[Bruff]

A press release from RTA in support of spend hundreds of millions of your and my dollars on Bus Rapid Transit claimed that it would “provide a significant improvement in the speed, reliability, and efficiency of transit service with little to no impact on traffic" (emphasis mine).

For those who didn't get it, let me repeat and emphasize that last kicker: “with little to no impact on traffic”

I'm all for helping poor people do their shopping or, heaven forbid, actually get to work, but I do have to say that I draw the line with multi-hundred thousand dollar salaries of transit executives and pimping someone's ride who, for one, makes more than me; and two, inconveniences me to the point of delaying me and others at getting to the workplace that earns us the living that allows them to pay the ride of those who don't or won't.

Here's what I want to know. First, if some Godly hand comes out of the sky and rips away two whole lanes of a busy road, how in the (blank) can there be “little to no impact on traffic”...?! Duh...

And second, where the heck did 'they' get the right to even do it. I don't recall anyone coming to my door and asking “Hey, do you mind if we do this (stupid thing)...? Like, given that transit's share is something like 3% of commuters, who's representing the 97% of us who drive?

[MediocreButArrogant]

I dunno about the other routes, but on Sahara, the express bus drives down lanes that were never available for cars to drive in, except when making right turns. Creating those two dedicated lanes did not remove any lanes from those available for cars.

[von949]

Originally Posted by Bruff

I'm all for helping poor people do their shopping or, heaven forbid, actually get to work,

Not just the "poor" use public transportation.

I once saw an old lady with a teacup Yorkie that was inside of a(what looked like a) very large Hermes Birkin purse with a pair of Christian Louboutin shoes get off the bus. I think she was headed to Turnberry Towers. At least this is the area she disappeared in.

[NLVgal]

Originally Posted by Bruff

And second, where the heck did 'they' get the right to even do it. I don't recall anyone coming to my door and asking “Hey, do you mind if we do this (stupid thing)...? Like, given that transit's share is something like 3% of commuters, who's representing the 97% of us who drive?

You know the answer.. follow the money.

[ScoopLV]

Originally Posted by Bruff

I'm all for helping poor people

It doesn't sound like you're all for "helping" them at all. More like "all for looking down your nose at poor people."

Face it, world-class cities have world-class public transportation. What would New York be without the A-Train? (Jazz music is forever in debt as well.) What would London be without the tube? Or Venice without the vaporetto? Or San Francisco without the cable cars?

A good public transportation system brings tourism. Because tourists like to get from point A to point B easily. They don't LIKE to drive around in unfamiliar cities, even with a GPS. I sure as hell don't. I'll bet most people don't, either.

A good public transportation system enriches local neighborhoods and makes a city's amenities available to all.

Las Vegas doesn't have a good public transportation system. We have the BS monorail, which would be GREAT if only it went all the way to McCarran. We have the Deuce -- which is ALWAYS overcrowded. (What does the fact that the Deuce is always overcrowded tell you? It tells me that we need to expand the system.) And we have the RTC. Which. stops. every. 500. feet. and. makes. you. want. to. jump. on. a. landmine.

And even though RTC is annoying, we still find a way to make use of it a dozen times each year. We'll take the bus down to the strip, so we don't have to worry about how much champagne we drink at Sterling Brunch. My wife will take the bus down to the resort where I work, I'll make her dinner, and then we'll drive home together.

Sometimes I'll take the bus down to where my wife works, and then we'll drive around town from there.


So, it's not just for poor people. It's for EVERYONE. And everyone should pitch in for improving the system. I'd rather my tax dollars go toward a good public transportation system instead of Mitt Romney's flippin' show horse.

[Coco6163]

Originally Posted by ScoopLV

It doesn't sound like you're all for "helping" them at all. More like "all for looking down your nose at poor people."

Face it, world-class cities have world-class public transportation. What would New York be without the A-Train? (Jazz music is forever in debt as well.) What would London be without the tube? Or Venice without the vaporetto? Or San Francisco without the cable cars?

A good public transportation system brings tourism. Because tourists like to get from point A to point B easily. They don't LIKE to drive around in unfamiliar cities, even with a GPS. I sure as hell don't. I'll bet most people don't, either.

A good public transportation system enriches local neighborhoods and makes a city's amenities available to all.

Las Vegas doesn't have a good public transportation system. We have the BS monorail, which would be GREAT if only it went all the way to McCarran. We have the Deuce -- which is ALWAYS overcrowded. (What does the fact that the Deuce is always overcrowded tell you? It tells me that we need to expand the system.) And we have the RTC. Which. stops. every. 500. feet. and. makes. you. want. to. jump. on. a. landmine.

And even though RTC is annoying, we still find a way to make use of it a dozen times each year. We'll take the bus down to the strip, so we don't have to worry about how much champagne we drink at Sterling Brunch. My wife will take the bus down to the resort where I work, I'll make her dinner, and then we'll drive home together.

Sometimes I'll take the bus down to where my wife works, and then we'll drive around town from there.


So, it's not just for poor people. It's for EVERYONE. And everyone should pitch in for improving the system.

+1 Well said.

[tijlover]

For the poor, long-time unemployed, and homeless who are too poor to even buy a bicycle today, or cough up enough for a monthly bus pass, expect your mailbox to be flooded with Sympathy cards shortly!

My roommate is too poor to even buy a bus pass! And when his used bicycle breaks down, he'll be left with his feet for transportation!

[Bruff]

Originally Posted by MediocreButArrogant

...on Sahara, those two (BRT) lanes did not remove any lanes from those available for cars.

Google Map "Buffalo and Sahara" and then come back and tell me that no lanes were removed. I live in that area and my memory and eyes tell me they were.

[von949]

Originally Posted by Bruff

Google Map "Buffalo and Sahara" and then come back and tell me that no lanes were removed. I live in that area and my memory and eyes tell me they were.

What a coincidence.

[MediocreButArrogant]

Originally Posted by von949

What a coincidence.

Your pictures are a few years old and show the road before the express lanes were created. I see two left turn lanes, three through lanes, and a right turn lane. If the express lanes took away one of the through lanes, then there should be only two through lanes in each direction now.

I could be wrong, but I thought there were still three through lanes for cars in each direction on Sahara, and the express bus drives in the right turn lane. I'm going to lunch downtown in about 30 minutes, driving from the Lakes, so I will make a small detour and confirm how many lanes are available for cars.