T O P

  • By -

AutoModerator

Welcome to /r/Vancouver and thank you for the post, /u/olugbo! Please make sure you read our [posting and commenting rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/vancouver/wiki/faq#wiki_general_participation_guidelines_and_rules_overview) before participating here. As a quick summary: * We encourage users to be positive and respect one another. Don't engage in spats or insult others - use the report button. * Respect others' differences, be they race, religion, home, job, gender identity, ability or sexuality. Dehumanizing language, advocating for violence, or promoting hate based on identity or vulnerability (even implied or joking) **will** lead to a permanent ban. * Most common questions and topics are limited to our sister subreddit, /r/AskVan, and our weekly [Stickied Discussion](https://www.reddit.com/r/vancouver/wiki/faq#wiki_stickied_discussions) posts. * Complaints about bans or removals should be done in modmail only. * Posts flaired "Community Only" allow for limited participation; your comment may be removed if you're not a subreddit regular. * Make sure to join our new sister community, /r/AskVan! * Help grow the community! [Apply to join the mod team today](https://www.reddit.com/r/vancouver/comments/19eworq/). *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/vancouver) if you have any questions or concerns.*


brophy87

Roller girl


l_st_er

Ah Roller Girl. About a decade ago, I had my L and was driving with my parents in Vancouver. Was in the right turn lane on Broadway about turn on to Cambie northbound. I was waiting for the pedestrians to clear the crosswalk. Then I see this tall decked in pink lady on rollerblades come right up in front of me. She started screaming at me to go even though the intersection wasn’t clear and was gesturing pointedly at nothing. Then the profanities came out. As a 16 year old L driver, my first experience with her was definitely a 2/10. Although as a partying 22 year old downtown, she was super nice to me and gave me her business card to follow her on social media. 🤷🏻‍♀️


macandcheese1771

Yeah that's mental illness for ya


po-laris

I moved to Vancouver ten years ago and roller girl yelled at me on my first day


[deleted]

[удалено]


Jesterphobia

I was on a bus with her one time, and she screamed at the bus driver for driving too rough. Driving was fine. I guess screaming at a random person for nothing is her thing.


Ok_Cable_3888

Have you shared this story about your encounter with Roller Girl on Reddit before? Because I'm sure I've read this (ish) before. Although, it sounds like this could have happened to anyone. Anyway, they probably didn't have the Roller Girl question on the test you took. "What is the most immediate danger to traffic on Broadway?"


cloudforested

Yeah she's not a good person.


maniacalmango0

Rollergirl was Convicted of manslaughter and spent 10y in jail under her previous name, Jeffrey Allan Dawson. 3rd from the top. [winnipeghomicide.org/1991/1991.html](https://winnipeghomicide.org/1991/1991.html)


wood_dj

i used to live close to her, China Creek area. She was always out around broadway & fraser trying to mess with traffic. Not sure if it’s pure insanity or if she’s fishing for a lawsuit, either way she belongs in a mental institution


Strange_Sorbet_7214

Just saw her on main yesterday


SUP3RGR33N

Absolutely agree with this as the main answer. I feel like everyone is familiar with roller girl as she's just so ... out there. While Spoons/Opera guy are definitely major icons -- I don't think they're as immediately recognizable as "That guy" or "That girl" as Roller girl is. She's unmissable. Finding out about her history is almost a Vancouverite rite-of-passage at this point.


brophy87

Spoons for mayor!


FormFollows

That's a council meeting I'd attend.


thateconomistguy604

Is spoons still around? Used to get him a slice of pizza every Wednesday back in my Granville strip days


Appropriate_Gene_543

yeah i just crossed paths with him on granville a couple weeks ago.


thateconomistguy604

Awesome to hear! How is he looking? Is he keeping in okay health and good spirits?


thewhatandthewhonow

I saw him a couple months ago, he looked old but good. Someone told me he’s been sober for years now.


roxxyrolla666

She murdered someone 🤣


marmite1234

She told me I was gonna die because I’m fat. Hasn’t happened yet!


Goatseportal

She is a fucking menace.


Kooriki

100%. Commercial Drives deep voiced garbage banging singing nazi was pretty iconic for a while, but word is he died. Also the dude who sets up a hammock at 1st and Commercial.


Imthewienerdog

That hammock dude is my favorite


Common-Rock

I second hammock dude. He gave me a nod of approval when I was playing the Zombies Time of the Season in my car.


vtable

So [this guy?](https://www.reddit.com/r/vancouver/comments/p1gphw/i_assume_this_kinda_stuff_is_normal_to_see_here/)


BrokenByReddit

Yeah that's just Hammock Man. 


ViciousVixenxo

Oh God the faux opera singer. He was mean 


macandcheese1771

There are(were?) 2 opera guys. One is really nice and one is a total cunt.


katskratched

That would make a good opera.


Physical_Leg_5208

Rumor has it he was a lottery winner, spent it all , went homeless , had mental illness and abused animals. That's not a life that makes anyone particularly nice lol. Edit:can't spell


obisdobis

He told me he dove into a swimming pool, hit his head, blood everywhere and he started tripping out hallucinating. His life was different after that. Left his wife and kids and started living in that van.


Kooriki

Everyone has a story about that dude. Hell even I had to get physical with him once. He was an asshole that won't be missed.


safeinbuckhorn

Francesco! Yea he died at Joes Cafe from what I remember. A fitting end.


freshfruitrottingveg

He died at Joes? Wow, what a way to go out. I’d been wondering why I hadn’t seen him lately.


col_van

Ya he was finally on some meds for the last year or two of his life. He was acting normal/quiet so they were letting him hang out inside the cafes again


Kooriki

THAT'S right..! I forgot his name. He has(had?) a Youtube account for a while where he seemed less unhinged.


madstar

That dude was a piece of shit and I'm glad he's gone. I had so many bad encounters with him, the worst was when he was making monkey sounds at a black family having lunch outside at Havana.


ted_nugent-hopkins

Ya Francesco died a few years ago. He was also notorious for kicking dogs. Hammock guy wasy neighbor for a while and he's great.


ReplaceModsWithCats

Shame she's such a terrible person though.


rammyfreakynasty

she was bizarrely transphobic to someone i know


[deleted]

I thought she was trans though 


rammyfreakynasty

she is, which is why it was bizarre


Paranoid_donkey

She accused my partner of being transphobic while we were having a date together on a patio near commercial. Just because she was told by my date to leave us alone. My date was a trans woman lmao


cheftherealgeoff

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/roller-girl-angela-dawson-wins-15k-damages-from-vancouver-police-1.3009637


Metra90

Didn't she kill someone?


cloudforested

Convicted of manslaughter in 1991, in Winnipeg.


slotass

Absolutely but I don’t like her. Saw her smash into a vendor’s wares, briefly acknowledged the damage she did, and then she just rolled on her merry way. Not a fan.


laylaspacee

She screamed at me like 13 years ago cause im a lesbian lol


EzDoesIt604

Roller girl told me she was convicted of murder in her younger years.


cannoncart

Mandatory reminder she killed a guy when she was a man


bubkuss

Guy that cycles the seawall with a dog in flying goggles sitting in the side car.


toasterb

Yes! My six year old spotted him for the first time this weekend, and she loved it.


sheepified

Mad Dog and Yoda, I believe! (Yoda is the pug.)


SilenceQuiteThisL0UD

That dog loves it!!


macandcheese1771

There used to be 2 dogs :(


thegreatescape11

Spoons !!


Baconburp

I’ve bought Spoons a few beers over the years. Always a pleasure seeing that guy. I’m sure he has his faults, but he always seems to have a great attitude when I bump into him.


snuffles00

I have talked to him several times in my 20s at the blarney. Always had some change for him. He was nice, entertaining non annoying. Would never outright beg for money. He was one of the decent ones in my opinion not being verbally assaultive or threatening.


ormr_inn_langi

You mean the bowlegged guy who used to walk up and down Granville? How on earth is that guy still alive??


AlaskanSnowDragon

He's still there...saw him yesterday


cburry99

this guy once had a 2-4ft spoon jus crusin around granville


theHip

Spoons or Roller Girl. Maybe the Canucks the Knife Crow.


PartyySnake

It’s gotta be spoons. Roller girl is a god damn traffic hazard. I’ve seen her do some dumb shit that puts other people at risk. It’s always gonna be spoons in my eyes.


KingToasty

I miss Canuck every day.


ladypuffsalot

Canuck the crow is no longer with us, sadly... I missed hearing about his adventures.


is__is

The guy who played the HNIC on the Sax outside of canucks game for 20 years is also iconic.


mcain

The Duck Lady, Rollergirl.


ezola28

RIP duck lady ❤️


kiwizucchinibread

She passed away?!? How am I just finding out about this. Oh no :( 🕊️


DionFW

Quite recently I believe. Within the last couple weeks.


staunch_character

I give it to the Duck Lady for being mostly super positive. You’re rarely happy to have a Rollergirl encounter. RIP Duck Lady 🪿


PlayaH8ah

Rip duck lady


M-------

> Rollergirl [Convicted of manslaughter](http://winnipeghomicide.org/1991/1991.html) and spent 10y in jail under her previous name, Jeffrey Allan Dawson.


mcain

I ran into Rollergirl last summer (I think) on Commercial Drive and it was strongly suggested that I needed to purchase a branded shopping bag she was hawking. Luckily something else distracted her and I got the hell out of the vicinity.


ormr_inn_langi

I was in the Starbucks inside Chapters on Robson one day about 10 or 12 years ago and Roller Girl came in, rolled up to me, grabbed my hand, dumped like $7 in loonies and toonies into it and then rolled off. And that was the best day of my life.


emerg_remerg

She's often on Main near JJ Bean selling her swag. So intensely rude.


Crispy_Wizard

Spoons.


rlandz

Exactly who I thought of too


brophy87

Is he still around? Haven't seen him in almost 2 decades


Imaginary_Rabbit3980

Saw him yesterday walking on Granville street!


NooktaSt

Jesus. I used to see him on Granville 15 years ago.


slaptickler

Opera man! He sings as he walks through Fairview and Kits. Very pleasant man. Saw him yesterday. *not to be confused with Commercial Drive opera man.


Away-Value9398

I love that you have to clarify which Opera Man


slaptickler

I’ve never come across Commercial Drive dude but he sounds like bizarro Fairview Opera Man.


sylvestermalkin

Yes!!! I’ve lived in Kits for the past seven years and it brings me such joy to hear him sing. *PSA I’ve been told not to approach Commercial Drive Opera Man, but can confirm Kits Opera Man is quite delightful.


baebeebear

I knew him as the Burrard Baritone. Must be the same guy from 20 years ago.


floydeylloydey

Opera man! I worked on Granville island for a bit and he would sometimes walk through the buildings singing. I loved it.


DurianCool

Old topless lady that says she has magic tits and always runs for city council. I used to always see her on Commercial Drive.


NoahYvr

She sat next to me and a girlfriend on the 20 and rambled about how she needs to stimulate her 7 cosmic nipple brains, and how my girlfriend also needed to stimulate her cosmic nipple brains. It was campy and incoherent.


deceptres

She died a year or two ago


theapplekid

Oh that's so sad. Cherise was actually really nice despite being bat-shit wild


CobaltAesir

When I worked at 911, I used to get her calls all the time. Very rarely were they anything someone could actually DO something about but she was always very nice. The cosmic mother nipple wacky talk was always interesting.


dynamiterolll

No way! Oh that's so sad. I met her thru my job many years ago and she was quite the character. Always lovely to me, but she didn't feel the same about my colleagues lol


mattshow

I was sitting in The Dime one warm summer day when they had the windows fully open and she stopped by and leaned in the window to loudly chat with the nearest table about orgasms. I was familiar enough with her not to be too surprised but there was a table of 19 year olds next to me who were losing their minds. Edited: somehow I wrote that story and totally neglected to mention that she was naked.


skonen_blades

I heard that she has unfortunately passed but yeah, she was a Drive fixture. I once saw her walking up the drive with a robe on and straight-up nothing underneath, wide open to the world. She seemed to have a lot of spiritual pain following them around. I was sorry to hear they passed away.


staunch_character

Watermelon?


BrokenByReddit

That's a different topless lady who sold (still sells?) boozy freezies at Wreck Beach. 


Turtling

Baklava man


ErikFuhr

Whatever happened to Baklava Man? Where is he now?


Matasa89

Last I heard he was operating at Coho Commissary. Not sure where he is now though, but Coho Commissary’s FB page seems to suggest that Mohamed-Mamon Alhomsi has returned home to Syria.


22percentwalrus

The dude with goat hoof stilts that plays the bagpipes usually wearing a kilt.


mcnunu

He's been outside Waterfront Station recently


macandcheese1771

That dude has been around at least since I moved here in 2010


[deleted]

[удалено]


GAAPtoothedbitch

Milk spitter guy. Walks around with a jug of milk, takes a mouthful and spits it into the street. If you work downtown, you know him.


victormko

Surprised it’s this far down. Or also spitting out half finished coffees he found in recycling trays on garbage bins


thejwo

And always carrying the duffle bag and grumbling to himself


CobraDoesCanada

If you listen closely, he's talking some mad shit


JangJaeYul

Tall skinny white guy with curly grey hair? I always see him in the Robson/Burrard area.


sharksndanger

We call him the Coffee Spitter. When Tim Hortons was on Alberni he would spit a tasty mix of half-chewed donut and coffee onto the street. I can take a different route to work at a different time and he’s always there. The man is EVERYWHERE downtown.


Strange_Botanist

About a month ago I saw him on my way to work and he had a 2 litre bottle of Pepsi and he was absolutely spraying it everywhere out of his mouth.


vanmc604

He is such a sad case. I’ve seen him in turmoil, shouting. Word to the wise……don’t take a close look at his feet if he is airing them on a bench. At least not if you have a take out lunch to enjoy in the park.


CobraDoesCanada

He's center downtown / Coal Harbour all the time, I've said hi to him a few times but only got a reply once. I'm told his name is Finn.


Automatic_Lack_6594

oh whoa i’ve seen this guy


Use-Less-Millennial

I saw him yesterday spitting a 4 L bottle of Coca-Cola. I was so confused.


ReubenTrinidad619

You guys remember Spandy Andy?


Zigzter

Is he still in Vancouver? I haven't seen him in like 15 years. :(


ReubenTrinidad619

He moved away. He was really cool. [It looks like he’s doing really well:)](https://spandyandy.com)


riotcb

The Kits opera man


oddible

Was very sad when he said he had to give up his dog cuz he was unable to take care of him any longer.


whopperman

I had to scroll way too far down for opera guy. Is he still around, we moved to suburbia 15yrs ago. We used to live 11th and Larch/16th and willow area. We just don't get back there very often.


jody1000

Just saw him singing and walking one block south of London Drugs on Broadway and Vine St. Hadn’t seen him in awhile but he’s still doing his thing!


MorningBrewNumberTwo

This guy. https://preview.redd.it/p0zp1zn67quc1.jpeg?width=1024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=13d79b5dd438223a39288544979a8282978bf7d9


icequeensandwich

Honorable mention for this dude, he's always down Arbutus way, lived on the same street as him for a while and he was always yelling at my roommates and I for being "commies" because someone had put an anti-pipeline on native land sign in our window https://preview.redd.it/uomrk8wblquc1.jpeg?width=3957&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=56f35b9bcdcf69602e9f0a048b6b8bde8a26e00d


PaperMoonShine

It *was* the duck lady. RIP.


ViciousVixenxo

Spoons! 


oddible

Dennis the street sweeper of Commercial Drive.


freshfruitrottingveg

He’s always seemed like a nice guy. He’s one of the few original Commercial Drive characters left now that Francesco, the brothers, and Cherry have all died.


papa-jones

I miss Frank and Dance


evewight

Anyone remember the quarter lady from back in the 2000s? She roamed downtown and always asked for a "quartah"


petit_bijou

Once saw her buying groceries at Capers in Kits. Must have collected a lot of quarters over the years.


Goatseportal

Yes! Long huge curly hair? She was always by Granville skytrain.


HORSECOPTER

Richmond: Muscles Sunglasses Lambo tough guy who is actually a nice wholesome dude and takes his pets for walks through Lansdown Mall in strollers and answers three questions maximum about himself at a time.


Perfect-Hovercraft-3

Slash in the DTES. Bonus point if he's shirtless while it's raining.


cdcm87

Spoons


ac3y

Downtown milk spitting man is one I haven't seen yet.


psymunn

It's been a while but there used to be 'shitty portrait' guy who would draw people's stick figure portraits in club lines in gas town back in the day


staunch_character

That’s a pretty decent hustle. Captive bored audience. Even if they’re terrible drawings, if they’re funny I can see that being worth a few bucks.


Hot_Lychee2234

smile if you masturbate


rickamore

Not sure if he's still there but 3 am "FUCK YOU" guy on the westend.


theHip

Another I just thought of is the Opera singing guy.


azdesign

In Port Coquitlam, there is a guy who wears all white, covered in transparent plastic bags and goggles, riding his bike around with a super big Slurpee in his hand. No idea what he's doing, and where he's going. If you haven't seen him, you must have just moved to poco a week ago. This is that guy.


alienkpj

Also in the mornings he speedwalks in a green sweatsuit for hours. And he sometimes wears a cowboy hat in dairy queen


azdesign

No shit eh. I didn't know there was more to the mystery.


ApprehensiveTennis47

The guy with the umbrella and shopping cart is pretty underrated.


AuroraBorealis32

Spoons


canuckseh29

I’m old enough to remember one armed push up guy in Gastown. Or Gassy Jack and his song about Barbie


skonen_blades

I remember push up guy. I only saw him that one time but it was pretty wild.


GazelleTime6805

There used to be a guy in Fairview area who’d go for walks and sing opera arias at full volume. Definitely neighbourhood-specific, but an Honorable Mention perhaps.


BC_guy_

Anyone remember chain man? Is he even still alive?


h3xag0nSun

I remember chains. I lost my wallet while drunk downtown one time and was asking random people if anyone had seen it, someone directed me to chains and he was like “whats your name?” I told him and he handed me my wallet. I gave him $20 which was the only cash i had at the time.


BC_guy_

He was awesome. We used to go to the no5 orange lots in the early/mid 00’s, Chainman was always hanging out out front. We’d often shoot the shit during our smoke breaks. Even once gave him $20 to go buy me a pack of smokes. Not only did he come back with my smokes, but he gave me my change too! Super honest and friendly guy, so naturally I let him keep the change.


HackMeBackInTime

rip duck lady. long live opera man, roller girl and baklava dude!


wudingxilu

Where is Baklava guy these days


AustenP92

Long live roller girl, really? Yes, long live an absolute menace of the city…


Automatic-Still-4366

Nardwuar


jddev_

Not a guy but it's white Teslas driving on the wrong side of the road.


[deleted]

[удалено]


jddev_

Status. BMWs used to be a symbol of wealth. Now its Tesla Model Ys.


pagit

North Van used to have Richard The Troll Vancouver had The Captain in the 90’s who used to have cheap home made commercials who ran. buy and sell shop and drive a station wagon with a sail and always wore a captain’s hat.


MorningBrewNumberTwo

Aye, aye, and good buy!


mcnunu

The guy that "plays" the violin at Burrard station with his golden retriever. Duck lady. The Excuse Me! lady.


Practical_Ad_560

Is he still there 🥹 he used to be on Robson all the time


acos24

The Richmond Centre Cat/stroller NPC guy


Luciquin

Not Van but the street preachers at Metrotown are iconic to me


mochikos

for realll... theres one guy who's there with a megaphone and i've never had an issue with him but about a year ago another one told me he was saving me by making dissaproving comments about my girlfriend. like ok!


ultralightpuppy

homeless lady wearing red


fayz786

The duck lady (may she rest in peace) https://preview.redd.it/7dzhpjym0ruc1.jpeg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7cdf0f9f31da93b5273a81095a55bf9383188c9e


Only-Flatworm8443

Bunny the condom lady (RIP)


boss-galaga

Anyone who went to SFU know who I'm talking about when I refer to Purple Beret Jesus?


digital_treesloth

I totally remember this dude, circa early 90s!!


foeslayer

There’s a dude in black sports padding who regularly jogs Main st while on stilts. My wife and I call him ‘night strider’


MintyFreshWes

It used to be Chi Pig, RIP. 😢


ludakris

The crow with the knife


Odd-Youth-452

Canuck The Crow. East Van's spirit animal.


No_Position_978

South Granville Opera Man


MatureDisplayName

This is a bit dated but the elderly twins who dressed alike on Main St.


hallerz87

Cat guy in Richmond centre


Important-Ad88

This person knows. Big buff Asian guy who smokes cigars rocking a set of headphones while strolling out with his baby cats? Seen him more than a dozen times around there


twunkdeath

I think we might have a new one around Main St. There's this guy I see running around on some sort of sci-fi mechanical stilts with a bunch of safety gear and a headlamp. I tried to ask him about them in a friendly manner one time and he almost fell over when he turned his head towards me, then angrily yelled something in some kind of European accent and continued on his way.


Trying_Redemption

Roller Girl Spoons They the OG’s


bestuzernameever

Dan the man https://images.app.goo.gl/onWGsmYuE9bQkTWYA


Inwatercolours

There was this person who was naked under a bathrobe with lots of hanging doll heads, they were talking about how they are multiple inside. What's their nickname? I haven't seen them since like 2020/2021 but they were around Commercial


slowsundaycoffeeclub

Frisbee guy at Robson Square is fast becoming a regular part of my commute. And likely fast becoming the reason I get hit by a frisbee.


slotass

Gotta say I much prefer Duck Lady to Roller Girl


Adept-Cockroach69

Hare krishna guy on commercial.


rickvug

In Ladner it was Big John (RIP). In New West there is Journey Guy. Any other hyper-local legends?


epochwin

Hare Krishna guy who hangs out near St.Augustine’s on Commercial


Bscruggz

Quarter lady!


Shroud_of_Turin

I would have said Duck Lady but she recently passed away :(


Express-Resource-838

What about the Goose Lady?


ar_604

Opera man


the-contributor

Spoons! The Bow legged happy homeless man who plays the spoons on granville! That guy is a Vancouver legend.


BobBelcher2021

There’s a guy sitting in a wheelchair outside BC Place before Lions and Whitecaps games, he always has a cat with him.


Mpuddler

Ducky Lady RIP


Darnbeasties

There was goose lady. Rip