tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5862444008740250372.post9092676688514479135..comments2024-02-01T04:37:41.878-05:00Comments on Cap'n Transit Rides Again: What I want from transit advocatesCap'n Transithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17057887736728828646noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5862444008740250372.post-41490356135597463802010-02-25T22:36:01.704-05:002010-02-25T22:36:01.704-05:00Anonymous, I said no such thing. It's hard to...Anonymous, I said no such thing. It's hard to take your comment seriously when you misquote me so egregiously.Cap'n Transithttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17057887736728828646noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5862444008740250372.post-76162789084350905502010-02-25T20:33:09.573-05:002010-02-25T20:33:09.573-05:00Hey Cap: you don't even know what the 2005 Bon...Hey Cap: you don't even know what the 2005 Bond Act did, but you still have an opinion on it. The Bond Act allowed NYS to take out debt for the MTA capital plan. The MTA doesn't need voter approval to take out more debt. <br /><br />You also refer to 2 groups (ESTA and Campaign for NY's Future) as if they were their own non-profit agencies.. which they're not. They're completely run by their member organizations. Granted, this isn't something most people could easily figure out -- but it's hard to take your criticisms seriously when you are so wrong on your facts.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5862444008740250372.post-37965313478678668412010-02-10T00:33:19.662-05:002010-02-10T00:33:19.662-05:00One of the things about being anonymous is that Ka...One of the things about being anonymous is that Kate doesn't actually know what I've done and who I know. And CityLights is right that there are risks involved in taking strong stances. One reason I write anonymously is that my livelihood has been threatened in the past for particular positions I've taken. If I were going to start my own organization, I would have posted this under my real name. So I do understand that.<br /><br />I also understand that sometimes advocates make deals and agree to support (or at least remain silent on), for example, a highway widening in exchange for a seat at the table. But I also think there should be at least one organization that's willing to tell it like it is and make the others look reasonable by comparison.<br /><br />Kate, of course I don't think you're going to destroy the region. In fact, I do think that Tri-State is the closest thing we have to a true transit advocacy group. I've suggested donating to them in the past, and I encourage everyone to donate to them as soon as they get the donate link on their website fixed. And I may take Kate up on the offer to go to Albany one Tuesday.<br /><br />That said, Tri-State's regional focus, while absolutely vital to transit advocacy in the area, and the limited budget they have to spread across the region, makes it difficult for them to be the "point person" for New York City transit issues, especially with their limited budget. The inclusion of pedestrian and bicycle issues in their mission (again, very important) also makes it difficult to stay focused on transit.<br /><br />I'll say it again: I like all these organizations, and I know and like many of the people involved. I think they're great allies. I'm just pointing to a big gap in our forces.Cap'n Transithttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17057887736728828646noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5862444008740250372.post-66883051904426441152010-02-09T17:29:11.783-05:002010-02-09T17:29:11.783-05:00Kate has called your bluff. The movement needs le...Kate has called your bluff. The movement needs leaders? Then yes, it *is* time to start your own organization. Did you mean what you wrote? Enough to put your life into it?<br /><br />Furthermore, Kate's suggestion of getting to know people already working is a very good place to start. My bet is that if you take her up on it, you'll learn a lot. I also suspect you will retain your opinion of what is missing -- but you'll be down the road at righting it.Christopher Parkerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16947034888487890485noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5862444008740250372.post-88201878857822705082010-02-09T12:08:43.886-05:002010-02-09T12:08:43.886-05:00I agree that what we need is a more "in your ...I agree that what we need is a more "in your face" presence from transit advocates. But is the real reason an unavailability of funds at transit departments of the major organizations you mentioned, their institutional safety reflex, or their lack of understanding of who they are fighting for?<br /><br />I would support a group that has a focus on transit and that would take the fight to the streets, the way unions do. But it also needs the participants unions have- those working in non-office jobs, who are used to risk, who have a lot to lose and know that they have a lot to lose. Where are you going to get people like that?<br /><br />The truth of the matter is, the majority of your blog readers are probably college-educated professionals who can understand fairly complex arguments. Does the average bus rider know that there are $2.8 billion of new road investments done at the expense of transit investments? How would they find out?<br /><br />In other words, the new transit advocate group needs not just a new focus, but a new constituency.CityLightshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07877603807943730606noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5862444008740250372.post-49726435563477816402010-02-09T11:14:44.506-05:002010-02-09T11:14:44.506-05:00Hey Cap'n Transit,
Does this mean you are go...Hey Cap'n Transit, <br /><br />Does this mean you are going to start your own group and do a better job than us? You better hurry up before one of us destroys the region! <br /><br />You might be surprised to learn that we all have working phones in our offices. Sometimes we even answer them. You should call us sometime and we can explain why we make certain choices. You can also join us for Tuesday trips to Albany and meet us in person. Your perspective might change after spending one day actually doing what we do.<br /><br />Kate Slevin<br />Tri-State Transportation Campaign<br /><br />And for the record, Tri-State is an incorporated 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, not a coalition.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18429061394095801308noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5862444008740250372.post-79664746652949497612010-02-09T09:35:40.061-05:002010-02-09T09:35:40.061-05:00I would not get carried away by BRT, but I have an...I would not get carried away by BRT, but I have an unfortunate tendency to, especially from someone who lives in a city often brought up as a BRT model, Ottawa. They used rail infrastructure for buses to build part of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ottawa_Rapid_Transit#Transitway" rel="nofollow">Transitway</a>, which is a success, but not as good as rail.Matt Fisherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18289893559555812236noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5862444008740250372.post-1552083254493426772010-02-09T02:33:40.217-05:002010-02-09T02:33:40.217-05:00Excellent post, and Amen.Excellent post, and Amen.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com