Quote of the Day
“It’s not true rapid transit.”
We just had a meeting with King County Exec Ron Sims, his spokesperson Sandeep Kaushik, and Kevin Desmond, general manager of Metro.
They were here to sell us on Transit Now, Sims’ proposed sales tax increase to boost Metro bus service. They describe the plan as “Bus Rapid Transit,” which is an odd thing to call adding more buses to already crowded city streets—because, um, aren’t all those new buses going to be stuck in traffic with the old buses and cars already on the road? Unless, of course, traffic lanes currently open to cars are reserved for buses only, right? (It’s a nice idea—hey, I’m for anything that makes driving less convenient—but I’m not holding my breath.) When I said that I didn’t think more buses stuck in traffic could be described as rapid transit, Desmond said, and I quote, “It’s not true rapid transit.”
Thanks for clearing that up, Mr. Desmond.
This is a gotcha, I know, and I’m being a dick. (Which is soooo unlike me.) But we had a shot at actual rapid transit and the entire political establishment—Sims included—did everything in its power to stop rapid transit from coming to Seattle. But hey! I’m not bitter! And I’m for… buses. The ‘mo buses the ‘mo better. But it ticks me right fucking off to hear something that isn’t rapid transit being sold as rapid transit by the same folks who killed rapid transit. You can call it bus rapid transit if you dedicate lanes to buses, Ron. If you’re not prepared to do that, there’s nothing rapid about your transit plan.
Busses are for poor people, normal people do not ride them. They are not a real transit solution. Most people on busses have mental problems and smell, which is one reason why no one rides them.
Be a dick Dan. Most people hate busses and wanted real transit.