Friday, January 22, 2010

Put that Stop Somewhere Else

A couple of posts back I was complaining about B.C. Transit. Well I'm back at it. B.C. Transit are you out there? Please think on this:

For some reason there seems to be a desire to strategically locate bus stops just past an intersection on four lane connector streets. This means that during busy times the bus stops just on the other side of the light and blocks one of the two lanes of traffic going that way. This means that some cars either have to wait on the other side of the intersection and miss the light or in the case of the more inattentive or oblivious drivers they end up stuck in the intersection behind the bus. Now they're stuck there blocking traffic when the light changes.



Now I understand that they are trying to locate the stop near major intersections where people are transferring from one bus to another. I also believe in having a good public transit system. I just don't see why the bus stop can't be another 40 metres from the corner, allowing the cars to at least get through the light before they have to wait behind the bus. Answer me that B.C. transit.

6 comments:

  1. Now I admit I don't live in the city, or even close to it, but as a city resident shouldn't you be encouraging bus transit, Jaack? I wonder how a bus passenger would feel about your view? To solve the problem of you waiting a few seconds inside your car, they get to walk another half a block in the rain to transfer buses? I assume most people transfering, or changing busses, are also changing directions, so a change at an intersection would mean going to another street? Cheers, xelA.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I have to side on Jackie on this one. I, for one, hate the Shelbourne 'squish' going across Lansdowne/Hillside with a bus parked by the Esso. OMG. It's a friggin' nightmare. As a driver, do I switch lanes? Is the bus going to move? The stop is literally AT the intersection. Why not move the stop to the middle of the block? Hellloooo!? That would make too much sense! It has probably caused countless accidents and fender benders due to the gray area created by the timing of the bus turn-outs.

    ReplyDelete
  3. How about putting the bus stop just before the light instead of just after it? Problem solved. Passengers will still be at the intersection and it won't leave cars sitting in the intersection behind the bus.
    You're welcome.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I think there IS a bus stop about half a block before the intersection at Hillside and Shelbourne. It is not well used, and I'm guessing it's cuz there's another one on the other side of the intersection. Shame, that.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Your resolution to post once a week lasted four weeks. Look on the bright side: That's better than a lot of people's resolutions.

    ReplyDelete
  6. My resolution was not to post once a week. It was to post 52 times in 2010. I'm sure I'll still meet that goal.

    ReplyDelete