Santa Monica considers raising parking rates to discourage automobiles

Santa Monica is considering raising its downtown parking rates to encourage people to use alternative means other than automobiles to visit places such as the Promenade. According to the story in today's Times, "a full day of parking would rise from $7 to $9 and on-street parking meters from $1 to $1.50 per hour. Meters might be converted to accept credit cards."

By boosting rates, officials intend to make the parking closest to the congested Third Street Promenade expensive enough that some visitors will instead walk, take the bus or park in more-distant garages. If it works, the city would benefit from smoother traffic flow, reduced pollution as fewer people cruise for spaces and a better return on land developed for public parking.

"What we're saying is: 'Parking's not free in Santa Monica anymore,' " said Councilman Bobby Shriver, who advocates changing the parking rules.

Santa Monica is one of several cities -- including Los Angeles, San Francisco and Washington, D.C. -- turning to market-based pricing in an effort to keep parking lots busy with paying customers while making alternatives such as walking, cycling or taking public transit more appealing.

Some critics are concerned about the elderly, of whom there are many who reside at the beach city, who live on fixed incomes and will possibly be the most affected by the increases. Meanwhile, small business owners worry that it might discourage would-be customers from "popping in" to a bar or restaurant for a quick drink or snack.

So where do you stand? Do increased rates for parking meters slow you down from taking your car to certain parts of town? Will increased parking rates stop you from visiting Santa Monica or will you ride the Big Blue Bus the next time you head down there?

-- Tony Pierce

Photo: People enjoying Santa Monica Pier in August 2009. Credit: Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times

Metrolink system's toll: 244 fatalities

Although Metrolink safety lapses drew national attention last year when 25 people were killed in a head-on collision with a freight train, many more have died from commuter trains hitting automobiles and pedestrians.

Over the 15 years leading up to the deadly crash in Chatsworth, accidents involving trains running on Metrolink's system killed 218 other people, according to a detailed examination of accident records by The Times. Through September 2008, the number killed on the Metrolink commuter rail system was 244. Hundreds more people sustained nonfatal injuries.

Times reporter Doug Smith uncovered these details and more. Care to comment?

Photos by Genaro Molina and Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times

Traffic sting in South Pasadena angers residents

On Wednesday, the South Pasadena Police Department issued more than 160 traffic citations as a part of a sting designed to catch motorists who failed to stop for a school bus with flashing red lights.  

The program has drawn criticism from local residents, who say the operation was unfair and poorly coordinated.  Many complained that the bus -- which was parked on a six-lane road -- was not in an area where school buses usually operate.  The lack of any schoolchildren and the distraction caused by the sting were also among residents' complaints.  

One of the drivers caught in the sting commented on the original article in L.A. Now.

"I am one of those who was given a ticket that day and the execution of the sting was so unfair knowing the fact that the school clearly is on summer break. I drive 35 mph in 40 mph zone on Huntington Dr. every day. I never saw a school bus, it's rush hour traffic on a busy thoroughfare and 12 or so police vehicles came out of Milan Avenue swooping in causing total chaos. I agree that it was a crazy thing to park that "decoy school bus" near the intersection of Milan Avenue, which has no stop sign or crosswalk, besides I did not see anybody speeding, I did not see any schoolchildren and lastly I didn’t see the flashing red light signal nor stop signal arm. It was a circus of lights and chaos and I honestly was scared and thought there was a police pursuit or something, I mean people were literally just trying to figure out what was going on and what to do to keep away from whatever the activity was. I thought I was being directed along with other motorists away from whatever it was that was happening. It was a crazy and dangerous action from the police departments involved to expect us to stop in the middle of a very busy street especially when they swarmed in to protect and serve," wrote Amy.

Other readers complained that the sting was a thinly veiled attempt to collect revenue for the city. 

MTA approves Spanish translation for the Gold Line, to some public consternation

The MTA Board of Directors voted to give the new East L.A. rail line two distinct names for Spanish-speaking and English-speaking riders.

The Gold Line's new section to open this summer from Boyle Heights to East L.A. will be named la Linea de Oro, Edward R. Roybal in Spanish-language brochures and on station signs. In English materials, that segment will be called the Edward R. Roybal Metro Gold Line Eastside Extension.

L.A. Now readers approved and disapproved the MTA Board's decision for two names for the same section of  railway for practical reasons, while some criticized the validity of the translation in Spanish and whether there should be a translation at all.

David Stein says: The correct translation would be "La Linea Oro", rather than La Linea de Oro, or La Linea Dorada. That is unless the tracks really are made of gold... or manna is to be found on the path to East LA.
As an example, it would not be correct to say La Linea de Azul for the Blue Line, rather, La Linea Azul, Azul simply being the adjective to describe the subway line.

M says: Most people have already said these things, but really, there are so many PRACTICAL problems with this naming scheme.

-This is very confusing to people unfamiliar with the area, unfamiliar with public transportation and tourists from other cities, states and countries. Who expects a train line to have multiple names, one of which only corresponds to a portion of the train line? If people only ride on one short portion of the line or only acknowledge one name and apply it to all parts of the line, people aren't going to be able to communicate with each other to give directions. I can guarantee you that only a small portion of the people that will ever ride the Gold Line are reading this blog.
This is partially the same problem that happens with the Red and Purple line. It wasn't until recently that they were finally distinguished by 2 different colors, but that is still confusing to people, especially when maps aren't clear, they don't know to look at the signs on the side of the trains or when the signs don't say the correct things and because they share many of the same stops and the same stations.
-Even if some people are familiar with both spanish and english, some people are not going to do the translation in their head to realize that la linea de oro is the same thing as the gold line. Again, especially with people from other countries and states this will be a problem.
-2 MTA policies were violated to make this change. Why are these policies in place if they can also be completely ignored?

Joel C says: Are we going to rename the Purple Line 자주색의 because it goes through Koreatown?

We have the Blue Line, the Green Line, the Red Line, the Purple Line...and la Linea de Oro? Anybody can see the problem here.

The biggest problem with this (other than Molina's ego) is the fact that the name is supposed to fit into a system of names, which are based on colors, in English. This is not a preference of English over other languages, but strictly a practical matter of consistency.

More LA Now reader's opinion after the jump...

Is texting or faulty equipment to blame in the Metrolink tragedy?

Though it is illegal for the rest of California to text while operating a moving vehicle, federal investigators have alleged that Metrolink engineer Robert M. Sanchez found himself above the law and texted while operating the train in Chatsworth on Sept. 12, causing the worst commuter rail accident in California history. Sanchez ran a red light, according to the National Transportation Safety Board, and slammed his Metrolink rail into a Union Pacific freighter, killing 24 and injuring 135 others.

On the day of the crash, Sanchez, who had already been warned twice by supervisors to stop sending out messages to his friends while on the job, received 57 text messages, including one 22 seconds before impact. Furthermore, it has been reported that Sanchez has used his phone in the past to text his teen friends -- and let them know when to come up to the cab and control of the train while it was in operation.

Ruby Jackson wrote: Sanchez should have been fired after he was reported to be seen talking on his cel phone, which was after he had been warned about having a cel phone in the cab. Liability here is pretty clear and I hope the families of those 25 people killed sue the pants off of Connex.

Bill wrote: If we are looking to fix the blame, lets start with the idiots at Metrolink who decided to outsource railroad operating staff. I heard that those trains had different radio frequencies, and could not talk to each other. Madness! A couple of CB radios would have solved that problem. And when are they going to stop running trains backwards. Eh, what? Brains = ZERO.

In defense of Sanchez, four eyewitness accounts have stated that they saw the signal light was green, though federal investigators, Metrolink officials and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said the signal was working and clearly red. An NTSB official stated that visibility could have been an issue for Sanchez, but Metrolink officials added that there has never been a complaint from any operators about the placement of this particular signal and that Sanchez had plenty of time to stop if he had seen the signal.

Do you feel that Sanchez's alleged behavior makes him responsible to the families of this tragedy? Is texting okay as long as you remember to keep your eyes on the traffic signals?

- Michelle Castillo

Metrolink officials said engineer Rob Sanchez's mistake put the train on a head-on collision course at 40-mph with a Union Pacific freight train at a bend on the route.  Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times

Doctor, cyclists collide over street etiquette

Christopher Thomas Thompson, a physician who resides in Brentwood, told police officers at a preliminary arraignment that he had wanted to "teach them a lesson" when he slammed on his brakes with two cyclists behind him on the road:

"Ron Peterson, 40, broke his front teeth and nose; cuts left scars on his chin, above his upper lip and across the bridge of his nose. The other cyclist, Christian Stoehr, 29, had a separated shoulder that led to surgery, the insertion of metal implants and chronic arthritis and soreness, his doctor told police."

The incident occurred on a narrow, curvy road often populated by drivers and cyclists alike. Last summer, Peterson and Stoehr were riding next to each other on the street. According to Peterson, Thompson barely avoiding clipping the cyclists, and then screamed that the pair should "ride single-file."

Four months prior to that accident, Thompson was implicated in another incident where two (different)cyclists claim they were almost hit by him when they swerved to avoid a storm drain.

Thompson's arraignment began today. He has pled not guilty. Peter Swarth, Thompson's attorney, says that "there is much, much more, and it will be developed in court."

After the jump, see how commenters have been quick to defend both sides of the story.

Drivers and cyclists face off in Brentwood

Brentwood's Mandeville Canyon Road, with its 5-mile, traffic light-free climb, has become a popular weekend spot for bicycle riders looking for a challenge. But it appears as though residents fed up with slow-moving traffic are challenging them to find a new hangout.

Conflicts between cyclists and drivers reached a peak last Friday when one driver was arrested on suspicion of felony assault with a deadly weapon. The weapon: an Infiniti sedan. Christopher T. Thompson allegedly slammed on his brakes during a descent, sending one rider flying through his rear window and knocking the other to the pavement.

Readers came in droves -- 279 comments so far -- to condemn the driver's alleged actions, while some ranted about irksome cyclists.

Dee writes:

There is no excuse for the driver and he should be prosecuted to the fullest. I do feel that cyclist take advantage and unecessary risks at times and should find a safer hill to climb. I hope both cyclist have a speedy rcovery.

Lw writes:

I've been a cyclist and the rules of the road that apply to motorists also apply to cyclists. These cyclists were not traveling at a safe speed and therefore contributed to this unfortunate incident. 9 times out of 10, if you rearend some one you are at fault.

Ed writes:

If the driver slammed on his brakes, then he is clearly in the wrong. I have had motorists throw things at me while I was on a bike in a bike lane. The car makes them feel powerful and untouchable, and they like to project that onto the unprotected cyclists. No one should be in such a hurry that they feel the need to endanger a cyclists life just to get where they are going a few seconds faster.

Mark writes:

For years, many cylsts have ridden double, blocking entire lanes of Sunset and other streets, causing major congestion during rush hours, when schools are opening or closing, etc. Riding single-file would help. The number of cyclsts pales in comparison to the number of people they inconvenience, who must use these streets to drive to and from work and school. This incident makes me sad, but I'm amazed this doesn't happen more. To some cyclists it's more important to block an entire lane than to ride considerately. Maybe it's time to ban bicyles on these heavily-traveled narrow, winding streets.

Sam gives an international perspective:

In most countries of the world, bicyclists rule the road, and car drivers are necessarily much more cautious and courteous. In the Netherlands a law was passed that when a bicyclist and car get into an accident, it is automatically the car driver's fault. It's typical American entitlement to feel that someone on a bicycle should just 'jump in a ditch' as soon as a car approaches.

George compares the two vehicles' safety features:

"Cyclist have every right to enjoy the road safely!" Actually no, they don't. They have no brake light, no tail light, no headlight, no turn signal flashers, no horn, no insurance, no licenses, not enough horsepower to maintain the flow of traffic, and half the time ride on the opposite side of traffic. They are basically invisible and no different than a pedestrian walking on the highway. The law may accomodate you but it is a poor consolation when you kiss metal with a cage.

Whether you are an angry cyclist or a driver fed up with slow riders, be sure to sound off in the comments.

-- Mark Milian

Photo: Along the Seminole Wekiva Trail. Credit: Red Humer / Orlando Sentinel

Bottleneck delivers the chart, the readers deliver the good questions

Leave it to gas prices to stir up some hot chatter. The recently revived Bottleneck blog responded to readers' requests for a nice chart on gas prices. That fueled some interesting discussion.

Matt asked: Strange how gasoline purchase receipts are one of the very few receipts consumers get that does not detail the base price and the taxes paid. Why are gasoline sales exempt from providing this detail? Every other bill, purchase reciept, invoice, utility, property tax statement, etc. I get seems to have this all broken down in detail, except gasoline. WHY?

rebel049 said: The current tax system for trasnportation funding (gaslone tax) is broken. Taxes based upon gallons when the government (state and federal) is mandating more efficient vehicles (more miles per gallon) is the flaw. The whole gas tax system was flawed from the beginning as a source of funding for anything as it will continue to be diluted in value. The only to stop the hemaraging is to swtich to an odometer (annual miles driven) tax. Set the mileage tax to match current gas tax standard for the state (based upon statewide averages). If I did my math right it should be about $0.025 per mile. If the feds get onbaord it would be an additional $0.015 ($0.04 total). There are two solutions: have the DMV record your mileage once or year or have a GPS transponder placed in your car. I think both of these should be offered as the solution since so many are paranoid of "Big Brother" tracking their every move. This way, the people who aren't overwhelmed with paranoia can have a method that doesn't require standing in line and waisting a day at the DMV. Yes, I do realize that this will not capture out of state drivers money, but it will stop the devaluation of the source of our transportation funding.

Dan Wentzel argued that the taxes aren't enough: 18 cents a gallon doesn't go as far as it used to, especially with more fuel efficient cars on the roads. The gas taxed should be indexed to inflation.

Read the post and the other comments here

- Tony Pierce

chart: California Energy Commission

Oil prices slump, readers speculate about future

Yesterday crude oil futures dropped 3.4%, it's most dramatic dip in two months. Money & Co. writer Tom Petruno summed up the day by blogging, "Even by their own wacky standards, commodity markets in general had a wild session -- and the end result had to give consumers a reason to be hopeful, and bullish speculators a reason to fear. Gold, silver, copper, wheat and other commodities followed oil sharply lower."

Several commentors spoke their minds as to why the prices dipped and why they will probably start to soar again. Here are some of the statements left in the comments of the post.

Sara:

Finally! Let this show that the hype surrounding any certain commodity, in this case, OIL, can result in wild spikes in price with little to no basis of fact on supply, usage and the like. I hope crude oil futures crash and burn, taking all the money of the speculative investors that sought hedge refuge with it. Don't believe them when they say it's market conditions- it's hype!!!

David Elliott

Finally the US government may do something that the Futures Exchange should have done months ago - stopped organisations (hedge funds) manipulating prices. Perhaps this action will spread to all comodities and stocks

Gas prices gives everyone agita

Someone snapped a photo of some pretty steep gasoline prices in Brentwood and submitted it to LA Land. This resulted in a variety of comments on the post "Bypassed in Brentwood: $4.19 a gallon" from the chatty readers of the popular real estate blog.

Although everyone knows that if you don't speed you will get better gas mileage mbob claimed that it's still dangerous to try to drive that way even in the wee hours. 

It's mortal peril to try and drive 55, even at 1 am when the fwy's are pretty empty.

The prime speeders? Ess You Vees. Seriously. The newest style seems to be to see how close they can come to the driver's side rear bumper before swerving around me in the right lane. I guess they think they won't be clocked if they're goin nine-oh in the right lane.

Fuel is not expensive enough yet.

Reader gj took offense at the claim and retorted:

Um, mbob, you seem to have forgotten something: slowER traffic keep right. Those signs are posted all along the freeways for a reason, i.e., to keep slowpokes like you from stopping the flow of traffic. If YOU want to drive slowER than other traffic, fine, great, whatever, but the onus is on you to move to the right. (And, no, I don't care that speeders are breaking the law, too. That's not the point here.)

Meanwhile Passportholder says the gouging has crept into other areas of auto care:

If you that picture is scary.......it cost me .75, to put air in my tires....... even THE PRICE OF AIR HAS GONE UP!!!! What happen to 'FREE AIR'??????

- Tony Pierce

photo credit: LA Land