ION - Waterloo Region's Light Rail Transit

[MidTowner]

Getting off this morning, the Ion conductor delayed those of us waiting to cross in front of the northbound train, using the speaker to tell someone not to walk on the tracks "for her own safety."

It's not a very good look, with those traffic pylons and cheap plastic lego fence panels.

Does anyone know the reason why there is no west entrance to the platform? That would be the way it works at every other station, where you need to cross one or the other track to get off the platform.

[KevinL]

Does anyone know the reason why there is no west entrance to the platform? That would be the way it works at every other station, where you need to cross one or the other track to get off the platform.

We allowed too much leeway in the design part of the 'design-build-operate' contract, and they designed what would be easy for them, not convenient for riders. The Region never got public feedback, and didn't push.

[MidTowner]

No reason, then. Got it.

[JoeKW]

There is a reason. The reason is PPP's are a crock and we the public always gets a little screwed.

[taylortbb]

There is a reason.  The reason is PPP's are a crock and we the public always gets a little screwed.

We get screwed on design details, but they might be working to shift liability onto the private sector.

SNC Lavlin just announced they are going to stop bidding on P3s like this because they were losing money often enough it was dragging down the profitability of the entire company. All of SNC's losses on these projects are money that otherwise would have been paid by governments in traditional models.

Is the trade off a good one is much harder to answer. I'd be willing to accept infrastructure projects occasionally going over budget for better design, but in the current political climate most of the electorate seems likely to prefer avoiding overages.

[jeffster]

Well, this is just nuts.

1) How do we get drivers like this? Like, just how dense is the driver?
2) Zero police enforcement is a huge issue, Kitchener and Waterloo need to create by-laws so they (as in city staff) can go around charging these clowns.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/11126683...855448144/

[panamaniac]

Well, this is just nuts.

1) How do we get drivers like this? Like, just how dense is the driver?
2) Zero police enforcement is a huge issue, Kitchener and Waterloo need to create by-laws so they (as in city staff) can go around charging these clowns.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/11126683...855448144/

Seriously, people need to stop being surprised.  This is normal K-W driving - not universal but hardly unusual.  I'm at least as concerned with the guy taking the video who made no effort whatever to alert the other driver to the problem and just carried on driving.

[jeffster]

Well, this is just nuts.

1) How do we get drivers like this? Like, just how dense is the driver?
2) Zero police enforcement is a huge issue, Kitchener and Waterloo need to create by-laws so they (as in city staff) can go around charging these clowns.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/11126683...855448144/

Seriously, people need to stop being surprised.  This is normal K-W driving - not universal but hardly unusual.  I'm at least as concerned with the guy taking the video who made no effort whatever to alert the other driver to the problem and just carried on driving.

Maybe he should have. I am not sure what I would do though. Last time I tried to tell a driver they told me promptly to f*ck off and mind my own f*cking business. Just not worth it these days. Not only are many drivers rude and stupid, they're also ignorant and full of rage.

[embe]

Seriously, people need to stop being surprised.  This is normal K-W driving - not universal but hardly unusual.  I'm at least as concerned with the guy taking the video who made no effort whatever to alert the other driver to the problem and just carried on driving.

Maybe he should have. I am not sure what I would do though. Last time I tried to tell a driver they told me promptly to f*ck off and mind my own f*cking business. Just not worth it these days. Not only are many drivers rude and stupid, they're also ignorant and full of rage.

I'm with you on this.  Even the best intentions to help someone out can turn sideways, or worse yet cause a more significant incident.

[ijmorlan]

Maybe he should have. I am not sure what I would do though. Last time I tried to tell a driver they told me promptly to f*ck off and mind my own f*cking business. Just not worth it these days. Not only are many drivers rude and stupid, they're also ignorant and full of rage.

I'm with you on this.  Even the best intentions to help someone out can turn sideways, or worse yet cause a more significant incident.

Agreed. It’s crystal clear the original driver was doing something wrong, and obviously wrong. It’s pretty hard to overdo the criticism.

By contrast, criticizing the person filming for not intervening is easy. For that person to actually intervene, not necessarily as easy as it might feel for us sitting at home (or wherever) reading on our computer screens.

[Coke6pk]

(a) There are only three charges that the HTA allows to be enforced by camera.  1. Fail to Stop - Red Light, 2. Fail to Stop/Yeild - Amber Light and 3. Speeding [Yes, Photo Radar DOES exist in the current HTA]

The police may be able to warn someone observed by video evidence... a charge wouldn't stick.

(b) There is no reason why someone blowing a red light or making a turn in front of train in the centre of the road shouldn't be charged.  But before you blame the police for being lazy, check out the HTA for a definition of a no-turn sign:

21. (1) A no right turn sign shall,
(a) be not less than 60 centimetres in height and not less than 60 centimetres in width; and
(b) include the markings and the dimensions as described and illustrated in the following Figure:

Illustration of a sign with a no right turn symbol consisting of a right turn black arrow inside a red circle with an interdictory stroke, on white retro-reflective background with a black border. Size indicated (60 × 60) cm.
R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 615, s. 21 (1); O. Reg. 339/09, s. 15 (1).

Bolding was me.  Anyone see an issue with enforcement?  To the Region's defence, there is now a by-law covering electronic turn signs.

Coke

[jeffster]

(a) There are only three charges that the HTA allows to be enforced by camera.  1. Fail to Stop - Red Light, 2. Fail to Stop/Yeild - Amber Light and 3. Speeding [Yes, Photo Radar DOES exist in the current HTA]

The police may be able to warn someone observed by video evidence... a charge wouldn't stick.

(b) There is no reason why someone blowing a red light or making a turn in front of train in the centre of the road shouldn't be charged.  But before you blame the police for being lazy, check out the HTA for a definition of a no-turn sign:

21. (1) A no right turn sign shall,
(a) be not less than 60 centimetres in height and not less than 60 centimetres in width; and
(b) include the markings and the dimensions as described and illustrated in the following Figure:

Illustration of a sign with a no right turn symbol consisting of a right turn black arrow inside a red circle with an interdictory stroke, on white retro-reflective background with a black border. Size indicated (60 × 60) cm.
R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 615, s. 21 (1); O. Reg. 339/09, s. 15 (1).

Bolding was me.  Anyone see an issue with enforcement?  To the Region's defence, there is now a by-law covering electronic turn signs.

Coke

So with by-law covering this with electronic turn signs, then it's up to by-law to enforce, and not the police. Though this doesn't apply to the illegal u-turns and illegal left turns, as signage is correct.

I am guessing the HTA rules need to be updated to include those electronic signs, even if only valid in KW and Toronto.

[avernar]

(b) There is no reason why someone blowing a red light or making a turn in front of train in the centre of the road shouldn't be charged.  But before you blame the police for being lazy, check out the HTA for a definition of a no-turn sign:

21. (1) A no right turn sign shall,
(a) be not less than 60 centimetres in height and not less than 60 centimetres in width; and
(b) include the markings and the dimensions as described and illustrated in the following Figure:

Illustration of a sign with a no right turn symbol consisting of a right turn black arrow inside a red circle with an interdictory stroke, on white retro-reflective background with a black border. Size indicated (60 × 60) cm.
R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 615, s. 21 (1); O. Reg. 339/09, s. 15 (1).

Bolding was me.  Anyone see an issue with enforcement?  To the Region's defence, there is now a by-law covering electronic turn signs.

Coke

Can 163.1 be used?

Vehicles required to stop at railway crossing signal - 163.

(1) When the driver of a vehicle is approaching a railway crossing at a time when a clearly visible electrical or mechanical signal device or a flagman is giving warning of the approach of a railway train, he or she shall stop the vehicle not less than 5 metres from the nearest rail of the railway and shall not proceed until he or she can do so safely. R.S.O. 1990, c. H.8, s. 163.

Does the HTA define what exactly is a railway crossing signal?

[Coke6pk]

From MTO site:
   

As for the by-law, Police can issue tickets for by-law infractions.

Coke

[avernar]

From MTO site:

Saw that.  That shows an example and the text says they are marked with signs.  What I'm looking for is a HTA definition of "railway crossing signal".