North Central Texas Council of Governments (just one example) does not teleconference for the vast majority of the vast number of its meetings. Attending the meetings for all the important public officials, staff, advisors, etc. is a regularly scheduled exercise in helping stage a traffic jam.
It is way less fun than the rides at Six Flags next door (except for a few, who enjoy it).
Ironic that to attend Clean Air Meetings is to add to the problem that is supposedly being combatted.
Great advices. But not for the gander it appears.
There's a million excuses. It's easier to not change.
The Great Annual Transportation Meeting In August follows the same leadership model. So do the meetings for The River of Transportation. (Yep, it is River Week at the old blog. And yes, that is the label, The River of Transportation. Sounds good, but be cautious with that one. Look behind the curtain). And DART.
This leadership is all expensed to local taxpayers and lungs, so it is no problem. It is okay, they are all doing it. (Seriously, all that gas and lunch and dinner and retreating and multi-annual conference attending is expensive for some of the outcome when all some people get is a lousy postcard, not even a peek at a video tape of any of these must-have meetings. Except for the undercover video shot of DART Management ducking out of an all expense paid vacation, I mean, conference, footed by taxpayers. Wine, dancing, and all expenses paid.)
Are hearts about the goals? Is it narcissism and talking points. Vacations on the public dime all the while budget fiascos. And profits for those who profit, like transportation firms or software companies that provide software for transportation firms?
Are talking points and regurgitation of failed policy they picked up at a meeting (from ulterior motives) what matters to the vast majority of politicians? To the people of North Texas who elect some politicians? To the State Legislature?
Have you ever been stuck in the muck that is DFW traffic (or Houston, or Austin, or...). It is a huge huge mess. NCTCOG knows that. Many of us know this. Is it, are we, doing what we need to be doing? Are we so stuck in the peak rush hour type muck that we can't see out of it?
Is the current plan working? No. It will never keep up without a dramatic shift in transportation habits, especially peak travel habits.
Transportation philosophy in Texas is a failing one. It is fitting a square peg in a round hole. It is, not leading by example. It is not convenient for most people.
Transportation philosophy in Texas is a failing one. Like the political philosophy that adheres to no regulation (for corporations), no safeguards, boldly go but leave the safety net and forethought (and coastline and independent audits) out of the equation.
It has been too much about the here and now. Or progressive ideas that aint really. Well, now it has to be. We are here. We either wrap our legs around a very expensive sinking ship and keep singing, or we rethink it.
How much has social engineering over the last twenty (forty) years helped? Is it a hole being dug deeper? And deeper? Is it like bad welfare policy? Have we turned into that overturned graham cracker truck? Are the premises correct?
Barring a technological advancement (that should not be barred) that makes highways obsolete (keep that invention cat in the bag or it will cost the establishement), we have to rethink what we are being told, or are telling ourselves.
The current plans are just not sustainable but I don't think we should have to be jammed into cracker boxes to live if we do not wanna be.
Hold on a second while I watch these people being made fun of by those oh so wise. Austin Citizens for Personal Rapid Transit. Oh those wackadoos. What do they know.
I will be back.
Staging A Traffic Jam (audio) by Daniel Johns (a favorite Aussie) and Paul Mac.
a burning bridge
staging a traffic jam
intention stained upon expression
eyes the sky's darkest clouds
constipated mountains of condensation
at the start there was innocence
breaks my heart
doesn't make no sense
just start again
thats the recompense
just learning to fly
in a sense
its innocence
its my only defense
on a guilt trip
and being held hostage
I'll wrap my heart around you
I'll wrap my arms around you
falling down the stairs
see this chair
see this empty room
theres my heart
theres my open wound
'cause the end always comes too soon
just try to get by!
