KCMO Downtown Streetcar

[Highlander]

I hope incidents like this can be kept to a minimum. I never thought how limiting the rail system was when people park illegally along the route. I much prefer a streetcar to a bus, but the streetcar is at the mercy of auto drivers playing by the rules.

http://www.kansascity.com/news/local/ar ... 45092.html

[WSPanic]

Dude parked in a crosswalk on the tracks in front of a streetcar. LOL.

[grovester]

I hope incidents like this can be kept to a minimum. I never thought how limiting the rail system was when people park illegally along the route. I much prefer a streetcar to a bus, but the streetcar is at the mercy of auto drivers playing by the rules.

http://www.kansascity.com/news/local/ar ... 45092.html

My comment to people worried about this is that if someone parked their full size SUV crossways on any street, the same thing would happen. Traffic would stop until it was moved. Ticketing and towing seems to be an effective deterrent.

[flyingember]

I hope incidents like this can be kept to a minimum. I never thought how limiting the rail system was when people park illegally along the route. I much prefer a streetcar to a bus, but the streetcar is at the mercy of auto drivers playing by the rules.

For private vehicles I expect it's quickly going to sort itself out. You don't see a lot of private vehicles being parking idiots at the airport because people know there's consequences. The same will happen along the line. The examples getting out have people parking where there isn't a parking lane, purposefully yelling at the driver, parking on the sidewalk, or just being oblivious. No one wants to be those people. Parking illegally is being put in a bucket with jerks. Right now with inconsistent train running coverage it's possible to try your luck. With three trains out running most of the day you won't be able to.
And no one wants to get a $200+ ticket and tow. High ticket prices and consistent enforcement are one of the barriers to getting people to use shared parking and walk more places downtown. If someone can get away with parking illegally on street for several hours they will. All the best transit cities have highly restricted parking like parking stickers and booting. Hopefully we get to a model where focus streets downtown come with increased illegal parking enforcement so owners can be assured that if they don't install a dozen private spots available all day their guests can still get to them by car.

Independent delivery drivers will be the persistent offenders long-term. It's way easier to think you'll beat the train if you can be in and out in 60 seconds.

[DaveKCMO]

I hope incidents like this can be kept to a minimum. I never thought how limiting the rail system was when people park illegally along the route. I much prefer a streetcar to a bus, but the streetcar is at the mercy of auto drivers playing by the rules.

http://www.kansascity.com/news/local/ar ... 45092.html

we're not the first city to go through this. the good news is that it's gotten better in all the rest. that's what testing is for!

[DaveKCMO]

here are your first three certified streetcar operators (L to R) -- Jeff (black cap), Greta, & JC



also pictured are Tom Gerend (executive director, Streetcar Authority, Ruben Montenegro (general manager, Herzog Transit), and Brian Hadley (safety & security officer, Herzog Transit).

[grovester]

http://imgur.com/G8Dtz7T

Anyone have details?

[DaveKCMO]

http://imgur.com/G8Dtz7T

Anyone have details?

inevitable.

[grovester]

No doubt, I just hope it didn't do anything serious to the streetcar.

[scooterj]

At least now we have the answer to this question: http://kcrag.com/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=94 ... 47#p547047

[DaveKCMO]

At least now we have the answer to this question: http://kcrag.com/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=94 ... 47#p547047

when you follow this stuff as closely as i do you see the patterns emerge. headlines and most incidents 100% predictable.

KMBC reports: "Police cited the driver of the Mercedes." http://www.kmbc.com/news/kc-streetcar-h ... paign=kmbc

[mean]

What a shock, a self-absorbed idiot who doesn't give a shit about anyone else parking like an moron. In a Mercedes. He's gotta be 2-3 feet off the curb! And no front license plate. Odds are strong on JoCo.

[KCPowercat]

Does seem odd streetcar tried to squeeze by....

[flyingember]

My favorite reddit comment on the accident

Some idiot paying more attention to the reflection of his bitchin Mercedes in the window than the huge fucking streetcar. Just a hunch.

[beautyfromashes]

There shouldn't be parking on Main along the streetcar route in the first place.

[aknowledgeableperson]

Of course why did the streetcar driver try to get past the parked car?
What happens if this were to occur when the line is carrying passengers?

[shinatoo]

Typical. Blame the victim.

[bobbyhawks]

Does seem odd streetcar tried to squeeze by....

If I were in charge, I would have told the driver to plow on through. This type of story is necessary for people to finally realize there is a streetcar in town, and they have to learn to exist in a city that has one. There are still a ton of people that don't really seem to grasp this thing is about to be a working form of transportation and not just a "toy train fantasy." Lots of people are still ignoring the parking stripes and other rules because they don't see the car operating regularly.

**Edit** - No better time than the present to nail a vehicle that is misplaced. This allows for the situation to occur without passengers inside.

[droopy]

**Edit** - No better time than the present to nail a vehicle that is misplaced. This allows for the situation to occur without passengers inside.

It does have a bit of publicity stunt feel to me, which I'm ok with. Talking about white stripes is no where near as effective spreading the word as plowing into a JOCO Mercedes over the line.

[mean]

In fairness to the Mercedes driver, I've been over the White Stripes since like 2000.