Orange Line: What The Hell Was Zev Thinking?
Yet another accident on the Orange Line and people are saying "What the hell was Zev thinking?" As the bus continually plows into vehicles and vice-versa at Valley intersection - let alone over 700 near misses reported by MTA drivers in the period from November 4th to December 4th - one has to begin to take a second look at the moratorium called for by United Riders of Los Angeles. What is it going to take to get the County, City and MTA to seriously address this issue? When a busway bus slams into a school bus?Reports say the City is posting more warning signs and distributing "educational" DVDs to senior centers (based on the notion that most of the drivers in question were nearing Social Security eligibility age or older). All well and good, but the MTA needs to put warning gates on at least the questionable intersections (at Woodley, Balboa, Kester and probably the wildest intersection of all, the 45 degree cross intersection slice at Burbank & Fulton, next to Valley College). Then, a long term plane of grade seperations at key intersections will have to be considered. These improvements will not only cut down the accidents, but allow the commute to be faster leading to greater success for the Orange Line.
Rick More writing at HolyCoast.com for now thinks he safer in his own car. His headline caught my eye, "The Orange Line Ought to be Sponsored by Target."
Previous Orange Line Stories:
Posted by Mayor Sam @ 12/15/2005 07:45:00 AM
28 Comments:
As taxpayers, we are going to get pasted by the stream of personal injury suits the Orange Line generates if we don't put in crossing guards or gates. Whether Zev should have foreseen the accidents is less important right now than halting the collisions, because more accidents are clearly foreseeable at this point. Whatever the cost of crossing gates, they would pay for themselves after preventing a few accidents. This isn't political; it's risk management.
Antonio is so adamant about accomplishing ANYTHING he pushed for the Orange Line knowing it wasn't ready and the problems of accidents were going to happen. Now look how many we've had and still no matter how many damn cameras, traffic officers etc. its a major problem to the city. Agreed Walter that the city will be hit with tons of lawsuits. Paint the buses bright orange so people can see them better. Simple but I guarantee effective.
How is the city at fault for drivers running red lights? There will be no lawsuits.
Zev has to go.
Cities are held liable all the time for creating dangerous conditions (e.g., a "blind curve" where accidents regularly occur). That a driver ran a red light is not a defense; it may reduce, but will not eliminate, the city's liability, especially as to bus passengers.
9:18
The city and the MTA or at fault because of faulty engineering. Any lawyer will be able to prove that this line was rushed. Didn't get this idea from Brazil? Brazil doesn't have as many cars as L.A. does and the rush to move this project froward endangered public safety. Once a subpoena is brought against MTA, watch for all the pitfalls. Just putting up red lights doesn't mean that motorists will adhere to them. Eight accidents in 7 weeks means there is something wrong with the system.
The Brazilian system is also privately run and makes a profit.
Walter is an attorney; an ambulance chaser to be exact. Believe him, he knows a lawsuit when he sees one, regardless of validity.
Yea, what the hell was Zev thinking?
Zev: So we came back, and Bob Hertzberg and I were sitting next to each other on the plane, and I took a Varig Airlines napkin, and on the back of it I drew what has now become the Orange Line.
I said "Bob! I have a solution!"
Hertzberg: For what? Keeping spaghetti sauce off your tie?
The fact that this blog mirrors the opinions of Walter Moore is a sad commentary on frank and sam.
Walter - By your theory, the city can be sued for two motorists who end up in an accident because one ran a red light without the city having anything to do with it. The fact remains that because ALL of these accidents occurred because of the motorists disobeying the law, they have no recourse. In fact, the city could sue the motorists who run red lights and cause damage to the busway. And Walter...you have no chance in hell of winning any city-wide seat.
yes the motorists are stupid but the busway too is stupid.
The busway is not stupid. It is an idea which is not the best option but it isn't an unmitigated disaster like Mr. Moore thinks it is.
This was the most stupid idea from a bunch of incompetent idiots. Thank God I don't live in the Valley but nevertheless I am mad as hell because of the insanity of it all. I hope the lawsuits start rolling in!!!!!!!!! These people need to be taught a lesson.
Too bad it didn't happen when AV and his pals were taking a ride. Where is he now? Hiding?
This is just a taste of things to come, Los Angeles. Watch out!!!
AV wants to get rid of everything California stands for....backyards, three bedroom 2500 sq. ft. houses, swimming pools. He is touting more density and high rises. Wants LA to look like NYC. I didn't make this up...he's making the rounds and spouting this garbage.
Is this guy nuts???? Has he ever heard of California earthquakes?
Never mind earthquakes, L>A>, he wants us to look like the slums of NYC>
And what about the trains???? His vision is for all of us to ride a fucking train!!!! Guess Santa Claus never brought him the train set he always wanted!
Watch out for eminant domain in your backyards....he wants us all to give up our lifestyles and follow him into the sewer. If you have too many leaves in your swimming pools, he might declare it a 'blight' on the city.
Beware, Los Angeles (legal residents, that is)!
^The only thing missing from your post is somebody humming the Battle Hymn of the Republic in the background.
Now go take your meds and stop reading Kotkin.
H EY 1228
love your comment about Santa claius not bringing AV a train set!!!!!!!! hysterical
Think he was too busy playing with his stilettos.
what about him sending CDs to senors HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEHAWWWWWWWW
sue the bastards!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
hey 9:12
right on!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
we got his number, huh. asshole antonio
Can you extend the Orange Line route all the way to Mexico?
Put AV and his mafia pals on it with a one-way ticket!
THE ORANGE LINE IS A TOTAL DISASTER.
In addition to a boatload of lawsuits that will undoubtedly occur, UCLA Director of Transportation Studies came out with a report that states THERE ARE NO WHERE NEAR THE 10,000 - 12,000 NEW RIDERS!!!!!!!!!!!
How do we know? The 3200 parking spaces reserved for commuters are ONLY 20% filled.
WHAT DOES THIS TRANSLATE TO? 80% of the commuters are THE SAME COMMUTERS WHO RODE THE OLD BUSSES. THEY ARE JUST SWITCHING TO THE ORANGE LINE!!!!!!!!!!!!
You can't believe anything the sleazy mayor says!!!!!!!!!!!!!
THE ORANGE LINE IS A FIASCO!!!!!!!!!
1:30 p.m.
You must be one of the uninformed, illiterate members of AV's gang.
As Michael Barrone of US NEWS ARE WORLD REPORT says, 'Joel Kotkin is the foremost leading expert on urban life. No one knows more about cities than Kotkin.' He is a nationally acclaimed author and visionary.
Now, I should not even condescend to your level by replying to your post, but it is soooooo exhilarating to tweek your nose! You and your high school drop out colleagues at City Hall need to know that there is a city full of people just like myself who are educated, highly intelligent, LITERATE, college educated, professionals, who are horrified at the level of incompetence that is being perpetrated on the CITIZENS of Los Angeles. Most of them are too busy to ever post on a website, especially one like this, but I have taken it upon myself to speak for all of us.
I guarantee you that AV is going to be a one termer (if that) and will go down in history as the worst thing that ever happened to L.A. He is so astoundingly incompetent that he has exceeded our worst nightmares. He has such a chip on his shoulder because HE KNOWS what he is. And no one is buying it!
And, by the way....do you want me to stop listening to KEN AND JOHN also?
Viva Kotkin!!!!!
Zev thinking??
7:23 is right...read the UCLA Transportation Study. AV is faking the numbers just like he is doing with the dropout rate of LAUSD.
BTW a couple of weeks ago someone on this blog said English is not the official language of California. Well here it is....California State Constitution Article III, Sec. 6, Prop 63, 1985 declares ENGLISH to be the official language of California!
All roads (including the Orange Line) lead, not to Rome, but to disaster....Millions of illegals in this city and a mayor who won't do anything about it.
What we have here is a case of TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION. a TAXPAYERS REVOLT is brewing amongst the LEGAL CITIZENS of this city and, since WE ARE THE LARGEST SOURCE OF REVENUE FOR THIS CITY, we will put an end to the illegal immigration problem.
A $350,000,000 boondoggle is exactly what the ORange Line represents!!! Not to mention a $4,000,000,000 school bond FOR ILLEGALS.
I strongly urge business entrepreneurs like myself to form NEVADA CORPORATIONS (as I did) so that your hard dollars do not go toward CA state taxes. Also, do your XMAS shopping online...there are NO state taxes.
Do not support millions of illegals!!!!
7:23 is right...read the UCLA Transportation Study. AV is faking the numbers just like he is doing with the dropout rate of LAUSD.
BTW a couple of weeks ago someone on this blog said English is not the official language of California. Well here it is....California State Constitution Article III, Sec. 6, Prop 63, 1985 declares ENGLISH to be the official language of California!
All roads (including the Orange Line) lead, not to Rome, but to disaster....Millions of illegals in this city and a mayor who won't do anything about it.
What we have here is a case of TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION. a TAXPAYERS REVOLT is brewing amongst the LEGAL CITIZENS of this city and, since WE ARE THE LARGEST SOURCE OF REVENUE FOR THIS CITY, we will put an end to the illegal immigration problem.
A $350,000,000 boondoggle is exactly what the ORange Line represents!!! Not to mention a $4,000,000,000 school bond FOR ILLEGALS.
I strongly urge business entrepreneurs like myself to form NEVADA CORPORATIONS (as I did) so that your hard dollars do not go toward CA state taxes. Also, do your XMAS shopping online...there are NO state taxes.
Do not support millions of illegals!!!!
Good idea Mr. Entrepreneur who illegally hides his money in Nevada!
Bitch about illegal immigrants while you make some illegal moves to hang on to your money.
Why don't you go live in Nevada?
And who doesn't do all of their shopping online? I've been doing that for more than 5 years.
Why is it Zev's, AV's or the MTA's fault when seven people RUN RED LIGHTS and plow into buses whose presence is heralded by any number of signs, lights, billboards, and photo-ops?
Moreover, the Orange Line's accident rate is about the same as that of evey other MTA bus line.
1:53
Because this is not a regular MTA type of operation. It has had at least one accident a week since it opened.
They modeled the Orange Line after a similar set up in Florida and the Florida commuter line was riddled with accidents because of it's flawed planning.
If you are going to copy the prototype of another city....just make sure what you are copying wasn't a boondoggle.
Stupid, Stupid, Stupid!!
Oh, and by the way, I forgot to mention that at least two people were killed in the Florida fiasco.
Stay tuned for trouble ahead!!!
And it's only six months into his term...AV, that is.
Run him out of town on the Orange Line!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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