I've just stumbled across a little article about an event organized by Lega Ambiente. The other day they formed a human chain to fortify the public transit lane on Corso Vittorio and keep cars and scooters from encroaching on it. All power to them; I would have been there had I known and in fact joined Lega Ambiente on line just afterwards. The fact that the bus lane has become a free-for-all, especially at night when cars park 3 deep in a lane where they technically shouldn't even set a wheel, is extremely annoying. It's sad that citizens have to risk getting run down to call attention to the problem. As always, one wonders why the cops don't just hand out fines, collect needed revenue and discourage rude civic behavior on a regular basis.
The other site I stumbled across is active in trying to keep the city clean: Roma Pulita (romapulita.it I believe). Well-meaning certainly, but by asking the city to clean up and not asking people to stop littering, writing and leaving dog crap they seem a bit too gentle. Their clear examples of letters to the administration inspired me however. I've decided to go on a little documentation trip one of these days with my camera and send a few hundred emails to the office of "decoro urbano" who promise to resolve any specific problems that are pointed out to them. I'll start with the official AMA (Rome trash collectors) automobile parked for days now illegally at the bus stop on Via Regnoli!
Sunday, January 29, 2006
Sunday, January 22, 2006
ELECTRIC BUSES
What could be better about the little electric buses.
These are very cool and provide a great way to interface with the historical center. Except, like most buses, they don't run on schedule so they are too crowded and too slow for real use. All it would take to make them work is to purchase enough of them to guarantee departures every 5 minutes throughout the day and every 15 minutes throughout the night. How much would that cost?
These are very cool and provide a great way to interface with the historical center. Except, like most buses, they don't run on schedule so they are too crowded and too slow for real use. All it would take to make them work is to purchase enough of them to guarantee departures every 5 minutes throughout the day and every 15 minutes throughout the night. How much would that cost?
VIA DEI FORI IMPERIALI
Ideas for re-design of Via dei Fori Imperiali with goal of maintaining public access, avoiding museification, and protecting archaeological sites.
Two extremes:
1. Close it off to traffic and extend the archaeological park of the Roman Forum as far as Trajan's Markets. The result: more Rome for tourists, less Rome for Romans. Sure, the park would be great for Romans, and probably a drag for a lot of tourists, but that's the general idea.
2. Keep it the way it is. Well, we know what that is like. Not so great. Speeding in a cab toward the Colosseum late at night or buzzing past the Forum of Caesar on a Vespa are pretty cool experiences, but pushing your way through souvenir hawkers and pickpockets along the narrow sidewalk with cars flying past is not.
My suggestion. Some excavation, some new building, keep the road, dig beneath it, bridge over it. Let cars and buses go fast, but create places for contemplation as well. Occupy the site with activity, even housing and commerce. Let new construction react to the palimpsest, be shaped by it or contrast with it according to design intention. Knit together the area from the Palatine to the Quirinale with landscape and architecture. Consider 24/7 access in different ways. Encourage responsible occupation to create a culture of observation to prevent vandalism and theft.
Two extremes:
1. Close it off to traffic and extend the archaeological park of the Roman Forum as far as Trajan's Markets. The result: more Rome for tourists, less Rome for Romans. Sure, the park would be great for Romans, and probably a drag for a lot of tourists, but that's the general idea.
2. Keep it the way it is. Well, we know what that is like. Not so great. Speeding in a cab toward the Colosseum late at night or buzzing past the Forum of Caesar on a Vespa are pretty cool experiences, but pushing your way through souvenir hawkers and pickpockets along the narrow sidewalk with cars flying past is not.
My suggestion. Some excavation, some new building, keep the road, dig beneath it, bridge over it. Let cars and buses go fast, but create places for contemplation as well. Occupy the site with activity, even housing and commerce. Let new construction react to the palimpsest, be shaped by it or contrast with it according to design intention. Knit together the area from the Palatine to the Quirinale with landscape and architecture. Consider 24/7 access in different ways. Encourage responsible occupation to create a culture of observation to prevent vandalism and theft.
BASTA DENUNCIE...RENUNCIE
Dopo varie mesi di prove, sono raggiunto a una decisione. Lascio stare i mezzi pubblici e prendo solo la macchina e il motorino quando mi devo spostare. Avevo fatto la tessera ATAC per un paio di mesi, accompagnato mio figlio a scuola con l'autobus, preso l'autobus per andare a lavoro, ma alla fine ho capito che è una scelta da cretino.
Perche? L'orario del autobus è fitizia---a volta passa, a volta si aspetta mezz'ora o prendi un taxi per la disparazione. Mi è capitato di uscire con i miei bimbi e dover tornare a casa dopo aver aspettato troppo tempo alla fermata. Colpa del traffico? Non credo, visto che è successo anche nei giorni di blocco totale del traffico.
Con la macchina è tutto piu' facile. Si parcheggia dovunque, anche sul marciapiede fuori la scuola o alla fermata dell'autobus. I vigili non fanno niente (anche se io stesso ho fatto una decina di esposti). Al limite trovo parcheggio gratuito sulle strisce pedonali o lo scivolo per i disabili. Se devo stare solo un paio di ore posso lasciare la macchina in doppia fila. A me che m'importa se si ralenta il traffico intorno, intanto non mi fanno niente. Pare che i vigili capiscono che uno cosi sfacciato da lasciare la macchina così dev'essere un pezzo grosso che non pagarebbe le multe comunque.
Durante questi mesi di prova, le segnalazioni che ho fatto a ATAC e ai Vigili Urbani non hanno mai avuto risposte, quindi posso solo pensare che questa situazione è considerata accettabile. Alla larga, mi aggiungo anch'io nel popolo dei prepotenti!
Perche? L'orario del autobus è fitizia---a volta passa, a volta si aspetta mezz'ora o prendi un taxi per la disparazione. Mi è capitato di uscire con i miei bimbi e dover tornare a casa dopo aver aspettato troppo tempo alla fermata. Colpa del traffico? Non credo, visto che è successo anche nei giorni di blocco totale del traffico.
Con la macchina è tutto piu' facile. Si parcheggia dovunque, anche sul marciapiede fuori la scuola o alla fermata dell'autobus. I vigili non fanno niente (anche se io stesso ho fatto una decina di esposti). Al limite trovo parcheggio gratuito sulle strisce pedonali o lo scivolo per i disabili. Se devo stare solo un paio di ore posso lasciare la macchina in doppia fila. A me che m'importa se si ralenta il traffico intorno, intanto non mi fanno niente. Pare che i vigili capiscono che uno cosi sfacciato da lasciare la macchina così dev'essere un pezzo grosso che non pagarebbe le multe comunque.
Durante questi mesi di prova, le segnalazioni che ho fatto a ATAC e ai Vigili Urbani non hanno mai avuto risposte, quindi posso solo pensare che questa situazione è considerata accettabile. Alla larga, mi aggiungo anch'io nel popolo dei prepotenti!
STATE OF THE CITY (old)
republished here in new format.
I would like to offer my assistance to ATAC and the Comune di Roma as an impartial observer, trying to improve the quality of life in the city of Rome.
Something must be done to reduce cars. They are literally ruining the city. A multifold plan is needed to improve public transportation and discourage the use of private cars. The best way to discourage car use is to make it consistently costly and annoying and not sexy. Warnings on car ads: "the automobile can cause the death of urban life". Extreme taxation of private cars that are not needed for specific reasons: disabled, delivery, families with children. Make parking truly difficult, not like at present where the undisciplined park wherever they want and rarely pay the consequences. Don't allow double parking even for a minute. Don't allow private cars to drive in bus lanes. Enforce the laws already on the books. [The greatest absurdity I've seen recently: emergency no parking ribbons placed in a street where it was already illegal to park claiming special pruning of trees.]
Enforcing these rules would already allow public transportation to work much better, but it also needs a dose of discipline. No elaborate solutions are necessary, although they should also be considered. The basic problem is that of scheduling. Once a rational schedule for buses, metro, trains, etc. has been determined it must be respected. It's useless to say a bus passes every 7 minutes if a user often finds himself waiting 30. Why not use the same system used to control tickets, occasional spot checks. If a driver scheduled to leave at a certain time does not, he/she pays a fine. After 3 violations they lose their job. If the problem is lack of drivers or vehicles, don't schedule departures that can't be covered. Admit that a bus only leaves every half hour, but at least have it leave at a set time.
If the problem is traffic as one often hears, the creation of bus lanes and other forms of priority for buses could help a lot. Has anyone ever considered sirens on buses? A bus packed with people should definitely not get stuck behind a jerk in a private car. But really, if the problem is traffic, the bus should still pass every x minutes, unless the traffic is very temporary. When two or three buses pass in a row and are only a few stops from the Capolinea, there is clearly something wrong with the system.
Results of this strategy? A city with much fewer cars, and thus much more space for pedestrians, especially by being able to use sidewalks without undo weaving and detouring. Now, is this really so important? Does this not lead to a sanitized way of living? I suspect that if the streets are still filled with people, bikes, kids, dogs, etc. there is no risk of overly sanitized cities.
I would like to offer my assistance to ATAC and the Comune di Roma as an impartial observer, trying to improve the quality of life in the city of Rome.
Something must be done to reduce cars. They are literally ruining the city. A multifold plan is needed to improve public transportation and discourage the use of private cars. The best way to discourage car use is to make it consistently costly and annoying and not sexy. Warnings on car ads: "the automobile can cause the death of urban life". Extreme taxation of private cars that are not needed for specific reasons: disabled, delivery, families with children. Make parking truly difficult, not like at present where the undisciplined park wherever they want and rarely pay the consequences. Don't allow double parking even for a minute. Don't allow private cars to drive in bus lanes. Enforce the laws already on the books. [The greatest absurdity I've seen recently: emergency no parking ribbons placed in a street where it was already illegal to park claiming special pruning of trees.]
Enforcing these rules would already allow public transportation to work much better, but it also needs a dose of discipline. No elaborate solutions are necessary, although they should also be considered. The basic problem is that of scheduling. Once a rational schedule for buses, metro, trains, etc. has been determined it must be respected. It's useless to say a bus passes every 7 minutes if a user often finds himself waiting 30. Why not use the same system used to control tickets, occasional spot checks. If a driver scheduled to leave at a certain time does not, he/she pays a fine. After 3 violations they lose their job. If the problem is lack of drivers or vehicles, don't schedule departures that can't be covered. Admit that a bus only leaves every half hour, but at least have it leave at a set time.
If the problem is traffic as one often hears, the creation of bus lanes and other forms of priority for buses could help a lot. Has anyone ever considered sirens on buses? A bus packed with people should definitely not get stuck behind a jerk in a private car. But really, if the problem is traffic, the bus should still pass every x minutes, unless the traffic is very temporary. When two or three buses pass in a row and are only a few stops from the Capolinea, there is clearly something wrong with the system.
Results of this strategy? A city with much fewer cars, and thus much more space for pedestrians, especially by being able to use sidewalks without undo weaving and detouring. Now, is this really so important? Does this not lead to a sanitized way of living? I suspect that if the streets are still filled with people, bikes, kids, dogs, etc. there is no risk of overly sanitized cities.
PARKING MY SCOOTER WHERE I CAN
This is from 2005, reformatted here.
A reader wrote in to Quattro Passi, the local monteverde magazine, complaining that they had been fined for parking their scooter on the sidewalk. "I've always parked it there and never before got a fine" they say.
Here's my response:
Admitting to being a repeat offender is not a great way to provoke sympathy; "officer, I've always stolen but i only got caught today".
I also received a fine that day, and with great difficulty paid it. Unlike the other reader I hadn't always parked there. In fact, I had conscientiously searched for parking elsewhere to keep the sidewalk free for pedestrians. Having to weave around motor-vehicles on the sidewalk is annoying and absurd. I've seen children almost run over by scooters speeding along the sidewalk. The masonry benches, though not so attractive, certainly will never serve their public role if scooters block access to them as they do now. In short, an attractive pedestrian refuge has become an extension of the street.
These are some of the reasons that on 14 February I filed a denuncia with the Vigili Urbani complaining about this unacceptable situation. Nothing happened for a month. Finally, I interpreted this to mean that despite what is stated in the codice della strada, parking a scooter on the sidewalk is considered okay. Why should I continue to search for non-existent scooter parking spots when everyone else just leaves theirs on the sidewalk. If I didn't park mine there (condotto a mano, at the edge of the sidewalk where when there isn't a scooter there is usually a car taking up even more pedestrian space)
That was the day the Vigili decided to pay a visit. Who knows, perhaps they waited to be able to fine the person that had the gall to ask them to do their job. Well, I will keep doing so. I've decided that until the "codice della strada" is enforced, I won't be the only fool to respect it--though I will be as civic as possible in my violations--, but as a citizen I will work to see that the law be enforced sooner or later, convinced that the city will be a better place as a result.
A reader wrote in to Quattro Passi, the local monteverde magazine, complaining that they had been fined for parking their scooter on the sidewalk. "I've always parked it there and never before got a fine" they say.
Here's my response:
Admitting to being a repeat offender is not a great way to provoke sympathy; "officer, I've always stolen but i only got caught today".
I also received a fine that day, and with great difficulty paid it. Unlike the other reader I hadn't always parked there. In fact, I had conscientiously searched for parking elsewhere to keep the sidewalk free for pedestrians. Having to weave around motor-vehicles on the sidewalk is annoying and absurd. I've seen children almost run over by scooters speeding along the sidewalk. The masonry benches, though not so attractive, certainly will never serve their public role if scooters block access to them as they do now. In short, an attractive pedestrian refuge has become an extension of the street.
These are some of the reasons that on 14 February I filed a denuncia with the Vigili Urbani complaining about this unacceptable situation. Nothing happened for a month. Finally, I interpreted this to mean that despite what is stated in the codice della strada, parking a scooter on the sidewalk is considered okay. Why should I continue to search for non-existent scooter parking spots when everyone else just leaves theirs on the sidewalk. If I didn't park mine there (condotto a mano, at the edge of the sidewalk where when there isn't a scooter there is usually a car taking up even more pedestrian space)
That was the day the Vigili decided to pay a visit. Who knows, perhaps they waited to be able to fine the person that had the gall to ask them to do their job. Well, I will keep doing so. I've decided that until the "codice della strada" is enforced, I won't be the only fool to respect it--though I will be as civic as possible in my violations--, but as a citizen I will work to see that the law be enforced sooner or later, convinced that the city will be a better place as a result.
Blocco Totale del Traffico
Oggi c'e' stato il blocco del traffico, ma non piu' totale. Yesterday there was a "traffice free day" but it wasn't totally free of traffic. Why is this just a "preso in giro" (untranslatable at the moment)?
I love the idea of a day when no cars circulate in the city. Clean air, quiet, safe streets, no fear for the kids getting run over, all very tempting once in a while. Of course it can only happen an occasional Sunday when no one really has to take a car anywhere and it is unlikely to have any significant long term effect on the environment if people just anticipate or postpone their car trips around it. The only real advantage is to expose citizens to the joys of car-free city living.
But Rome has once again blown the opportunity out of carelessness.
1. Making exceptions for Euro 4 and other less-polluting vehicles means that instead of experiencing a wonderful car-free city people watch the city taken over by the "lucky" few who have new cars. The message is clear: I better get a new car too. This won't mean better cars but more cars on the road since I will sell my slightly older car to someone else or keep it as an extra car. Rome, we know, is already bursting with cars so more "clean" cars will jam up the streets making more "dirty" cars drive longer, idle more, etc.
2. A relatively traffic-free day is a great opportunity to convince people of the benefits of public transportation. Normally hostage to crowded streets and thus slow and unpredictable, on such days there is no excuse for buses not to run like clockwork. Since people are essentially forced to take public transportation on these days you would expect the system to be beefed up significantly, bringing in more money and showing people who normally sit for hours in traffic or circle endlessly looking for parking the joys of hopping on a bus and arriving at a central location painlessly. But, no, the Sunday schedule stays in effect and buses are as rare as ever. The message learned is that you should have just stayed home until this blocco totale was over and then started up your car again.
I love the idea of a day when no cars circulate in the city. Clean air, quiet, safe streets, no fear for the kids getting run over, all very tempting once in a while. Of course it can only happen an occasional Sunday when no one really has to take a car anywhere and it is unlikely to have any significant long term effect on the environment if people just anticipate or postpone their car trips around it. The only real advantage is to expose citizens to the joys of car-free city living.
But Rome has once again blown the opportunity out of carelessness.
1. Making exceptions for Euro 4 and other less-polluting vehicles means that instead of experiencing a wonderful car-free city people watch the city taken over by the "lucky" few who have new cars. The message is clear: I better get a new car too. This won't mean better cars but more cars on the road since I will sell my slightly older car to someone else or keep it as an extra car. Rome, we know, is already bursting with cars so more "clean" cars will jam up the streets making more "dirty" cars drive longer, idle more, etc.
2. A relatively traffic-free day is a great opportunity to convince people of the benefits of public transportation. Normally hostage to crowded streets and thus slow and unpredictable, on such days there is no excuse for buses not to run like clockwork. Since people are essentially forced to take public transportation on these days you would expect the system to be beefed up significantly, bringing in more money and showing people who normally sit for hours in traffic or circle endlessly looking for parking the joys of hopping on a bus and arriving at a central location painlessly. But, no, the Sunday schedule stays in effect and buses are as rare as ever. The message learned is that you should have just stayed home until this blocco totale was over and then started up your car again.
Title: Getting it off my back
Abstract: The role of this blog is to liberate myself of the frustrations of living in a marvelous but imperfect city. This entry sets the stage.
Body: Don't get me wrong, living in Rome is a dream which I wouldn't trade for anything. But after about 15 years here, the little things get on your nerves. It might be a beautiful day and I head out of my apartment, ready to make the most of it, riding my Vespa down from the hill where I live to the historical center where I work, blessed with a magical view of domes and rooftops from the Janiculum hill. But by the time I park near Piazza Farnese I'm in a bad mood thanks to all those little things. Dog shit and litter on the street, scooters and cars parked on the sidewalk, cars double and triple parked along the Janiculum, illegal parking attendants helping cars illegally park, cars parked in the scooter parking spaces, traffic police ignoring all of the above, bad air resulting from the traffic, public buses slowed to snail's pace because of traffic, pedestrian zones overflowing with cars and scooters, and I'm trying to solve the problems of the world's greatest city on my way to work. I've called the "vigili" (Rome's traffic police) on many occasions, and once got the satisfaction of watching a car belonging to a city politician towed from the sidewalk outside my son's school. I've sent faxes and letters. I've written offers to the mayor with ideas to better the city. I've reached out. I've tried to suggest politely to driver's to leave the crosswalks free for pedestrians. But in the end, I still start my day angry because of all these little things.
So this blog is meant as therapy and brainstorming, a place to put down observations and ideas about this city's big little problems get the frustration out. Enjoy, and send suggestions.
Body: Don't get me wrong, living in Rome is a dream which I wouldn't trade for anything. But after about 15 years here, the little things get on your nerves. It might be a beautiful day and I head out of my apartment, ready to make the most of it, riding my Vespa down from the hill where I live to the historical center where I work, blessed with a magical view of domes and rooftops from the Janiculum hill. But by the time I park near Piazza Farnese I'm in a bad mood thanks to all those little things. Dog shit and litter on the street, scooters and cars parked on the sidewalk, cars double and triple parked along the Janiculum, illegal parking attendants helping cars illegally park, cars parked in the scooter parking spaces, traffic police ignoring all of the above, bad air resulting from the traffic, public buses slowed to snail's pace because of traffic, pedestrian zones overflowing with cars and scooters, and I'm trying to solve the problems of the world's greatest city on my way to work. I've called the "vigili" (Rome's traffic police) on many occasions, and once got the satisfaction of watching a car belonging to a city politician towed from the sidewalk outside my son's school. I've sent faxes and letters. I've written offers to the mayor with ideas to better the city. I've reached out. I've tried to suggest politely to driver's to leave the crosswalks free for pedestrians. But in the end, I still start my day angry because of all these little things.
So this blog is meant as therapy and brainstorming, a place to put down observations and ideas about this city's big little problems get the frustration out. Enjoy, and send suggestions.
Scuola Crispi
Title: Access to the Scuola Crispi
Abstract: There has to be a better way to get kids to and from school.
Body: Firstly, I think driving to school in a city like Rome is as absurd as driving to work. Most schools should be within a ten minute walk of homes which would keep them human scaled, and if not, frequent public buses should shorten the commute. This is clearly not the case at my son's school. We gave up taking the bus there when they changed the route so it stops farther from the school. Thanks to the route change of the 75, which must have been the work of a true madman, to come home by bus we would first wait standing for it to work its way through the traffic jam of cars picking up kids, then go about 200 meters to the end of the line and wait again for the next bus to leave. Instead of enforcing the corsia preferenziale which was constantly blocked by double parked cars, the city gave up and moved the bus to a road with no bus lane.
The other problem at my son's school is the lack of organization or consideration when the kids leave at the end of the day. Of the three gates to the street only one is open. Parents (and grandparents and siblings, etc.) cram through this to get as close as possible to the door kids emerge from and then stop there waiting, hiding from view the kids as they leave. The danger of actually getting crushed to death is probably not so great as the problem of a parent and child both waiting pointlessly because they can't see each other, and then pushing their way through the crowd to get out.
Why this situation? Why don't parents simply stand further from the door, widening the circle so that everyone can see? We're not talking about rocket science here guys.
Abstract: There has to be a better way to get kids to and from school.
Body: Firstly, I think driving to school in a city like Rome is as absurd as driving to work. Most schools should be within a ten minute walk of homes which would keep them human scaled, and if not, frequent public buses should shorten the commute. This is clearly not the case at my son's school. We gave up taking the bus there when they changed the route so it stops farther from the school. Thanks to the route change of the 75, which must have been the work of a true madman, to come home by bus we would first wait standing for it to work its way through the traffic jam of cars picking up kids, then go about 200 meters to the end of the line and wait again for the next bus to leave. Instead of enforcing the corsia preferenziale which was constantly blocked by double parked cars, the city gave up and moved the bus to a road with no bus lane.
The other problem at my son's school is the lack of organization or consideration when the kids leave at the end of the day. Of the three gates to the street only one is open. Parents (and grandparents and siblings, etc.) cram through this to get as close as possible to the door kids emerge from and then stop there waiting, hiding from view the kids as they leave. The danger of actually getting crushed to death is probably not so great as the problem of a parent and child both waiting pointlessly because they can't see each other, and then pushing their way through the crowd to get out.
Why this situation? Why don't parents simply stand further from the door, widening the circle so that everyone can see? We're not talking about rocket science here guys.
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