Slog - Comments on Tim Eyman, Ladies and Gentlemen

Comment by Dubcek

Dubcek — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 14:38:19 -0800

We need reaction shots from the SECB.

Comment by meh

meh — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 14:40:25 -0800

I still think Andrew Villaneuve is a wanker. Did he say "But I'm your competition!!" over and over again this year? I can't bear to watch him speak....

Comment by Sargon Bighorn

Sargon Bighorn — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 14:44:46 -0800

HOV lanes should be retro-fit for the light rain trains alone. I also want a pony for my birthday.

Comment by Dougsf

Dougsf — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 14:48:25 -0800

Andrew isn't the most powerful speaker, but he's the most correct of the two.

Comment by DOUG.

DOUG. — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 14:50:44 -0800

Eyman looks like a puppeteer.

Comment by Casey Catherwood

Casey Catherwood — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 14:52:14 -0800

I was in boy scouts with Andrew Villaneuve! Holy Cow!

He was always really into politics/confrontation, so now it makes perfect sense!

Amazing.

Comment by jrrrl

jrrrl — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 15:02:32 -0800

Cool interview - thanks!

I don't understand how the suburbs think buses are a great transit solution yet they want to take away their lanes.

Comment by joykiller

joykiller — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 15:27:23 -0800

Andrew Villaneuve lives in his parents' basement.

Comment by crazycatguy

crazycatguy — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 15:29:57 -0800

Eyman's right, the initiative will pass. And then we'll see. If it doesn't work, he's screwed, if it does - he's a hero.

Comment by burgin99

burgin99 — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 15:48:18 -0800

yay! stranger endorsements! i always wait until my local concert and escort directory tells me how to vote before i step into the booth. thanks!

Comment by Andrew

Andrew — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 15:49:29 -0800

By definition, if the road is congested enough that the carpools are moving faster than the mainlanes, then carpools have been undersupplied (hence the congestion), so it makes no sense to then remove one of the incentives for their supply. The HOT lanes make a lot sense, since they allow single drivers to use the excess capacity until the point that it slows the carpools (and remove the incentive). A competing initiative on the ballot that mandates HOT lanes in corridors that have excess HOV lane capacity would have deflated the sails on I-985 by co opting its main appeal.

The argument that additional lanes creates worse gridlock is overly simplistic and sounds foolish. It's intuitive that population growth and formerly non-drivers lured to empty lanes will eventually fill additional capacity, but we wouldn't expect the new equilibrium to be any worse than the status quo. And if we built enough, it might stay unfilled for quite some time. (Just like we hope the light rail corridors will be). However, there are many other good reasons why we might not want to provide additional subsidized freeways like expense, environmental or equity.

Comment by lily

lily — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 16:00:11 -0800

Well, opening up the HOV lanes to all traffic may not really "create" additional gridlock but it would spread it over more lanes. And it sure would screw over the existing HOV users. There really are a lot of us... not just carpoolers, but vanpoolers and bus riders too.

I'm sure it would just be AWESOME for traffic congestion and public transportation if we make the buses even slower by holding them up in the same shitty traffic as the SOV people.

Comment by elenchos

elenchos — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 16:01:14 -0800

How could Eyman be screwed when it doesn't work? He'll be long gone, working on some new mischief. He's not accountable in any way for what he does.

You have to ask at some point just how much harm has to be done before we get rid of this horrible initiative process.

Comment by TomK

TomK — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 16:09:02 -0800

Tim Eyman is a douche nozzle. That's really all there is to say about him. Anything else you could say about his arguments is gloss on that profound truth.

Comment by Mike in Renton

Mike in Renton — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 16:09:13 -0800

Eyman couldn't get an endorsement out of the Renton City Council because of the red light camera issue mentioned 33 seconds in to part 2.

Comment by Sir Vic

Sir Vic — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 16:45:07 -0800

How did the SECB resist the temptation to beat the everlovin' crap out of both these dweebs? Andrew talks/acts like a permanent virgin, and Eyman seems like a guy who only lies when he's awake.

The sad part? These two dorks are what pass for "leadership" in this state. Wow. If there weren't so many pics of me with a bong in hand, I'd be running for some office.