Last week’s Great Streetcar Crisis provided an apt illustration of what is wrong with the local broadcast media, and our local political culture in general.
For those who do not know the story, here is what happened. A jackass in a big SUV with Texas plates, we will call him “Big Tex,” parked diagonally, and thus, illegally, in a space on Congress to patronize a local bar. His parking job, which left the rear of his vehicle well within the path of traffic, was at a sufficiently acute angle so as to make it clear that he simply did not care enough to check what he was doing.
Needless to say, this obstructed traffic, forcing cars to swerve into the other lane to pass safely. Unfortunately, Tucson’s New Modern Streetcar, which is in the midst of its seemingly endless testing, was also motoring westward on Congress at the time, and could not change lanes so was forced to stop, holding up traffic for nearly an hour while officials sought out Big Tex.
Officials ticketed the vehicle to the tune of $188, but would not tow it. Whether this was due to some practical consideration or a matter of policy was not clear from press reports, though it seems to be a question that should have been asked. Big Tex himself was reportedly unapologetic, telling a local business owner who confronted him words to the effect that it was nobody else’s business how he chose to park.
To most of us, the story should have been about one inconsiderate douchebag who made life difficult for dozens, possibly hundreds, of Tucsonans. However, this was not the focus for local television reporters, who apparently never thought to ask Big Tex to explain himself on camera. Instead, they chose to chase the narrative that has dominated media reports about Downtown for years, namely that nothing is going right.
Marana-based broadcaster KOLD, for example, posted their story online with the headline “Blocked streetcar raises questions about tight spaces between tires and rails downtown.” The story referred to “growing concern” about parking Downtown, but the only person complaining seemed to be the reporter himself, who ignored the fact that he was standing in front of a street full of cars that were parked legally and safely.
In a description calculated to magnify the problem, the reporter disingenuously said that Big Tex parked only “a few inches” outside of the line, though the pictures made it clear that the vehicle was closer to a full foot, if not more, into traffic.
The incident, and the silly reporting around it has had predictable results. The usual voices have cited this as proof that the Streetcar, and by extension the whole project of Downtown redevelopment, is not worth pursuing, as if a major capital project should be halted because of the behavior of one lazy individual. No one should deny that the city’s efforts Downtown have gone less than smoothly to say the least, and a healthy dialogue about the community’s future is necessary, but what is going on here is not constructive criticism. It is mere contrarianism and makes one wonder if these folks, cranks, really, want to see Tucson succeed as a community.
Meanwhile, it needs to be pointed out that parking and traffic issues like this are an occasional but recurring problem in Portland and other cities with rail, but they have managed to find a way to cope. In Phoenix, transit opponents seized on a recent fatal crash as evidence that light rail in the Valley of the Yakes is a failure, even though the collision was caused by a driver making an illegal u-turn in front of an approaching train. In other words, the problem is irresponsible drivers and not rail.
Yes, rail Downtown will mean that drivers will have to look out for the streetcar the same way that they now have to watch out for bicycles, pedestrians, freight trains, motorcycles, busses and other cars. Of course they will complain about having to share the road and the community with others the same way that they do now. But, like Big Tex, they have to learn to look out for others, which is what they should have been doing all along.
This article appears in Feb 27 – Mar 5, 2014.
“In a description calculated to magnify the problem, the reporter disingenuously said that Big Tex parked only “a few inches” outside of the line, though the pictures made it clear that the vehicle was closer to a full foot, if not more, into traffic.”
Closer to a foot IS a few inches, as is even a little more than a foot. The point being that when the street car stops, for whatever reason, all traffic will stop behind it. Traffic on the tracks — on Congress, 4th Ave, University, etc. will only go as fast as the trolley. And on top of watching out for the street car, trucks, cyclists, pedestrians, etc., the city in its wisdom is also allowing horse drawn buggies. Can’t wait to see the accidents!
….” and could not change lanes so was forced to stop”.
Why the Hell the Wannabe Commie run city, “REINSTALLED” Streetcar tracks, which were determined to be 19 Century Tech Decades ago, just because they could get some “FreeMoney” from BO, is anyones guess.
“Why the Hell the Wannabe Commie run city, “REINSTALLED” Streetcar tracks, which were determined to be 19 Century Tech Decades ago”
Perhaps a history lesson is needed.
Decades ago, that traffic choked metropolis known as Los Angelas had a very efficient street car system. So efficient in fact that it was bought and destroyed by none other than Standard Oil and Firestone. Why? To sell more gasoline and tires of course!
I’m not defending the local project, I think light rail that connected the East and West sides would have made more sense.
Most European countries have far less private vehicles and more mass transportation than the US. It just makes sense. The problem is we are spoiled and want the “freedom” of deciding to drive anywhere and anytime we want. Sit at a traffic light sometime and count the number of single occupants in huge vehicles.
Just think of the streetcar as a bus that can’t indiscriminately change lanes and drive and park accordingly,.
Just knew the Mecca of the Progressives…Portland would come up. Tired of hearing about that place, May if more of the locals would move there we could have a decent city. When you go take a couple of illegals with you.
Just think what would happen if 20 people parked like the guy from Texas. Maybe like a demonstration against waste in government spending. Or just wait until some drunk Frat kid from the U of A getting drunk at Hotel Congress parks weird and see what happens, what ar going to call him?
Let’s call him Drunk Frat Kid. Better some public transit than none at all. Why the car wasn’t towed is a bigger mystery.
If parking in the neighborhood of twelve inches outside the lines is enough to stop a trolley, the obvious takeaway to me is that parking and the trolley cannot coexist at that point. One of them must go, and I doubt anyone is going to choose our shiny new toy to be the one relocated.
As a proud downtown denzien, I am happy to report that parking enforcement is now handing out tickets to those of you who missed “parallel parking 101” in driver’s ed. Bring your checkbooks. Will the offenders be towed in the future? Let’s hope so.
Why can’t they coexist? Hundreds of cars park downtown in those very same spots without going 12 inches over the line (or a “few” although my definition of “few” is very different from Bog Mann’s)
How about if one can’t park his manhood-compensating gas-guzzling behemoth within the lines, he should find another place to park?
It’s nice to hear the media (Tucson Weekly) point out the obvious. Televised news folks are more interested in exaggeration than common sense and facts. Their mantra, “Never let facts get in the way of a news story.”
One guy’s terrible parking job doesn’t mean the streetcar is a failure…the fact it will deplete Tucson’s general fund means the streetcar is a failure.
I discovered something the other day. The light rail project in the absolutely most backward town I ever lived in is one of the “best” systems in the country. It takes people where they want to go and it makes money.
What the hell, Tucson?