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Re: Supervisor Farrell Delays SFCTA Approval of Van Ness BRT Design

murphstahoe — Wed, 16 May 2012 00:41:54 -0000

@fubar

Responding to Farrell’s complaints, SFCTA Deputy Director of Planning Tilly Chang said agency staff offered to brief the board members at their previous meeting on April 24. “Some did take us up, and some didn’t take us up,” she said.

Regardless, Farrell took the SFCTA position. Don't take that job as a resume stuffer, take it if you can do the job.

This is a loser move.

Re: Supervisor Farrell Delays SFCTA Approval of Van Ness BRT Design

Fubar — Wed, 16 May 2012 00:06:47 -0000

Isn't it the job of staff at the SFCTA (the SFCTA is governed by the BOS sitting as Commissioners) to regularly brief Commissioner/Supervisors about projects in their Districts? If District Supervisor/Commissioners are not regularly involved, what kind of outreach is being done?

Re: Supervisor Farrell Delays SFCTA Approval of Van Ness BRT Design

Pomohomobobomofo — Tue, 15 May 2012 23:34:15 -0000

Isn't it in your job description as a board member of SFCTA to be informed about contemporary transit projects? No, scratch that: Isn't is your entire job description to be informed about contemporary transit projects? I know you're busy as a supe, so all the more reason that if you can't handle the workload, give it to someone who can.

Re: Proposed Van Ness BRT Design Would Combine the Best of Both Options

jonobate — Tue, 15 May 2012 23:21:45 -0000

The problem with your logic is that you consider buses to have the same effect as cars- hence your repeated references to "the bus/auto market". If you think that bus riders are in the same boat as private car owners, you're far divorced from reality. A bus rider creates a fraction of the emissions and a fraction of the congestion of a private car owner, and therefore people should be encouraged to ride transit rather drive.

Cycling and walking are also good substitutes for driving, but only for people physically capable of doing so, and only for short to medium distances. Your obsession with 'Human Power Transport' over everything else is an insult to every senior or disabled person with a mobility difficulty. Please, go down to your local senior center, tell them they should be getting on their bikes rather than taking the bus, and see what reaction you get.

As for riding a bus not being dignified experience - often it is not, but only because we marginalize bus riders through poor street design. This plan will improve the experience of riding a bus and move the experience closer to that of light rail, so why is this a reason to oppose BRT?

And as for your claim that LRT takes up less space than BRT, take a look at this actually existing example of LRT from within this very city, and tell me that it takes up less space or is substantially different from the BRT proposal above.

Simply put, we should be encouraging people to ride transit AND encourage them to cycle/walk, as both will reduce emissions and congestion, but some people have valid reasons to prefer one over the other. That preference should be respected. Not respecting that preference runs contrary to the goals of reducing emissions and reducing congestion.

Re: Supervisor Farrell Delays SFCTA Approval of Van Ness BRT Design

tNOB — Tue, 15 May 2012 23:07:35 -0000

Who cares??!! We will all be riding around in flying cars by then!

Re: East Bay Bike Party

Oaklander — Tue, 15 May 2012 21:56:56 -0000

It's also every month!
http://www.oaklandmofo.com/blo...

Re: Supervisor Farrell Delays SFCTA Approval of Van Ness BRT Design

Mario Tanev — Tue, 15 May 2012 20:47:05 -0000

I am concerned. Someone spoke at the SFMTA meeting saying that some Pacific Heights neighborhood group is opposing this because they are afraid of traffic diversion from Van Ness (unfounded since traffic flow should improve due to prohibited left turns and due to mode shift to transit). I think what happened is that some drivers complained to the supervisor and he was caught uninformed. Hopefully he won't pull an Alioto-Pier and jeopardize this project.

Re: Supervisor Farrell Delays SFCTA Approval of Van Ness BRT Design

kg — Tue, 15 May 2012 20:36:02 -0000

Um... do your job and read the proposal?

Re: Today’s Headlines

ladyfleur — Tue, 15 May 2012 20:30:58 -0000

Dutch bikes are upright and usually have coaster brakes, which makes it easier to ride with one hand. I'm sure it's a factor in why so many of them ride while while chatting on their mobile phones. It also helps them with holding umbrellas in the rain.

Re: Today’s Headlines

Sean Rea — Tue, 15 May 2012 20:17:06 -0000

Andy Chow and Mark Dreger frankly I think texting/talking on the phone is stupid regardless of your vehicle of choice. Even on a bicycle you can still hurt yourself and somebody else if you mess up. It *is* easier to pull over, even moreso on a bicycle if you have to use your phone.
My only point is that this will just be used as an excuse for more disproportionate crackdowns, because as mikesonn on a bicycle it more evident that you're on the phone than it is in the car.

Re: Supervisor Farrell Delays SFCTA Approval of Van Ness BRT Design

Ryan Holman — Tue, 15 May 2012 19:51:47 -0000

Aw man, I can't wait for this to happen. I'm glad that they're going with a design that allows right door boarding. An intersection like that would be awesome for a scramble pedestrian light.

Re: Today’s Headlines

jd_x — Tue, 15 May 2012 19:50:58 -0000

Andy Chow If you have brakes on both handlebars (which is most bikes), you only need one hand to stop.

@RLD Agreed. It's definitely easier to stop on a bike, but that's all the more reason why we need to give bicyclists credit in the first place: they aren't putting themselves in a situation, unlike a motorist, where they can't easily handle a call and where, if they do take the call, the consequences are much less severe since they weigh much less, are traveling much slower, and are more mobile. For that reason, it's important that the law recognize that the consequences of talking on a phone on a bicycle are much less severe than doing the same in a car, and the punishment should be appropriately less severe. It drives me nuts when people try to pretend like bicycles are cars and the consequence of using each is exactly the same.

Re: Supervisor Farrell Delays SFCTA Approval of Van Ness BRT Design

The Overhead Wire — Tue, 15 May 2012 19:24:19 -0000

Seriously? This has been in planning for YEARS!!! Get with the program dude.

Re: SFMTA Completes Implementation of 15-MPH Zones at 181 Schools

Mark Dreger — Tue, 15 May 2012 19:18:40 -0000

At this point, I think you can only specifically get a 25 mph zone near senior centers.

Re: Supervisor Farrell Delays SFCTA Approval of Van Ness BRT Design

mikesonn — Tue, 15 May 2012 19:18:25 -0000

District 2 supervisor holding up a transit project, surprise surprise...

Re: Today’s Headlines

Mark Dreger — Tue, 15 May 2012 19:16:53 -0000

Another factor is whether you ride an upright bike or not. The Dutch are famous for chatting on the phone when riding their bikes and they have no problem at all single-handing it.

Re: Supervisor Farrell Delays SFCTA Approval of Van Ness BRT Design

mikesonn — Tue, 15 May 2012 19:16:38 -0000

And we all suffer.

Re: Supervisor Farrell Delays SFCTA Approval of Van Ness BRT Design

Mark Dreger — Tue, 15 May 2012 19:14:21 -0000

Sounds like someone forgot to do his homework...

Re: Today’s Headlines

Davistrain — Tue, 15 May 2012 18:47:58 -0000

Not being a cyclist at this time, I can't really testify, but it would seem that it would be easier to stop and attend to the call when bicycling than in a car--no need to find a car sized parking or stopping spot to avoid driving and texting (or talking) at the same time.

Re: Today’s Headlines

Andy Chow — Tue, 15 May 2012 18:07:18 -0000

The problem that I see with cyclists riding with phones is that if one of their hands is holding the phone, then one of their hands isn't in the position to use the brake. That would compromise their braking ability.

Re: SFMTA Completes Implementation of 15-MPH Zones at 181 Schools

J282sf — Tue, 15 May 2012 17:33:16 -0000

Great job WalkSF for paving the way for safer streets for our kids! Now on to more enforcement of the rules, traffic calming, and beyond.

Re: SFMTA Completes Implementation of 15-MPH Zones at 181 Schools

mikesonn — Tue, 15 May 2012 17:06:28 -0000

Good luck getting anything done at 4th/King, that's car's land there!

Re: SFMTA Completes Implementation of 15-MPH Zones at 181 Schools

ubringliten — Tue, 15 May 2012 16:27:28 -0000

What about zones near senior citizens' residence? They get injured as easily as children. Do we not care about the elders in SF? Twice I have assisted seniors cross King/4th St.

Re: Today’s Headlines

mikesonn — Tue, 15 May 2012 14:46:15 -0000

Cyclists are visible, drivers aren't. Though, I have a great view from the bike lane right into the driver's lap, which is where most drivers hold their phone while texting.

Re: Clipper Card’s Dirty Little Secret (Hint: It Can “Go Negative”)

Arago007 — Tue, 15 May 2012 14:25:28 -0000

Doesn't each new Clipper card cost $5?