Nine times drivers couldn’t resist the pull of the Queens Quay streetcar tunnel
Early Sunday morning, a car drove into the Queens Quay streetcar tunnel—again. Since the route reopened in 2014, 25 drivers have pulled up to the tunnel entrance, glanced at its wall of flashing red lights and do-not-enter signs, and thought to themselves, “Sure!” (Update: Make that 26 drivers. The TTC had to remove a blue BMW from the tunnel on St. Patrick’s Day. TTC communications director Brad Ross tweeted hours later that the commission will install a gate to keep cars out.)
I don't understand how this keeps happening… #toronto
Car drives into Queens Quay streetcar tunnel — again https://t.co/MDWZWpGP1H … via @torontostar pic.twitter.com/vmrSYPV62H
— Colin Walmsley (@ColinWalmsley) March 11, 2018
Next month, you too can experience the thrill of getting your ride stuck in the city’s stickiest streetcar tracks, thanks to the local heroes who just created a Facebook event dedicated to “the activity Torontonians just can’t get enough of”:
It’s all a joke, of course, but in the spirit of the big day, here’s a look back at some of the trailblazers who inspired the event.
STORY: Man in custody after he drove an SUV into streetcar tunnel on Queens Quay http://t.co/dB2YSGr8zM pic.twitter.com/KLO37nujuG
— 680 NEWS Toronto (@680NEWS) October 24, 2014
October 24, 2014
The first publicized tunneller was a doozy: the driver reportedly stole the car in Oshawa, smashed some windows along Queens Quay and then, for his encore, motored down the streetcar ramp. Police called a hazmat unit to investigate; it’s cute that the city actually got worked up about this sort of thing once upon a time.
Car stuck in TTC streetcar tunnel on Queens Quay » http://t.co/rllryB9v0m
— Toronto Solds (@torontosolds) November 22, 2014
November 22, 2014
Less than a month later, a copycat emerged, driving into the tunnel around 4 a.m. on a Saturday morning. According to the Star, “[the TTC is] now considering making the signs warning drivers not to enter the tunnel more obvious.”
Wrong-way driver stuck in Queens Quay streetcar tunnel overnight http://t.co/t10LwNmBp2 pic.twitter.com/JoduBlLXRc
— CP24 (@CP24) July 31, 2015
July 31, 2015
Because driving in the right lane wasn’t rebellious enough…
Car found abandoned 600 metres inside the Queens Quay streetcar tunnel on Sunday https://t.co/bvhjlLaq80
— Global News Toronto (@globalnewsto) April 25, 2016
April 25, 2016
This is one of the the more impressive ones: the driver somehow managed to make it all the way to Union Station before getting stuck.
An SUV was driven into a TTC streetcar tunnel on Queens Quay causing headaches for commuters Thursday morning. https://t.co/QYZcn9S9ir pic.twitter.com/wYsCKekPcy
— Toronto Sun (@TheTorontoSun) February 23, 2017
February 23, 2017
“Oops, I did it again.”
Someone drove into the Queens Quay streetcar tunnel — again https://t.co/xpK22utB1n pic.twitter.com/rYUybMHV0p
— CBC Toronto (@CBCToronto) October 18, 2017
October 18, 2017
The TTC added more signs and rumble strips to the tunnel entrance in spring 2017, but that didn’t stop this guy.
Go home, Toronto, you’re already drunk and it’s not even New Year’s yet RT SUV without plates removed from Queens Quay streetcar tunnelhttps://t.co/vkhAsg8vFn pic.twitter.com/CrZdVhqyC9
— J-TO (@MontagsOnFire) December 31, 2017
December 31, 2017
Our personal favourite: the plate-less SUV that showed up in Queens Quay station on New Year’s Eve.
Car drives into Queens Quay streetcar tunnel disrupting TTC service https://t.co/ATkUd7LKHJ pic.twitter.com/sje41jLuTo
— CBC Toronto (@CBCToronto) March 11, 2018
March 11, 2018
After this incident, one tweeter asked, “Is this one of those drinking games where we all take a shot every time someone drives into the Queens Quay streetcar tunnel?”
The car has been removed from the Queens Quay tunnel and regular streetcar service has resumed. https://t.co/PjLvEkcRTb pic.twitter.com/ACIkz5jx7l
— CityNews Toronto (@CityNews) March 17, 2018
March 17, 2018
Police found this blue BMW on the tracks around 4 a.m. on St. Patrick’s Day and arrested a 24-year-old man for impaired driving. The TTC decided it was the final straw and vowed to install a gate—an incident that we will forever refer to as Gate-gate.
Despite bollards, signs, rumble strips, flashing lights and raised track, some still manage to drive their cars down the Queens Quay streetcar portal, though mostly on weekends and in the middle of the night. Enough. The TTC will now be installing a gate mechanism.
— Brad Ross (@bradTTC) March 17, 2018
![](http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=https://torontolife.com/city/queens-quay-streetcar-tunnel-drivers-event/&title=Nine times drivers couldn’t resist the pull of the Queens Quay streetcar tunnel&picture=https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/QQ-Streetcar-Tunnel-2.jpg&description=Early Sunday morning, a car drove into the Queens Quay streetcar tunnel—again. Since the route reopened in 2014, 25 drivers have pulled up to the tunnel entrance, glanced at its wall of flashing red lights and do-not-enter signs, and thought to themselves, "Sure!" (Update: Make that 26 drivers. The TTC had to remove a blue BMW from the tunnel on St. Patrick's Day. TTC communications director Brad Ross tweeted hours later that the commission will install a gate to keep cars out.)
https://twitter.com/ColinWalmsley/status/972939607632498688
Next month, you too can experience the thrill of getting your ride stuck in the city's stickiest streetcar tracks, thanks to the local heroes who just created a Facebook event dedicated to "the activity Torontonians just can't get enough of":
It's all a joke, of course, but in the spirit of the big day, here's a look back at some of the trailblazers who inspired the event.
https://twitter.com/680NEWS/status/525618906103562243
October 24, 2014
The first publicized tunneller was a doozy: the driver reportedly stole the car in Oshawa, smashed some windows along Queens Quay and then, for his encore, motored down the streetcar ramp. Police called a hazmat unit to investigate; it's cute that the city actually got worked up about this sort of thing once upon a time.
https://twitter.com/torontosolds/status/536141573810307073
November 22, 2014
Less than a month later, a copycat emerged, driving into the tunnel around 4 a.m. on a Saturday morning. According to the Star, "[the TTC is] now considering making the signs warning drivers not to enter the tunnel more obvious."
https://twitter.com/CP24/status/627104777663553536
July 31, 2015
Because driving in the right lane wasn't rebellious enough...
https://twitter.com/globalnewsto/status/724616275784261632
April 25, 2016
This is one of the the more impressive ones: the driver somehow managed to make it all the way to Union Station before getting stuck.
https://twitter.com/TheTorontoSun/status/834786577549242368
February 23, 2017
"Oops, I did it again."
https://twitter.com/CBCToronto/status/920722903599075328
October 18, 2017
The TTC added more signs and rumble strips to the tunnel entrance in spring 2017, but that didn't stop this guy.
https://twitter.com/MontagsOnFire/status/947534570865426432
December 31, 2017
Our personal favourite: the plate-less SUV that showed up in Queens Quay station on New Year's Eve.
https://twitter.com/CBCToronto/status/972831087889190912
March 11, 2018
After this incident, one tweeter asked, "Is this one of those drinking games where we all take a shot every time someone drives into the Queens Quay streetcar tunnel?"
https://twitter.com/CityNews/status/975014171417903104
March 17, 2018
Police found this blue BMW on the tracks around 4 a.m. on St. Patrick's Day and arrested a 24-year-old man for impaired driving. The TTC decided it was the final straw and vowed to install a gate—an incident that we will forever refer to as Gate-gate.
https://twitter.com/bradTTC/status/974978308034256896
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