Walmart Supercenter At 111 Yale St.

[kylejack]

While driving in this morning - I came to a funny realization as I crossed the bridge of death...the HPD load enforcement trucks which have been pulling over all the people like me who consistently flaunt the dangers of the bridge of death - are indeed over the limit of the bridges themselves.

Each load enforcement truck is a F350 or Chevy 3500 - both of which are 3/4 ton trucks, which are both over the load limit....so the bridge must not be as bad as its been made out to be b/c the very people we are paying to keep us evil doers like myself off the bridge - cross the bridge over and over and over again, in pursuit of a $200 ticket.

Just a thought. Double Standard? If its really that bad perhaps the police should not be crossing...just sayin...

Police always have different rules. Check out the parking in downtown on any given weekday.

[TGM]

Each load enforcement truck is a F350 or Chevy 3500 - both of which are 3/4 ton trucks, which are both over the load limit....so the bridge must not be as bad as its been made out to be b/c the very people we are paying to keep us evil doers like myself off the bridge - cross the bridge over and over and over again, in pursuit of a $200 ticket.

Just a thought. Double Standard? If its really that bad perhaps the police should not be crossing...just sayin...

Record their plates and phone it in. Government should set the example. I'm surprised they are not using a Prius for this. If your writing chicken-sh1t tickets based on the whining from RUDE, you should at the very least emerge from a high and mighty vehicle that complements your condescension.

[samagon]

you would think iRUDE would be posted up keeping track of the city vehicles violating, not just stalking the walmart trucks...

[fwki]

[J008]

Each load enforcement truck is a F350 or Chevy 3500 - both of which are 3/4 ton trucks, which are both over the load limit....so the bridge must not be as bad as its been made out to be b/c the very people we are paying to keep us evil doers like myself off the bridge -

The police go into a lot of unsafe situations to catch criminals. Speeding to catch a speeder, running red lights with their siren on, etc...

It doesn't mean that these are unrisky actions, but simply it is their job to take these risks to keep others safe.

I am hard pressed to believe that TXDOT and the effette are conspiring against your truck or the store.

[samagon]

The police go into a lot of unsafe situations to catch criminals. Speeding to catch a speeder, running red lights with their siren on, etc...

It doesn't mean that these are unrisky actions, but simply it is their job to take these risks to keep others safe.

I am hard pressed to believe that TXDOT and the effette are conspiring against your truck or the store.

It's not about police risking their lives to enforce the laws. That's a given.

It appears that the problem here is that they are breaking laws and endangering the lives of others in doing so.

[J008]

It appears that the problem here is that they are breaking laws and endangering the lives of others in doing so.

How so? Is driving over a bridge with one's lights on any different than speeding with one's lights on.

Both are dangerous \ illegal activities that we allow the police to do in certain circumstances.

To date, there have been several bystandards killed in high speed chases, but none from a bridge patrol.

I really don't see any difference between a weight limit and speed limit. Both are designed such that any one modest violation will not end in certain death, but after a certain number of occurances it nears certain that something bad will happen.

Oh, well its much easier to think the big bad govments out to get me.

[samagon]

How so? Is driving over a bridge with one's lights on any different than speeding with one's lights on.

Both are dangerous \ illegal activities that we allow the police to do in certain circumstances.

To date, there have been several bystandards killed in high speed chases, but none from a bridge patrol.

I really don't see any difference between a weight limit and speed limit. Both are designed such that any one modest violation will not end in certain death, but after a certain number of occurances it nears certain that something bad will happen.

Oh, well its much easier to think the big bad govments out to get me.

that's the beauty of rationalization, we all apply logic differently to fit the conclusions we want to draw.

[JJxvi]

I am no engineer, but I have a suspicion that the load limit is less of a "if you weigh this much you are in danger of falling in" and more of a "heavy vehicles are causing damage to the bridge" type risk, in which case its not really a "we police take risks in order to do our job, we dont care we might fall in!" and more of a "well part of our job to make sure this bridge stays safe causes a little bit of damage itself."

In which case it would depend how many heavy cars are kept off the bridge, minus the net effect of the police using the bridge themselves (which is probably negligible anyway)

[RedScare]

How so? Is driving over a bridge with one's lights on any different than speeding with one's lights on.

Both are dangerous \ illegal activities that we allow the police to do in certain circumstances.

To date, there have been several bystandards killed in high speed chases, but none from a bridge patrol.

I really don't see any difference between a weight limit and speed limit. Both are designed such that any one modest violation will not end in certain death, but after a certain number of occurances it nears certain that something bad will happen.

Oh, well its much easier to think the big bad govments out to get me.

I believe the point being made here is that if the bridge truly cannot handle the load, ANY heavy vehicle would cause the bridge to collapse, plunging those school children into the bayou. Police may be above the law, but they are not immune to the laws of physics. Of course, maybe this whole load conflagration is just a load (pun) of crap.

[J008]

Of course, maybe this whole load conflagration is just a load (pun) of crap.

this is the part that really confuses me.

Do you honestly think TXDOT is out there under-rating bridges for the benefit of RUDH?

It is crazy talk.

Although, this is the first executive director since the legislature began allowing non-technical appointees.

http://www.txdot.gov/inside-txdot/administration/executive-director.html

[SilverJK]

why can't they just use a regular police car?

[RedScare]

this is the part that really confuses me.

Do you honestly think TXDOT is out there under-rating bridges for the benefit of RUDH?

It is crazy talk.

Although, this is the first executive director since the legislature began allowing non-technical appointees.

http://www.txdot.gov...e-director.html

I've noticed that no one does anything for the benefit of RUDE. RUDE hasn't won a battle yet. However, TxDOT may have lowered the ratings in order to push the bridge funding up sooner. There is no way to know without someone admitting it. Or maybe RUDE could do a FOIA request for TxDOT emails.

[kylejack]

It's not about police risking their lives to enforce the laws. That's a given.

It appears that the problem here is that they are breaking laws and endangering the lives of others in doing so.

Maybe the infrastructure can handle about 10 of these a day, but not hundreds. It would be unrealistic to set a limit on the number that can do it because there's no way to administer that. So they simply ban it and allow the police vehicles to do it while enforcing. Seems reasonable.

[samagon]

Maybe the infrastructure can handle about 10 of these a day, but not hundreds. It would be unrealistic to set a limit on the number that can do it because there's no way to administer that. So they simply ban it and allow the police vehicles to do it while enforcing. Seems reasonable.

This and what JJVX said is sound logic, and makes sense.

J008, not so much.

A tip on discussions/debate J008, don't use analogy to try and make/prove a point. No matter your intentions, it will never be read the same way you intended it to be read, and it will surely not add credence to your point in the discussion.

[kylejack]

October 26th opening for the Walmart and the Kroger on Studemont. http://houston.culturemap.com/newsdetail/10-17-12-bring-on-the-grocery-wars-heights-walmart-and-kroger-set-the-same-opening-date/?utm_source=sf_twitter

[TGM]

If RUDE was serious about stopping this Wal-Mart they would organize a sit-in on that bridge.

At least the Tower of Terror folks managed one last bang before they crawled back home to listen to Prairie Home Companion.

Edited October 17, 2012 by TGM

[JJVilla]

The great news is that Wal-mart has already started to decline since their demographics and source of cheap products will soon be exhausted.

[TGM]

The great news is that Wal-mart has already started to decline since their demographics and source of cheap products will soon be exhausted.

OMG! Not only are we running out of oil, but China is running out of people!

Meanwhile the boxes are stacking up high due to the great Yale Street bridge catastrophe of 2012.

[RedScare]

The great news is that Wal-mart has already started to decline since their demographics and source of cheap products will soon be exhausted.

That's weird. If Walmart is in decline, I wonder why its stock is at its all-time high. It is up nearly 40% just since April.

[TGM]

That's weird. If Walmart is in decline, I wonder why its stock is at its all-time high. It is up nearly 40% just since April.

Word on the street is that it's based on speculation of plans for a second Heights Wal-Mart.

[Ross]

Word on the street is that it's based on speculation of plans for a second Heights Wal-Mart.

Is this going to be similar to the Starbucks hegemony on West Gray, but with a Super WalMart on each side of the street?

[fwki]

We need a Sam's Club.

[Triton]

Not sure if this has been stated here but for those that don't feel like searching 87 pages to find it, Walmart opens this upcoming Friday (Oct 26th). Same day as Kroger on Studemont. Interesting competition we have going on here..

Edited October 21, 2012 by Triton

[kylejack]

Not sure if this has been stated here but for those that don't feel like searching 87 pages to find it, Walmart opens this upcoming Friday (Oct 26th). Same day as Kroger on Studemont. Interesting competition we have going on here..

You could at least check the page you posted on.

[HTX]

We need a Sam's Club.

I'd vote to do away with the Super Block park to make space for Sams

[barracuda]

All the Sam's Clubs in the area are located along freeways outside the loop. There is probably less of a market for bunker-sized packaging in most parts of the loop due to demographics and limited storage space.

That said, there are some large parcels near NW Mall along 610 that might be ideal for a Sam's Club. Or, perhaps they could buy the land from the Emes Place developer, turn it into a Sam's Club, and connect it to I-10 over the bayou.

Edited October 21, 2012 by barracuda

[RedScare]

I'm so upset. I will be out of town on Friday, so I won't be able to see Leonard and s3mh picketing the new Walmart on opening day. Can someone take pictures for me?

[kylejack]

All the Sam's Clubs in the area are located along freeways outside the loop.

And so were all the Walmarts until they built one in the Heights.

Still, I'd prefer a second ITL Costco.

[RedScare]

And so were all the Walmarts until they built one in the Heights.

Still, I'd prefer a second ITL Costco.

It's within a couple hundred feet of the feeder. That pretty much counts as along the freeway.