WHY L.A. traffic sucks: OPEN DISCUSSION #2

On 4/29/06, calwatch <> wrote: calwatch has left a new comment on your post " "WHY" L.A. traffic sucks: OPEN DISCUSSION #1 ":

Actually, your idea is already being implemented. In the June 2006 service change, all Rapid buses will continue to Santa Monica. The facts aren't correct, as an examination of a Rapid Bus schedule or field observation (which I have done several times despite being on the complete opposite side of town for me) will show, that "most" buses end at Westwood. Only 50% of them do. You're angry, and you think you aren't being idealistic (but you are). But the problem is that traffic is much, much more complex than you think. I'm a licensed civil engineer and I can't understand half of it.

italianesco replies:

Thank you for you comment, Chris.

You are right: I am--well, actually, WAS--angry, but not quite as angry as I was sometimes there on that corner of Wilshire and Westwood waiting for a bus, ANY bus, to take me down Wislhire and having to decide WHICH bus to take: the 720 Red Rapid, the MTA #20 or the Big Blue Bus #2. They all have DIFFERENT stops at DIFFERENT locations around that corner. I had to keep running from one corner to the other to get on one of those buses!

And yes, of course, I am being a tad idealistic. Perhaps this whole discussion of L.A. traffic is completely "academic." I have always said that there are TWO things in life that have NO solution: death and the Middle East. Now after living in L.A. for three years, I really feel tempted to add a third: L.A. traffic!

Everything is a matter of perception, Chris. I am interested in film making, especially documentary film making, and I would have just loved to shoot a documentary on the bus strike of 2003 and on the whole state of traffic in L.A. I wish I could have stood on that corner filming those buses.

My perception was accurate: "most" 720 Red Rapid buses do seem to end their route there. My observation was only half-accurate: way too many buses seem to end their route there AND--here's what I forgot to mention--MOST (and I stand by this one) of the buses that do continue to Santa Monica are FULL. I hated getting on a FULL bus. And when they were not FULL, the other 720's that had just unloaded their passengers to end their route would make sure that they got FULL with those passengers. It was incredibly frustrating. It is THIS experience what compounded my perception: you stand there and bus after bus end their route there and those that don't are FULL to the brim (and somebody on a wheelchair is getting on! Try that one sometime!). There might as well be no bus at all going to Santa Monica that you can get on. Sometimes that's the perception you get. The mathematical reality ("Only 50% of them do") may be one thing, the field observation may be quite another, but the perception may be the most important one. Because it is this PERCEPTION of a flawed and incomplete system, what makes most people give up on public transportation in America (I did!) or keeps them from even trying it.

You don't need to take a poll to know that most L.A. drivers would never give up their cars in favor of public transportation if they can help it. Some people might suggest that the high price of gas might be the thing to do the trick. I doubt it. There'd be a revolution in American before gas reaches $5/gallon! It's not in the interests of the oil and car companies that people give up on their cars. They'd do ANYTHING to make sure they don't.

oh, and speaking of bus schedules, did I mention that those Red Rapid buses would usually come ALL together in bunches of three and four and then there would be NO bus for what felt (in MY perception) like hours?!?

See, this is the thing: it is precisely urban planners and civil engineers (no offense to you) and technocrats who probably created this mess. You can see their mistakes, the bad planning and design, everywhere in L.A.I think that some of the solution to all of these problems should come from actual users of the system. If I can't get from A to B because of C, we have to do something about C. Sometimes it is that simple. It is the technocrats who make it complex and sometimes make a mess of it in the process. I may be "idealistic" but I'd like to suggest solutions that are simple, very simple and "do-able" without a lot of politics and money.

As to the "June 2006 service change, all Rapid buses will continue to Santa Monica," I can only say, "Hooray! It's about time!!" Not that it matters anymore to me personally (I'd never take one of those buses again if I can help it), but I think it'd be very good for all bus riders.

Thanks again.
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"WHY" L.A. traffic sucks: OPEN DISCUSSION #1: Up in Arms!

OPEN DISCUSSION [WHY should it be there hidden under "comments"? Let's have it out here in the open!]: Up in Arms!

On 4/28/06, calwatch < chrissharp@bleeble.org> wrote: calwatch has left a new comment on your post " "WHY" L.A. traffic sucks #3: Bus'em and clog'em":

The problem with this idea is that by creating these "indents" (the actual term for them are bus pullouts), you are slowing down bus riders while they have to wait for traffic to clear. And then somebody runs to the bus and the driver opens the door and the bus has to wait for traffic again. Rinse and repeat. Actually, in some places, they are placing bus stop bulbouts such that the sidewalk is extended through the parking lane and that the bus blocks the right lane of through traffic. Your idea is not transit friendly and would be vehemently opposed by transit riders, which despite the small number in LA are actually a somewhat powerful force. [emphasis mine]

italianesco replies:

Thank you for your comments. It's great to know that people are reading the blog.

I WAS one such "transit rider" in the city of Los Angeles, CA for almost TWO AND A HALF YEARS of my life. I did rent cars now and then, especially towards the end of my three-year stay, but I simply REFUSED to own a car and contribute to the mess. I even put up with the three-month (don't remember how long exactly it was) MTA METRO mechanics STRIKE of 2003. I walked like a maniac, went all the way downtown on the S.M. Blue Bus to make it to Hollywood somehow many times, and spend a fortune on cabs. I even took some of those "pirate taxi" vans driven by the Mexicans down Wilshire a few times. That's how far my idealism took me.

When it comes to riding the bus in L.A. I HAVE PAID MY DUES. And I can tell you for a fact that as a "transit rider" your complaint on "bus pullouts" would be the least of my worries, the least of my pet peeves, the least of my concerns. When it comes to the MTA (the BEST bus service in L.A. is, without doubt, the S.M. Blue Bus!!), there is SO MUCH to complain about and fix that I was even thinking of starting a new blog just on that!! "MTA SUCKS! Let's fix it!"

This IS the problem. L.A . drivers, L.A. "transit riders", L.A. residents have a MESS on their hands. What are they going to do about it? SOMETHING HAS TO GIVE. If every simple solution to every single issue is going to have a politically significant "powerful force" opposing it, we might as well GIVE UP right now! Just live with the mess. I think this mess has grown to the unmanageable proportions it has reached precisely because NO ONE seems to have the POLITICAL WILL or the POLITICAL COURAGE to DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT, to really fix ANYTHING.

Here's the problem: that stretch of Wilshire from Westwood Blvd. to Sepulveda needs to be UNCLOGGED, DE-CLOGGED, FLUSHED OUT. It is--to use my recurring the analogy--like an overweight person who either puts himself on diet and exercise program or sooner or later he will have to undergo tripple by-pass surgery. His arteries are CLOGGED. They are JAMMED. They are BLOCKED--just like the "arteries" of the city of Los Angeles. What kind of "medicine" would you rather take?!? Would you rather put yourself on a "diet (fewer cars on the road) and exercise (get those cars moving)" program or would you rather undergo "surgery" (construction everywhere to widen freeways, build overpasses, dig subway systems)? THIS IS THE PROBLEM.

I know, I have lived, I have experienced BOTH SIDES of that great divide: I drove cars and I rode the bus in L.A. When you are on the bus, you are aggravated by all those "damn drivers." When you are in a car, you are aggravated by all those "damn buses." It's always what perspective you're coming from, isn't it? We might as well face it right now: NO SOLUTION TO ANY TRAFFIC PROBLEM IN L.A. IS GOING TO PLEASE EVERYBODY (car divers, transit riders, residents, pedestrians). BUT WE MIGHT AS WELL WORK ALL TOGETHER TO FIND SOLUTIONS TO THE PROBLEMS BEFORE THE MESS REALLY REACHES UNBELIEVABLY UNAMANAGEABLE PROPORTIONS. It's going to get WORSE, NOT BETTER. Las Vegas may be the "fastest growing city in America," but the L.A. is not exactly far behind. In spite of all the problems, people are still pouring into the L.A. area at an unbelievable rate (never mind the great number of tourists and non-residents that simply pass through).

Like I've said before on my blog, equality doesn't work sometimes. But sometimes "democracy" does. If the great majority of the people in L.A. want to drive cars instead of riding the bus, then they deserve a viable, comfortable and efficient traffic system. That's the bottom line. That's "democracy." That's America. That doesn't mean that I don't believe in public transportation. I have lived in Europe and that's one the things I LOVE about both Europe and New York.

I am convinced that a "bus pullout" (what I call an "indent") would be THE SOLUTION to the jam being created on that stretch of Wilshire from Westwood Blvd. to Sepulveda BY the 720 Red Rapid MTS buses. And do you know WHY your complaint is irrelevant to that particular situation? Because MOST of the Red Rapid buses stopping at that busstop on Wilshire between Westwood Blvd. and Geyley stop to UNLOAD ALL PASSENGERS. That's THE END of their line, the END of their route. Sure, some continue on to Santa Monica but a great number of them END there. So creating a "bus pullout" on the next block by that parking lot makes ALL THE SENSE IN THE WORLD.

As a matter of fact, THE JAM created by these buses is THREE-FOLD:

1. Because they are "rapid buses" with selected stops, they are usually coming on the center lane to go fast and once they get to the corner of Wilshire and Westwood, they suddenly try to get on the right lane to stop at that busstop. This maneuver slows down and sometimes jams traffic.

2. Then, because they stop at that bustop FOR QUITE A WHILE SOMETIMES while they unload ALL passengers when that's the end of their route or to load passengers when they continue on, they slow down and jam traffic. I DARE YOU to go that busstop and take one of those buses when the bus is JAM-PACKED FULL or when a DISABLED PERSON ON A WHEELCHAIR is getting on the bus and see how long it takes that bus to get going!! If a disabled person on a wheelchair is getting on the bus, traffic on the right lane can be stopped for at least five (5) minutes, if not longer.

3. Then, when that's the end of their route (and most of the times it is!!), bus drivers go to park the buses and take a break on Veteran Avenue by the Federal Building. That means that in order to get there they have to make a LEFT right after pulling out of the busstop. So as they pull out and veer IMMEDIATELY LEFT they slow down and jam traffic.

So that whole little mess is largely being created by the MTA. They are creating it, THEY should fix it.

My "bus pullout" on the next block SOLUTION idea would solve ALL of these problems. So "transit riders" would have to wait "a little longer" for the bus to get back on track and keep going? SO BE IT. Big deal. This should be THE LEAST of their problems. They ALREADY have to put up with a lot more inconvenience and aggravation from the MTA.

I rode those Red Rapid buses down Wilshire for two years. DON'T EVEN GET ME STARTED ON THOSE!! The MTA sucks!! There's NO question about it. After everything I went through FOR TWO WHOLE YEARS (including their little "mechanics bus strike of 2003"), I WOULD NEVER TAKE AN MTA BUS AGAIN IN L.A. I don't even know whether I'm even ever going back to L.A., but if I ever do and if I can help it, NEVER AGAIN. I'd get off a plane and go straight to a car rental to pick up a car and drive!!!

The S.M. Blue Bus? YES!!!! They provide EXCELLENT SERVICE (well, as "excellent" as you can expect) in the L.A. area. I believe that because of their great efficiency and professionalism, the Santa Monica Blue Bus company SHOULD take over transportation for the WHOLE L.A. area. They are the BEST. MTA is the WORST. If it weren't for the politics behind the MTA, the Blue Bus should RULE.

So that's "the way this cookie crumbles." Do you have any better ideas?
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"WHY" L.A. traffic sucks #3: Bus'em and clog'em

Before proposing solutions, we might want to figure out WHY L.A. traffic sucks so bad. "WHY" there is a problem might yield some answers on "HOW" to solve it.

WHY L.A. TRAFFIC SUCKS #3: BUS'EM AND CLOG'EM!

How do you move millions of car-less angelenos from home to work or from home to the ocean? By bus, of course.

While buses, as part of a public transportation systeam are good to move more people with fewer vehicles, in a city where millions refuse to take them and prefer to drive, they slow down traffic with their constant start and stops. There are thousands of buses on the road at any one time in L.A. and while they are moving many angelenos around who otherwise wouldn't have the means to move around, they are also clogging L.A.'s arteries. I have a few very good suggestions on how to minimize their impact on traffic and keep it flowing.

Here's the typical scenario: Wilshite Boulevard from Westwood to the 405 Freeway. I dare ANYONE to get on the far right lane and not get caught somehow either behind a bus or behind the line of cars trying to get on the 405. You can be nicely zooming west down Wilshire and looking forward to being in Brentwood in 5 minutes. You get to Westwood and you're invariably caught in a jam.

A great part of that jam is caused by the great number of MTA buses (720 Red Rapid ones) stopping to drop off passengers between Westwood Blvd. and Gayley. The jam is compounded by the great number of buses turning right onto Wilshire from UCLA. While they are not stopping there, they are feeding into Wilshire and clogging this stretch between Westwood Blvd. and Sepulveda. The rest of the jam is caused by the great number of cars trying to get on the right lane to get on the 405 past Sepulveda. This stretch of Wilshire east of the 405 between Westwood and Sepulveda is always a mess. West of the 405, between Sepulveda and San Vicente, this streetch of Wilshire is also usually a mess. The great number of cars feeding into Wilshire off of the 405 in both directions is also contributing to the jam.

There is construction on this stretch of the 405. Appararently, they are trying to widen the freeway at this point (great!), and hopefully, they are also trying to re-do the terrible entraces to and exits from the freeway (hope so!), which are also contributing to the jam. I have no idea exactly what they are doing. But my concern right now is not with the freeway (the 405 is a "monster" that needs major cosmetic surgery! We'll leave that to the powers-that-be), but with those buses, especially those on the westbound stretch of Wilshire from Westwood Blvd. to Veteran. Those buses, multitudes of them, are stopping right there and slowing down traffic.

SOLUTION #3: WHAT CAN BE DONE TO FIX IT? BUSTOP "INDENTS"! [aka, "bus pullouts" or "bus turnouts"]

I don't know exactly what this is called in traffic lingo, but I'm going to call it "INDENTING." The ONLY way that buses can stop and unload or pick up passangers without disturbing and slowing down traffic is by creating "INDENTS."

What's an "indent"? Ever seen the old Beverly Hills post office on Santa Monica Blvd. between Beverly Dr. and Canon Dr.? This post office has a beautiful "indent," a carving off the road where buses can stop without affecting traffic. Buses stop at this "indent" off Santa Monica Blvd. and traffic keeps flowing undisturbed. "Indents" like this one need to be built all over the L.A. area, but especially on that westbound stretch of Wilshire between Westwood Blvd. and Veteran.

Where can such an "indent" be built? Easy. On the block between Gayley and Veteran, past the corner where there is a Hollywood Video store, there is nothing but a parking lot. Part of this parking lot can be "carved" to create an "indent" for buses to stop and let traffic flow undisturbed down Wilshire. Such an indented busstop would not only help traffic but also bus passengers. If you are riding the bus down Wilshire, you have to choose between taking the Red Rapid 720 on the busstop mid-block west of Westwood Blvd. or or the No. 20 on the north-east corner of Westwood and Wilshire: their busstops are on either side of Westwood Blvd. (I used to curse the heavens and the earth and whoever came up with that stupid idea every time I had to wait for a bus to go down Wilshire at that intersection). By relocating both busstops to an indented busstop between Gayley and Veteran, both passengers and traffic would benefit.

So-called "bus lanes" are NOT a good idea. To dedicate one lane sorely needed for traffic exclusively to buses, like they do in parts of downtown Santa Monica, is to compound, NOT solve the problem. While no one wants to be behind a bus because of their relatively slow speed and constant stops, knowing that buses have a place to stop without disturbing the flow of traffic behind them will encourage people to drive behind buses and just go with the flow. It will discourage zig-zagging between the right and center lanes to avoid being behind the bus. This zig-zagging slows down traffic as drivers step on their brakes to avoid hitting the cars coming onto their lanes.

"Busstop indents" are the kind of SOLUTION to a traffic problem that won't cost millions but will make a difference. Small but powerful ideas like this one is what's needed to solve L.A.'s traffic problem. This idea by itself won't solve the problem but together in concert with all these other ideas, it will have a significant impact on the flow of traffic throughout the L.A. area.


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