MoreShenanigans t1_j6ztxex wrote on February 3, 2023 at 1:27 AM

Reply to comment by Fattom23 in Pro-Pedestrian/Biking City Council/Mayoral Candidates by Fattom23

I think if frequency, safety, and speed are improved (also gonna throw in cleanliness), transit will become more convenient in center city even with the lax traffic enforcement.

Safety is a big one. There's a lot of people who just will never get on the El right now, but would if they didn't have to worry about safety.

I agree that asshole drivers will break rules, and there are too many of them. But they still aren't the majority. Most ppl in center city will park legally for example, if they're gonna be parked for hours. And that usually means paying for a spot. Which also takes some time (finding a spot & walking to the destination if the lot isn't right next door).

If you have a safe, clean, train that comes every 2 minutes, that option is suddenly a lot more convenient.

Outside of CC, I agree with you. Transit is too sparse, and easy/free parking is too much for it to compete with, even with the upgrades.

Fattom23 OP t1_j6zumxl wrote on February 3, 2023 at 1:32 AM

I take a both/and approach, but your example of Center City is exactly what I'm talking about. In the areas where there's actual enforcement, people behave better and it's overall more pleasant to walk/bike/exist. Sadly, because of all the baggage that goes with them, that area is almost entirely patrolled by the PPA, who are monumentally better at enforcing parking violations than PPD. If we could get a comprehensive enforcement division as efficient as the PPA that wasn't up to its eyeballs in political corruption, we'd really have something.

Instead, we have a city where the powers that be have decided you can just park wherever you want as long as you remove your tag and cover your VIN first.