METRO Would Be Wise To Start Impressing

[ricco67]

Aug. 29, 2004, 8:45PM

MOVE IT!

Metro would be wise to start impressing those who matter

By LUCAS WALL

Copyright 2004 Houston Chronicle

Metro has been busy cultivating its relationship with a powerful lawmaker. But it must strive to make other friends, too.

The transit authority's new leadership has been getting cozy with U.S. House Majority Leader Tom DeLay recently. DeLay, well known as the guy who stopped federal funding for MetroRail, has praised the new direction at Metro.

The Sugar Land Republican, in two high-profile speeches this month, has lauded the new board and president's willingness to examine other rail technologies and collaborate with other agencies on regional mobility. Metro's leaders still have work to do, however, in convincing their new buddy to snatch the $830 million they want for light rail expansion.

Metropolitan Transit Authority officials also would be smart to improve their relationship with millions of their constituents, some of whom have written me in recent weeks with various complaints. And I have gripes of my own.

Downtown leaders have been irate with Metro after its police officers issued a pile of jaywalking tickets to pedestrians at Main Street Square, which my colleague Rad Sallee reported last week. That is certainly no way to make pals.

Most people think pedestrian-crossing lights are advisory. If the blue man is glowing, you have the right of way. If the orange hand is lit, you don't. In either case, you should look both ways before crossing. If no vehicles or trains are coming, you should be free to cross.

After all, this is how millions of American pedestrians traverse city streets every day. We're not stupid; we're not going to walk in front of a car or train. But we're also not going to stand baking under the 95-degree sun when we can clearly see no traffic heading our way.

The priorities of Metro police are odd. I ride MetroRail almost every day. It has been four months since I have seen a police officer on a train checking for tickets and providing security. We all know about the crash problem, yet I rarely see Metro police patrolling the rail line for drivers making illegal turns and running red lights.

A man has recently robbed at knifepoint a few riders waiting at McGowen Station in my neighborhood, and some passengers have told me they've been harassed on board by homeless people who don't appear to have bought a ticket.

All this is going on, but officers are sent to Main Street Square to ticket people walking across the street?

Bus troubles

I've had two bad experiences with Metro this month. Three weeks ago I was heading to Hobby Airport. The bus I was waiting for never showed up. I had to call a taxi and scramble to make my flight. The cab cost an extra $21.

Last week, I went to a luncheon at the Hilton Americas-Houston. Metro recently decided to again have trolleys stop every block downtown, but all the signs aren't up yet. I waited on McKinney adjacent to the street construction Metro is doing on Travis; there was not a sign. The trolley stopped at the red light and I approached to board. I knocked on the door, not sure if the driver saw me.

She had. She shouted, "This is not a stop! I stop at Main."

Metro spokesman Ken Connaughton said there's no log of Route 101 being late the morning I almost missed my flight. But Metro can't verify driver logs until next year, when its "smart bus" system comes online.

Connaughton advises riders not to wait at bus stops unless a sign for your route is posted. But he also said Metro policy requires drivers stopped at a red light in the curb lane to open the door for a passenger regardless of whether it's a marked stop.

New trolley signs should be up this week, he added.

Please e-mail comments and questions to traffic@chron.com, call 713-362-6832, fax to 713-354-3061, or mail to Lucas Wall, Houston Chronicle, 801 Texas Ave., Houston, TX 77002. Make sure to include your name, city or county of residence, and daytime phone number.

[editor]

Downtown leaders have been irate with Metro after its police officers issued a pile of jaywalking tickets to pedestrians at Main Street Square, which my colleague Rad Sallee reported last week. That is certainly no way to make pals.

Most people think pedestrian-crossing lights are advisory. If the blue man is glowing, you have the right of way. If the orange hand is lit, you don't. In either case, you should look both ways before crossing. If no vehicles or trains are coming, you should be free to cross.

After all, this is how millions of American pedestrians traverse city streets every day.

Not everywhere.

In Cincinnati, jaywalking is SERIOUSLY enforced. In fact, the local prosecutor when I lived there was nick-named "Jaywalking Joe" because of all the jaywalking offenses he pushed. The result was a very very orderly and clean downtown area where it was unheard of for someone to get hit by a bus.

In other cities I've lived, jaywalking is bad for your wallet. It's how muggers can tell who's local (the people who wait) and who's a tourist.

Social order has to start somewhere. Rudy Giulliani cleaned up New York not by going after the serial killers. It was when he formed the "Piss-And-Beer Patrols" who arrested people drinking and urinating in public. These people usually had warrants for other offenses because when you're wanted for armed robbery, sipping a Mad Dog 20/20 in front of an elementary school doesn't seem all that bad. It worked in New York.

Oh, and I think the little walking man is white, not blue. The Chron writer needs new glasses.

[ricco67]

I was kinda' torn on the article myself. If they're going to enforce jaywalking, they need to heavily enforce it in the medical center.

I honestly believe pedestrians jaywalking are a major cause of all the log jams in the medical center and it cascades onto main as well. Afterall, if you have a clog on Fannin south from Dryden, that'll back up all the way to that street on herman hosptital (my mind went blank) which in turn clogs main. I've seen (and sat in it) a number of times.

As far as enforcment on the trains go, I was VERY surprised when they hopped on the bus from the RiceU stop. all but one of us (out of 80 people) had a ticket. that speaks loudly about how people are being honest about buying a ticket.

Ricco