Comments on: Poll: Californians Don’t Like Gas Prices, Want Better Transit

By: Spokker

Spokker — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 21:26:17 +0000

It's crazy, calwatch, because a ton of people ride the bus in OC. They just aren't getting involved.

By: calwatch

calwatch — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 21:24:29 +0000

Measure M was reauthorized overwhelmingly by the voters in 2006, with the current highways/streets/transit balance. There were more people asking to zero out transit than wanting to put more transit in. And, to be honest, Metrolink to Midnight from Fullerton to Laguna Niguel is wasteful, especially since the vast majority of Orange County doesn't have a single bus coming within a mile of their house at midnight right now.

By: ubrayj02

ubrayj02 — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 07:01:30 +0000

I'm, going to Midnight Ridazz air guitar to two snaps up and a circle donkey punch 'em. In other words, yes, it was of course figurative speech.

By: Spokker

Spokker — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 06:22:04 +0000

You do mean a figurative slap in the face right? Just checking...

By: Umberto Brayj

Umberto Brayj — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 04:46:03 +0000

The next time I hear some dumb ass politician complain about a request to remove car capacity hurting him politically, I am going to slap this report on his desk and tell him to pick another excuse. The next transportation engineer who even brings a pro-car pseudo "will of the people" argument up is just going to get slapped.

By: Spokker

Spokker — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 21:25:09 +0000

After the 2010 census I think we're going to see some interesting things come out of North Orange County. As of the 2000 census Anaheim was 47% Hispanic. I think you're going to see those figures go up, and non-white populations will go up in a lot of North OC cities. It's definitely cementing itself with a strong middle class Hispanic population.

And you know what? These people are pretty conservative. Look at the prop 8 results for Orange County. It got more support in the less white North portion of the county than in the whiter so-called conservative part of the county. http://projects.latimes.com/elections/orange-county-prop-8-results-by-city/ You can't judge a county by its stereotypes.

It isn't rich white people holding OC back. It's everyone.

By: Spokker

Spokker — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 21:03:00 +0000

You watch too much Real Housewives of Orange County. Whether it's a white South OC neighborhood or Hispanic North OC neighborhood, most people drive themselves, and I doubt the so-called richie rich are really holding up transit.

My dad is the typical Orange County resident, who worked two jobs and drove a light truck every day, not what you see on TV.

By: DJB

DJB — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 20:59:13 +0000

Okay, that's embarrassing. I was wrong. They already renewed Measure M. Sorry for all the posts.

By: Spokker

Spokker — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 20:57:19 +0000

"They don't drive, but are driven by a chauffeur, so they don't take public transit and don't experience what's it like behind the wheel." *rolls eyes*

By: DJB

DJB — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 20:50:31 +0000

I should add that Measure M passed in 1990, but it's going to come up for re-authorization in 2010 or 2011. So, that's going to be a really important fight that will do a lot to reveal how strong the transit spirit is in the OC. All the transit advocates in the region should fight hard to make it significantly better than it is now or kill it off.

By: W. K. Lis

W. K. Lis — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 20:43:04 +0000

I think its the Robert Moses syndrome. They don't drive, but are driven by a chauffeur, so they don't take public transit and don't experience what's it like behind the wheel. As well, they "know" what is good for the rest of us and won't hear a word we of what we have to say.

By: DJB

DJB — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 20:23:54 +0000

From the survey: "[t]hree in four Californians say the state should expand public transit and use existing transportation networks more efficiently—only 18 percent say the state should build more freeways."
(http://www.ppic.org/main/publication.asp?i=906)

This is good news.

I'm a bit more pessimistic that a similar percentage currently supports transit supporting land-use patterns though. I really wish they had asked about that. I wonder if large numbers of people grasp that key connection.

I also wonder about the extent to which these numbers get translated into action, either political, or personal (i.e. do people vote this way in practice, and do they ride the transit they say they support?). We can cite Measure R, but we can also cite Orange County's Measure M which breaks down as follows: 43% for freeways, 25% for transit, 32% for surface roads.

Whatever the answers, widespread public support for transit is a good starting point for action.