Metro Vancouver Transit Discussion

[Metro-One]

Originally Posted by flight_from_kamakura

this is super off topic, but i'd say maple ridge is the worst. it has that mix of scumbags, highly ugly surroundings and white hicks, the holy bc trinity. true story: my brother was once walking down the street in maple ridge (literally, on the street, since there are no sidewalks) on a saturday afternoon when a truck stopped and the occupants, these whites, jumped out robbed him of his jacket. he wasn't carrying his wallet, which he made clear. they said something like "alright, give us your jacket or you'll get a beating". then they just tore off in the truck. i couldn't imagine anything like that happening in the dtes. most of the violent crime there is lowlife on lowlife, cop on lowlife, or lowlife on cop.

the dtes has to change, it's not nice now and it's annoying going down there. but it's a different vibe there altogther. in the dtes, you have folks who are basically decent with mental health issues that end up as drug issues as they self medicate, and drug issues that end up as criminal justice issues as they try to keep themselves going. it really just takes something like an alcoholic cousin to get what's going on with these folks. but you go out to maple ridge or newton or parts of new westminster and the people are actually just really mean, like just vicious, hard-hearted people. i'd take the dtes over that any day.

Maple Ridge definitely has its problems (having 3 prisons located in a municipality is not always going to attract the best crowd) but it is by no means the hell hole that you describe above.

I was born MR hospital and have lived here a good chunk of my life (along with Metrotown and Japan) and there are a lot of nice areas, including such areas of downtown as 224th.

Also, what is with the high focus on race in your comment? Honestly, sometimes I think those who say they are fighting against racism are the most racist, for all they see is race!

Are there many aspects I would like to have changed in Maple Ridge, of course, do I believe it is any worse or better than anywhere else in Metro-Vancouver, nope.

There is a reason why many people from the suburbs and the rural areas dislike those from the city, this comment above and its blatant prejudice and "superiority" undertones, are a perfect example of why.

I wish people could be a little more mature on here.

[SFUVancouver]

The 'T' in front of Waterfront station was lit up tonight. Has anyone else remarked on all of the signage improvements that have appeared on the exterior of that station? It feels like bit by bit we are turning into a real city.

[red-paladin]

There is a new back-lit sign on the western entrance too.
If only we get a tunnel from that entrance to the Canada Line station!
That's something a 'real city' would have transit wise.

[worldwide]

Originally Posted by twoNeurons

grammatical corrections applied

When one points a finger... there are three pointing back at oneself.

I'm getting so sick of the rhetoric on this board about Surrey. This is not a personal attack on you, ww. I'm seeing it a lot recently and I just don't get it. Every city has its DES, so what's the big deal.

yeah. sorry to offend bro, it was a full on joke. i don't even think that pic was of the real suspect, just a random crackhead from google images. of course there are people who look like that in surrey, probably more than in west van, but metro van has a lot of these types everywhere. i think more than the rest of canada actually. probably cause were a shady port city frontier town hidden behind all that shiny glass in yaletown.

and thanks for the grammar lesson, i do actually understand these concepts, but its the internet and i'm lazy.

[Yume-sama]

It actually is the real suspect, as seen on the article I linked
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-columbia/story/2010/01/24/bc-skytrain-thefts-transit-police.html

Not that it matters, really.

I think we're going to hear about a lot of scams on unsuspecting tourists in the near future.

[WarrenC12]

I won't post on this topic again as it seems to raise the ire of the locals.
Surrey Crime Map Nov 2009:
http://bc.rcmp.ca/surrey/CrimeMapNovember2009.pdf

Maybe Newton has more crime, tough to tell, that's why I lumped it in "North Surrey".

[nickinacan]

Originally Posted by WarrenC12

I won't post on this topic again as it seems to raise the ire of the locals.
Surrey Crime Map Nov 2009:
http://bc.rcmp.ca/surrey/CrimeMapNovember2009.pdf

Maybe Newton has more crime, tough to tell, that's why I lumped it in "North Surrey".

The crime rate in both cities is practically the same. Both have the same issues that large cities face. But I have to give the Surrey RCMP kudos, they police three times the area of Vancouver with a only one third of the police that Vancouver has.

BC 2009 - Police Resources (Statistics Canada)

Surrey Now Safer Than Vancouver (Surrey Now)l

[twoNeurons]

Originally Posted by worldwide

yeah. sorry to offend bro, it was a full on joke. i don't even think that pic was of the real suspec...

Yeah, my post came across as angry. Sorry about that.
It's not the jokes that annoy, it's that so many people just jump on the bandwagon with old stereotypes, choosing to see only the negative. I lived there for a few months years ago, before a lot of the changes for the better were implemented. Even back then, it really wasn't that bad.

and thanks for the grammar lesson, i do actually understand these concepts, but its the internet and i'm lazy.

classic... grammar bait.

I was reading something that is side related to Vancouver's SkyTrain system.

Looks like Honolulu is facing some recent last-ditch opposition which may or may not have some teeth:

http://www.starbulletin.com/news/2010012...rferry_could_also_halt_rail_transit.html

Honolulu is planning a fully elevated ROW through the city. Bombardier is one of the front-runners for the bid.

Apparently, surprise, surprise... they are advocating LRT. Nothing against LRT, but I do think Honolulu has the perfect conditions for elevated rail in its own ROW.

If they succeed in getting LRT pushed in, it gives the LRT backers ( for the Broadway extension or any other area ) something to put in their ammo belt.

It will be interesting to see how that unfolds. It will be elevated throughout its length.

[BCPhil]

Investing in an elevated ROW in Honolulu makes sense for them. The city is very narrow and is kept in place by the mountains. The guideway would never need to be extended in the opposite direction, so that advantage of LRT is make useless. Once it's built it will be all they need, so they may as well invest in a full blown system. They could easily build a Skytrain like system with a few more stations per KM than here and everyone in the city would be almost within walking distance. Plus, the LIM would be a perfect match for any hills or tight corners they might have.

[Metro-One]

Saw a 6 car MK1 today at Production station (just after a new 4 car MK2 left) Was another nice sight at Production station (it was also very busy).

[WaxItYourself]

Originally Posted by WarrenC12

Guys I think it's fairly clear the worst neighbourhood in Metro Van is the DTES, and the 2nd worst is Whalley/North Surrey. Facts are facts.

I'm not sure what the 3rd is, but it's a distant 3rd. Does that mean all of Surrey is a hole? Of course not, just the same way that Vancouver isn't. Now relax.

I live in Whalley. I walk around at night quite a few nights because that is my time to shop or buy food or pick up my order at restaurants. Back in the mid 90s when I moved out of my parents house it was a hole, yes, with hookers at quite a few of the corners and drugs all over the place. This is where this belief that Whalley is one of the worst neighbourhoods in Metro Vancouver. However, it's change a hole lot since then. I've also spent some time walking around at night at the downtown Eastside. Today's Whalley, and even yesterdays, were far behind what it was like on the downtown eastside. And Whalley is no longer what it use to be. Sure it facts are facts but it helps if those facts are current and up to date.

Edit: I see this has already been spoken about more in depth. My apologies

[Whalleyboy]

Originally Posted by WaxItYourself

I live in Whalley. I walk around at night quite a few nights because that is my time to shop or buy food or pick up my order at restaurants. Back in the mid 90s when I moved out of my parents house it was a hole, yes, with hookers at quite a few of the corners and drugs all over the place. This is where this belief that Whalley is one of the worst neighbourhoods in Metro Vancouver. However, it's change a hole lot since then. I've also spent some time walking around at night at the downtown Eastside. Today's Whalley, and even yesterdays, were far behind what it was like on the downtown eastside. And Whalley is no longer what it use to be. Sure it facts are facts but it helps if those facts are current and up to date.

Edit: I see this has already been spoken about more in depth. My apologies

I live in the city centre and i agree with this completely. Its not even half as bad as it use to be. I walk around alot at night(when its warmer). I mean you can even walk around holland park these days and see others walking there. I remember one time it was like 11pm and i saw a family walking around.

[Waders]

Originally Posted by mr.x

From what I've heard on the radio, he fell after the train went by and had minor injuries...it sounds like an accident.

Has there ever been a case where someone has touched the third rail?

Response from Translink's Snider was "TransLink's tight budget doesn't leave room for costly barriers".
Source: http://www.news1130.com/news/local/artic...rs-to-be-installed-at-skytrain-stations),

Money too tight for barriers to be installed at SkyTrain Stations
Man fell on the tracks Sunday
Jim Goddard Jan 25, 2010 12:36:13 PM

VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) - Don't expect to see barriers set up at SkyTrain Station platforms to keep people from falling or jumping on the tracks. Sunday, a man at the Metrotown Station accidentally stumbled over the edge and fell on the rails below, suffering head injuries. His condition isn't known.

TransLink's Drew Snider says they can't install platform barriers because two different kinds of SkyTrain cars are used and their doors would not match up with the barrier gates. "Also, it's just a matter of having retrofit it, the amount of cost versus the frequency that this happens. It's extremely rare anything like this happens."

Snider adds TransLink's tight budget doesn't leave room for costly barriers. More than 30 cities in Europe and Asia have what are called 'platform screens,' including Tokyo, London, Beijing, Paris and Barcelona.

[Yume-sama]

lol somehow Transit Police thought it was a good idea to go on the news tonight saying they won't be actively looking for fare evaders during the Olympics.

[mr.x]

Originally Posted by Yume-sama

lol somehow Transit Police thought it was a good idea to go on the news tonight saying they won't be actively looking for fare evaders during the Olympics.

Translink, can you be anymore incompetent?

[Yume-sama]

Originally Posted by mr.x

Translink, can you be anymore incompetent?

But lineups will be far too long they say, so why bother!

[lightrail]

Originally Posted by Waders

Response from Translink's Snider was "TransLink's tight budget doesn't leave room for costly barriers".
Source: http://www.news1130.com/news/local/artic...rs-to-be-installed-at-skytrain-stations),

London has the platform doors at 11 stations on part of the Jubilee Line - the other 270+ tube stations, countless DLR stations and over 400 National Rail stations do not have any platforms doors. Guess why? Yep - too expensive to retrofit and not really necessary.

[lightrail]

Originally Posted by mr.x

Translink, can you be anymore incompetent?

Brilliant.

In other news, Port Mann Highway Patrol said they won't be stopping people for speeding.

Vancouver City Police will not be issuing parking tickets.

The Integrated Gang Unit will not be turning gang members out of bars.

Yeee haaa - it's the wild west Olympic Games - break the law folks - have a blast.

[mr.x]

Originally Posted by lightrail

Brilliant.

In other news, Port Mann Highway Patrol said they won't be stopping people for speeding.

Vancouver City Police will not be issuing parking tickets.

The Integrated Gang Unit will not be turning gang members out of bars.

Yeee haaa - it's the wild west Olympic Games - break the law folks - have a blast.

...until the VPD starts saying: "DON'T COME TO DOWNTOWN! IT'S GOING TO BE A HUGE MESS! DON'T COME TO DOWNTOWN!" (December 1999)

[flight_from_kamakura]

great news, what's the timeline on the "no tickets for public drinking" announcement?