The Good News Report

[tozmervo]

18 minutes ago, navigator319 said:

TBH I am guilty of this.  Have been for over a year now since they launched the app.   It's not as cut and dry about morals.  I see it as a gray area, justification or not.   FIX THE DAMN APP.  Until then it's a loophole and I'll continue to use it.  Everyone else in society has loopholes they exploit so it's about damn time the more average and even less than average finally got one of their own.  It is idiotic CATS thinks this app is acceptable as is anyways, pathetic even, but hey nothing with operations surprises me with them.  

I don't understand. What's gray about it? You click "use ticket" when you board a train. CATS's apps have a lot of faults, but the app isn't the reason you're riding for free. 

[navigator319]

I don't understand. What's gray about it? You click "use ticket" when you board a train. CATS's apps have a lot of faults, but the app isn't the reason you're riding for free. 

With gray area I was referring to a ‘morals’ argument. Not in relation to the app or how to execute a ticket in it.

[tozmervo]

6 minutes ago, navigator319 said:

With gray area I was referring to a ‘morals’ argument. Not in relation to the app or how to execute a ticket in it.

 

But that doesn't really clear it up for me. I don't understand how it's a gray area. You're either knowingly riding for free, or you are riding with paid fare. There's not really an in-between.

[navigator319]

But that doesn't really clear it up for me. I don't understand how it's a gray area. You're either knowingly riding for free, or you are riding with paid fare. There's not really an in-between.

Not sure what you don’t get. If trying to make a morals argument about the behavior I’m agreeing it’s gray if could be considered morally wrong or not strictly based on ones perspective. For me I live in peace that taking advantage of a free ride is not and does not make me a bad person or someone lacking morals.

[slipperypete]

16 minutes ago, navigator319 said:

Not sure what you don’t get. If trying to make a morals argument about the behavior I’m agreeing it’s gray if could be considered morally wrong or not strictly based on ones perspective. For me I live in peace that taking advantage of a free ride is not and does not make me a bad person or someone lacking morals.

 

I think the point is that there's nothing gray about it. It's wrong. 

You wouldn't use the same reasoning for a physical good, right?  Like, if a store didn't do a good job of securing their packs of gum, would you rationalize that it's ok to occasionally lift one for yourself because other people do it, would you?  This is the same. It's taking something of value without paying.  Just because the technology doesn't make it impossible doesn't make it morally ambiguous. 

[stiluvclt]

How about stealing from a 7 Eleven or finding someone's wallet with money and credit cards? How are you going to handle those "free rides"? The app may have issues but after all of that investment trying to give folks mass transit in Charlotte it's a shame you want a pat on the back for taking advantage of a flaw in the system. It's a slippery slope. Get off of it.

[navigator319]

26 minutes ago, slipperypete said:

I think the point is that there's nothing gray about it. It's wrong. 

You wouldn't use the same reasoning for a physical good, right?  Like, if a store didn't do a good job of securing their packs of gum, would you rationalize that it's ok to occasionally lift one for yourself because other people do it, would you?  This is the same. It's taking something of value without paying.  Just because the technology doesn't make it impossible doesn't make it morally ambiguous. 

I personally don't think it's as binary as 'it's wrong'.  I think it's a scale.  Is it wrong if the light rail is your only means of getting to work at $4.40 a round trip and you make $11/hr and that $26 a week ($105/month) means the difference between giving you child lunch to take to school?   There is no way it could be.  I'm not saying that is me.  I'm just saying its not black and white.  And no I don't steal from a store.

I do though occasionally download a movie or music from the internet for free.  Is that an abomination as well??  It's all scale.   How about if a bar only rings you up for 4 beers instead of 5?  You always raise your hand to  charge me more?

21 minutes ago, stiluvclt said:

How about stealing from a 7 Eleven or finding someone's wallet with money and credit cards? How are you going to handle those "free rides"? The app may have issues but after all of that investment trying to give folks mass transit in Charlotte it's a shame you want a pat on the back for taking advantage of a flaw in the system. It's a slippery slope. Get off of it.

I have and always will return a wallet.  I found one once in London and actually mailed it back to the address from the ID.  You think most people would do that?   Having real morals informs you where that line is of the slippery slope.  Also at no time say anything about a pat on the back. In fact been going out of my way to say its a personal decision to respect other people's perspective on where the line is for them.

[slipperypete]

Just now, navigator319 said:

I personally don't think it's as binary as 'it's wrong'.  I think it's a scale.  Is it wrong if the light rail is your only means of getting to work at $4.40 a round trip and you make $11/hr and that $26 a week ($105/month) means the difference between giving you child lunch to take to school?   There is no way it could be.  I'm not saying that is me.  I'm just saying its not black and white.  And no I don't steal from a store.

I do though occasionally download a movie or music from the internet for free.  Is that an abomination as well??  It's all scale.   How about if a bar only rings you up for 4 beers instead of 5?  You always raise your hand to  charge me more?

These are good examples. I'm definitely not saying that I'm on the right side of every line. And I agree there is such a thing as "more wrong". Fare evasion is definitely not on the same level as breaking some other civil regulations like speeding in a school zone, or able-bodied parking in a disabled spot. My point is that it's still wrong.  And yes, some people may struggle with that and do that small wrong in order to survive. I wouldn't criticize them for doing so. 

But that's not really what we're talking about, right?  We're talking about people who could pay but choose not to, and rationalize it by saying that other people are doing it, so what's the big deal. My point is that I'd rather live in a society where we understand that all these things are still wrong and we should feel the weight of each of them so that it doesn't become our nature to just always pull one over on the other guy. 

Hopefully we can sidestep this particular problem and make transit a public service at no cost to the rider.  I'd happily sign up for an increase in property taxes to fund it. 

[navigator319]

These are good examples. I'm definitely not saying that I'm on the right side of every line. And I agree there is such a thing as "more wrong". Fare evasion is definitely not on the same level as breaking some other civil regulations like speeding in a school zone, or able-bodied parking in a disabled spot. My point is that it's still wrong.  And yes, some people may struggle with that and do that small wrong in order to survive. I wouldn't criticize them for doing so. 
But that's not really what we're talking about, right?  We're talking about people who could pay but choose not to, and rationalize it by saying that other people are doing it, so what's the big deal. My point is that I'd rather live in a society where we understand that all these things are still wrong and we should feel the weight of each of them so that it doesn't become our nature to just always pull one over on the other guy. 
Hopefully we can sidestep this particular problem and make transit a public service at no cost to the rider.  I'd happily sign up for an increase in property taxes to fund it. 

And that we can agree on. Just tell me when a where to show up to vote for a tax increase for rail funding. Although I have some concerns with CATS capacity to properly manage and execute the additional funds.

[Durhamite]

8 minutes ago, navigator319 said:

 

And that we can agree on. Just tell me when a where to show up to vote for a tax increase for rail funding. Although I have some concerns with CATS capacity to properly manage and then execute the additional funds.

 

My question is which "properly" managed system in the US would you put more faith in?  Then here comes the catch-22, no two systems or operational dynamics (impediments) are alike and the super star manager in the so-called properly managed system will be dealt the same hand  in this environment.  Blaming CATS is easy and with easy internet solutions.  Get the funding and hope for the best.

[Niner National]

I met with a CATS maintenance director about some work at their light rail maintenance facilities. We were just casually talking about mass transit in general during the meeting and he said the biggest challenge CATS, and other rail transit organizations encounter isn't necessarily funding, it is that people can't accept that transit systems sometimes need to be shut down for proper maintenance to occur. Instead, they constantly operate in a state where they have to rush and half ass repairs to keep everything running, or keep shutdowns to an unrealistically short period of time...then everyone wants to complain when things continue to break and they have to deal with frequent minor delays and shutdowns rather than an occasional extended shut down that is necessary for meaningful maintenance work.

[davidclt]

5 hours ago, Niner National said:

I met with a CATS maintenance director about some work at their light rail maintenance facilities. We were just casually talking about mass transit in general during the meeting and he said the biggest challenge CATS, and other rail transit organizations encounter isn't necessarily funding, it is that people can't accept that transit systems sometimes need to be shut down for proper maintenance to occur. Instead, they constantly operate in a state where they have to rush and half ass repairs to keep everything running, or keep shutdowns to an unrealistically short period of time...then everyone wants to complain when things continue to break and they have to deal with frequent minor delays and shutdowns rather than an occasional extended shut down that is necessary for meaningful maintenance work.

I would love it if CATS were transparent about what was necessary to do to get Lynx in top shape (IIRC, there was 3+ weeks of unplanned downtime in Sept - Oct 2018 were lots of additional PM could have been accomplished). Something like taking Lynx down every weekend in July maybe? What is really needed regularly? Also, are there any plans to acquire more rolling stock. We should not seen any single consists during the rush hours,

[urbanlover568]

North Carolina is one of the best states for driving

 

https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/state/north-carolina/article239481263.html

[HopHead]

1 hour ago, mpretori said:

North Carolina is one of the best states for driving

 

https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/state/north-carolina/article239481263.html

This has to be some kind of joke, right? Clearly they've never driven in either Charlotte or Raleigh. Some of the worst driving habits I've ever experienced. 

[thenewkage95]

This has to be some kind of joke, right? Clearly they've never driven in either Charlotte or Raleigh. Some of the worst driving habits I've ever experienced. 

What’s even worse is I remember less than a year ago, there was another ranking that ranked NC as one of the worst states. I wonder how these different lists get their criteria for their rankings.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Crucial_Infra]

Everyone thinks their city/state has the worst drivers.

[urbanlover568]

23 minutes ago, HopHead said:

This has to be some kind of joke, right? Clearly they've never driven in either Charlotte or Raleigh. Some of the worst driving habits I've ever experienced. 

Compared to most places I been, folks in NC know how to use their blinker 

[KJHburg]

3 hours ago, Crucial_Infra said:

Everyone thinks their city/state has the worst drivers.

Have you driven in Orlando lately?  Terrible drivers and habits but I blame foreigners and tourists for not knowing where they are going.   the Florida right turn from the far left lane is common here LOL. 

[Vitamin_N]

11 hours ago, Crucial_Infra said:

Everyone thinks their city/state has the worst drivers.

... while thinking that they're an above average driver.

[HopHead]

8 hours ago, KJHburg said:

Have you driven in Orlando lately?  Terrible drivers and habits but I blame foreigners and tourists for not knowing where they are going.   the Florida right turn from the far left lane is common here LOL. 

Yea, I've had the same experience in FL as a whole too. Maybe it's just a southeast thing. I've spent a lot of time out west and up north over the last year and it doesn't seem nearly as bad. Guess they are just more courteous speeders. Ha!

[InSouthPark]

8 hours ago, KJHburg said:

Have you driven in Orlando lately?  Terrible drivers and habits but I blame foreigners and tourists for not knowing where they are going.   the Florida right turn from the far left lane is common here LOL. 

Orlando wins hands down for worst drivers.   Dudes in their giant jacked up white F-150 going 95mph on I-4 along with foreign folks not knowing how Americans drive, to minivan moms taking their 4 kids to Disney.   Then add in the non-locals who have no idea how the tolls work.  FFS. 

[Professor]

It is impossible to make a judgement. I travel all over the country and believe that drivers everywhere stink. In Charlotte, we have a population that is 20 percent foreign and another 60 percent from another place.  I was taught to give a turn signal and use the passing lane for passing. Obviously, people that violate these rules are either not smart or from another place. 

[davidclt]

31 minutes ago, HopHead said:

Yea, I've had the same experience in FL as a whole too. Maybe it's just a southeast thing. I've spent a lot of time out west and up north over the last year and it doesn't seem nearly as bad. Guess they are just more courteous speeders. Ha!

No, drivers in the Pacific Northwest are infuriatingly awful. It's raining, SLOW DOWN! It's sunny, SLOW DOWN! It's windy, SLOW DOWN! The mountain is out, SLOW DOWN! It's a day ending in "y", SLOW DOWN!  The road is empty, get in the left lane and do the speed limit, just because. Drivers drive alongside each other for miles with the person in the left lane maintaining pace with people in lanes to the right of them with nothing in front of them. I'm not sure if it's cluelessness, sanctimony or just not caring? There is much to like about the PNW, but the drivers really are awful.

[DMann]

There is no Good News about driving!!!!

 

[CarolinaDaydreamin]

1 hour ago, DMann said:

There is no Good News about driving!!!!

 

Thats pretty good news if you don't like driving!