May 2, 2008
Catoe Directs Metrobus Drivers to Keep Tail Out of Street
This is how Metrobus drivers are supposed to pull up to stops: flush with the sidewalk, and out of other lanes of traffic. But as anyone who either regularly rides city buses or drives in this city well knows, many, many times, Metrobus drivers instead just pull the front of the bus in to a stop, leaving the tail end blocking traffic from going forward behind them.
WTOP reports on Metro General Manager John Catoe's recent memo to drivers reminding them that this practice is against WMATA policy. After a caller on the news radio station's April 15 Ask Metro program complained to Catoe about the persistent problem, Catoe said he heard about it from a lot more people, and is attempting to crack down on bus drivers who leave their tails sticking out.
"I understand that habit because it makes it easier for that driver to merge back into traffic," he said. "But when we are notified that drivers [are not pulling in], we will take the appropriate action."
Catoe's even going so far as asking bus riders to report drivers who block traffic in this manner. When you see one, you can call (202) 637-7000 to report the offending bus.
Photo by furcafe
|
Good for Catoe! I've seen this happen tons and tons of times. It's a huge pain in the spleen.
And yet, I sorta sympathize with the Metro bus driver b/c if they don't leave their caboose hanging out in the road, it's gonna be a fun time to try to get back into the lane of traffic.
I'm also glad to see that Metro complaint number. Last night I saw a Metro bus that was out of service flying down Wisconsin Avenue and nearly take out a sad sap who was walking in the crosswalk - the same crosswalk that had one of those neon signs saying cars had to stop for pedestrians crossing.
Booooooooooo! Especially in rush hour, people in personal vehicles need to deal with it. They can wait an extra 30 seconds so that the 50+ people on the bus in front of them don't have to wait an extra 3 minutes.
Yet another example of suburban cultural disrespect for public transportation.
For some reason, at first I was thinking "Kato Institute" when I saw Catoe and I was very confused, to say the least.
This wouldn't be a problem at many spaces, IF MPD or Metro Police could get out there and ticket & tow some of the cars who persistently park where the bus is supposed to pull in. If the bus can't pull in because the spot is blocked by some yahoo who can't read a street sign saying "no parking, bus stop" the driver shouldn't get penalized for that.
Does this mean Metro bus drivers have license to ram cars parked to close to the stop to the curb so they can squeeze in there? Not that this is the cause of every instance where a bus sticks out into traffic, but it happens plenty.
This has nothing to do with suburbs. It's a common-sense traffic control issue.
As a bus rider, why would I call to complain? For me, the tail in the street speeds up my commute. I have little sympathy for the people driving in during rush hour, especially when the driver is the only person in the car.
If cars are parked in a Metro bus stop, then by all means they should be ticketed pretty heavily. BUT, in the majority of cases where I have personally seen a Metrobus do this, there's no car parked in the bus stop. It's simply the bus driver not wanting to deal with losing his/her "place" in the lane of moving traffic. I have no idea how behaving in such a jackass manner - which violates Metro policy and traffic laws - is somehow allowable b/c its public transportation that's doing it. That same line of thinking would explain bus drivers not understanding the concept of stop signs, red lights, crosswalks or right of way. If enforcing the law equally on all motor vehicles makes me culturally disrespectful of public transportation, then I'm perfectly happy with that distinction.
Yet another example of suburban cultural disrespect for public transportation.
Because nobody in DC owns a car.
I wonder if these people complaining are the people that will intentionally not let a bus get back in traffic because they do not want to get behind one.
If people would start letting the busses back into traffic after picking people up then this problem would go away.
(and to the S2, i love seein your backside swing out. Keep on doin it girl)
"For me, the tail in the street speeds up my commute."
When it's your bus doing it, sure. But what the buses ahead of yours that are also doing it? They're slowing down or blocking all the vehicles, not just the ones with suburban solitary drivers.
For some reason, at first I was thinking "Kato Institute" when I saw Catoe and I was very confused, to say the least.
It's actually Cato Institute, which is even more similar.
That's right, keep sticking the tail out. Becuase I does help me get to work faster. I'm one of those bus riders and I could less about drivers in their SUVS getting stuck behind a bus.
I'm pretty sure the Kato Institute worked with The Green Hornet to eliminate crime to the tune of "Flight of the Bumblebee." Or, that's how I remember it before the stroke.
Ach, you are right...I must have been thinking about Kato Kaelin when typing my comment-I did know that!!
Yet another symptom of there being entirely too many bus stops along each route. If the stops were fewer, then the bus driver would have less to lose by pulling all the way over and giving up its 'place' in traffic. Since it's currently a race from one stop to the next and they're trying to beat each block-block signal cycle, that only encourages them to foul up traffic behind them so they can stay on schedule.
Yeah there are way too many bus stops like Krisa said. On the S buses just north of downtown it stops at P, Q, R, S, U, V. You really only need one at P, R, and U I'd say. People can walk a block and a half to the bus stop! On the 50s, it's just as bad. There are stops at I, K, L, Thomas Cirle, N, Rhode Island/P, Q, R, S, T, U, V, etc. It slows things down way too much. You don't need one every block.
Basically nobody bothers to enforce traffic safety or rush hour parking regulations in DC. So, it's no surprise the streets are completely chaotic -- it's every man and woman for themselves.
Maybe if the police were to take their traffic enforcement responsibilities seriously, everybody could use the streets without getting completely pissed. As it is, I'm not surprised by the excessive road rage on DC streets.
Wow. There's a whole lot of wholier-than-though self-righteousness going on here. You folks who take the bus and think you're better than people who don't really need to get over yourself. Who the hell do you think you are? And before you jump all over me, I don't drive to work. I take the Metro.
In the end, Cranky has it exactly right. Just because it's public transportation, doesn't mean that a bus should be held to looser legal standandards than any other vehicle on the road. There are laws to be followed and another commenter makes a good point - it only helps you if you're on the front bus. That tail sticking out slows down not only cars, but also buses and even bikes behind it.
Dedicated bus lanes anyone? Forget putting this on the highway. Get rid of parking on major thoroughfares downtown and let the busses and bikers have that lane.
What's more important: parking revenues or getting rid of gridlock?
Let me also say that I've seen busses do the ass in traffic move on weekends along streets that are mostly empty. So it's not simply a matter of them being vanquished by the legions of suburbanites that drive on DC streets. It's more an issue of Metro bus drivers not following Metro law and DC traffic laws. I find the bus vs. car commute bitterness to be silly and unproductive. Would the saintly bus patrons also be happy with their busses going through red lights, stop signs, and crosswalks (regardless of the people in the way) just b/c that will help them get to their destination faster? Ultimately, that's the same level of obnoxiousness exhibited by the single-passenger commuters so detested by the cool bus passenger crowd.
HEY!! .... stop beating up on the metro bus drivers. They are the saints that have to put up with every idiot driver, pedestrian, bicyclist, you and me every day just for a paycheck. What burns my butt are those COMMUTER BUSES who think they own the road.
There are some dedicated bus/bike lanes downtown (7th Street). They are never respected, I have cars come up on my ass in them all the time and get huffy since I have the audacity not to move aside like a good peasant in order to facilitate their lawbreaking.
That being said, more bus lanes!
Also, commuter tax!
I second the idea of more blocks between stops. Have you seen the big-a$$ booties of some of the women who ride the bus? They really need the exercises anyways.
That's what I want sitting next to me on the bus, a morbidly obese asthmatic who's sweating like a whore in church because they tried to sprint two blocks.
FAIL.
I'm thankful for all the hard working metrobus drivers, even when their butts are in my way.
BUTT, I would've loved it if the headline had been: Metro Buses to Get Less Tail.
Cuz it's Friday, y'all.
As somebody who rarely drives or rides the bus, my experience is that bus drivers are more sinned against than sinning in this regard. For every lazy bus driver who just noses in for the sake of convenience (and it does happen), I see two or three cases where there are other vehicles waiting in the bus stop. 7th Street NW, from the Mall north to Massachusetts Avenue, has it particularly rough, as do the most of the cross streets for about half a block in each direction.
It's not really a suburbanite hatin' issue, though. Private personal vehicles are generally not the worst offenders, although they do create their share of problems. Most of the time, though, the troublemakers are private buses (tour and commuter), delivery vehicles, and contractor or repair vehicles. At least where I go, anyway.
Dedicated bus lanes AND giving certain bus routes priority at stoplights...
The tail in the lane isn't nearly so bad as blocking the intersection. I see metro buses doing that at least once a day.
i wish i had that number this morning. the bus that runs along I (eye) street at 17th in front of Farragut West was sticking out so far into the intersection, pedestrians trying to cross the street had to walk out into the middle of the road just to get around the bus.
this intersection (and K & 17th, too) ALWAYS has busses doing this. i wait for the day when a motorist tries to be funny and zoom around, plowing into an unseen group of tourists just following the lights.
I'll admit it, I never let the buses back in when I'm driving. Not because I'm in a huge hurry. I just don't want to be directly behind a bus and eat their exhaust and have my view of the upcoming road entirely blocked off.
However generally if I even see a bus on the road ahead of me I'll switch lanes well in advance to not have to deal with it. Before I get hated on - I take metrorail to work everyday...