Secrets of the City

A lack of knowing how to merge, idiotic use of cellphones, newspapers, make-up, and other contraptions while driving; a passive-aggressive nature that says, “Fuck you, you can’t move into this lane,” and blocks people; construction that seems to shade out slightly into a lane and freaks out drivers who feel the need to move over right away, a DNA strand that makes these same people have to slow down and stare at accidents…just in case they know the person, and arrows on freeways that seem to have no bearing what so ever on whether or not a lane is open.

A “real” Driver is just like The Rat’s Old Man.

Everybody was a crappy driver, but him.

Funny, Rat. And very true. My Dad is just like that. More and more, so am I.

Dan Haugen has been doing a fantastic job covering the environmental beat for the Monitor.

I have a secret for you guys: you’re all crappy drivers.

Not me, Wayne, I’m the perfect driver.

How much of this problem is due to a lack of good driver education? Is anyone able to compare the quality of driver education today with what was taught 10, 20 or 30 years ago? Are young driver’s not being taught good habits from the get-go, or do some drivers somehow devolve once they get that little laminated card?

When I was learning how to drive, I had three adults teaching me: my father, his best friend, and my older brother. Each one taught me some of the more important rules of the road — and the common courtesies that go along with being a driver. And, heck, I listened to their advise and counsel: when exiting the freeway, don’t decelerate until you reach the deceleration lane; when entering the freeway, use the acceleration lane to reach the common freeway speed BEFORE merging; USE YOUR FRIGGIN’ TURN SIGNALS when changing lanes; drive defensibly, not offensively; etc., etc., etc.

More people, taking more trips, driving more miles has really added up to a big problem for the system
Agreed.So let’s build 16 lane super highways. I’d like to be the first to blame the liberals. And Wayno.

Some advice on reducing congestion and air pollution.

people take driving for granted and don’t allocate appropriate respect for the dangers involved. driving is so commonplace it’s lost that special feeling that makes people wary.

Need a bagel? Jump in the car!
Want to rent a movie? Jump in the car!
Want to see a band? Jump in the car!
Gotta go to work? Jump in the car!
Trip to the bank? Jump in the car!
Going out drinking? Jump in the … wait a minute! Yeah fuck it, jump in the car.

Some advice on reducing congestion and air pollution:

Live closer to work and bike/walk/ride transit.

Easy!

As odd as it is to say this, wayne is right. I’m as guilty as any for taking trips in car I don’t really need to — like driving to corner gas station to buy a paper.

I take it all back.

Wayne, you’re wrong.

There is nothing “easy” about the where you work, where you live decision matrix. Easy for a single guy who dosen’t mind living in an apartment over a bagel shop three blocks from where he works.

Not so simple for folks like me and others.

Live closer to work and bike/walk/ride transit.

Easy!
I think most of us agree in principle, but this is an old arguement. Jobs change, especially in certain careers and at certain times in a person’s life.

Expecting people to sell their house just because their new job is 10-15 miles further is unreasonable.

And of course married/coupled people who have jobs in different parts of the city. cjc works one block away from our house, I work about 10 miles away.

We’re in the same boat kc. I work in Eden Prairie (less than 14 miles roundtrip) and my husband works in downtown St. Paul (30+).

In looking for our new house, we’re taking neighborhoods and schools into account more than commute length. It is definitely taken in consideration, but no matter what one of us is going to end up driving a fairly significant distance.

I selected our first TC apartment in Columbia Heights to be realitively close to work (U of M campus area) and to avoid having to cross bridges, which I knew were congestion points even back then. When we were ready to buy our first house (where we still live), we had a set of criteria on price, features, etc. We looked at all of the homes in the inner ring first, but nothing matched. The first time we found one in the outer ring that had what we wanted at a price we could afford, we took it. Since then, both our job situations have changed.

I like the idea of having people take the behind-the-wheel driver’s test every third license renewal would tend to make people remember the proper way to drive… at least for that one day. I can admit that I am far from perfect in my driving but at least know what the turn signal is.

We’re in the same boat. We live in Saint Paul and the wife teaches in our neighborhood so she has a great commute.

I used to work in Mendota Heights, but now I work in Roseville. The distance is the same, 17 miles one way, but the trip to Roseville takes 5-10 minutes less thanks to not having to cross a river.

Any neighborhood trips I have to make corner store, liquor store, friends place etc I ride my bike.

Prior to Saint Paul I lived and worked in Downtown Mpls for many years.

I still haven’t received my carbon credits for rarely driving or having to use public transit for all those years.

The behind-the-wheel driver’s test has no bearance on being able to drive in real conditions. Almost anyone can driver around at 15-20 mph and signal their turns. The space given for parrallel parking is HUGE. It is nothing like real life.

How about rather than a a test every third time; a refresher course covering some of the common driving problems. Properly merging, Using turn signals, properly running cars off the road, etc . .

I’ve only put 7 thousand miles on my car in the last 4 years. I never thought I would be a bus rider but if I wanted to work DT it was going to be a necessity. I am seriously considering a scooter or biking once it warms up above the freezing point, if that ever happens.

If I buy a smart car can I park that little sucker on the sidewalk or in motorcycle parking?

I have a scooter, and I love it, but I wish I had a 50cc one so I could park it at bicycle racks. If you get one for commuting to work mostly, get a small one.

As odd as it is to say this, wayne is right. I’m as guilty as any for taking trips in car I don’t really need to — like driving to corner gas station to buy a paper.

They’ll throw one of those right on your front porch, you know.

Live closer to work and bike/walk/ride transit.

Easy!

It would be easier if people didn’t get pissed off about our big strollers…

I’ve been mostly looking at the smaller (<50cc) scooters. Mostly because of that reason. You can park them on the sidewalk. Also I’m too lazy to get my motorcycle endorsement.

Touche, robin!

Accorsing to one Pine City man, we are all driving TOO DARNED FAST!

I blame the weather. Many people would rather be warm in their cars than wait outside for the bus or bike in the cold. If we lived somewhere 20 degrees warmer during the winters, maybe it wouldn’t be so hard to convince people to go without their cars.

But, for me, it is much warmer to take the bus than take the car.

I can look out my dining room window and see when the bus is coming. I run out and grab it. Then I do a quick connection to another bus (usually less than 2 minutes) and it drops me off in front of my building.

Driving I have to warm up the car (cold), drive the car (cold), and then walk from where I park it (cold) or take the bus from where I park it (cold, but free).

I like the idea of having people take the behind-the-wheel driver’s test every third license renewal would tend to make people remember the proper way to drive… at least for that one day. I can admit that I am far from perfect in my driving but at least know what the turn signal is.

The number of testers that they would have to hire to handle that kind of increase would be huge. At least in the Metro, I think they have a hard enough time keeping up with just the NEW drivers.

JACC’s refresher course, or even a periodic written test wouldn’t be a bad idea. Put the written test on a computer kiosk, so it can automatically be scored, and there’s no need for much additional staff.

But, for me, it is much warmer to take the bus than take the car.

I can look out my dining room window and see when the bus is coming.

You are far luckier than most. I take the bus to and from work and it’s often a 10-15 minute wait in which all of my extremities feel like they’re going to fall off.

well it’s not easy here, ok.

if you live in a place that gives a damn about urban planning and isn’t the sprawliest sprawlville to sprawl on the mississippi, it is easy. but our metro is decentralized and our transit is crappy, so I guess living close to workpalces is nearly impossible because you’ve got major centers of employment all over the damned place. good job on planning, twin cities.

bend over and take it from all your fortune 500 companies and let them turn your metro into a sprawly congested deathtrap just like LA.

I blame the weather. Many people would rather be warm in their cars than wait outside for the bus or bike in the cold. If we lived somewhere 20 degrees warmer during the winters, maybe it wouldn’t be so hard to convince people to go without their cars.

I would prefer biking over a car regardless of the temperature. The asinine practice of warming your car up is even more ridiculous. Cars, ewww.

BTW, while the engine is cold cars emit most air pollution. Warming your car outside allows the engine to run poorly for a long time and pollute much more if you would just get in and start driving. Sitting at idle takes way more time to warm up than normal driving.

Anyway, I can’t think of anything less pleasant than a long commute with a car.

It would be nice if bus transit was better in the burbs. Hell even in the inner ring of SLP I have to drive to work because there is only one 17 bus that’s close enough for me to take and will drop me off within walking distance to work.

If I buy a smart car can I park that little sucker on the sidewalk or in motorcycle parking?

What a sweet idea. Perhaps this can be expanded to solve Minneapolis’ parking woes. Just let everyone park on sidewalks, parks, plazas, etc. As conservatives and suburbanites know there is not nearly enough land devoted to car-related infrastructure which is so efficient….

high-fives to vlado!

I work at home so I get to avoid a commute, but have a scooter for getting around in the warmer months. Really a great way to go. I’ve got a 150cc so I can’t park on the sidewalks, but if I had a regular commute I’d get a smaller one specifically for that. Biking is great, but only if your office has a shower or you sweat less than I do.

My wife takes the bus from St. Paul to Mpls. which works out fine and the ne lightrail is going to start across the street from us. But my big gripe with this is that I’m sure they’ll muck up that project. I don’t know why we didn’t figure out express trains (limited stops) with the first line and doubt they’ll do it for the next which means that the new lightrail will take just as long if not longer than the current 94 buses.

I know, I know. Rail is a development invigorater, not a transportation solution.

Anyway, I can’t think of anything less pleasant than a long commute with a car.
How about a 34 mile round trip bike commute when it’s -30?

We’ve had this discussion too. How far is your commute again?

I’d love to bike to work everyday,but you know . . .

My commute is 5 miles each way. I will admit that the structure of this city and suburbs makes sane commuting difficult.

Put the written test on a computer kiosk, so it can automatically be scored, and there’s no need for much additional staff.

Kiosk hell, I’ll build an online version for the state for less than 400k!

I would prefer biking over a car regardless of the temperature.

Unfortunately, 95% of Minnesotans don’t feel that way, as evidenced by their choice to drive rather than bike. It’d be awesome if everyone else shared this view, but unfortunately, they don’t. Most people feel much more comfortable in their cars. I think it’s going to be that way until gasoline gets ridiculously expensive or runs out.

well their choices don’t exactly exist in a vacuum. sure, maybe biking isn’t for all of them, but do you really want to tell me that the amoun of money invested in auto-infrastructure vs. the amount in transit infrastructure and operation doesn’t have something to do with their decisions? or the pisspoor planning controls that made sprawl the only economical choice for development? do you really want to say that if the city was built in a different way that made riding transit or walking a viable option for more than a few percent of the population, most would still choose to drive?

I don’t buy it.

do you really want to say that if the city was built in a different way that made riding transit or walking a viable option for more than a few percent of the population, most would still choose to drive?

No, I’m talking about the way our city is right now. And the way it is right now has most people wanting to drive. Many of them are supportive of money going toward transit infrastructure, but they still get in their cars every day.

oh ok then.

and even with that support, we’re stuck with a douchebag governor who does everything he can to fuck transit funding over.

but then again, the bastard won’t even fund roads properly. cheapskate twit.

It would be nice if bus transit was better in the burbs. Hell even in the inner ring of SLP I have to drive to work because there is only one 17 bus that’s close enough for me to take and will drop me off within walking distance to work.

It seems that I see signs for bus stops in the strangest places. Like the other day I was driving down a dead end culdesac in Edina and – BOOM – bus stop. wtf?

Speaking of being cold, I saw a guy on tv last night who waz a former SEAL sit in a tub of ice water for an hour, climb out, run an obstacle course, pick up a gun, discern a living target, and put a paintball between the target’s eyes. All without lowering his body temperature. Like, whoa.

Kiosk hell, I’ll build an online version for the state for less than 400k!

I thought of that, but you would have to accept that many, if not most people would take the test with the DOT pamphlet right in front of them. THat kind of defeats the purpose of instituting the test in the first place.

(at least the way I see it). There was some discussion last week on open note vs. closed note tests.

In my mind, this is one of those situations where simply knowing where to look up the answer isn’t enough.

The behind-the-wheel driver’s test has no bearance on being able to drive in real conditions. Almost anyone can driver around at 15-20 mph and signal their turns. The space given for parrallel parking is HUGE. It is nothing like real life.

I was referring to actual driver’s on-the-road instruction (i.e. “Student Driver”), not the test.

I recently started a new job and I’m figuring out the bus schedule so that I can ride it on days I don’t need to drive. I thought about riding the bike, but the way people drive freak me out.
Unfortunately, I often need my car for work. Even more unfortunate is that I only live 6 miles from work, but it takes me forever as I live on one side of the bridge and work on the other – arrgggh!

It would be nice if Metro Transit made bus scheds available in something other than PDF. I had to make specialized ones for my routes into text files and load them onto my iPod. More mobile-ready schedules would be helpful.

I received a jury summons for a date in March. They gave me a bus pass that expires on Feb 28. Thank you Ramsey County!

@Ingrid So did I!

I wonder if we should fill out the “hardship” section on the back of the information form?

haha I was thinking about that, but I already mailed form in. It’s my first time on jury duty so I’m kind of excited.

JACC, what day did you get? It would be really funny if it was the same day.

uhhh…my bad. I just looked at the bus pass more closely and it appears that the bus pass expires Feb 28, 2009. Whoops. I don’t think they are going to pick me for a jury!