2016-11-30
Vae Viator81 2016-11-30 - METRO's Plan Means ...
Vae Viator81
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
From your Mole, to all who see this in hopes that you will have a:
¡Feliz Navidad y Prospero Año Nuevo!
Joyeux Noël et Bonne Année!
METRO's Plans Means: More Toonerville Trolleys?♪
The graffiti artist have been working on the posters aboard LACMTA conveyances! They have made an excellent point as well. Vehicles which run at grade level and stop for stop signs and signals are not Rapid Transit, no matter how much one spins the topic, the truth cannot be avoided. Rapid transit is the choice of major American cities, except for Los Angeles!
Well, they mean pretty much what the graffitist has modified it to say: Scaring the landscape for centuries with a fifth rate transportation "system".
But Mole, Measure M won‽ Yes it did, but this Mole firmly believes that the automobile driving public put it over the top due to their logic, i.e.,"If I vote for it maybe the other guy will abandon the freeways and leave them to me. The fact that the LACMTA was less than honest in promising a 15% reduction in commute time put failed to mention that it would take forty years to realize the reduction didn't hut either.
How can we categorise and define the various implementations of rail transportation? Your Mole has attempted to do so, but please bare in mind that his list is not exhaustive and therefore does not limit the possible characteristics listed. Your Mole has chosen the ones which he feels are important.
A FIRST RATE TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM.
It is a rapid transit system with deterministic travel times.
It is a rapid transit system with deterministic travel times.
It is an elevated system.
It is predominately built at the same elevation.
It provides escalators from ground level to the track level.
It provides the expected creature comforts, notably rest rooms.
Maintenance is performed frequently and rapidly.
It has system-wide operating standards.
It is supported by an organisation which learns and improves.
A SECOND RATE TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM.
It is a primarily rapid transit system with deterministic travel times.
It is a primarily rapid transit system with deterministic travel times.
It is an elevated system.
It is predominately built at the same elevation.
It lacks or is weak in at least one of the following areas
It provides escalators from ground level to the track level.
It provides the expected creature comforts, notably rest rooms.
Maintenance is performed frequently and rapidly.
It has system-wide operating standards.
It is supported by an organisation which learns and improves.
A THIRD RATE TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM.
It is a primarily a mass transit system.
It is a primarily a mass transit system.
It is an elevated system.
It is predominately built at the same elevation.
It lacks or is weak in at least two of the following areas
It provides escalators from ground level to the track level.
It provides the expected creature comforts, notably rest rooms.
Maintenance is performed frequently and rapidly.
It has system-wide operating standards.
It is supported by an organisation which might learns and/or improves.
A FOURTH RATE TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM.
It is mostly a mass system.
It is mostly a mass system.
It is may be a partly elevated system.
It is predominately built at the same elevation, but will operate at grade level.
It lacks or is weak in at least three of the following areas
It provides escalators from ground level to the track level.
It provides the expected creature comforts, notably rest rooms.
Maintenance is performed frequently and rapidly.
It has some system-wide operating standards.
It is supported by an organisation which sometimes learns and/or improves.
A FIFTH RATE TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM.
It is a substantially a mass transit system.
It is a substantially a mass transit system.
It is an elevated system only in some sections of a given line and will often operate at grade level with no easily discernible reason.
It is built at varying elevations.
It provides escalators from ground level to the track level only at a few stations.
It provides almost no creature comforts.
Maintenance is performed infrequently and slowly, at best.
It lacks system-wide operating standards.
It is handicapped by an organisation which seldom learns and almost never improves.
The LACMTA obviously fits into the fifth rate category.
Embedding a script in a blog is not for the faint of heart. But it is a learning experience and I promise that I will continue to improve and if I do this again the format will be better :-).
The LACMTA obviously fits into the fifth rate category.
Embedding a script in a blog is not for the faint of heart. But it is a learning experience and I promise that I will continue to improve and if I do this again the format will be better :-).
OPENING SCENE FROM “TAJ MAHAL”
INT. FICTIONAL 3RD CITY TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY BOARD ROOM – DAY
White jacked catering employees from a major 3rd city hotel are setting up for a breakfast meeting of the board. The chairman enters and seats himself at the end of the table farthest from the entry way. The buffet setup is on his left. As the board members file in and take their seats, the catering employees exit to a prep room door located on the end of the buffet set-up nearest the entry way. The chairman stands and addresses the board.
THE CHAIRMAN
Order please. Our public relations department has accepted the request of the local paper to have a reporter sit in on our meeting. So let me introduce Ms Auroa K. Melson.
A stunningly beautiful woman, wearing a dark blue business suit and carrying a
largish Louis Vuitton business bag walks purposefully to an empty seat at the
end of the table farthest from the chairman and nearest the door. She sets up a
recording device and her laptop [Promotional tie-in].
A board member stands and speaks.
THE BOARD MEMBER
Mr. chairman, a motion please.
THE CHAIRMAN
The chair recognises councilman White.
COUNCILMAN WHITE
I make a motion the we exclude Ms Melson from these proceedings.
COUNCILMAN GREEN
(Stands)
I second the motion!
THE CHAIRMAN
A motion has been made and seconded, all in favour signify by saying “AYE”.
The room echos with AYES!
Ms Melson appears shocked, her face shows her embarrassment as she packs her recorder and laptop into the Louis Vuitton business bag and exits the Board Room.
THE CHAIRMAN
Now, down to business. All stand.
All board members stand and THE CHAIRMAN turns to face a large portrait of
Scrooge McChicken.
THE CHAIRMAN (Continues)
All rei (bow) to our mentor.
All board members execute a perfect 90 degree Japanese bow.
THE CHAIRMAN
Mr. secretary please read the revised agenda.
THE BOARD SECRETARY
Item 1. Begin construction of restrooms at all rail stations and bus terminals. The executive committee has voted to strike this item as unnecessary.
THE CHAIRMAN
Consider the item struck!
THE BOARD SECRETARY
ITEM 2. Add escalators to all rail stations and improve the speed of the elevators
five-fold. The executive committee has voted to strike the adding of escalators
as unnecessary AND to modify the item to read “reduce the speed of the
elevators five-fold which will decrease usage and save both power and
maintenance costs”.
THE CHAIRMAN
Consider the item so modified! Please note that due to the munificence of the voters in passing Measure MALO, we have added three new yogurt flavours, three new pastries and three sorbets to our breakfast menu. Gentlemen, after breakfast we will take up the matter of making all our new rail services run at grade-level which will greatly decrease construction costs. Also we'll consider turning one-third of bus operations over to LAWA in each of the next three years. Let’s eat!
Everyone, in order of seniority, proceeds to the buffet tables. The catering staff reappears to assist in serving and restocking the buffet.
FADE TO BLACK
The bar is set high with traffic like this.♪
The LACMTA is promising a 15% reduction in commute time —although my understanding is that it will require 40 years to accomplish the task. Perhaps they might want to add a few more years because, as one can see in the photo above, the bar is set high.
America's Worst LACMTA Transportation: Risible, NOT Rapid!♪
Punishment?♪
Without regard to the Measure M win, the LACMTA/Metro doesn't deserve the funding which our tax dollars will now provide and definitely do NOT deserve any additional funding from us; until such time as they begin to deliver the service which we deserve; including but not limited to:
Building restroom facilities where they are needed. They know the locations!
If the drivers have restrooms the ridership needs them as well;
Providing security at the LAXCBC and along bus routes especially at 96th ST and Airport BL; The LACMTA devotes lots of money to "security", which is likely NOT cost effective, but almost nothing is spend on REAL system security. Providing an “app” or a telephone number is not providing security.
Training bus drivers that can DRIVE, which will be partly evidenced by positioning their buses at a bus stop equidistant and an EASY step to/from the curb. Many drivers lack a sense of professionalism and not all drivers are able to pull up to a bus stop properly; near the flag and close to the curb for the full length of the bus. It is probably just a case of the 98% giving the rest a bad name. Also, eliminating those drivers who break then accelerate and repeat, viz. rough and jerky driving —nothing focuses attention like a few firings for lack of aptitude.
Providing a pleasant on-board ambiance; no LOUD audio emanating from Metro vehicle's on-board audio systems, dispatcher radios or the riders' personal audio devices. NOT employing drivers who think they are there to provide entertainment —Silence is Golden!
Disallow boarding of passengers with unpleasant body odors, dragging trash bags stuffed with recyclables, drunk and/or unruly etc., etc.
Importantly, adding the bus drivers number to the scrolling sign inside the bus, so that riders can report those drivers who are rude, crude and have poor driving skills. Obviously, the LACMTA is unable to make those determinations.
This would be an important addition to the scroll as the ridership WILL identify the rude and incompetent whereas the LACMTA is incapable of doing so.
This would be an important addition to the scroll as the ridership WILL identify the rude and incompetent whereas the LACMTA is incapable of doing so.
Many, if not most, bus drivers DO NOT secure wheelchair passengers. Rather, they ask passenger if they wish to be secured; most seem to reply "NO". In the event of an accident, these heavy vehicles could bounce around the bus and injure passengers. But like many items, safety to passengers is extremely low on the LACMTA's priority list —if they even have such a list.
The LACMTA badly needs to foster a culture of openness and transparency! Providing quarterly and annual reports for each significant project, reporting which reflects project status in terms of ahead of or behind plan and a budget metric showing dollars over/under budget would allow the public to evaluate their competency.
La Taupe has commented a number of times on changing the drop off point ofMetro buses at LAXCBC so as to minimise the distance one has to travel when transferring from a Metro bus to another Metro bus. It would be a simple change. No matter how simple or easy, the LACMTA will do —I believe— only what a court order demands.
Please review these prior posts on a more efficient arrangement of the LAXCBC on: 2013-03; 2014-12; and 2015-10.
Su Topo as heard from seniors on the unfair and disproportionate Muni transfer price increase forced on them. It turns out to be a 250% increase from ten to twenty five cents. The fair thing to do would be to roll it back to 10 cents for a period equal to the period that it was at 25 cents, then raise it to 15 cents. ¿Cómo esta abuelita?
Riding LACMTA services is generally not that pleasant to begin with and is only made more unpleasant by experiencing the above "punishments".
Part of FlyAway's expanded fleet♪
(By the way, what is LAWA doing in transportation anyway??)
(By the way, what is LAWA doing in transportation anyway??)
FlyAway, aided by the LACMTA, Picks the Taxpayer's pockets
This is a topic which su Topo has often touched upon but to which he will devote still more space. Especially since the LACMTA and seems disinclined to defend its territory .i.e., charter MD Transportation. The aid provided by the LACMTA takes the form of its lack of a will to resist and an eagerness to eliminate any of its bus lines which might compete for even an infinitesimal fraction of the business.
Not only do the big buses not giveth the small ones take away too! FlyAway, in reality, LAWA —a city agency continues to provide transportation to LAX from a number of origins. The LACMTA has no single-seat bus service to LAX. When it cancelled the 439 Line it severed Metro connections between Union Station, the West Side Transportation Center, Culver City Transportation Center and Aviation Station. This left the the field open to LAWA who could charge something greater than four (4) times Metro's full fare.
At the time FlyAway came into being Metro pass holders were allowed to ride to LAX on their passes. The LACMTA was greasing the skids that early on! I made the ride and it was comfortable and faster than the 439 Line. Had they continued to allow us to ride on our passes, very likely I would have considered it a benefit that Metro was providing me and not be writing this today.
However as time passed the pass privileges on Dash, DOT Commuter Lines were also eliminated, joined the cancelled FlyAway privileges and, how shall I say, went extinct? Along with many single-seat buses which forced us to take multiple Metro Buses/Trains to get where we needed to go. And don't forget, we once had Metro transfers available to us.
All those things are gone! While the base fares have gone up making the ridership shoulder the burden of paying MORE for LESS!
What does the LACMTA have to say? Except for their usual policy of telling us how great transportation is in Los Angeles —nothing, a complete stonewall.
LACMTA, need money? How about standing up for your charter, the limits of which seem to be defined in your title “The Los Angeles County Transportation Authority”. You should be running Flyaway, charge the tourists $10 each way to the airport, let pass holders ride on their passes and spend the profits on running a reconstituted 439 Line which can connect Union Station, the Westside Transportation Center, the Culver City transportation Center, the LAXCBC and Aviation Station. That way the hodgepodge that the LACMTA has cobbled together would start to appear as if it were an actual system!
The photograph below documents the situation at the Maxella AV and Lincoln BL stop on the BBB number 3 Line. It is the sort of “work” one would expect from the LACMTA. They taped or caused to be taped shut the aperture in the plastic pipes associated with power poles. These pipes continue to be used as improvised trash cans. BBB N.B. The stop still needs a trash can!
BBB Maxella Trash Fix???♪
Su Topo will include this comment in every post with the above until BBB corrects the problem. For quite awhile BBB has been charging for inter-line transfers, reversing the long-standing policy of free transfers to other BBB lines. This presents the BB as less friendly to its ridership than in years past.
Too, BBB has spent lots of money to build a big headquarters on Colorado BL just east of 4th Street. Mr. King, just a few dollars for a trash can, you might need a few more to cover other bus stops too, will erase this section. After all, it is Marina Del Rey! :-)
Why a trash container is needed♪
The photo above shows exactly what people will do when a trash container is not provided. They will jury rig something. What they did, in this case, is rip off the tape which covered the plastic pipes at the base of the utility pole and stuffed their trash into the pipe, nice, huh?
Edward F. King, Director of Transit Services
City of Santa Monica's Big Blue Bus
The man pictured above could ensure that trash containers are installed along BBB routes with a simple three-line memorandum.
White Line Incursion Series
Su Topo uses video to highlight the problem of scofflaw drivers endangering Metro bus passengers yet, no authority seems to want to take ownership of the problem. The issue is not unique to the particular site documented by your Mole, but is illustrative of a general problem. Your Mole encourages you to report similar problems to the appropriate agencies in your area(s) and hope that you will have better luck than he. In the youtube.com videos linked below one can see exactly what happens when the policing agencies fail to enforce traffic laws.
The video(s) linked below document the important fact that a never- ending stream of vehicles fail to use the lane as required by law.
Neither are the policing agencies active when it comes to protecting us by bringing these obvious and frequent traffic law violations to an immediate halt. The LACMTA is derelict as well, in that they fail to use the near hourly proof of the violations captured by the on board cameras, mentioned here, and discussed at length in the posting of 2012-05-31.
2016-09-30
Please carefully watch this video and you'll see two vehicles, the second one a taxi, cutoff a 111 Line bus.
These incursions happen multiple times per day so it is only a matter of time before an accident occurs.
Airport auto rental shuttle drivers and others, if shown in the above videos, are all Class-B operators and should know better; but often they don't care and neither does the LACMTA and any of the policing agencies which have jurisdiction in the area.
Please carefully note that in some videos, pedestrians are pinned to the curb by the vehicles that cut in front of the bus —as a result these pedestrians are illegally denied the right-of-way. Which right-of-way would be unchallengeablely theirs IF, and only IF, Mr. Washington would review su Topo’s simple solution (vide infra) and implement it.
In spite of the potential for these violations to occur several times per HOUR, I have never seen a police presence at this location. One would think that with a bus schedule taped to the dashboard one of the several policing agencies would have made some arrests by now. Unless they have "more important" work to do than protecting bus passengers.
La Taupe feels that it is appropriate to dedicate these video(s) to ALL the agencies that should be protecting us. So, they are dedicated to (1): Airport (LAWA) Police, (2) the L.A.P.D., (3) the L. A. County Sheriff’s Department and (4) Mr. Washington who is the current CEO of the LACMTA.
Su Topo has recommended a simple solution to the problem. That is, have the 111 Line buses pull up to pedestrian crosswalk, stop there stop and discharge passengers. Doing so eliminates the space in front of the bus which the always-in-a-hurry scofflaws use to cut in front of the bus. But, with the LACMTA nothing is simple. Although the solution could be implemented with nothing more than a memo to the 111/311 Line drivers, it is a task for which the LACMTA so far has proved to be inadequate.
Metro's Flag a revés♪
At sea, a vessel in distress will fly its' flag upside down. It is only right that, given the dysfunctional LACMTA, we should fly Metro's flag in that manner.
In this section it is su Topo's intention to call your attention to situations which he has observed that highlight the "LACMTA Way" of doing things.
An homage for her "contribution" to L.A. transportation.
Your Mole would like the former head of LAWA remembered for her "contribution" to Los Angeles area public transportation. She was quicker than her contemporary, the former bus driver and former head of the LACMATA, to implement the lucrative FlyAway service and discouraged all attempts, however feeble, to bring other modes of transportation to LAX.
Too, we should memorialize her attitude vis-à-vis public transportation directly to LAX in following the transportation direct-to-airport access pattern used by many, if not most, world-class airports, to wit, “
you go under the airport, it is fraught with problems, ...” [hardly a get it done attitude!].
you go under the airport, it is fraught with problems, ...” [hardly a get it done attitude!].
The Mole reads the papers and other things, obviating the necessity of your doing so.
Not so with the same kind of expensive glossy piece called "Silver Line All-Door Boarding Public Hearing. The Japanese would laugh uproariously at holding a public hearing to make this determination. But, the Taj Mahal staff must have something to occupy their time. And perhaps, to brag about their brilliance in implementing this idea &Mwhich idea has also been long in use on their bus systems.
« Chaque femme est sa propre poupée, qu'elle habille et arrange.»
The Times reported(Nelson) on Measure M before the votes were fully counted. La Taupe will only quote this paragraph from Ms Nelson's article.
"Measure M would raise the county’s base sales tax rate by a half-cent in 2017 and increase it to 1% in 2039 after another half-cent tax expires. The levy would continue until voters choose to end it."[emphasis added - MOLE]
So voters, you can bring this money grab to an end by pointing out the LACMTA's dissembling about the time-frame of the reduction in commute time and roll-back their tax grab with a repeal of Measure M in a near future election. This would force the LACMTA to earn their money the old fashioned way, i.e., by providing a desired service.
So voters, you can bring this money grab to an end by pointing out the LACMTA's dissembling about the time-frame of the reduction in commute time and roll-back their tax grab with a repeal of Measure M in a near future election. This would force the LACMTA to earn their money the old fashioned way, i.e., by providing a desired service.
Another Times writer(Morrison)quotes a transportation writer, Edward Humes on Measure M: "It’s a huge pot of change and some really cool things are on it. On the other hand, I’m looking at a list of the rail and highway projects, and it really looks like something that could have been drawn up in 1980. It’s kind of old thinking about transportation, and I’m a little disappointed, really."
Mole: So am I, Mr. Humes, so am I!
In predicting the results of Measure M, Ms Morrison writes; "... over the next 40 years, tens of billions of dollars in new sales tax money will make its way to rail lines and buses, to streets and freeways, to students and seniors … — all to build a betterway of getting around L.A." Your Mole decided that since Ms Morrison is likely not a psychic, so that su TOPO thinks that "different way" is a better choice of words to describe the usual work of the LACMTA than "better way". So with apologies to Ms Morrison he made this small edit to her writing: — all to build abetter different way of getting around L.A. — Mille pardons from La Taupe!
Mole: So am I, Mr. Humes, so am I!
In predicting the results of Measure M, Ms Morrison writes; "... over the next 40 years, tens of billions of dollars in new sales tax money will make its way to rail lines and buses, to streets and freeways, to students and seniors … — all to build a betterway of getting around L.A." Your Mole decided that since Ms Morrison is likely not a psychic, so that su TOPO thinks that "different way" is a better choice of words to describe the usual work of the LACMTA than "better way". So with apologies to Ms Morrison he made this small edit to her writing: — all to build a
The Los Angeles Times informs us (Nelson2) that vis-á-vis the LACMTA security plans, it is the polices Departments in and the Sheriffs Deputies out. Ms Nelson wrote; ‘Hiring Long Beach and Los Angeles police in their own cities would “vastly improve performance” and visibility on the system, Metro staff wrote, and would be nearly $100 million cheaper than hiring more sheriff’s deputies.’
SU Topo reflects that it is not that money matters to the LACMTA :-).
Another Times reporter (Christopher) tells us that: “In giving the Measure M transit tax roughly 70% support, a full 3 percentage points above the super-majority it needed to pass, county voters virtually guaranteed [Emphasis added - Mole] that L.A. will finally build the mature, comprehensive public transit system [emphasis added - Mole] it has been working toward, often haltingly, since the 1980s.”
Further, as these monthly posts well establish, the past is the best predictor of the future, so that the only way that the voters can guarantee anything is to replace the LACMTA with a professional organization.
The word which appeared in most of the articles cited was mass as in Mass Transit. rather we need Rapid transit, which the LACMTA is unable to build.
The continuing saga of the CHSRA is well documented by the Los Angeles Times (Vartabedian). This time CHSRA tried to wiggle out of Buy American requirement for the Bullet Train. Here is a single quote from Mr. Vartabedian's work: “The argument that I got from the high-speed rail authority was that it couldn’t be built in the United States, and the reply I gave started out with [an impolite term for ‘rubbish’] and went on from there,” [John] Garamendi [(D-Fairfield)] said.
Please read the complete stories by the fine reporters cited herein by following the links provided, where available in Works Cited, below.
The push is onto get people to walk. I am holding an expensive glossy piece called "Walk instead." It wont be cited because it has no dates , numbers etc.
Further, as these monthly posts well establish, the past is the best predictor of the future, so that the only way that the voters can guarantee anything is to replace the LACMTA with a professional organization.
The word which appeared in most of the articles cited was mass as in Mass Transit. rather we need Rapid transit, which the LACMTA is unable to build.
The continuing saga of the CHSRA is well documented by the Los Angeles Times (Vartabedian). This time CHSRA tried to wiggle out of Buy American requirement for the Bullet Train. Here is a single quote from Mr. Vartabedian's work: “The argument that I got from the high-speed rail authority was that it couldn’t be built in the United States, and the reply I gave started out with [an impolite term for ‘rubbish’] and went on from there,” [John] Garamendi [(D-Fairfield)] said.
Please read the complete stories by the fine reporters cited herein by following the links provided, where available in Works Cited, below.
The push is onto get people to walk. I am holding an expensive glossy piece called "Walk instead." It wont be cited because it has no dates , numbers etc.
All Door Boarding in Japan♪
["Each woman is her own doll, which she dresses and arranges."]
Alphonse Karr (1808-11-24~1890-09-29)
Merci beaucoup à http://www.mon-poeme.fr/ pour la citation et à http://dicocitations.lemonde.fr/biographie/2388/Alphonse_Karr.php
pour le matériel biographique.
pour le matériel biographique.
Ars longa vita breva
Leon Bonnat (1833-06-20~1922-09-09) was a technically superb painter. His Les sœurs Galoppe can be seen here.
Leon Bonnat (1833-06-20~1922-09-09) was a technically superb painter. His Les sœurs Galoppe can be seen here.
Merci bien à http://www.nadar1874.net/Bonnat.html
pour le matériel biographique.
¿Musica?
Let's watch and listen to Julian Bream performing Charles Lecocq's (1832-06-03~1918-10-24) LeCoeur Et La Main. "
Thank you!" to www.youtube.com for this beautiful work. We also thank
Benoît Schaeffer, who uploaded the video.
Metro Area – Lower your expectations!♪
The Mole rides again, so you don't have to see the sad homeless people who live at the LAXCBC.
(dates are ISO8601 format, times are expressed in the 24 hour system.)
(dates are ISO8601 format, times are expressed in the 24 hour system.)
2016-11-03 08:45 @ LAXCBC: Above is another sad homeless person sleeping on the hard cold concrete. He may be a as veteran there are many of them who are homeless in Los Angeles. The VA is said to be working on providing space for then on its Brentwood campus, but, their pace is exceedingly slow!
Loos, but NOT for you!♪
201-11-04: Your Mole noticed these "facilities" at the Sepulveda Expo Line Station. The loos are intended for the bus drivers who serve the station. But NOT for you or me!
2016-11-23: Su Topo waits at a bus stop which is located right in front of a car wash. Two hard working Latinas are drying the vehicles as exit the spray cleaning process. It is amazing that so few people tip these ladies! Benz drivers don't even roll down their windows to thank the workers, they just drive off!
Take a walk.♪
2016-11-23: Aboard the waited-for bus, la Taupe sees the Transit Ad shown above. Like lots of these things it has been "tagged". In this case the graffitist has a good point. By waking between the buses which have the shortest link in your journey, you may be able to not purchase a day pass and save $1.75.
Daily day passes add up to one hundred and fifty four dollars per month —at $7 per day for a 22 day working month. Cutting out one bus each way by walking will result in a monthly cost of just $77. Creative use of both walking and Muni transfers can further reduce your transportation costs. So, please start finding ways to reduce the amount of your hard earned dollars which end up in the LACMTA's pocket. One can obtain maps and schedules and use the Internet to find other options —but don't look to the "Trip Planner Spoiler" to do it for you. Anyway, when one rides buses, one just naturally walks a lot!
The Los Angeles Times has documented the fact that Metro's ridership is down.
No matter what the LACMTA says about luring people out of their cars, it just isn't going to happen while travel times are non-deterministic and Californians love for their cars continues.
Let's face it, sitting on a crowded bus or train which has stopped for a traffic light while being bumped by garbage bags stuffed with recyclables, exerts absolutely no pull on someone who is humming along to a tune in the relative quite of her car.
It's not going to happen and the LACMTA's plan for scaring the landscape for centuries with mass transit which drops down to compete with motor vehicles for the right-of-way is a ridiculous plan!
What were they thinking? It is apparent to me that they wanted to build a fifth rate "system" and they have succeeded. But although the can force their approach on those who have no other option, they have failed and will continue to fail to sell it to those who have options.
Bringing better service to others, by bypassing you♪
So, equal taxation but unequal provision of service that is the LACMTA way. But it is time to bring an end to that approach. La Taupe has shown the way to do that —VOTE NO on any LACMTA/Metro propositions. This Mole has commented on the Rapid service in the past. Pointing out that Rapid lines don't always stop when the cross other LACMTA lines, nor do they stop at county facilities, e.g., the excellent Los Angeles County Libraries. Why not? Well one could ask the Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Association.
So what if the line took six minutes longer but, some students could get to a library sooner. And while they're at it, stops should be added for Los Angeles City Libraries too!
This Is Not Rapid Transit♪
The photo above concretises the idea that the EXPO line will not deliver deterministic travel because, look at the signals and the traffic folks, it isn’t RAPID TRANSIT.
BBB knows how to do signage♪
201-11-23: Here is an example of a readable sign which indicates the location of the replacement bus stop. Nice work BBB!
Maintenance? What does that mean?♪
2016-11-24 @ 16:30: Green Line - Harbour Freeway Station.: The time display on the above sign is off! The actual time on the photo is 16:36.
Good Money♪
The LACMTA becomes enamoured with any idea they come across.
After Bad♪
In so doing they loose sight of important things, such as most people could buy a serviceable bicycle for the cost of a months rental of one of the bikes racked
above. Maybe the LACMTA should stick to what it knows? But exactly what would that be. Further, when the agency has its hands deeply in the taxpayers pocket, what do they really care?
One of the many vehicular incursions which happens frequently at the LAXCBA♪
2016-11-2Mole, why does this happen? There are a number of reasons, poor signage. Your Mole has proposed simple, effective solutions a number of times over the years. but unfortunately it will take an accident to focus the LACMTA's hummingbird like attention on the problem. Also mistake the LAXCBC for the cell-phone waiting lot —Do people want to wait for a cell phone?? Poor signage exists there too. Or the drivers understand that there is almost no security at the LAXCBC and want to drop someone off right at his/her bus bay.
Your Mole feels that by showing you month-by-month examples of the LACMTA's failures, you will come to see that throwing more money at this dysfunctional organisation is not the path to solution. It is a direct path to more money wasting by the LACMTA.
Your Mole feels that by showing you month-by-month examples of the LACMTA's failures, you will come to see that throwing more money at this dysfunctional organisation is not the path to solution. It is a direct path to more money wasting by the LACMTA.
Ear (and Eye) to the Rail
Transit as unseen and unimagined by the LACMTA
The LACMTA (Subordinate to LAWA)
Presents
Every Which Way But Right!
OR
Four (OR Five) Seats to LAX!
ath
OR
The LACMTA Tries Again; Asymptotically to LAX!
OR
Metro is the worst way from the City Center to the Airport, LAX, that is!
The purpose of this section is to make people aware that the LACMTA is not home to many problem solvers. I hope to accomplish this end by presenting the solutions adopted by other cities, some in foreign countries, in solving the city to airport rapid transportation challenge.
Cautionary Note: Those employed by the LACMTA or LAWA should NOT view
the following video(s). The speed of the train(s), the fact that they neither
share the right of way nor stop at stop lights, because they are truly rapid
transit, will likely make you dizzy, nauseous, confuse and frighten you.
Map of Buenos Aires METRO SYSTEM♪
Now let's take a ride on a portion of the subway which was built in 1913. This is
the A line which you can see more clearly at this site, clck to enlarge the map.
Thanks to youtube.com for your great support! and to trenes & aviones de argentena for the upload!
Cosmology
A report in Australia's Cosmos magazine brings us up-to-date on the record for entangling quantum particles and exactly how basic our quantum computers are —like an abacus with two or three beads, they report!
For complete details please read the article here.
A report in Australia's Cosmos magazine brings us up-to-date on the record for entangling quantum particles and exactly how basic our quantum computers are —like an abacus with two or three beads, they report!
For complete details please read the article here.
Thank you!, phys.org/ for allowing us to read this material.
Then we are informed by Discover magazine the the universe is quite a bit larger than was supposed. learn about it from Discover Magazine here.
Then we are informed by Discover magazine the the universe is quite a bit larger than was supposed. learn about it from Discover Magazine here.
The New York Post reports (Harrison, George, The Sun) that multiple coexisting universes —Your Mole has discussed them on these pagers in months past— exist on the same time line and can interact in the something like the manner in which intertwined quantum particles do. It is a very interesting idea, about which la Taupe has an incomplete understanding. Please read this article by following the link embedded in "The Sun" above. The New York Post repeats the original Sun article.
Score Box OOS and related Lists of Shame
I.D. Numbers of buses with Out of Order Fare Boxes: Date/Time, Line/Bus #, Direction, e.g.,
route/bus#(date,time); direction
Note: No or few entries above do not necessarily mean all fare boxes are in operation.
route/bus#(date,time); direction
Note: No or few entries above do not necessarily mean all fare boxes are in operation.
I.D.Numbers of Distracted Drivers: xxxxx (i);
None included here, but observations of a minor nature may be included in the main posting;
Codes: (i) Extended conversation(s) with passenger(s) or (ii) cell phone call(s). Frequently, details can be found in the text above, (ii*) cell phone call(s) which are aggravated by some other action, (iii) Self-distracted. Codes (ii*) and (iii) will ALWAYS be explained in the posting.
I.D. Numbers of Buses Defaced by WhoIs stickers: xxxx;
~UR or +UR = (+UR) whois sticker and the ugly residue left after passengers partly remove the sticker. (~UR) = Only the ugly residue left after passengers almost completely remove the sticker. +L = an old (legacy) sticker black letters on a plain white background –these are the original form of the defacement.
* Another reason for displaying the operator's ID on the internal display and the headsign.
ID numbers of Buses whose Head and Tailsigns disagree: Not noted xxxx/xxxx;
Format is Bus number followed by Headsign number/Tailsign number.
ID numbers of Buses without Braille signs: xxxx;
METRO drivers Lack of Basic Technical Skills Report
The format is Driver number F[{Y/-n/+n}] C[{Y/N+/-}]. Meaning of F if Y the driver stopped with the Bus stop “flag pole” somewhere between the bus front door frames. A negative number, e.g., -3 is the approximate distance in metres (think yards dear readers) between the nearest bus door vertical frame member and the flag pole signifying that the bus stopped short of the flag. A positive number, e.g., +3 (metres) is the approximate distance between the nearest bus door vertical frame member and the flag pole signifying that the bus stopped past the flag. The value for C[{Y/N}], “Y” tells us that the driver stopped within an easy step from the curb to the bus, “N” means it was NOT an easy step from the curb to the bus. It is this Mole's belief that an average experienced good driver should be able to control his bus so as to position in near the curb and with the flag pole slightly to the front of the bus.
I.D. numbers of drivers who are unable or unwilling to position their buses parallel to the curb, a short step from the curb and/or equidistant from the vehicles exits. At the present time (2016-05-31) there are too many drivers to name, whose skill at parallel parking is deficient .
XXXXX F[+0] C[Y]; F[+7], C[Y]; xxxxx F[Y], C[Y]; xxxxxF[Y], C[Y]; N.B. distances are in metres, think yards.
13 metres is this is MORE than a 40 foot bus length. nnnnn* = Contract Driver
I.D. numbers of drivers who are almost guaranteed to give you a Rough and Jerky (R& J) ride: xxxxx;
I.D. numbers of drivers who will give you a potentially life-threatening ride: XXXXX(J)date; XXXX-XX-XX(-);
Codes: S = not wearing seat belts; J = bad judgment (unsafe driving practices).
La Taupe's Abréviations
ADADO = Automatic Destination Announcement (on) Door Opening. This feature is installed on many buses and operates on extremely few. Another “money down the toilet” LACMTA investment. La Taupe that this is intended for the visually impaired because people who can see can read the “head signs”.
ASAS = Automatic Stop Announcement System the GPS (Global Positioning System) driven mechanism for generating audio for the upcoming stops. N.B. Because of the low power (read weak) processors used in the on-board stops may be too close to identify stops separately. This is known as a granularity problem. Then too, if the driver operates the bus at speed above the speed limit you will find the system “back announcing” stops which you have already passed. I find that this will NOT keep some drivers from complaining “that you didn’t signal (ring) in time”. They don’t understand their relationship to the system and how, by driving faster than the GPS computer, they can bias it.
BART = Bay Area Rapid Transit – Please note the use of the word “Rapid” because it is a word we almost never hear in Los Angeles.
BBB = Santa Monica’s Big Blue Bus
CHSRA = California High-Speed Rail Authority, which is the equivalent, in more
ways than one, of the LACMTA.
CC or CCMBL = Culver City (Municipal) Bus (Lines)
CCTC = Culver City Transportation Center this is the place formerly known as FHMTC = the Fox Hills Mall Transportation Center (Sepulveda& Slauson)
FFE = Full Fare Equivalent (presently $1.75)
GTrans (Gardena transit?) formerly GMBL = Gardena Municipal Bus lines
ITC = Inglewood Transit Center
LAWA = Los Angeles World Airports.
LAXCBC = the LAX City Bus Center.
OCTA = Orange County Transportation Authority.
OOS = Out Of Service.
Rapid Transit = does not compete for right of way, that is, it will not run at grade unless it has EXCLUSIVE DEDICATED USE of the right of way).
R&J = Rough and Jerky [ride].
TT= Torrance Transit.
T1= the normal type of driver/staff.
T2= is the non-stop talker type of driver/staff, on the phone or to passengers,
T3= the uncommunicative type of driver/staff, sometimes surly.
WLATC = the West Los Angeles Transportation Center (Fairfax & Apple)
Su Topo’s Disclaimer and apologia
Your Mole always attempts to write an easy-on-the-eyes page using text input. Blogger.com however, has other ideas and will often not stay with a single font type or point size, produces extraneous spacing and etc. I wish I had time to debug the HTML which they produce, it is NOT the straight text which I pasted into the form, but I don’t. Therefore, I apologize on behalf of Blogger.com for the changes which they make, of which I do not approve. Sometimes, what I see, thankfully you don’t, is 24 point type –it is giant and other times they swallow my text, although it still seems to be there. In fairness to them, things seem better, although this is partly because I do understand which of their “features” do the most damage to me and consequently do not use them. Communicating these problems to them, for me, is something like having teeth extracted without the benefit of anesthetic, actually it is less fun than that. By their design, there is no simple e-mailing them with "Please look at my say, posting of 2009-06-28, it is weird!” I have been submitting feedback and experiences slow but positive progress. Until all issues are resolved, lo siento. [Addenda 2014-07-31]: Things have been much better lately. There is a more responsive feedback system now. [Addenda 2015-08-22]: Recently, even the "Feedback" mechanism has failed to submit problems. [2015-12-31] The feedback section disallows screen shots which show problems with the "final posting", such as, orange sections which cover blocks of text and change the font size. All it would take is allowing and attachment. But, ... [Addenda 2016-03-31] Since Blogger.com forced me to learn HTML 5, I can fix "many" of the problems which apparently were caused by using Word notation in "imported" files. The mystery failure to save problem still occurs but have diminished. [insert crossed fingers icon here :-) ].
I like blogger.com very much, and IF things ever normalise, I will consider deleting this "Disclaimer and apologia" section.
Your Mole’s Copyright Statement
All original photographs and original written materials are copyrighted © 2007~2016 by LAmetroMole. As of 2016-06-01 copyrighted photographs will include copyright text. ♪Clicking a photo will often* present you with an enlargement (sometimes successive clicks will further enlarge the photo). *This feature is dependent upon the Internet browser which you use and possibly other factors. Single use publication rights are granted provided the following statement is prominently displayed below the photograph: "copyrighted © 2007~2016 by LAmetroMole (http://lametromole.blogspot.com)"
FAIR USE NOTICE
This site contains or provides links to copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in our efforts to advance understanding of environmental, political, human rights, economic, democracy, scientific, and social justice issues, sustainable development, environmental, community and worker health, public disclosure, corporate accountability, and etc. We have often included relatively brief quotes from articles and etc., sometimes in addition to a simple link, because we have found that links frequently go "bad" or change over time. We believe this constitutes a "fair use" of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without fee or payment of any kind to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes and to those who access the site via any and all other channels. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use', you must obtain permission from the copyright owner. Music or other recorded material on this site, or referred to by this site are copyrighted by their respective artists and are made available here for evaluation purposes only. Please support the artists you like by buying their commercial CDs, MP3s and downloads.
Your Mole’s Conflict of Interest Statement
This is to certify that I, the blogger who is known as the LAmetroMole, with respect to this blog, except as described below, am not now nor at any time during the past year have been, nor is it my current intention to ever be:
1) A participant, directly or indirectly, in any arrangement, agreement, investment, or other activity with any vendor, supplier, or other party doing business with any of the entities about which I have written, which has resulted or could result in personal benefit to me.
2) A recipient, directly or indirectly, of any salary payments or loans or gifts of any kind or any free service or discounts or other fees from or on behalf of any person or organisation engaged in any transaction with any of the entities about which I have written.
Any exceptions to 1 or 2 above are stated below with a full description of the transactions and of the interest, whether direct or indirect, which I have (or have had during the past year) in the persons or organisations having transactions with any of the entities about which I have written.
there are no exceptions.
Date: 2009-06-24 s/LametroMole
Works Cited
Hawthorne, Christopher. “Bucking national trend, L.A. voters enthusiastically embrace a more urban future”. Los Angeles Times. Nov. 9, 2016. Web. http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/arts/la-et-cm-measure-m-lv-20161109-story.html
Morrison, Patt. “Patt Morrison asks: Transit guru Edward Humes on spending L.A.'s new transit billions”. Los Angeles Times. Nov. 16, 2016. Web. http://www.latimes.com/opinion/op-ed/la-ol-patt-morrison-asks-edward-humes-traffic-20161115-story.html
Nelson, Laura J. “A tax hike to fund a major expansion of the Metro system is leading in early returns”. Los Angeles Times. Nov. 9, 2016. Web. http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-metro-sales-tax-20161108-story.html
Nelson2, Laura J. “Metro says dumping deputies in favor of local police will address safety concerns in some areas ”. Los Angeles Times. Nov. 14, 2016. Web. http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-metro-policing-contract-20201010-story.html
Vartabedian, Ralph. “California's bullet train authority decides to buy American after all”. The Los Angeles Times. Nov. 19, 2016 . Web. http://www.latimes.com/local/california/la-me-bullet-reverse-direction-20161118-story.html
An artifact of the streets of Los Angeles, created by a brother Mole!
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The above is ### 30 ### in Braille
# posted by LAMETROmole @ 10:00 
