy references) and i don’t have a problem poking fun at others on occasion too!
you’re into driver instruction, maybe we can hook up for a coffee in the pacific mall parking lot one day, just for a laugh!