2017-04-30
2017-04-30 Via Viator86
Viva la belle France !
Via Viator86
From your Mole, to all who see this in hopes that you will enjoy your visit to this site.
ίBienvenido!
Bienvenue !
いらっしゃいませ!
When politicians involve themselves in technical matters, expect failures.
CEO's Question Time
Based upon the Parliamentary PM's Question Time at which questions may be asked of the Prime Minister.
Dear Mr. Washington:
I respectfully request answers to questions which puzzle me about the LACMTA operations. I would suggest that you present your answers to Los Angeles Times reporters who have my permission to edit, rephrase as long as the intent of the question is preserved and the publication rights to my questions without cost or obligation. With the understanding that the results of the Question and Answer interview be published in the Los Angeles Times. This allows the widest possible to your answers and I, as a Los Angeles Times subscriber, will also have easy access to your answers.
Bus trips can easily require an hour or more for just a portion of the total trip. A few trips by riders who are bereft of a lavatory will have them quickly back behind the steering wheel!
For example, one might ride the 117 Line from Norwalk Station to the LAXCBC. Then be rudely surprised to find that there is not a rest room at either end of the trip. Nor are their public restroom at most stations, bus centers, etc. Along the way signs can be seen that say, in effect, No Public Restrooms. I understand that the reason for this situation is that the LACMTA management which preceded you were tight fisted AND inconsiderate. The Crenshaw Line is being completed on your watch so restrooms could be worked into the designs much easier at this point then when construction is completed. The question: Will you ensure that the Crenshaw Line Stations incorporate public restrooms? Will you correct the prior management's planning laxity on other lines and retrofit restrooms into existing stations, bus centers, etc.?
AMERICA'S WORST!♪
There are many reasons why the LACMTA can claim this title!
It wasn't even that bright but, using the vending♪ machine was difficult.♪
Yes the LACMTA can purchase a machine and site it, but can they select a site that provides for optimal usability? Based upon this Mole's experience, he thinks not.
METRO's Plans Means: More Toonerville Trolleys!♪
The graffiti artists have been working on the posters aboard LACMTA conveyances! They 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 first choice of major American cities, except for Los Angeles!
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.
METRO's Plans Means: More Streets Torn Up with No Bus Stops!♪
If only these taggers worked for the LACMTA we wouldn't be experiencing half the problems. But then these taggers ride the buses, see and understand both the problems and their solutions.
America's Worst LACMTA Transportation: Risible, NOT Rapid!♪
Punishment?♪
Now that the LACMTA has a fist-full of dollars will they, at last, 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 where traffic frequently crosses white lines and darts ahead of a sometimes moving bus; 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 who 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 seems 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 seems 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 wheelchairs could bounce around the bus and injure other 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.
In 2008 the MTA, the NYCMTA, not the one in Los Angeles County, prepared a Power Point presentation laying out a plan for the next 40 years. You can view that presentation here.
I searched for a LACMTA 40 year plan but, rien trouvé! Well, lots of verbiage was found and seemed to be mostly about how the LACMTA will spent the new found money that will flow from the taxpayers pockets. You can judge the value of the plan for your self by following this link to 81 pages of ?
Riding LACMTA services is generally not that pleasant to begin with and is only made more unpleasant by experiencing the above "punishments".
Then, since the LACMTA is spending the taxpayers money on their Rent-a-Bike program, they appear to not be too rigorous in working through cost/benefits. For the $240 required annually for a monthly pass, in one could buy a nice Peugeot in less than two years or so. This is going to turn out to be another TransiTV, lots of hype on the front end and a lingering death. A symptom of the LACMTA's failure to learn by experience.
Then, since the LACMTA is spending the taxpayers money on their Rent-a-Bike program, they appear to not be too rigorous in working through cost/benefits. For the $240 required annually for a monthly pass, in one could buy a nice Peugeot in less than two years or so. This is going to turn out to be another TransiTV, lots of hype on the front end and a lingering death. A symptom of the LACMTA's failure to learn by experience.
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.
Further, when the agency responsible for public transportation is so lacking in every skill necessary for success yet will apply their only tool to the job. when you only tool is a PR flack; then every issue seem soluble by issuing a press release.
Further, when the agency responsible for public transportation is so lacking in every skill necessary for success yet will apply their only tool to the job. when you only tool is a PR flack; then every issue seem soluble by issuing a press release.
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.
2017-04
In this video you will see and cars, cutoff a 111 Line bus some of the cars may cutoff a bus while it is discharging passengers.
This video will show vehicles cutoff a 111 Line bus after having crossed the white line ahead of the 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!].
The Mole reads the papers and other things, obviating the necessity of your doing so.
The Times (Nelson) has a sad story about the dangers of traffic.
It should not be forgotten that the efforts on the part of the LACMTA to place people on their bicycles and others want us to use those 35 pound electric two wheelers. Just crossing the street in Los Angeles can be life shortening. Drivers will not stop for pedestrians in the crosswalk, instead, they will try to speed across their path or zip around behind them. Crossing an L.A. street demands that one focus all his senses on the task of safely crossing the street, not on texting —as I’ve seen way too many doing.
Mr. Mayor, good luck on reducing fatalities. There are just not enough traffic police available to cite the scofflaws. Failing to yield to a pedestrian in the crosswalk should be a minimum $500 citation. That would focus the driver’s attention.
The Times reports (Nelson¹) that Metro is eliminating free parking at the Red Line Stations in the San Fernando Valley. They will charge $3. per day.
Hmm, $3 per day, that’s about $66 per month and may be enough to take people off the Red Line and into a car pool. A proactive organization to allow free parking with a monthly pass and charge $5 per day for non Metro customers. But that would take both thought and work, wouldn't it?
The Times reports (Nelson²) that Metro will start accepting passenger feedback on the Metro experience.
This is not in and of itself a bad idea. It just that the best way to capture the passenger's experience is to be one yourself. One could read about this Mole's experiences and try to fix what he complains about. But really, putting a sentient LACMTA employee's seat in a bus or rail seat may prove to be an excellent fact finding tool. Then again, this could turn in paralysis by analysis.
The Times reports (Nelson²) that Metro will start accepting passenger feedback on the Metro experience.
This is not in and of itself a bad idea. It just that the best way to capture the passenger's experience is to be one yourself. One could read about this Mole's experiences and try to fix what he complains about. But really, putting a sentient LACMTA employee's seat in a bus or rail seat may prove to be an excellent fact finding tool. Then again, this could turn in paralysis by analysis.
In a Times article (Vartabedian) discussing "Bullet-Train"safety, such as the separation between high-speed rail and freight trains, Mr. Vartabedian writes: “But for years freight train operators and the California High-Speed Rail Authority could not agree on their exact design.”
This Mole believes that professionals should design these safety features or we will end up with something lacking or cut out due to “cost considerations.” What your Mole likes to call the LACMTA approach. Other features, like ATS (Automatic Train Stop) are NOT frills but necessities —think the 2008 Metrolink crash in Chatsworth.
This photo shows that the really high-speed rail operations in Germany and Japan allow for the bi-directional trains pass each other, except in low speed areas found in cities within stations or before the separated high-speed run begins.
Just this last quote from Mr. Vartabedian’s work: “Aside from the debris barriers, the range of safety issues includes how bullet trains will operate in dense urban environments where they cross highways, how to contend with the possibility of fires and other mishaps in the long tunnels they’ll pass through, and the type of brakes necessary to slow them on steep downhill grades.”
Where they cross highways”, well actually, in Japan —where the Bullet Trains were fathered— trains don’t cross highways at grade crossings, they are either elevated or pass under the highways, and usually there are no “steep downhill grades”.
La Taupe is incredulous that CHSRA is in a building phase while such important safety plans are as yet undeveloped. This sloppiness portends problems ahead.
The Times relates (Vartabedian²) that the Chief Executive of CHSRA will leave the agency in June. The shock! Mr. Vartabedian provides a list of reasons why he might be quitting. Although, my readers who know about the oscillating, convoluted planning and false starts might be able to guess some of them. Other characteristics of CHSRA? Low morale, employee and management turnover, etc.
Your Mole's opinion and recommendation: Opinion: it can't be built! Recommendation: stop loss! If it must be built contract it out to the Japanese as a Mag-Lev operation.
To this Mole assigning people, who lack even a scintilla of experience in the area, to to build a "Bullet Train" is a perfect recipe for a mess.
Amny.com features (Pereira) a story about what might be termed unintended consequences, viz., that when an advantage is discovered its associated costs will rise. Or perhaps, convenience is not free.
Your Mole's opinion and recommendation: Opinion: it can't be built! Recommendation: stop loss! If it must be built contract it out to the Japanese as a Mag-Lev operation.
To this Mole assigning people, who lack even a scintilla of experience in the area, to to build a "Bullet Train" is a perfect recipe for a mess.
Amny.com features (Pereira) a story about what might be termed unintended consequences, viz., that when an advantage is discovered its associated costs will rise. Or perhaps, convenience is not free.
But I would have known that had I read LAWEEKLY (Romero) a few years ago. Mr. Romero piece contains tables with current and projected costs for rental housing in Los Angeles which is nearby the various mass transit and the few rapid transit locations as well.
The
Times Opinion Page features (Elkind) a discussion of the LACMTA's work. But it was part of the headline which intrigued me: “Metro is spending billions of your tax dollars to build L.A. a world class transit system. Don't let them blow it”.
First of all that anyone would consider the LACMTA's Toonerville Trolleys as "world class" is hilarious. London, Mexico City, New York City, Paris and Tokyo, etc. have "world Class" transit systems But in L.A. only the Green Line and the subways could even make it out of the starting gate. Further, the imperative Don't let them blow it”, makes me wonder exactly what one could do to stop them. Please read Mr. Elkind's opinion piece and form your own opinion.
Please follow the links, where provided, in "Works Cited”, below and read the work of all these hard-working reporters.
The Los Angeles Toonerville Trolley experience♪
«C'est toujours l'impatience de gagner qui fait perdre.»
[It is always the impatience to win that loses.]
Merci beaucoup à http://evene.lefigaro.fr pour la citation! Et merci bien à google.fr pour le matériel biographique.
Merci beaucoup à www.louvre.fr/ pour nous permettre de voir cet art.
Merci bien www.google.fr pour le matériel biographique.
¿Musica?
Let's listen to a medieval work, Can l'erba fresch composed by Bernart de Ventadour (1125~1195) featuring La Société Française de Luth, linked here.
Thank you!" to www.youtube.com for allowing us to appreciate this work. We also thank SFLUTH who uploaded the video.
Merci bien à http://www.symphozik.info pour le matériel biographique.
A Snippet from THE KXLU Web Site
Seranata de Trios - KXLU . Musique en Eapañol Sunday evenings Pacific Time.
One can also listen on kxlu.com at Pacific Time or at the UTC day/time noted, record the broadcast if you can. Su topo uses VLC ) to Record Internet broadcasts for more a more convenient listening time. On April 16th this Mole listened to a great version of "Amor, Amor, Amor" by Trios San Jose. That version was not available, sigh, Groveshark is long gone. So, here is a more arranged version by Juilo Iglesias. Thank you youtube.com.
Serenata de Trios on KXLU, (88.9 FM Los Angeles) features authentic acoustic musica, which your Mole really likes! :-)
¡Muchas gracias a Serenata de Trios y KXLU!
Metro Area – Lower your expectations!♪
The Mole rides again, so that he can continue to re-validate his theory, "When on rides public transportation one walks a lot!"
(dates are ISO8601 format, times are expressed in the 24 hour system.)
Wilshire BL @ Santa Monica BL in Beverly Hills♪
LAXCBC Universal Drop Off Point♪
(dates are ISO8601 format, times are expressed in the 24 hour system.)
Wilshire BL @ Santa Monica BL in Beverly Hills♪
2017-04-18 I rode a 720 Rapid Line bus along Wilshire BL. Two of my fellow passengers hand not taken time to bathe in say, a week or ten days. Their clothes looked like they hadn't been washed in five times as long. I pulled the stop signal as we neared Santa Monica BL (Point A) on the map above. The bus stopped about 30cm from the crosswalk signal button. The driver told me that "It was due to construction." Had she let me off I could have pressed the crosswalk signal button and walked across Santa Monica BL and caught a 704 Line bus (Point C) on the map. But that was not to be.
When awards are given to transportation agencies for ignorance in the first degree, which agency will be the hands down winner? of course, the LACMTA!
There was no construction evident anywhere near this stop, so your Mole asked the driver: Where is the construction? Her reply was: "Because it is for your safety." Then, to keep me safe, she dropped me off about three blocks from Point A, at Point B, also shown on the map.
As I walked from Point B back three blocks to Point C, I repeated her mantra: "Because it is for your safety." I kept repeating the mantra as I crossed about about five (5) streets, large and small between Points B and C. If it was for my safety, she should have dropped me at Point A and I would have avoided four street crossings.
What is the root cause of this particular issue? It is the failure of the LACMTA to monitor conditions along their bus routes. They have the perfect monitoring system —their drivers. But no, they will wait until the Grand Opening of the building, the Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills, which was under construction, its Grand Opening is scheduled for June of this year.
The agency is improperly staffed with individuals who can computerise a review schedule and organise the drivers to report construction progress and supervise the lot. Likely the "leadership" is ill equipped to propose such a system. What do you say, Mr. Washington? Isn't it time to put that bus stop flag up at the corner which I designated as A?
That got me thinking about a one word description of the LACMTA. What su Topo came up with was "crude".
2017-04-27: 14:00 Aboard a Green Line train. A man clips his nails and allows the clippings to drop on the train floor.
Aboard a Gold line train earlier today I found that the PA announcements way too loud!
Maintenance Affecting Passengers♪
When awards are given to transportation agencies for ignorance in the first degree, which agency will be the hands down winner? of course, the LACMTA!
There was no construction evident anywhere near this stop, so your Mole asked the driver: Where is the construction? Her reply was: "Because it is for your safety." Then, to keep me safe, she dropped me off about three blocks from Point A, at Point B, also shown on the map.
As I walked from Point B back three blocks to Point C, I repeated her mantra: "Because it is for your safety." I kept repeating the mantra as I crossed about about five (5) streets, large and small between Points B and C. If it was for my safety, she should have dropped me at Point A and I would have avoided four street crossings.
What is the root cause of this particular issue? It is the failure of the LACMTA to monitor conditions along their bus routes. They have the perfect monitoring system —their drivers. But no, they will wait until the Grand Opening of the building, the Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills, which was under construction, its Grand Opening is scheduled for June of this year.
The agency is improperly staffed with individuals who can computerise a review schedule and organise the drivers to report construction progress and supervise the lot. Likely the "leadership" is ill equipped to propose such a system. What do you say, Mr. Washington? Isn't it time to put that bus stop flag up at the corner which I designated as A?
That got me thinking about a one word description of the LACMTA. What su Topo came up with was "crude".
2017-04-27: 14:00 Aboard a Green Line train. A man clips his nails and allows the clippings to drop on the train floor.
Aboard a Gold line train earlier today I found that the PA announcements way too loud!
Badly Needs Maintenance!♪
The railing at this Green Line station badly need painting. It has been in this condition for quite a while and based upon the LACMTA's usual slowness in responding to maintenance, la Taupe doesn't advise holding your breath while waiting for a response.
Badly Needs Maintenance II!♪
What can this sign possibly communicate? The LACMTA certainly doesn't know! Neither do they have any idea of the maintenance required in this or any rail station or likely anyplace else either. The reason is that they are not really a transportation agency. They are a contracting agency that contracts the work which absolutely, positively must be done and to Hades with the rest. They are not staffed to find and fix these things.
A solution? Not a new one from your Mole, 1) break the agency into freeways and transportation divisions; 2) Properly staff each division with professionals, including an industrial engineering section; 3) declare a moratorium on all bonus payments for five years. That would be a good start!
A solution? Not a new one from your Mole, 1) break the agency into freeways and transportation divisions; 2) Properly staff each division with professionals, including an industrial engineering section; 3) declare a moratorium on all bonus payments for five years. That would be a good start!
Maintenance Affecting Passengers♪
The two photos above shows maintenance planned for daytime hours over two days. In Japan such routine maintenance will be performed overnight and will not affect passengers operations during the day.
Not so with the LACMTA where "service" as a concept has little meaning.
Not so with the LACMTA where "service" as a concept has little meaning.
FlyAway bus parks at LAXCBC♪
This Mole can see no valid reason why a FlyAway bus should be parked at the LAXCBC. Neither can he understand why LAWA is allowed to run a transit operation like FlyAway?
2017-03-20 La Taupe Keeps hoping that the LACMTA will rationalize the organization of the LAXCBC. This may prove to be the triumph of experience over hope.
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. 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.
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!
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, LAWA or CHSRA 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.
FINAL WARNING: N.B. LACMTA, LAWA OR CHSRA staff and management, avoid cognitive dissonance, DO NOT CLICK on THE LINK BELOW!
The world is full of learning opportunities which are available and economical. Youtube.com is an imoortant source of videos which have great educational potential.
For example, if one wished a primer on high speed trains, the video below documents France’s TGV setting a speed record of 574.8 KM/Hr which converts to 357.16 Miles/Hr. The record was set in 2007! Yes 2007, while in 2017, the CHSRA is still attempting to effectuate a Bullet Train concept implemented in Japan in th 1960s.
This video teaches the observant student all he needs to know about basic high speed rail. It is grade separated, it has two sets of track in parallel which are reserved for the high speed trains and the topology is FLAT.
While viewing the video below, note the dynamics of the pantograph, which uses a slider or contact plate to complete the connection with the overhead catenery system, which conducts the power from the catenary to the electric motors which provide the motive power to the train.
So, let's view the video and see SNCF (Société nationale des chemins de fer français; (French National Railway Corporation) set a speed record with their TGV (train à grande vitesse) [High-speed Train].
Bravo SNCF!
Cosmology
Science Daily of Apr. 17, 2017, reports University of Utah) that two dwarf galaxies which have supermassive black holes at their centers. You can read that report here.
Then, to better understand what supermassive black hole means please look at a definition (Clarke, Christoher) at Imperial College London on on Feb. 11, 2013 here. Another definition of suppermassive is found here and la Taupe would be remiss if he didn't include the home page of the prior definition.
Score Box OOS and related Lists of Shame
Science Daily of Apr. 17, 2017, reports University of Utah) that two dwarf galaxies which have supermassive black holes at their centers. You can read that report here.
Then, to better understand what supermassive black hole means please look at a definition (Clarke, Christoher) at Imperial College London on on Feb. 11, 2013 here. Another definition of suppermassive is found here and la Taupe would be remiss if he didn't include the home page of the prior definition.
Score Box OOS and related Lists of Shame
I.D. Numbers of buses with Out of ServiceFare Boxes: Date/Time, Line/Bus #, Direction, e.g.,
route/bus#(date,time); direction
2017-04-25 10:25 111 Line #8621 East Bound FARE BOX OOS.
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 = (+URsticker 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
Nelson³ Laura J. “Next stop for L.A. Metro: A committee focusing on what it's like to be a rider”.Los Angeles Times. Apr.21, 2017. Web. http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-metro-rider-committee-20170420-story.html
Pereira, Ivan. “Rents near popular Brooklyn, Queens subway stops have risen dramatically, report says”. www.amny.com.Apr. 17. 2017. Web. http://www.amny.com/real-estate/rents-near-popular-brooklyn-queens-subway-stops-have-risen-dramatically-report-says-1.13482592
Elkind, Ethan. “Metro is spending billions of your tax dollars to build L.A. a world class transit system. Don't let them blow it”. Los Angeles Times. Mar. 17, 2017. Web. http://www.latimes.com/opinion/livable-city/la-ol-metro-elkind-measure-m-transit-waste-20170317-story.html
Nelson, Laura J. “The number of pedestrians, cyclists and drivers killed in L.A. traffic rose sharply in 2016”. Los Angeles Times. Apr. 3, 2017. Web. http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-2016-traffic-deaths-20170403-story.html
Nelson² Laura J. “Metro is eliminating free parking at the San Fernando Valley's two Red Line stations”. Los Angeles Times. Apr. 8, 2017. Web. http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-metro-parking-20170408-story.html
Nelson² Laura J. “Metro is eliminating free parking at the San Fernando Valley's two Red Line stations”. Los Angeles Times. Apr. 8, 2017. Web. http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-metro-parking-20170408-story.html
Nelson³ Laura J. “Next stop for L.A. Metro: A committee focusing on what it's like to be a rider”.Los Angeles Times. Apr.21, 2017. Web. http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-metro-rider-committee-20170420-story.html
Pereira, Ivan. “Rents near popular Brooklyn, Queens subway stops have risen dramatically, report says”. www.amny.com.Apr. 17. 2017. Web. http://www.amny.com/real-estate/rents-near-popular-brooklyn-queens-subway-stops-have-risen-dramatically-report-says-1.13482592
Vartbedian, Ralph. “The price of safety on California's bullet train is only now becoming apparent”. Los Angeles Times. Apr. 14, 2017. Web. http://www.latimes.com/local/california/la-me-bullet-safety-20170414-
story.html
Vartbedian¹, Ralph. “Head of California's $64-billion bullet train project is stepping down”. Los Angeles Times. Apr. 21, 2017. Web. http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-california-bullet-train-20170421-story.html
story.html
Vartbedian¹, Ralph. “Head of California's $64-billion bullet train project is stepping down”. Los Angeles Times. Apr. 21, 2017. Web. http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-california-bullet-train-20170421-story.html
An artifact of the streets of Los Angeles, created by a brother Mole!
### .. . ###
.
.
The above is ### 30 ### in Braille
# posted by LAMETROmole @ 10:00 
