Amazon HQ2 - Page 57

KevinFromTexas · #**1121** Posted **Nov 25, 2018, 8:17 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by mumu

https://www.austintexas.gov/sites/de...ing%5B2%5D.pdf

Yeah, I figured there were more. There's really no reason anyone should be riding on the sidewalk particularly in downtown unless you're just rolling up from the street getting ready to park/lock up.

As for the scooter thing, my only gripe with them is when I see them on the sidewalk going too fast for all the activity and limited space they have there at times. Unfortunately, they're also not quite fast enough either to be in the bike lane in certain areas. I think what bugs most people about them is the seeming lack of regulation about where they can/should be. I don't have a problem with them being on the sidewalk, but they should keep the speed to a minimum in that case, and if they can't keep up their speed in the bike lane (particularly on downhills) then they shouldn't be there. I really don't want to clobber someone on a scooter while I'm on my bike doing 30 to 35 mph. I've also seen people riding with another person on the scooter, and that's not safe.

We vs us · #**1122** Posted **Nov 26, 2018, 1:53 AM**

I'm skeptical about the idea that scooters will erode our pedestrian traffic. If you're going to walk around downtown and window shop, or pub crawl, or whatever, there's really no reason to grab a scooter, especially within an area that's dense with attractions (of which we have many). If you want to jump between districts -- say between East 6th and West 6th, or South Congress and the Convention district, they're perfect. I think of them as great ways to link city neighborhoods. And of course there're some legal questions to resolve, but those aren't reasons to ditch scooters altogether -- because their obvious popularity means they're here to stay, at least for a bit.

lzppjb · #**1123** Posted **Nov 26, 2018, 10:33 AM**

I've seen two accidents involving bicycles. Both were lucky not to have been worse than they ended up being. Both were the same exact situation.

Car turning right from parking lot onto street. Driver looking to his left for traffic. Pulls out and hits bicycle riding on the sidewalk coming from his right. On the sidewalk and going against the direction of traffic. Cyclist went over the hood both times.

I see this situation all the time, but those two times they got nailed.

KevinFromTexas · #**1124** Posted **Nov 26, 2018, 11:23 AM**

Yeah, that's the other drawback to riding on the sidewalk, though, when I have to do it, I don't go around a car unless I can see them looking at me - eye contact. I don't care if I have to stop and wait for them to turn their head.

verybadgnome · #**1125** Posted **Nov 26, 2018, 6:10 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by mumu

https://www.austintexas.gov/sites/de...ing%5B2%5D.pdf

My understanding is that the 99% of sidewalks not on that map are legal for bicycles to ride on.

As far as comparing to the 40k annual traffic deaths the way to compare that to scooters is to either use the rate per mile traveled or by number of trips.......I have not seen these figures, but given the recent scooter death in DC that number is above zero. Also given: "The death rate on shared e-scooters is now six times worse than the death rate for bike share systems(from streetblog USA)." and that the general cycling death rate is 8-10 higher than motor vehicle per mile traveled I see no evidence that they are any safer and may even be the worst of the three options. Of course the fact that very few scooter riders (versus more often helmeted cyclists and air bag-protected drivers) wear a helmet also doesn't help.

My question is when walking on a sidewalk and a scooter beeps at you from behind am I obligated to get out of its way? I thought other modes had to yield to pedestrians on the sidewalk.

Also if the top speed of a scooter is 15 mph and *most* cyclists go somewhere between 10 and 15 mph are the scooters more suited to the roadway or bike lane versus the sidewalk?

And one more observation about scooters is that they are not abiding by the city's rules prohibiting their use on trails where no motorized vehicles are allowed. There have even been signs installed recently on the trail but compliance is still lacking.

KevinFromTexas · #**1126** Posted **Nov 29, 2018, 7:31 AM**

Speaking of scooters, this happened:

https://www.kmov.com/news/lime-scoot...JmEOTU6Mp4kX8c

Meagan0803 · #**1127** Posted **Dec 14, 2018, 3:34 PM**

Not sure if this has been posted, but I heard that Austin was going to get HQ2 (up until about May) but said no thank you to Amazon.
Maybe this was because they already knew about Apple expansion, Oracle expansion?

urbancore · #**1128** Posted **Dec 14, 2018, 3:57 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Meagan0803

Not sure if this has been posted, but I heard that Austin was going to get HQ2 (up until about May) but said no thank you to Amazon.
Maybe this was because they already knew about Apple expansion, Oracle expansion?

What up girl? That is crazy. Can you reveal where you heard this?

If this is true, and I can totally believe it, the person/s who decided this should be run out of town. The one thing in the world every town needs is jobs.....all kinds of jobs. If we turned it down, just cuz, that is outrageous.....fcuking NIMBY's.

Meagan0803 · #**1129** Posted **Dec 14, 2018, 4:39 PM**

No, I can't. but I also heard somewhere else that the council members didn't even know when Amazon was in town touring.
So I'm guessing it was just the people at the top.

Meagan0803 · #**1130** Posted **Dec 14, 2018, 4:42 PM**

And I totally believe it too......

GoldenBoot · #**1131** Posted **Dec 14, 2018, 4:45 PM**

Deleted...

ILUVSAT · #**1132** Posted **Dec 14, 2018, 5:24 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Meagan0803

So I'm guessing it was just the people at the top.

Of course it was. There is absolutely no need to get council members involved on a simple tour.

Anyone with knowledge of and/or were within earshot of any meeting would have been forced to sign a highly punitive NDA with Amazon. This search was conducted under immense security and scrutiny.

Remember, Amazon was after hundreds of millions in public incentives as well as billions worth of free information on more than 230 municipalities and their inner-workings.

GoldenBoot · #**1133** Posted **Dec 14, 2018, 5:53 PM**

I do not believe this to be true. Austin wasn't even the leader in May (or anytime before or since) - The city was not offering a penny in incentives. Austin would have welcomed HQ2 with open arms - but, it was not going to give them any freebees. Combined, New York, Northern Virginia and Nashville are providing Amazon $2.4 billion in incentives for new offices being placed in those cities.

And I'm pretty darn sure Austin didn't simply say "no thank you" to Amazon because they knew about the local expansions by Apple and Oracle. Why would you shun 50,000 jobs over 35-40,000 fewer ones (combined)? However, I can believe Austin would have worked harder to lure those expansions over HQ2 because the incentive packages for Apple and Oracle would pale in comparison to what it would have taken to land Amazon.

paul78701 · #**1134** Posted **Feb 8, 2019, 4:48 PM**

It appears that this might not be over and done with just yet...

Facing opposition, Amazon reconsiders NY headquarters site, two officials say:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local...c98_story.html

ahealy · #**1135** Posted **Feb 8, 2019, 5:03 PM**

noooooooooooo kill it with fire. No more. PLEASEEEE STAAHHHP

AustinGoesVertical · #**1136** Posted **Feb 8, 2019, 5:10 PM**

I wonder if they’ll just pivot from New York and escalate the Nashville project to resemble HQ2 rather than just an innovation hub.

Did we ever get an understanding of what Austin’s incentive package looked like. Wasn’t the state of Texas more on board with giving incentives? If Amazon got enough state-level inventives, I wonder if they could swing back to Austin.

In a vacuum, just from a destination, cultural, and talent perspective, you’d think Austin would be their Plan B if New York fell apart. I suppose Boston could be in play.

We vs us · #**1137** Posted **Feb 8, 2019, 5:17 PM**

I wonder if Apple’s new expansion changes the mathematics at all... they’re going to need another 5-7k workers in the next 5 years or so. Would Amazon try to layer demand for another 15k tech workers on top? We’re an awesome city culturally but still small compared to our competition.

If they just made DC the HQ, dissolved NYC and spread the headcount out in regional centers, we’d be better positioned for something like that. IMO we were always better suited to a Nashville sized deal than the full HQ2.

urbancore · #**1138** Posted **Feb 8, 2019, 5:26 PM**

if its what you say....i love it!

paul78701 · #**1139** Posted **Feb 8, 2019, 5:34 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by AustinGoesVertical

I wonder if they’ll just pivot from New York and escalate the Nashville project to resemble HQ2 rather than just an innovation hub.

Did we ever get an understanding of what Austin’s incentive package looked like. Wasn’t the state of Texas more on board with giving incentives? If Amazon got enough state-level inventives, I wonder if they could swing back to Austin.

In a vacuum, just from a destination, cultural, and talent perspective, you’d think Austin would be their Plan B if New York fell apart. I suppose Boston could be in play.

The first rumors of a split HQ involved DC and Austin. If there was any truth to that, Austin could be next in line. I wouldn't have thought they'd choose Nashville before, but they would seem to be in the mix now too. I always thought Boston would be one of the most competitive cities. So I think you're also onto something there.

Who knows at this point though. There's still a little bit of time for NYC/NY to do what they need to keep Amazon.

Benhudd01 · #**1140** Posted **Feb 8, 2019, 5:46 PM**

Based on this quote by one of the individuals it doesn’t sound too promising for us

“The question is whether it’s worth it if the politicians in New York don’t want the project, especially with how people in Virginia and Nashville have been so welcoming”

I haven’t done near enough reading up on this development so I’m taking everything with a grain of salt at this point