Money for nothing
Lately the car haters at the Portland "transportation" bureau have been whining that they're not getting enough money to play Sim City with. Their commissioner du jour, Mingus Mapps, is leading the bleats. But over here in my neck of the woods, you can see a clear illustration of why their budget should be cut.
From Northeast 25th to Northeast 41st, the geniuses have recently decided that it would be a great idea to install this scene on every corner with Knott and Fremont (except the busy street, 33rd). Cars going south at Fremont or north at Knott are greeted with a sign and a cone.
Dear Lord, what is the point? None of these streets are closed. There is no rule or law against driving through on these streets. The signs have no legal import at all, as far as I can tell. And they're not going to change anyone's behavior. People who have a favorite numbered side street are still going to drive north and south on it regardless of this nonsense.
Not only is it confusing, but it's like the boy who cried wolf. Once you realize that these dozens of signs are meaningless, what other signs can you safely ignore?
The only point that I can see is the arrogant car haters' chance to remind us all, once again, that they control our lives, and that if we want to use the streets that we pay so handsomely for, unless we are on a two-wheeler, we should be ashamed of ourselves.
I don't think I'm alone in being fed up with all the bureaucratic microaggressions on our roads. Already the little red cones are being stolen. And some neighbors have taken to ripping the cardboard signs off the sawhorses or turning the horses around so that the signs aren't visible.
The "transportation" bureau's approved budget is something like a half billion dollars (with a "b"). As the fake "Local Access Only" caper demonstrates, they've got too much money to play with, not too little.
UPDATE: It was temporary, at least.
Respect the cone! Be a good little sheep, and do what you are told. Thank you for obeying..... I mean respecting, the wishes of your overlords.
ReplyDeleteI won’t live long enough to see it but I can hardly wait for all the car haters and bike nerds to age enough to require replacement knees and hips!
ReplyDeleteI thought they were put up as traffic control for Fremont Fest. That would be understandable. Maybe that's PBOT's M.O. ... set up barriers for things that make sense, then keep them up hoping no one remembers they were supposed to be temporary.
ReplyDeleteFremont Fest was east of these streets.
DeleteThe communication skills of the highly placed PBOT officials fit with my opinion of their intellect. I’ve talked to some of the worker bee supervisors on the street and they often just shake their heads.
ReplyDeleteHey if you live here your a local.
ReplyDeleteIn lovely San Francisco, people there are placing the cones on the hoods of self-driving taxis- which then become inoperable and actually cause the software to have a hissy fit and shut down! So there is a practical use for them after all.
ReplyDeleteUsed to do that kinda stuff when I was in the seventh grade. Dad made it painfully clear the I should start growing up
DeleteThis wouldn't be so bad if they were trying to move bikes off of main thoroughfares, to avoid the dangerous car-bike proximity on those routes. I've never understood why bike routes are on the heaviest trafficked roads, when it is so much better for everyone when they are separated. Other than when it is absolutely necessary, as in a bridge crossing. Craning and looking over and over when trying to make a right turn through a bike lane, and spotting every biker, at every speed, will never be a safe or sensible way to go through life.
ReplyDeleteThere's a network of quiet bikey streets in the area between the signs. Speed bumps, the lieutenant stripes, special layout of stop signs, the whole works. I have no problem with that. What gets me are the cyclists who insist on riding the busy streets anyway. They'll show you!
DeleteOver in London they installed hundreds of cameras to catch (and then fine) people driving non-compliant vehicles in their Ultra Low Emission Zone. Not electric? Pay a fine! However people are cutting the wires to the cameras and in some cases completely removing the camera. Resist!
ReplyDeleteMOAR ORANGE BARRELS!
ReplyDeleteI prefer the orange barrels because they're easier to light on fire.
DeleteAs a fundraiser, PBOT could try to get the barrels sponsored by local breweries and wineries.
ReplyDeleteYou can almost rearrange the letters to spell LOCAL CESSPOOL. (But not quite.)
ReplyDeletecycles loco nasal
Delete