King Street (Streetcar Transit Priority)

[DSC]

What are jersey barriers?

Jersey barriers are the , usually movable, concrete barriers used to block lanes or streets.

 

[W. K. Lis]

What are jersey barriers?

 

[mdrejhon]

They also come in plastic versions of the same shape -- that you fill with sand or water -- usually used at construction sites.

 

[MetroMan]

EXTRA EXTRA READ ALL ABOUT IT!

I just stepped out on to King and mannnnn...oh...man: total chaos at Spadina.

The jersey barriers are in place. They’re the concrete variety but plastered in vinyl with a nice design. Just as I walked out, a cab turning right on to King got squeezed by the jersey barrier by another cab and CRUNCH!

I walked the crosswalk around the crashed taxis and when I look to my left, I see that the intersection is just complete gridlock with cops banging on windows to get drivers’ attention to move cars out of the intersection.

Then, I noticed that the yellow stripes that’ll serve as an exclusive zone for streetcars had been painted but guess what: drivers are just completely ignoring them, driving over the striped zones and stopping in them waiting for the light.

...and this is with several traffic cops watching. Nobody is following any rules and people are just driving like they’ve never taken a driving test in their life.

Other than that, everything is just fine.

 

[reaperexpress]

EXTRA EXTRA READ ALL ABOUT IT!

I just stepped out on to King and mannnnn...oh...man: total chaos at Spadina.

The jersey barriers are in place. They’re the concrete variety but plastered in vinyl with a nice design. Just as I walked out, a cab turning right on to King got squeezed by the jersey barrier by another cab and CRUNCH!

I walked the crosswalk around the crashed taxis and when I look to my left, I see that the intersection is just complete gridlock with cops banging on windows to get drivers’ attention to move cars out of the intersection.

Then, I noticed that the yellow stripes that’ll serve as an exclusive zone for streetcars had been painted but guess what: drivers are just completely ignoring them, driving over the striped zones and stopping in them waiting for the light.

...and this is with several traffic cops watching. Nobody is following any rules and people are just driving like they’ve never taken a driving test in their life.

Other than that, everything is just fine.

To be fair, the new rules aren't in effect until Sunday morning so it's understandable that people are not following them.

 

[MetroMan]

To be fair, the new rules aren't in effect until Sunday morning so it's understandable that people are not following them.

I think you're giving people too much credit. It's not like they're all reading the city of Toronto website saying that the rules go into effect at 7AM on Sunday. A yellow striped zone means "do not enter" as soon as it's painted on the road.

But, how about this?

This sign *is* in effect. It has been for decades. It says that the centre lane is for TTC and taxis during rush hour. Where are all the cars? ...

I've been saying this since this design was chosen. The city is relying almost exclusively on drivers voluntarily obeying the signs. In this city, that's a recipe for failure.

 

[TheTigerMaster]

EXTRA EXTRA READ ALL ABOUT IT!

I just stepped out on to King and mannnnn...oh...man: total chaos at Spadina.

The jersey barriers are in place. They’re the concrete variety but plastered in vinyl with a nice design. Just as I walked out, a cab turning right on to King got squeezed by the jersey barrier by another cab and CRUNCH!

I walked the crosswalk around the crashed taxis and when I look to my left, I see that the intersection is just complete gridlock with cops banging on windows to get drivers’ attention to move cars out of the intersection.

Then, I noticed that the yellow stripes that’ll serve as an exclusive zone for streetcars had been painted but guess what: drivers are just completely ignoring them, driving over the striped zones and stopping in them waiting for the light.

...and this is with several traffic cops watching. Nobody is following any rules and people are just driving like they’ve never taken a driving test in their life.

Other than that, everything is just fine.

Would love some photos of the chaos

 

[MetroMan]

Would love some photos of the chaos

I just got an Apple Watch with LTE and I've been all proud of going out without my phone, staying away from the distractions of social media, etc etc etc... and then I walked out and saw all this chaos. I immediately regretted not having my phone with me. Not going back out there now. The weather is trying to kill me.

 

[Johnny Au]

Don't forget that St. Petersburg, Russia is in the same latitude as the Canadian territories, but has a much larger bike culture than that of Los Angeles.

Oh, and don't forget about the Gulf Stream, explaining why western Europe is much warmer than Newfoundland and Labrador, despite being in the same latitudes.

 

[W. K. Lis]

Only "emergency" vehicles should be using the streetcar lanes. However, a lot of single-occupant drivers will think they have in an "emergency" so will drive on them.

Similar to what happens in Moscow. From link:

Moscow drivers are uniting in protest against the special traffic privileges enjoyed by Russia's high officials. Hundreds of vehicles carrying Moscow's VIPs use flashing blue lights to force their way through busy traffic as they speed around the capital. But ordinary road users say the privileged cars violate road regulations, and cause accidents.

 

[UD2]

Don't forget that St. Petersburg, Russia is in the same latitude as the Canadian territories, but has a much larger bike culture than that of Los Angeles.

Oh, and don't forget about the Gulf Stream, explaining why western Europe is much warmer than Newfoundland and Labrador, despite being in the same latitudes.

I was in St Petersburg last month. Didn't see many cyclists at all, in fact I saw less cyclists in St Petersburg than I see in Toronto. So I'm not sure where our disconnect is.

Even in Copenhagen, the so called bicycle capital, i saw significantly less bicycles on the street than compared to Toronto's downtown. The cycle infrastructure is there and complete, but people still either walked, drove, or took transit.

Maybe it's because it was too cold (5C).

 

[LNahid2000]

I was in St Petersburg last month. Didn't see many cyclists at all, in fact I saw less cyclists in St Petersburg than I see in Toronto. So I'm not sure where our disconnect is.

Even in Copenhagen, the so called bicycle capital, i saw significantly less bicycles on the street than compared to Toronto's downtown. The cycle infrastructure is there and complete, but people still either walked, drove, or took transit.

Maybe it's because it was too cold (5C).

Because you didn't see them, they don't exist?

 

[innsertnamehere]

Certainly not my experience in Copenhagen. I was there in October of 2015, and had a day with 2 degree weather and rain and there were cyclists out in droves. Including me.

 

[UD2]

Because you didn't see them, they don't exist?

Maybe I was in the wrong area. But I did not see any dominate networks of bike lanes or large number of bicycle commuters anywhere in downtown st Petersburg. St Petersburg suburbs have more in common with Vaughan.

And my comments on Copenhagen was that the number of cyclists I saw in its downtown was less than the number I saw in Toronto. There are areas compete with bike lanes but didn’t have a single rider.

Sarcastic comments based on feeling might feel good but prob not helpful in many discussions

 

[W. K. Lis]

We need drones to enforce the "no automobiles on the streetcar tracks" by-law.

These are the drones we are looking for.