[salsa]

A new hashtag appeared on twitter yesterday following the little incident on the King streetcar yesterday. Needless to day, the tweets were amusing:

 

[johntauren]

Another car went into the streetcar tunnel on Queen's Quay overnight.
:|

 

[Admiral Beez]

Another car went into the streetcar tunnel on Queen's Quay overnight.
:|

Once is an idiot or drunken error. Twice is indicative of a possible design error.

In Europe you often see retractable bollards to prevent cars from entering areas restricted to transit. Maybe these are needed.

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=zUNyInW3K6Q

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

Once is an idiot or drunken error. Twice is indicative of a possible design error.

Actually, twice is just proof that there is more than one idiot and/or drunk.

AoD

 

[nfitz]

Actually, twice is just proof that there is more than one idiot and/or drunk.

It's thrice isn't it? It's a design error, at least with the construction layout.

As someone else mentioned elsewhere, southbound vehicles on York can't turn left, only right, becaue there's no eastbound currently. So if they are confused (say haven't been there for a few years, and no you can turn left ... then the only place you can go is on the tracks ... and into the tunnel.

The problem will resolve itself once construction ends next year and the eastbound lane is reopened.

 

[smallspy]

Actually, twice is just proof that there is more than one idiot and/or drunk.

AoD

I can't speak to the first incident (the second was a set of teens trying to run from police), but this third incident was the result of a drunken driver.

Dan
Toronto, Ont.

 

[salsa]

I can't speak to the first incident (the second was a set of teens trying to run from police), but this third incident was the result of a drunken driver.

Dan
Toronto, Ont.

I hope the drunk was convicted.

 

[BurlOak]

I hope the drunk was convicted.

as opposed to the teens running from the police being convicted!

 

[Admiral Beez]

Actually, twice is just proof that there is more than one idiot and/or drunk.

AoD

Well yes, true. We've certainly had a share of idiots, ahem...

A thousand idiots doing this is still proof of a thousand idiots. What I'm suggesting is that we need to assume a credible population of idiots, and then design-out the likelihood of their successfully accomplishing this idiotic behaviour. This is where retractable bollards work.

 

[nfitz]

This is where retractable bollards work.

Retractable bollards don't work - they impale automobiles, which still leads to the tracks being blocked. Knowing TTC, they'd likely impale a streetcar by accident.

And then there's the snow and salt issues.

This was never much of a problem before construction started, and I'd think it would be even less of a problem once construction is finished, and the tracks are much more distinct from the roadway than previous (not in the centre).

In the interim, I'd think simply placing some cones, or a temporary barrier at the foot of York Streed would stop the problem.

 

[Admiral Beez]

Perhaps your suggestions will work, but IMO ihere has to be a way to physically stop cars from getting to this point.

However even a fence doesn't stop some folks from trying to drive their cars onto the TTC tracks.

 

[rbt]

Perhaps your suggestions will work, but IMO ihere has to be a way to physically stop cars from getting to this point.

How many people drive onto the Queensway track?

The smooth cement finish for emergency vehicles seems to confuse people.

 

[nfitz]

Perhaps your suggestions will work, but IMO ihere has to be a way to physically stop cars from getting to this point.

If it happened frequently perhaps. Spadina has been in service for what, 15 years? What has it been, one car, two? How many during previous quarter-century on Harbourfront? Seems easier to improve signage, use some construction fences, and deal with a car every decade ...

 

[PinkLucy]

Cars end up on the tracks on Fleet and Bathurst at Lake Shore frequently. I have also seen them on multiple occasions on Spadina. I used to see them on QQ west of Spadina often. They generally figure out how to get off them. Going into the tunnel is a whole other problem because there is no road to get on to.

 

[nfitz]

Cars end up on the tracks on Fleet and Bathurst at Lake Shore frequently.

So? Heck, I even did that once, first time I ever turned left from Lake Shore to Bathurst in the the dark. You just drive off. I don't think anyone even noticed other than my passenger. It doesn't impact service.