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Crime Cameras
French Market
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Posted in Uncategorized
Tagged cameras, Crime, French, french market, Market, new orleans
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NOLA City Council meeting/transportation committee (November 23, 2010)
I just came out of the transportation committee today. I didn’t make a comment, but many of my issues seem to be addressed. Perhaps not my individual issues, and I think I may submit my ideas directly to the people who presented as well as those on the committee.
Some loose ends they talked about, but I had not gotten to:
- I had not talked about additional rail out of NOLA. I agree that the Baton Rouge to NOLA rail line is a must have. I just feel that the Slidell route needs to be worked on ASAP so they can determine if the bridge and/or pilings from the existing bridge that remains of the twin span is usable. (heck as a dedicated bus/HOV lane)
- I also think the Desire streetcar UBT<<->> Canal via Loyola and continued service down St. Claude as well as the proposed Convention center extension is necessary.
- I really like the idea of connecting the two Algiers Ferries by making the paved levy bike trail between the two a priority.
The cab companies made a forced presentation, and they have stated a few things I agree with, and added to the things that really discredit the Cab companies.
First, In the past, they have shown to be an impediment to Pedi-cabs, basic Quarter loops (that small hop on train like they have in city park), and closing the quarter. I must state that I frequently have issues getting a cab in the quarter, and when I get one, they don’t want to take me a short distance. This is the target market of these alternative transport options. They have totally different markets & business models, and would essentially not change the ridership of the cabs. Heck let the cab dispatcher dispatch the pedi cabs.
Second, they have shown no encouragement for energy efficiency. Many times people meet at the airport, and other places, and want to talk more, or at least share a cab, but if they let it be known they just met, they are forced to take two cabs. How efficient is that? Especially when cabs often have to drive without any passengers.
Third, the cabs complained about the bikes with many valid points — dark riding, wrong way riding, etc. all listed in my other post — but they made a stupid point about the bikes taking the drive lane. ***As I stated, Lolly gagging in the drive lane is not good, but fully using the lane is desired. There other point was that the bike lanes do not give 36″ to pass. ***If I am not mistaken, as long as each is in there own lane, the 36″ rule does not apply. The biker should not be riding the left line, and the automotive traffic should not be riding the line either when they are approaching a bike.
Fourth, they talk about the multi-modal (if I am using the right term) discussion not including cabs. To which, I say show us your statistics, how can you help reduce traffic, how can you improve HOV usage, improve energy efficiency, and both accommodate and encourage biking? I don’t see them pushing to say they are bike friendly. Many cabs are large enough to put a bike into… Tout that; what about bike racks on the cabs to bring bikers that have had too much to drink home?
Finally, one statistic that I think is important, is that “there is a 78% improvement in right way riding along St. Claude since the bike lanes were installed.” That is a 78% reduction is riders going the wrong direction, or against the flow of traffic. I know there was some enforcement back in September, and while that helped, there has been none since, and I do still see wrong way riders. If it was the enforcement that made the improvement, they did very little, and it shows what a little enforcement would do to help prevent crossing the double white line on the Claiborne flyover ramp as I have discussed in another post.
Bike Respect – New Orleans is the worst
Ok, this is one of my biggest pet peeves. Bikers that want respect without giving it. New Orleans is one of the worst on both sides of the issue, and unless the bikers do there part, how can they expect any improvement? While I don’t ride a lot, if you don’t earn us the respect you don’t make me want to ride any more you are giving me a bad name.
Let me start with the bikers issues as they are easy fixes; Bikers in New Orleans:
- Don’t wear helmets
- Aren’t safe at night as they
- Wear dark clothing
- Don’t have reflectors
- Don’t have lights
- Ride the wrong direction
- Lolly gag in drive lanes
- Run lights and stop signs
- Ride cramped
- Get upset when a car passes after waiting for an opportunity
As for cars, they:
- Don’t leave 3 feet to pass
- Honk
- Follow closely
- Open doors without looking
- Don’t stop behind the lines at intersections
- Cross bike lanes without looking
- Don’t look both directions at intersections
- Do rolling stops
- ((Help me here–give me your suggestions))
Ok, now that we have some issues on the table.
Let me break them down….
Helmets: Helmets are your own issue, but don’t get upset if you die or are incapacitated because you are not wearing a helmet. While the car may or may not be at fault, you are responsible to doing your part for protecting yourself. No amount of money is worth the consequences, and that is if you get any. Insurance companies have statistics showing that the helmet reduces costs dramatically, and if they can show you were not wearing one, they won’t have to pay.
Being visible: No amount of money is worth the consequences if you get injured because a car could not see you. Think about it a light colored outfit or at least a reflective band/vest along with lights and reflectors on your bike can make all the difference, and may even save your life.
Ride the wrong direction: This is one of my biggest pet peeves. A bike is considered a vehicle for a reason. For instance, at intersections, you are not as big as a car, so if you are coming from the wrong direction, you may blend in; especially since you are hugging the parked cars and telephone poles. You are not as slow as a pedestrian so you are not close enough to the intersection to be readily seen.
Ride the wrong direction II: If you are riding 10 miles per hour, and a car is going 30 or even 40 rather than approaching at 20 or 30 miles an hour, you are approaching at 40 or 50 miles per hour – – – 50 miles per hour does not leave much reaction time to prevent an accident.
Ride the wrong direction III: You can’t see the traffic signs. I was t-boned because a bike didn’t see that there should have been a stop sign; plus he was peddling super hard to try to beat a train. I didn’t have one so I didn’t stop (I often slow dramatically at most intersections in neighborhoods weather I have a stop sign or not.) Guess what, he got a ticket. I left it up to him to call, but he was in so much pain that he decided he might want to be checked out. He didn’t get treated.
Lolly gag in drive lanes: I am sorry, but its kinda hard to earn respect if you are blocking traffic. Wanna play, be aware and get out of the road when there is a car. Kids do it; why can’t adults?
Run lights and stop signs: Ok cars and bikes do that in New Orleans, but if you are going to do it, be extra aware. There is a whole movement in several states or cities (more on that when I have time to add a link) to specifically allow it, or at least not ticket for it; i.e. stop lights/signs are treated as yield signs. I believe any accident is generally said to be the bikes fault if they should have stopped.
Ride cramped: there is no reason for a biker to ride cramped. This leads back to two of the other issues Be Visible & Don’t Lolly-gag. If you are riding right up against the parked cars, you open yourself up to being door’ed, and encouraging the car behind you to pass. If they don’t have the required 3 feet of room to pass WHY ENCOURAGE the car to pass you unsafely. Fill the lane. Motor bikers have been beating this into each others heads for years. You become visible and don’t encourage people to pass at the wrong time. Plus, you generally end up riding slower, and that just pisses off the car behind you. REMEMBER, You want respect.
Get upset: I am sorry, but don’t yell at a vehicle that has waited patiently for a spot to pass you. Just politely get over, and let them pass. They may gun it, but hey let them get out of here. Heck perhaps its the only way you’ll hear some of these uber-quiet cars. Remember they respected you now show them some respect.
I am not going to talk about what the cars do wrong since we generally accept that they are doing these things wrong.
Its the bikers that think its ok to do it the wrong way. Even when they know its the wrong way.
NOTE: I frequently get upset at other bikers when I am biking. They put me in danger when they are doing it wrong.
Perhaps we can get a critical mass of people doing it right and finally earn some respect on the roads. I can not condone the critical mass rides when the thing being brought to attention is all the wrong things bikers do. Critical mass should obey the traffic rules more than others. After all 50 people going the wrong way down a road is not a simple thing of getting over to let a car pass. << –Actually happened one time, and immediately after –>> I ended up leaving town for a month and heard that the city started enforcing one way bike traffic on one way streets, and stopping at lights and stop signs. Neither of which I want to be forced to do — if I am careful for the one block I do it.
Posted in Complaints and suggestions, The road
Tagged 3 feet, amount of money, bike lane, bikers, dark clothing, death, head injuries, helmets, intersections, lolly, new orleans, open doors, respect, stop signs
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Public Transit & traffic lights-timing
I believe that there needs to be an improvement in public transit in New Orleans. An improvement means more jobs both at the RTA, but in the city as a whole.
Many recovery dollars should be or should have been spent to make sure proper systems were installed rather than just old style antiquated systems. — I’m talking mostly about the traffic lights; any new bus can be computerized. We now have electronic payment systems including day passes –. Heck, the entire Canal & Tulane Ave systems probably had to be replaced. I sure hope they are compatible with smart systems or we can use them somewhere making room for smart system.
Anyway, on with the needed improvements. Many cities across the country have changed the way the buses and trains interact with the lights. Rather than the lights controlling the buses, the buses control the lights.
If a bus can head down canal and make it through the light just before it turns rather than after, you can acheve many things.
- Improved and controlled bus timing
- Buses don’t have to wait through an extra light cycle because.
- They can’t make it to the bus stop before the light turns red
- Riders are still boarding/disembarking when the light turns red
- Buses can take off before the light turns green. Thus they don’t fight with traffic, and can make it to the next light quicker.
- Vehicles can actually turn right on red because they are not going around and in front of a stopped bus.
All of which improves the reliability and timing of the buses. With these improvements, ridership improves, and more employees can be hired further improving the system and ridership. Finally a better transportation system means more businesses in town, and more locals at work both for the RTA and other businesses.
EDIT: I don’t even mind if the extra lane is a public transit lane i.e. bikes + buses, and possibly cabs. (if they earn it)
Posted in Complaints and suggestions, Uncategorized
Tagged bus, cabs, front, interact, Public Transit, recovery, Riders, ridership, RTA, Streetcar, timing, traffic, way, whole
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Pedestrian traffic-intersections & traffic lights
I have two major suggestions involving the area around the French Quarter, an area of public disgrace where people from all over the country see how run down the city is. Is that the goal? I hope not. What we need is a green arrow at the intersections where pedestrians and vehicular traffic get separate dedicated signals and crossing times. Plus we need to make sure all the lights-specifically the pedestrian signals working. **I’ve added another improvement in the body text as well.
New Orleans is an interesting town. Its a blast from the past. We have a ton of pedestrian traffic, and a good amount of car traffic, people jay-walk, cars don’t stop for pedestrians, pedestrians don’t make way for cars, and you almost have to put up with one if you put up with the other.
You see, here, you must be both aggressive and uber cautious. Uber-Cautious because people are aggressive, don’t signal, and in general don’t respect the other (cars>people & people>cars).
Two major instances where being aggressive is a must for cars.
First Bourbon Street, if you are going to make it across Bourbon Street, you must move forward a foot when you get enough room to move forward. If you don’t, you will never make it across as there is constant foot traffic all across the street, and its never regulated.
Second, at lights along Canal St and Decatur. The pedestrians have a dedicated light to go on, but often when they see the green light for cars, they ignore the RED light for pedestrians. If more than one or two of the ten plus cars at a light are going to make it through the light, the cars must push there way through the pedestrian traffic or some will end up waiting through 5 cycles of the light.
I do have a suggestion. Bourbon St. has no solution other than closing the Quarter to automotive traffic. However, at the lights we can improve the situation. We could add a strobe to the light when the traffic light is green and the pedestrian light is RED, or a cheaper, less distracting, and over all better move is to add a green arrow so the pedestrians know that the turning cars have the right away. They should be less likely to go if they see a green arrow vs. a green light.
Finally, these lights never work right, so how can you expect the pedestrians to follow the working lights let alone the broken ones. I’ve called 311 numerous times. When I say they don’t work right, some are burned out, but quite a few have both the walk and don’t walk lights on at the same time all the time. For some reason, they fix the auto lights quicker than the pedestrian lights.
In conclusion, we need a green arrow at the intersections where pedestrians and vehicular traffic get separate dedicated signals and crossing times. Plus, we need to make sure all the lights-specifically the pedestrian signals working. Finally a closure of the quarter to vehicular traffic.
NOTE: I mention a possible closure of the quarter to vehicular traffic. This issue has been discussed many times, and thus I am not pushing it. It would be feasible as people entering the quarter would need to be making a delivery–during certain hours; going to an off street parking spot–with monthly pass, residential permit, or hotel reservation. Several things that make this possible would be pedi-cabs and/or the rail line down Royal &/or Charters from canal to ??? (This rail is a mini-rail like the one in city park, but for adults. Both of which has been discussed and plans presented to the City Council), and finally no street parking. —- None of these I really like as I frequent the quarter, and generally park on the street. —- This may be a burden on residents and visitors to the quarter and well as neighboring neighborhoods where cars may end up parking. —- The plus for this is that the majority of the people in the area staying in hotels, and not driving.
NOLA Transportation Improvements
I have a little multi-part series on Transportation improvements for the new Orleans area:
- Claiborne Flyover, Double white line and double lane changes
- I-10 East @ Claiborne lane adjustment, (and brief comment on its removal)
- Palmetto @ Carrollton, painted turning guides
- Rail into NOLA — (metro wide… at least Slidell for now),
- Pedestrian traffic-intersections & traffic lights,
- Public Transit & traffic lights-timing — we need reliable public transit,
- St. Charles Corridor — reliable public transit, and smooth auto & bike routes
- Bike Respect -New Orleans is the worst & its a two way street
And future stories such as regional/national rail, and more.
NOLA Transportation Improvements – St Charles
Saint Charles is the second major tourist destination in New Orleans behind the French Quarter.
It is how people get to the Garden district, Autobon park, the Zoo, the Universities, the River Bend and Carrollton area, and an alternate route for those heading to The Magazine St. Corridor.
Many people are downtown for conventions, business and social or recreational travel, but many end up taking the St. Charles streetcar. These people are not just visitors, but locals heading to or from home weather thats along St. Charles or the opposite side of town.
The problem is people can not rely on the street car. The St. Charles line in particular is extremely unreliable. I frequently see 5 cars lines up in a row. That is 50 minutes of cars that should have been coming every 10 minutes. Yes, people have been waiting an hour or more, so I know its not just double coverage.
My suggestions below include some harder to justify and/or implement items, and thus may need refining, but something needs to be done, and if we can improve the corridor lets do it! In the end, I hope it being edgy does not devalue any of my other posts.
What follows is an improvement that addresses the issue two fold, and each helps the other. One of the major issues slowing down the street cars is vehicular traffic. That same vehicular traffic also holds up vehicular traffic.
The key is to keep the vehicular traffic from affecting the other methods of transit i.e. public, bike, pedestrian. One method is to reduce the vehicular traffic by encouraging other methods. i.e. public, bike, pedestrian. The other is to make said vehicular traffic flow better.
In an effort to encourage public transit, we must ensure the Streetcars run not only on time but in a timely manor. If they are not constantly stopping for cars they can run every ten minutes, as well as cut the total time it takes to make the entire route. Both of which encourages ridership.
The method we can ensure that the streetcars are not continuously stopping for cars is to limit and control there ability to turn left. Thus we should reduce the number of cross over points, and add a left turn/u-turn light this is not a full light, and while expensive, there numbers are limited due to the reduction in left turn points.
This means we must have dedicated left turn lanes. Not a big issue since traffic on St. Charles is already almost always blocked in the left lane because cars are backed up either waiting on a streetcar, or waiting to complete a turn.
Wow we’ve already fixed two problems. Cars can now know they can actually drive on St. Charles, and the Streetcars can actually run on time. Because they are on time, people may actually be able to rely on them when heading to work, and not have to wait an hour only to ride another hour. Heck we are a small city a two hour trip to work is uncalled for.
Now since we are down to one lane on St. Charles, we can utilize the former other lane for bicycle traffic. NOTE: I said the former lane…. I mean use nearly the entire width of the right lane for bikes. Slightly smaller so cars don’t try to use it. This improves capacity, for the bikes, and gives added protection from dooring and This means that occasionally–at the areas reserved for left turn lanes–we will have to do away with parking. I don’t advocate totally removing street parking as we should keep parking available for the smaller local neighborhood businesses. But since we are encouraging less car traffic it makes sense to remove some.
To further improve the timing along the route for public transport, see my other post on Public Transit & traffic lights-timing.
The biggest caveat for this plan is the shifting lanes. Cars may continue into the turn lane when they want to go strait or use the bike lane past the turn zone. We can easily remind the cars to shift lanes with vertical plastic traffic guides. Another option is to actually have the bikes use the left lane. and shift/shrink the bike portion at the turn zones. – Just must respect the left turning traffic or be sandwiched between the two traffic lanes.
NOTE: We may still want to offload some traffic Automobile and Bike to nearby roads, but being a busy road makes it safer for crime issues rather than having someone riding down a dark & quiet adjacent street. Especially when we are trying to encourage people visit the businesses on St. Charles via bike rather than always taking there car.
Posted in Complaints and suggestions, The road
Tagged bike lane, NOLA Transportation Improvements, St. Charles, Streetcar, traffic
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