Historicist: "The city that nobody loves"
Elsewhere in the Ist-a-Verse
Thanks to Tim Knight (a.k.a. brokenengine) for pointing us to blogTO's post about the TTC's just-launched streetcar website: mynewstreetcar.ca.
In a similar vein to their recent call for blogs and their readers' input on redesigning the TTC's website, the TTC is asking for the public's opinion about what they could improve on streetcars for their upcoming light rapid transit system—on both old model TTC streetcars and existing LRT models from around the world. Just go to the website, browse through the pictures for either model, and click on 'em to comment on what you'd like to see improved. Or, you can click "Next Section" until you get to a page that lets you choose what new features for LRTs are most important to you, be it a lower floor, more seats, visual and audio announcements for stops, or windows that are more easy to open.
And be sure to check out their pretty sweet promotional video, too (click "video" on the bottom of the screen). Two points, TTC!
Photo by David Topping from the 69 Stations project.
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I don't know what to say. The cynic in me is speechless. In a good way.
The first change I'd suggest? A better "My New Streetcar" website! With all that crazy flash animation I found it hard to keep my attention on the task at hand. When I switched to the "non-flash" version, there are NO PICTURES. WTF?
Also, the web site says" 2021." Is that when they plan to start this project? Or when they plan to have it completed?
Agreed on the website, Gary. Linking to anything on it is impossible, which is kind of annoying.
And I'm pretty sure that 2021 is when it'll all be active and working and we will all dance around each individual LRT vehicle, like some kind of glorious TTC maypole.
OMG they copied the torontoist colors and logo! ;)
Wow, yes, it does look stunningly like the Torontoist site.
I'm amazed. It's a clean, simple site that cuts right to it. Is this really the TTC?
I love the video. The "comment of specific features of streetcars" is pretty nifty, but the typing is laggy and I would prefer flash-free.
"And I'm pretty sure that 2021 is when it'll all be active and working and we will all dance around each individual LRT vehicle, like some kind of glorious TTC maypole."
Ummm...I'll be 48. I won't be dancing around anything lest I break my hip. Does it really take 14 years to do this?!
I'll be 47. And dammit, I plan to be dancing. Cause my teenager hopefully will be at University. Or at least not in the house!
My immediate suggestions were:
More leg room - I'm 6'3" and find most of the forward-facing seats on the streetcars and buses too close to each other to sit in comfortably. The new multi-level buses are ridiculous for this, I can't sit anywhere but the side benches or the first row of raised seats.
Also, don't change the exterior of the cars, they're iconic and I don't want some sleek rounded blue thing replacing them.
the autoscroll on the images is too fast, not needed at all
kinda made me wanna vomit a little this morning
Now, let us hope that the TTC will act on what I am convinced will be a plethora of sensible, real-world, Toronto (and torontoist!) commuter suggestions, instead of doing a half-assed, partial, stop-gap, "we don't have the money or the vision" project . . .