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I imagine if you biked from
I imagine if you biked from Southie you'd already be downtown by the time the bus showed up.
News For You
Not everyone wants to lycra it up to go to the office.
News for you
Assuming everyone who rides a bike suites up in lycra is asinine. Just look out the window.
Not everyone rides, which is fine. But stop acting like bike commuters are different from anyone else.
If you're able to ride a bike, it's generally the fastest way to move about Boston.
Bluebike FTW!
It only costs you $2.50 to try riding a Bluebike one day. You'll be pleasantly surprised at how enjoyable it is getting places fast, without the hassles of the T, with the bonus of getting some exercise.
I don't wear lycra
and I bike everywhere.
Biking is a major mode of
Biking is a major mode of transportation for most people in the Netherlands. Almost none of them wear lycra.
So What
That's the Netherlands.
I was just in Paris. You know what Paris has? Horrible, I mean 1960's MBTA level disabled subway access. I was shocked at how bad it was. Subway service is fantastic, as long as you have two legs that work.
Nevertheless, The cherry picking of what other cities have over Boston by people is idiotic.
More service is need on the #7.
hahaha talking about cherry picking
You were just in Paris but didn't feel like mentioning any of the robust biking infrastructure in your rant?
They Ran Red Lights There Too
Just saying.
Quick, tell me the bike lanes were barely used too
Any observations on the attire they had?
hahahaha
Paris doesn’t allow 18 wheelers or other …
… oversized vehicles within la Périphérique. You don’t see nearly as many monster SUVS and pick ups. Anti Non safety related honking laws have been strictly enforced for decades. Many streets have been converted to pedestrian zones.
That probably irked the hell out of you.
Actually....
I did notice that and it was great.
There were also no little twerps who make fun of homeless people catching on fire there either.
More service on the 7?
When there’s a line like that and you’re running the bus at roughly 7 minute headways, buses aren’t the answer. WOn’t happen in my lifetime, but they need light rail service from South Station down summer/L. Light rail takes 3x the number of passengers.
ADA
We're the only country in the world that has stringent ADA compliance. So to call that a knock against Paris.. not so much. They have no reason to build for accessibility because they have no real reason to.
No, not saying that people who have mobility issues do not ride the subway. What I am saying is.. when a project gets built, part of the design now is ADA compliancy. So lots of ramps and elevators. Lots of extra $ being spent because of a federal law. France does not have this.
I've also said this before here but it bears repeating..
The older I get the more I realize things in life are a circle. This is no different. One of the things we do here in the US is do not realize things are a circle and are connected. When we complain about the T, that's it.. its just the T. We don't think about other peripheral issues.
Much like Paris, when I was in Sweden, their transit system... in fact, most sidewalks and pedestrian areas (read: cobblestone) are not even remotely ADA compliant.
Even the office building I was in had an elevator that was from the 1920s and most employees said they weren't even sure it worked. Then of course the office was several suites across a few buildings that had different floor heights, So you'd walk thru a door way and have to step up and down. It was like this everywhere.
Retail was no different., Many doors swung the wrong way and forget about automatic door openers. I think the only one I saw was at ICA (supermarket) but that was for the carriages.
First thing I thought of when I saw all of this was "omg how do the disabled get around". So I asked my swedish boss, her reply "They don't".
Why? because they socialized healthcare that is 100% complete. There are services that will pick up the disabled and elderly and take them places... FREE OF CHARGE. Most people who are disabled over there have no real reason to get around. The Gov't takes care of you, you get money sufficient enough to live off of, so you don't need to work (and work in an ADA compliant building). Plus you get free rides, grocery delivery, home health workers who visit you... all free of charge.
Only in the United States is where we have a 'will to work' where the disabled feel they need to contribute and "work". In sweden and probably France also, that 'need to work' doesn't exist so people are OK with how things are. Mobility and free to move around is something we have here that is a cornerstone of our country.. in Sweden (and France), not so much.
Now not saying that people don't want similar style ADA. They do, and most new construction (like the huge Mall I went to in Sweden) is 100% compliant. Its just not a priority nor does it apply to remodels. They are getting there, it will take them years to get there tho.
My point of this whole post of babble post is this. In other countries, ADA isn't needed or required because people are taken care of. So your knock about Paris is a little off.
And considering Paris's subway system size (much like the Tube in London), it would take decades to make all the stations "ADA compliant". It happens here too... look at NYMTA and CTA's projects for adding accessibility to their stations. Its been a very slow process.. cuz you know, ADA was signed into law in 1990. (So 32 years ago). Thats slow. But the MBTA has been sued repeatedly for ADA issues, which is why they are a bit faster and fast tracked all this stuff (to save $ from more lawsuits). Plus the T is a much smaller system that NYC, Paris, CTA, Sweden.... and many of the stations, esp along the Orange Line and the Alewife extension were built with accessibility long before the ADA was a thing (I wanna say MA probably had its own ADA rules prior to the federal one). So that helped.
Paris not so much....
Cybah....
What you are describing here (in terms of how Europeans treat the disabled) seems pretty horrible. Unless I'm missing something.
Not being able to move about
Not being able to move about freely sounds bad. However, I'd take free transit, money you're able to live off of, and socialized healthcare over the US model any day of the week. Disabled people here have it really rough, what with the meager financial support, expensive healthcare, and mobility issues that exist in spite of the ADA.
yup
This attitude is why the disabled feel they need to work. They don't have much income, medical care is mediocre at best. Working means they can change their situation.. more income.
But if the income or healthcare is take care of. That drive is gone.. so you can focus on getting better or taking care of yourself.
You're not unable to move freely. You call a van service to come get you. vs getting on the subway. No one is taking way your right to move freely, you just use a different mode.
FWIW, we already have a van service here for the disabled. Its called The RIDE. But they charge, and its not an instant service (unless they have a free spot that day) and things need to be booked in advance. My take on Sweden was its 'on demand', you call.. they show up.
No Its not
WE as an Americans only buy into the "must have mobility" mentality. Getting out and spreading around and being 'free', which for the the disabled americans means "barrier free", is who we are as a country.
As I said above, people are taken care of. They don't need to ride the subway when they have van service to take you anywhere you want to go for free.
Let me turn this into a question. If you had mobility issues, would you want to ride the T or if you could have a van come and take you anywhere you want to go, door to door, free of charge. Which one would YOU take?
As someone who spent 4 months with broken knee several years ago and had to ride the T everywhere. I would take the van in a heartbeat.
Screw hobbling to elevators that are out of service or waiting for a bus in a busway for 45 mins because walking into the station to get on a train to go one stop is too much. Or getting on a crowded train & have people kick your cast or refuse to get up a seat.
Plus where would you go? You dont need to work. Groceries get delivered. Your home health aide comes to your house. Other than to visit family or friends or go for a stroll thru a park, there's no real reason. And those van services will pick up the slack.
“ Plus where would you go? ”
Same places abled people go. Out for a spin around the neighborhood on a whim, etc.
I have a disabled Dutch friend who can’t work and agree with you that the disabled are better cared for than here in terms of services. But she has felt guilt and shame for years and it took her doctor a few years to convince her that she needed to stop working and go on disability.
Oh, my pearls, horrible
That anyone in these nations have free healthcare, that disabled people have free public transportation. Horror of horrors.
Please get real. While the US has the ADA law ours healthcare system is one where the you get what you pay for. If you don’t have enough money to pay for decent healthcare then to bad for you.
Healthcare costs: Start the break down: Employer pays an amount. Employees pays a hefty weekly or bi-weekly amount. Employee also pays co-pays. Sometime later employee pays even more.
Public transportation: ADA compliance does not compensate for a B grade public transportation of trains and local in the richest nation on the Earth.
How about the funding of the richest nation in the world for meeting out justice? Our state and Federal justice systems are always grossly underfunded me sing that in the US there is no such thing as swift justice.
Horrible is to be the wealthiest and most powerful nation on the globe and yet remain a nation where the value of a given life directly correlates to that life’s economic value.
Even after the Supreme Hypocrites enact their writ of mandamus pushing for the state mastery of pregnant women’s bodies, the same Supremes will not give one iota of concern to the poverty and abuse, the traumas of pregnancy and incest that they affirm.
I wasn't cherrypicking
I wasn't cherrypicking anything. I was pointing out how asinine your lycra comment was, you dumb son of a bitch.
Yet many would choose to
Yet many would choose to waste their life away standing in a queue
Don't spend much time in Boston, do you?
Try looking out the right-hand window next time you're in town, you'll see plenty of people biking around and very few in Lycra.
I See Them
Running through red lights, not stopping for people in the crosswalk, and riding the wrong way down one way streets.
Of course I see them. I see them violating laws left right and center.
Almost got a BINGO on that rant
I just need you to mention that you never see any cyclists actually using the bike infrastructure.
Schrödinger's Cyclist.
Ah! The Bike Mafia
Zealotry beyond parody.
The original deflection was nice
But well wide of the net, might wanna talk to Rod Brind'amour for advice John.
So why would you assume they're all wearing Lycra?
Seems like if you're paying so much attention, surely you must have noticed people biking in their regular clothes?
it's actually safer for bikes to run lights
it's called an Idaho stop.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Idaho_stop#Safety
I'll Mention That To The Cop
When I see a biker looking like cubist art on the ground when they got hit by a car traveling below the speed limit and had the right of way versus the lawbreaker who went though the stop sign.
"a car traveling below the speed limit"
SureJan.gif
I see cyclists run red lights
I see cyclists run red lights every day. But they do it safely.
On the rare occasion that someone gets hit, we'll all hear about it. I can't think of any instances where it was due to the cyclist running a red light.
Do that.
The cops won’t care. In these cases because, unlike drivers running red lights, cyclists are protecting themselves from drivers by doing so.
The Idaho Stop is legal in a growing number of states. In MA soon too.
Sorry, no
Camberville has spent a lot of money on bike lights at all lighted intersections that are specifically for bikes. You run that, you get a ticket.
Lol no
I mean you COULD but that would require police enforcement and it just doesn't happen.
I do wonder if a study done
I do wonder if a study done in Idaho would apply to the Boston area, though. Granted, I'm not very familiar with Idaho, but I've got to think that Boston has more aggressive drivers, smaller streets, more cars, and twistier roads/less visibility.
I have yet to see a single
I have yet to see a single person arguing against or devil's-advocating the Idaho stop who has demonstrated the slightest understanding of what the experience of riding a bike on a road is like.
Same experience here.
Same experience here.
All the money camberville spent on bike lights?
That would be a lot of tax dollars wasted.
It’s never going to happen here.
Bet on that?
Willing to bet $50 that the number bicyclists violating laws left, right and center exceed the drivers who do the same? I’ll take the $50 now.
Yes there are bicyclists who are jerks on both the road and sidewalks. But our local culture leans toward tolerating, and often just ignoring dangerous driving s d riding.
If you need to complain about bicyclists then complain about a culture - police culture included - where dangerous and reckless driving and riding are okay.
I’ll take that bet if we use percentages
Deal?
Sure. You're still losing
Sure. You're still losing that $50.
Yeah, no
I’d bump it up to $5k I’m so confident. I see it all day long and am surprised when a bike actually stops at a red light. I see cars run lights too, but far fewer times and especially considering there are 20x cars on the road vs bikes the percentages are definitely in my favor.
Remember...
Friends don't let friends wear lycra.
And really... if you think that's what a 3-mile bicycle commute requires, think again.
Easily covered in 20 minutes at a gentle pace in normal clothing.
I never reply "Not everyone wants to sit on their ass in traffic wasting gas, time, and breathable air."
But if that's what you like, go ahead. But I can still question and possibly disrespect your choice.
I don’t suit up in Lycra.
Don’t even own any.
You are definitely doing the world a favor though, by not suiting up yourself. I can just imagine…. LOL!
Offices Soapbox, please
Not everybody in a city works in an office.
Not every office requires business dress.
Not every office hasn't switched to lab space.
Not every office is elected.
You don't have my vote, so there's still a chance for you to hold that office.
Best of luck!
That would involve biking
That would involve biking summer st.
Baaaad. Not for the faint of heart.
What if bus service was better?
I have nothing against biking or walking (probably also a quicker trip for someone fit) but perhaps it would be nice if South Boston had better public transportation.
If this were some other neighborhood...
Good Luck
The precinct where the bus stop is voted 72-27 for Anissa.
There are young'uns at my office who have #7 trauma.
At least warmer weather is coming so you can walk to town because help isn't coming based on typical Boston politics.
Perhaps, the mayor could push the T, since she is supposed to be different, or at least she said she was, for additional bus service where it is needed.
If not, this city is still Old School Boston, only with a rich kid suburban raised, Harvard educated smirk on its face.
It's all politics
Promising a free T gets sweet, sweet press coverage as long as you don't have to talk about how it's going to be funded. Hey, just use this windfall of Covid stimulus money on free buses rather than on public improvements which will still exist in two years.
Plus it is so much easier to promise a free T than it is to fix the problems which make it an unattractive transportation option for many.
Old school Boston...
In "old school Boston" the state rep. and state senator would push for more service, since the T is a state agency. Maybe someone in Wu's administration is trying to get something done, but the city can only ask, not compel. Take a look at the Twitter thread, someone points out how the buses are just lingering at City Point and not sticking to the departure schedule.
Too bad Billy Bulger is gone
everything was perfect when he was running things
False
The MBTA is a state agency. Snide sarcasm regarding the current mayor amounts to just wasted pixels where the T is concerned.
In my experience, rush hour
In my experience, rush hour buses aren't slowed down by people pinging their CharlieCards as they board. The problem is traffic backups, caused by BTD's badly timed traffic lights as well as just too many cars on the road.
You can call about traffic lights
You can file a complaint thru 311 and if you're nice about it and provide specifics, the city's traffic engineers will call you back and work to ensure the light is correctly timed.
I submitted a complaint about how bad traffic backed up on South St. in the morning due to the poor timing of the light at the intersection with Washington St (across from Forest Hills) and was surprised to hear back. The engineer who reached out to me explained that they are constantly retiming the lights because they frequently get out of sync for various reasons and they appreciate it when people reach out to them.
That's the exact opposite of
That's the exact opposite of my experience, where my 311 tickets get left open, or closed as Case Noted.
Can you provide a link to some of your tickets where they fixed the problem?
Biking or walking
Biking to where the 7 ends up takes about 10 minutes. Walking takes about 35 -- which is probably faster than the combo of standing in line and riding in.
Understanding it isn't possible for many, but there are also many able-bodied folks in Southie who might try different mode of transportation instead of griping on social media.
Pearl Clutching
I live two blocks away and get my coffee at the Dunks right there so please allow me to break this manufactured outrage down for you. I'm also an occasional #7 rider so I'm almost an expert.
This situation rarely happens and if it does, the timeframe is usually from 8:15am to 8:45am, Tuesday through Thursday. There are three other #7 stops within 5 minutes walking distance but they're not as close to the Dunks, Starbucks or other caffeine dealers, so instead of having folks spread out from P Street to East 1st & Summer, they accumulate at the same stop and post pictures to the many outlets who'll transform their ten minute, socially distanced wait into a full-blown issue requiring commentary from elected and appointed officials alike.
Also, the bottleneck, aside from driver availability, is at the other end. It takes the bus just as much time to get from Otis and Summer to South Station as it does from South Station to East Broadway, with very few morning commuters aboard, so suggestions of dedicated lanes, blue bikes or gondolas inbound on Summer St. aren't going to solve the problem that one extra bus could in the morning. Or maybe someone who takes the bus into the office three days a week could have a little bit of patience, walk up to the M Street stop or take an Uber to work if it's that important that they be there at 9am.
Maybe the bus should end at South Station, then
instead of continuing into downtown? It's a pretty short walk from South Station to Otis and Summer streets. The bus could maybe just make a big U-turn at the intersection of Summer Street and South Street. Plenty of turning radius is available there.
?
That's like saying the bus should start at the powerplant.
The point of the bus is to get people from A to B.
To get people from South Boston to downtown
If that last two blocks west of South Station causes so much delay, why not remove it from the route?
Why Have Public Transport Then?
The whole point of the post is that public transportation is there to take people from A to B, not near A and near B.
Then the thread gets hijacked by the Bike Fascists. Trying to reason with them is like trying to reason with those nutjobs outside Planned Parenthood.
The best way to solve the #7 problem is maybe cut back on the Hingham Shipyard to Hingham Center bus and put it perhaps where the people are.
Near A to Near B
is pretty much always what public transit does. For instance, if I want to get to Post Office Square, I walk a couple blocks to Davis Square station, get off at Downtown Crossing, and walk a couple more blocks at that end.
Hyperbolic much?
Bike fascists? Point Le A and B on bus routes vary depending on how the folks at the MBTA decide to place them, regardless of what you or I think is exact or “close to.” What is exact for one person is close for another.
Hyperbolic much?
Bike fascists? Point Le A and B on bus routes vary depending on how the folks at the MBTA decide to place them, regardless of what you or I think is exact or “close to.” What is exact for one person is close for another.
Wrong
If you took this 7 bus every day you'd understand that the problem isn't the long line if busses come in a relatively short amount of time, let's say under 10 minutes between busses. The problem is that there are many times people are stuck waiting from 8 to 8:30 or 8:30 to 9 to simply get on the bus. That's flat out unacceptable in a city like Boston. The other day it took me over 50 minutes from when I got to the 7 stop to South Station and not because of traffic. There are constantly busses just sitting at City Point and not moving when they're scheduled to. I even walk to the M St stop or to City Point to be able to get on. I've been to the City Point stop and got on a bus just for the driver to tell me he's not leaving for another 10 minutes even though the schedule says he should be leaving. I know it's not the Driver's fault but the MBTA should have never cut service to the 7, it's one of the most heavily used routes during rush hour. A lot of people will end up ubering from the stop because they can't wait 30 minutes to get to work. So much for the city incentivizing people not to use cars. Yes, you could leave your house earlier but you shouldn't have to if the MBTA would stick to their schedule.
To everyone saying you could bike, the Southie bluebike situation is far from ideal and good luck biking on Summer St. Also, biking and walking in the winter is just not ideal. I've waited over 30 minutes for the 7 in sub 10 degrees temps.
Can't they run more buses for
Can't they run more buses for the 7??
Show this picture
to the next developer bragging to the BPDA about being close to a T stop.