Weekend Diversion: Night Of The Ponies
Pedway, First Store Open At Block 37
Around Town
Around Town
Red-Light Cameras Not So Special?
We've all been talking about the CTA, their budget crisis, and what exactly will (or will not) happen if they CTA doesn't get some help from their governmental parents in the Illinois legislature. While the CTA isn't ruled by the IL government, we think this is a little like the college kid who keeps drinking hard, wasting her money, and wondering why she keeps getting into situations that don't have great consequences — thereby necessitating a few calls home for extra cash. And the CTA often acts as the parent to all its customers, having family meetings to let us all know what's going on, but just pretending to let us have a say. Seemingly, when all is said and done, all the decisions have already been made.
Maybe we'll get a little extra transportation help if Daley's Paris-inspired bike program goes through. Let's face it, though: Riding a bike in drifts of snow just isn't feasible for a lot of riders for various reasons. The governor, mayor and the Illinois legislature didn't manage to pass a bill that would have helped fund the CTA and avoid service cuts and fare hikes.
The CTA has put September 16 out as the date when said hikes and cuts would occur and have started putting posters around train stations and buses showing the proposed cuts and the money needed to help rescue the system. Down in Springfield, there are plenty of people still trying to fight to keep us at the status quo (for whatever that's worth), discussing the transit funding on Monday, Sept. 17, and encouraging the CTA to hold off a bit. However, the CTA is planning on fixing the machines to charge higher fares and apparently have their 630 layoffs all set to go.
According to the Trib article, "the CTA is set to boost cash fares from $2 to $2.50 per ride on buses and to $3 on trains during peak hours starting Sunday, then suspend service on 39 bus routes the next day. Pace, the suburban bus agency, also plans to phase in fare increases starting with some shuttle buses next week, and slash almost two dozen bus routes Oct. 7 if the funding crisis drags on. The Pace contingency plan would boost paratransit fares to a standard $3 charge, from $2.25 in Chicago and $2.50 in DuPage, Lake, McHenry and Will Counties." Word of a wheelchair protest downtown made us wonder if this was transit related, but it may have been part of an event to protest Blagovich's slashing of the budget, which knocked out monies for state home-care services. Either way, the handicapped and elderly are taking hard knocks these days.
Despite the urging of Senate President Emil Jones (D-Chicago) to hold off on the transit slashing, CTA boss Ron Huberman said that the plan "must go forward" if the monies aren't received. "Any delay, coupled with a failure to secure additional state subsidies, would render the CTA unable to meet its December payroll and force a systemwide shutdown." We depend on the CTA for nearly all of our transportation, so we wouldn't really like to have a systemwide shutdown. Yet, there is a small, perverse side of us that would love to see it happen if only to show the bigwigs exactly what happens if the trains/buses don't run. There's been strikes in New York and London over the last decade, and it might be interesting just to see what it looks like without a public transit system (for a few days?). We think that somehow a lot of people have made the CTA out to be something auxiliary to the running of our fine city. And we would hedge our bets to say that if it were to shut down, people would realize just how important it is.
For now, we are pissed that our Chicago Card Plus that comes out of our checking account is going to be docked extra money due to the fact that our reloading only was $75, since it happened before the potential fare hike. We paid for a month, and we don't think we should get charged extra. They should at least give the monthly riders September at the same charge. Grrr.
"CTA Sign at Ashland/63rd" by Zolk.
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Bicycles should be going on sale now that summer is over.
Agreed -- the CTA should shut down ever so slightly, if only to really get people's attention.
It'll practically be a relief when they FINALLY do this after threatening for so long. I say let them eat bumper.
I would like to see the CTA shut down for an entire week to watch people get around without them. It would be justice to watch all of the trixies and chads fighting for a cab or garage spot. Maybe public transportation would become a higher priority and not viewed as a vehicle only for the poor.
I sat in piss this morning on the Blue Line to avoid paying $26 to park downtown. There is no justice in that. If our fares go up, then there should be a crackdown on the ones that get the most out of their fares. Nice that I had to toss a $50 pair of pants (not a budget buster, but they were comfortable get-er-done pants) because some drunk bum pisses himself. No excuse. I don't care what you say. Sit in piss, bum piss, and tell me how you feel.
On a side note Chicagoist, I think the link for the Daley-Paris bike plan is bad. Or at least it is at 5pm.
wait, why would it be justice to watch trixies and chads compete for taxis? thank goodness guest #4 is better than them and tells us so!
the people that will be hurt the worst are the poor who have no other recourse and often have to travel long distances to work. have some sympathy and call your state reps demanding leadership and action.
I'm going to tell my legislators that they can expect a straight-ticket Republican ballot from this life-long liberal. Throw em out.
On another note, wow, it only took 1 post for some self-righteous schmuck to bring up bicycles. We need to amend Godwin's Law.
As far as I know, 30-day Chicago Cards that reload before 9/16 will reload for $75, and you'll get the full 30-days. If your reload date is after the 16th, then you'll be charged the new higher fare.
I agree with amending Godwin's law. As one who rides her bicycle often, I want to smack the 'just ride your bike' sorts hard, and often as they make those of us who are sane and ride our bikes look bad. Bicycles are NOT a solution to viable public transportation, anyone who thinks otherwise is an idiot, pure and simple.
Guest 5: you couldn't smell it before you sat in it?
Fares don't go up for chicago card users. Though express bus service is canceled on most routes.
what is everyone complaining about? some of you think a $3 commute to work is expensive?
also, i've sat in piss on the bus. it's terrible and ruins your day, but that's life. someone on here actually suggested the cta is responsible for bums on the cta? that's ridiculous. i get the feeling some of you aren't cut out for the city. most of you would be better off in the burbs.
So if one doesn't like sitting in piss, one should move out of Chicago?
Interesting logic.
I don't like drive-by shootings--should I just pack it in and flee to Woodstock?
Nor do I like ingrained political corruption--perhaps rural Minnesota?
vit: Thanks for saying what needs to be said. Bikes are great. Ride them as often as possible. But they are no replacement for mass transit.
#13 The CTA is responsible for bums on their property. It's their responsibility for handling their loitering and removal. That seat full of piss costs money to clean. And it costs money to employ people to clean up after bums.
And for the record, I was raised here. I'm not a transplant from suburban Cleveland or the UP like other "true Chicagoans".
I've been on the division bus before. A bum got on and refused to pay. The driver immediately pulled over and stopped the bus until the bum got off. I believe he called the police but am unsure as the bum got off after the bus idled for 10 minutes. Does anyone know the official policy? Our fellow riders were none too please and even began to berate the bum. Finally, the bum left but not without trying to steal an umbrella and purse from someone. Glad to see the driver didn't get out of his seat the entire time.
i'm not saying it's acceptable for bums to piss in seats, but things like that happen in a city every once and a while. that's life. perhaps the cta should station officers at the entrance of each bus/train to prevent anyone who appears disheveled from getting on. maybe the cta should put bedpans under every seat on every bus and train. you people are just bitching about city life.
drive by shootings happen occasionally as well. do you bitch about the cpd every time a crime occurs?
The CPD and the CTA are apples and oranges. One provides for the public, the other protects the public. You can't stop a crime. But you can stop it from happening again. There are plenty of times in the morning where 10 bums on a train car are taking up 25 seats (and I'm not talking about their belongings. I'm referring to their reclined, prone, and suppine positions). What the hell is the Securitas doing? What about the kiosks on the platforms of stations? Do a quick eye sweep.
Bums have every right to ride the train as we do. But PT is a point A to point B privilege. Not a $2 motel room.
To the people who sat in piss - you didn't feel the seat before you sat down? Seriously? That's the dumbest thing I've heard all day - I'd rather have piss on my hand than on my pants.
#6- I think the point #4 was making is that some people tend to think of the CTA as simply a "poor man's carpool" and that by shutting down, the powers that be would be forced to see that the CTA serves everyone, including Chads, Trixies, hipsters, Cubs fans, Sox fans, transplants, suits, and bums. The idea is that while the working poor will be hit the hardest, nothing gets done unless the "important" people are inconvenienced. Unfortunately, I kind of agree, even if I wouldn't exactly call it "justice".
And Matty, fares will in fact go up for Chicago Card users, it just won't be as dramatic as the fare increases for cash users.
I agree with Jocelyn - this isn't the state's fault. I live here and use the CTA, but I'm all for the fare increases - finally the local pols, like the damn Mayor, can take the heat for something they've screwed up. After all, the City provides the CTA with a paltry $3 million annually, mostly in the form of police protection. New York provides its transit agency with somethnig like $100 million for operations.
Ironically, our expensive, grossly inadequate, unreliable, urine soaked transit system might cost Richie his Olympics - every cloud has a silver lining, I guess.
If you don't look at your seat before sitting down on any CTA mode of transport you are dumbass just as you would be if you didn't on any other city's transit system. Quick now go call the city because you stepped in some dog poo.
#22,
There is a certain level of expectation in everything in life. When eating at a restaurant, you don't expect to bite into a piece of glass or a wristwatch while eating your food. When driving on the expressway, you don't expect a boat to land on top of your car. When walking down a street, you don't expect to see a lion. When sitting on a park bench, you don't expect the paint to be wet. When it is 7.45 in the morning on a Monday, you don't expect to have your ass soaked in piss. Granted, the unwritten law of the CTA seat availability is, if it looks too good to be true, it probably is.
But the question I have for you is, when was the last time you were on the CTA? Do you know what a piss soaked seat looks like? Navy blue still looks navy blue when it is wet. There was no puddle so I expected it to not be wet. I don't know of that many brown surfaces in the city that would cause me to step in poo without seeing it. And FYI, it is a $200-$500 fine for not curbing your dog, so I would call the city if I saw the deed. That ticket is money in the bank for a cop. There's the shit, here's your ticket. Of course, you would know this because you are steeped in the rich traditional lifestyle of a Chicago transplant. I bet they have these same problems in Moorehead Minnesota.
"When it is 7.45 in the morning on a Monday, you don't expect to have your ass soaked in piss."
This would be true if you were "steeped in the rich traditional lifestyle of a Chicago transplant." I would think natives would have been around the track enough to know you feel the seat before you sit. I do ... and I ride CTA every fucking day. Sorry, Charlie, but the bums aren't new. They've been around as long as the trains.
One morning a few years ago when I wasn't paying attention, I, too, accidentally sat in urine on the CTA. However, this did not cause me to throw away my jeans and, with them, my money.
Instead, like a good native, I just washed the offending pants. Water and soap can work wonders.
As far as fare prices go, from what I recall a CTA bus fare was $1.00 in 1980. If you adjust for 2006 and prior years' inflation, that number today would be $2.45. So it looks like the bus fares are pretty much on track. Obviously, the trains need a ton of work so the additional 50 cents for one of those rides seems understandable to me.
Something -- fares, taxes, or both -- needs to pay for the inflationary difference in addition to the gamble the CTA made on underfunding its pension plan.
Unfortunately, no one ever wants to pay taxes which makes legislative representatives unwilling to vote for them, so that leaves the fares.
And the people who are blaming Daley? Are you kidding? Nothing is that simple. Try adding the US Congress, the Illinois General Assembly, Frank Kruesi, and anyone who doesn't live in Chicago (and thereby don't want their tax dollars going to helping out one of the best cities in the US) to your list.