Has this place become the Socialist Republic of Seattle? I have never seen such intrusions into our daily lives by government. Soon you must pay for paper or plastic to bag groceries at the store ( I like to recycle plastic and paper bags for other uses) .In addition, Dick's Drive-In now can't cook fries the way they used to because government has made them stop. ( I guess they figure I don't know that eating fries is probably not healthy) Now Hizzoner is going to ban cars and close streets even though our taxes paid for the streets. He has already disrupted the traffic flow all over the arterial corridors of Seattle by eliminating traffic lanes. See: Elliott Ave West, South Lake Union and many, many more. Don't we have any say or vote in these decisions? This town is becoming a lousy place to do busines or attend events. Who do you think you are Nickels? You must be naive or a complete fool. I can assure you that I will do everything within my poweer and finances to work for your defeat should you seek reelection.
You people whine too much - 16 years ago
My goodness, folks, if you don't want to ride your bike or take the bus, don't do it. Who cares where you have to shop or how many kids you have? If the bus doesn't work for you, then please drive. If the city wants to pay a trivial amount of money to induce a few people to park their cars (making driving more pleasant for the rest of you), what's wrong with that? Why do so many people get so worked up over it?
Andrew Brown - 16 years ago
One other thing - if he doesn't feel safe on our public transporation, why should I? And then he has the gall to also try to outlaw our right to open or conceal carry on public transportation in this city as well, in spite of state law pre-empting it?
I'm very disappointed in this mayor, and I feel sorry for those of you who have to live within his jurisdiction.
Andrew Brown - 16 years ago
I already take the bus to work every day - as I commute 40 miles from Lake Stevens.
The Mayor's hypocritical attitude reminds me of stories I've read about the Soviet Politburo. They, too, 'needed' cars with drivers for security reasons, and no one else had one unless they were a high ranking government official. Is that where Mayor Nickels would have us go?
Someone vote this hack out of office already.
Patrick Brownd - 16 years ago
Love to, but have to work. Already have home based office, but do outside sales and have to drive. Great in theory, but comeon...what options do we have?
Our Mayor is a Condescending Goob - 16 years ago
Sigh. Like just about everything else Mayor McMoron has done, this seems to be based on the premise that the citizens of Seattle are small children who just need to be nagged a little bit more so that they'll behave. If this city offered or supported workable public transportation to all neighborhoods, people would take it. It doesn't, so they don't. I have an 11-mile in-city commute, which takes me 25 minutes in the car or a minimum of an hour and a half on the bus. (Make that 2 1/2 hours if I have a bad transfer to my ridiculously infrequent neighborhood bus.) I carpool most of the time, but sometimes I can't get a ride match. I walk everywhere in my neighborhood. I support the goal of more public transportation and fewer cars on the road, but I resent being talked to as if I'm the problem when this city has done bupkis to support real transit alternatives.
Unsafe Seattle Transit - 16 years ago
What a joke! The mayor must use private transportion because of security reasons, HA! What a slam to on Seattle Transit. The mayor thinks he is more special than the rest of us. Hey mayor, how about my security concerns?
Guess you don't care about me, or all the rest of us. This entire scam is just to make himself look good in the press, and uninformed people in other cities that don't live anywhere near Washington State. It's just another political
move.
Tracey - 16 years ago
When is this dumbass up for election again?! Nichols wants everyone to change their lives based in UNPROVEN scientific theory. What I want to know is why does he focus so much on micromanaging everyone's lives when Seattle clearly has serious problems--check out today's story about the rising gang problem in this area! It's because of environmentalist radicals like Nichols that gas prices are so high in the first place. No domestic drilling, no new refineries, no nuclear power--environmentalists are all about telling everyone how to live without offering real solutions. And no, parking your car, using hideous mercury filled light bulbs and unplugging your toaster are not solutions! Seattle needs a mayor who will deal with serious problems, not be everyone's nanny!
Lee - 16 years ago
How foolish. Fuel taxes pay for roads, buses and so much more. So go ahead and stop driving and please tell us all, where shall the money come from to keep it all moving? Let's not forget, this area has many hills which requires some strong legs.
This nation has been taken over by eco-nuts and now were reaping the awards for no coal, no drilling, no nukes and on & on.
Just plain foolish!
Justin Case - 16 years ago
And who will take a snapshot of the mayor going to work on a bike or bus, can choose from the following:
1. one month paid mortgage or rent or
2. one month free bus pass or
3. a 2008 edition Trek Madone road bike
Fearless Fly - 16 years ago
The irony here is that many companies are will to cover the full cost of a bus pass, but the City of Seattle won't even cover 1/2 the cost of bus pass for it's own employees!
Regular Bus Commuter - 16 years ago
For the last two years, I have chosen to take Metro to work and it has been a sacrifice! My commute is longer, I am often walking in rain and wind to my bus stop, standing on the bus when seats are taken, and waiting when I miss a bus. However, the tradeoff is worth it to me in less costs spent on gas, less wear and tear on my car, and knowing that I am making a difference. When Seattle finally gets serious and provides a light rail system from the East side into Seattle or to the airport, I will gladly be on board. How much longer will it take?? Why we don't have a great system in place already is ridiculous and inexcusable.
Willy - 16 years ago
I have an 8 mile commute. It's a nearly two hour bus ride w/ transfers. Plus I have to carry equipment when I get to my job. Even barring the need for a car on my job site, I'd be willing to take public transit if they can do the one thing that public transportation completely and utterly fails to do: approximate my commute time in a car.
I'd be willing to pay double or even triple the transit fees if public transit could cover my 8 mile commute in a time remotely close to my current commute time of 14-18 minutes. Until public transit officials can address the issue of time, public transit is a niche mode of transportion, and nothing more.
Mr. Moneypincher - 16 years ago
I am glad our mayor is willing to dole out tax dollars to people for ... committing to something. Just as practical as having teens sign abstinence pledges.
If I choose to drive, I'll do it because I can afford it. When I can't afford it, I'll look at alternatives.
I'll trade my car for a $50 REI gift cert, man. I can get a canteen. Strap.
Jack Nolan - 16 years ago
Ahhhh! So American! Brings joy to my heart.
"I will if he/she will"
Gotta love that elementary school mentality.
Who went to see the Dali Llama? Who wants to vote for Obama for change?
Not the folks who posted comments to this survey!
God Damn America!
J
C Martin - 16 years ago
Are we forgetting about families?
Mass transit is not friendly or easy for those of us with children, especially those of us with 2 or more. Biking? Obviously not realistic either when you have children and purchases or pets to transport. I buy $150 dollars worth of groceries each week. It is unduly burdensome to expect me to bike/bus it with 10 bags of groceries and three small children.
The other problem with bus/bikes is the massive amount of time it requires to utilize it. Who has that amount of time except maybe singles and people with grown children (or maybe one small child)?? Even then, many of us have a lot to accomplish and we are too time-poor to sacrifice that time to Joe Metro or the bike lane.
Mawade - 16 years ago
Perhaps the mayor's idea is not the greatest. And, yes, he doesn't walk the talk. But I am not seeing any better ideas coming from the respondents here (Amsterdam has free bikes all over the city, why not tax cars according to their size/mileage). If you think it hurts when gas is $4 per, how about $5, or $6.
Everyone needs to wake up and realize what is happening to the economy and the environment as a result of our "American Dream" lifestyle and demand more action and accountability from ourselves and our government. Not to spend our tax dollars on traffic flow improvements so "Average Joe" can come downtown to do his shopping unimpeded by pesky traffic.
The rest of the world is now competing to get the "American Dream" too. That's one of the reasons oil prices are climbing. And this is only the beginning. I'll take the futures on it getting much, much worse. Good luck selling those SUVs!
Andrew - 16 years ago
Many people aren't willing to bike to stores that are miles away from neighborhoods and nowhere to park you bike. Hopefully, stores will move closer beacuse of the rising gas prices. In the meanwhile, we need bicycle parking next to stores (similar to Japan) to influence people. Light rail will definitely take people out of cars (if they hurry up), and hopefully things will change.
sensible citizen - 16 years ago
To echo the previous comments, the mayor should walk the talk, and I suspect that he really doesn't. I understand that Michael Bloomberg rides the NYC subway to his job at city hall there; Greg Nichols needs to ride public transit in Seattle, and no excuses that the bus route is too far from his house. The walk to the bus stop would probably help him shave a few pounds. I've spent the winter in southern Calif, where the car reigns as supreme as ever. Here the big pitch is to replace old appliances (washers, dryers, refrigerators, etc.), instead of trying to get cars off the road, knowing the latter is futile. The radio ads tell you that if x million of us replaced our old dryers, it would be equivalent of getting y million cars off the road. Elsewhere, like Seattle, the emphasis omits the appliance reference and just tells us to get the cars off the road. These efforts are as futile in Calif as in Seattle. The only way to force people to drive less is to raise 8its cost significantly. But high gas prices haven't even accomplished that. Will tolls? Higher parking fees? Higher car registration fees? Fewer/more costly parking spaces on the street and in constructed parking garages? Coupons of the type being offered in this program? Beating people over the head with a 2 x 4? Good luck, Seattle, on this one.
Diana - 16 years ago
When the mayor and council members give up their cars and rely on public transit all the time, then I might consider his offer. Until then, this is just more of the "do as I say, not as I do" hypocrisy. P.S. Unlike the mayor and the council, I do take mass transit to work everyday.
Average Joe - 16 years ago
I grew up in Seattle and commute to work in the city now. I carpool daily but this city has become so inhospitable to car transportation that I will not come here to shop or attend events any more. Trying to bribe people to do what they don't want to, or can't do (yes some of us have other reasons for not using public transportation) will not get the job done. Mayor Nichols does nothing to improve traffic flow (see additional stop lights added to the Mercer street corridor) and everything to create impediments non-mass transit options (lights not sync'd or too many of them in a row, the SLUT,etc.). Net result, I spend my money elsewhere and I no longer attend events in the city. The solution, simply put, is to remove as many stops as possible along key corridors to allow for improved traffic flow in, through, and out of the city, whether on mass transit, by truck (for freight) or by automobile. Forget trying to bribe people to get out of there cars, acknowledge there are valid reasons we use that form of transportation, and make it more efficient.
Jake - 16 years ago
My question is this: What is Mayor Nickels doing personally to reduce his own reliance on automobiles? What kind of car does he drive? Does he walk or drive to the local grocery store?
In my opinion, those in positions of leadership will attract participation to their programs in direct correlation to the amount of personal involvement they take in their programs.
Tim F - 16 years ago
I'm willing to support nearly anything that gets people out of their cars and using an alternate form of transportation. At the same time, I'm a little annoyed because there are a lot of us that voluntarily gave up using cars for commuting years ago when there were no rewards. It would seem that concern for your community and nation would be enough, but I guess not.
Has this place become the Socialist Republic of Seattle? I have never seen such intrusions into our daily lives by government. Soon you must pay for paper or plastic to bag groceries at the store ( I like to recycle plastic and paper bags for other uses) .In addition, Dick's Drive-In now can't cook fries the way they used to because government has made them stop. ( I guess they figure I don't know that eating fries is probably not healthy) Now Hizzoner is going to ban cars and close streets even though our taxes paid for the streets. He has already disrupted the traffic flow all over the arterial corridors of Seattle by eliminating traffic lanes. See: Elliott Ave West, South Lake Union and many, many more. Don't we have any say or vote in these decisions? This town is becoming a lousy place to do busines or attend events. Who do you think you are Nickels? You must be naive or a complete fool. I can assure you that I will do everything within my poweer and finances to work for your defeat should you seek reelection.
My goodness, folks, if you don't want to ride your bike or take the bus, don't do it. Who cares where you have to shop or how many kids you have? If the bus doesn't work for you, then please drive. If the city wants to pay a trivial amount of money to induce a few people to park their cars (making driving more pleasant for the rest of you), what's wrong with that? Why do so many people get so worked up over it?
One other thing - if he doesn't feel safe on our public transporation, why should I? And then he has the gall to also try to outlaw our right to open or conceal carry on public transportation in this city as well, in spite of state law pre-empting it?
I'm very disappointed in this mayor, and I feel sorry for those of you who have to live within his jurisdiction.
I already take the bus to work every day - as I commute 40 miles from Lake Stevens.
The Mayor's hypocritical attitude reminds me of stories I've read about the Soviet Politburo. They, too, 'needed' cars with drivers for security reasons, and no one else had one unless they were a high ranking government official. Is that where Mayor Nickels would have us go?
Someone vote this hack out of office already.
Love to, but have to work. Already have home based office, but do outside sales and have to drive. Great in theory, but comeon...what options do we have?
Sigh. Like just about everything else Mayor McMoron has done, this seems to be based on the premise that the citizens of Seattle are small children who just need to be nagged a little bit more so that they'll behave. If this city offered or supported workable public transportation to all neighborhoods, people would take it. It doesn't, so they don't. I have an 11-mile in-city commute, which takes me 25 minutes in the car or a minimum of an hour and a half on the bus. (Make that 2 1/2 hours if I have a bad transfer to my ridiculously infrequent neighborhood bus.) I carpool most of the time, but sometimes I can't get a ride match. I walk everywhere in my neighborhood. I support the goal of more public transportation and fewer cars on the road, but I resent being talked to as if I'm the problem when this city has done bupkis to support real transit alternatives.
What a joke! The mayor must use private transportion because of security reasons, HA! What a slam to on Seattle Transit. The mayor thinks he is more special than the rest of us. Hey mayor, how about my security concerns?
Guess you don't care about me, or all the rest of us. This entire scam is just to make himself look good in the press, and uninformed people in other cities that don't live anywhere near Washington State. It's just another political
move.
When is this dumbass up for election again?! Nichols wants everyone to change their lives based in UNPROVEN scientific theory. What I want to know is why does he focus so much on micromanaging everyone's lives when Seattle clearly has serious problems--check out today's story about the rising gang problem in this area! It's because of environmentalist radicals like Nichols that gas prices are so high in the first place. No domestic drilling, no new refineries, no nuclear power--environmentalists are all about telling everyone how to live without offering real solutions. And no, parking your car, using hideous mercury filled light bulbs and unplugging your toaster are not solutions! Seattle needs a mayor who will deal with serious problems, not be everyone's nanny!
How foolish. Fuel taxes pay for roads, buses and so much more. So go ahead and stop driving and please tell us all, where shall the money come from to keep it all moving? Let's not forget, this area has many hills which requires some strong legs.
This nation has been taken over by eco-nuts and now were reaping the awards for no coal, no drilling, no nukes and on & on.
Just plain foolish!
And who will take a snapshot of the mayor going to work on a bike or bus, can choose from the following:
1. one month paid mortgage or rent or
2. one month free bus pass or
3. a 2008 edition Trek Madone road bike
The irony here is that many companies are will to cover the full cost of a bus pass, but the City of Seattle won't even cover 1/2 the cost of bus pass for it's own employees!
For the last two years, I have chosen to take Metro to work and it has been a sacrifice! My commute is longer, I am often walking in rain and wind to my bus stop, standing on the bus when seats are taken, and waiting when I miss a bus. However, the tradeoff is worth it to me in less costs spent on gas, less wear and tear on my car, and knowing that I am making a difference. When Seattle finally gets serious and provides a light rail system from the East side into Seattle or to the airport, I will gladly be on board. How much longer will it take?? Why we don't have a great system in place already is ridiculous and inexcusable.
I have an 8 mile commute. It's a nearly two hour bus ride w/ transfers. Plus I have to carry equipment when I get to my job. Even barring the need for a car on my job site, I'd be willing to take public transit if they can do the one thing that public transportation completely and utterly fails to do: approximate my commute time in a car.
I'd be willing to pay double or even triple the transit fees if public transit could cover my 8 mile commute in a time remotely close to my current commute time of 14-18 minutes. Until public transit officials can address the issue of time, public transit is a niche mode of transportion, and nothing more.
I am glad our mayor is willing to dole out tax dollars to people for ... committing to something. Just as practical as having teens sign abstinence pledges.
If I choose to drive, I'll do it because I can afford it. When I can't afford it, I'll look at alternatives.
I'll trade my car for a $50 REI gift cert, man. I can get a canteen. Strap.
Ahhhh! So American! Brings joy to my heart.
"I will if he/she will"
Gotta love that elementary school mentality.
Who went to see the Dali Llama? Who wants to vote for Obama for change?
Not the folks who posted comments to this survey!
God Damn America!
J
Are we forgetting about families?
Mass transit is not friendly or easy for those of us with children, especially those of us with 2 or more. Biking? Obviously not realistic either when you have children and purchases or pets to transport. I buy $150 dollars worth of groceries each week. It is unduly burdensome to expect me to bike/bus it with 10 bags of groceries and three small children.
The other problem with bus/bikes is the massive amount of time it requires to utilize it. Who has that amount of time except maybe singles and people with grown children (or maybe one small child)?? Even then, many of us have a lot to accomplish and we are too time-poor to sacrifice that time to Joe Metro or the bike lane.
Perhaps the mayor's idea is not the greatest. And, yes, he doesn't walk the talk. But I am not seeing any better ideas coming from the respondents here (Amsterdam has free bikes all over the city, why not tax cars according to their size/mileage). If you think it hurts when gas is $4 per, how about $5, or $6.
Everyone needs to wake up and realize what is happening to the economy and the environment as a result of our "American Dream" lifestyle and demand more action and accountability from ourselves and our government. Not to spend our tax dollars on traffic flow improvements so "Average Joe" can come downtown to do his shopping unimpeded by pesky traffic.
The rest of the world is now competing to get the "American Dream" too. That's one of the reasons oil prices are climbing. And this is only the beginning. I'll take the futures on it getting much, much worse. Good luck selling those SUVs!
Many people aren't willing to bike to stores that are miles away from neighborhoods and nowhere to park you bike. Hopefully, stores will move closer beacuse of the rising gas prices. In the meanwhile, we need bicycle parking next to stores (similar to Japan) to influence people. Light rail will definitely take people out of cars (if they hurry up), and hopefully things will change.
To echo the previous comments, the mayor should walk the talk, and I suspect that he really doesn't. I understand that Michael Bloomberg rides the NYC subway to his job at city hall there; Greg Nichols needs to ride public transit in Seattle, and no excuses that the bus route is too far from his house. The walk to the bus stop would probably help him shave a few pounds. I've spent the winter in southern Calif, where the car reigns as supreme as ever. Here the big pitch is to replace old appliances (washers, dryers, refrigerators, etc.), instead of trying to get cars off the road, knowing the latter is futile. The radio ads tell you that if x million of us replaced our old dryers, it would be equivalent of getting y million cars off the road. Elsewhere, like Seattle, the emphasis omits the appliance reference and just tells us to get the cars off the road. These efforts are as futile in Calif as in Seattle. The only way to force people to drive less is to raise 8its cost significantly. But high gas prices haven't even accomplished that. Will tolls? Higher parking fees? Higher car registration fees? Fewer/more costly parking spaces on the street and in constructed parking garages? Coupons of the type being offered in this program? Beating people over the head with a 2 x 4? Good luck, Seattle, on this one.
When the mayor and council members give up their cars and rely on public transit all the time, then I might consider his offer. Until then, this is just more of the "do as I say, not as I do" hypocrisy. P.S. Unlike the mayor and the council, I do take mass transit to work everyday.
I grew up in Seattle and commute to work in the city now. I carpool daily but this city has become so inhospitable to car transportation that I will not come here to shop or attend events any more. Trying to bribe people to do what they don't want to, or can't do (yes some of us have other reasons for not using public transportation) will not get the job done. Mayor Nichols does nothing to improve traffic flow (see additional stop lights added to the Mercer street corridor) and everything to create impediments non-mass transit options (lights not sync'd or too many of them in a row, the SLUT,etc.). Net result, I spend my money elsewhere and I no longer attend events in the city. The solution, simply put, is to remove as many stops as possible along key corridors to allow for improved traffic flow in, through, and out of the city, whether on mass transit, by truck (for freight) or by automobile. Forget trying to bribe people to get out of there cars, acknowledge there are valid reasons we use that form of transportation, and make it more efficient.
My question is this: What is Mayor Nickels doing personally to reduce his own reliance on automobiles? What kind of car does he drive? Does he walk or drive to the local grocery store?
In my opinion, those in positions of leadership will attract participation to their programs in direct correlation to the amount of personal involvement they take in their programs.
I'm willing to support nearly anything that gets people out of their cars and using an alternate form of transportation. At the same time, I'm a little annoyed because there are a lot of us that voluntarily gave up using cars for commuting years ago when there were no rewards. It would seem that concern for your community and nation would be enough, but I guess not.