MetroRiderLA

[tags]thai, thai town, thai new year, songkran, events, red line[/tags]

From Metro.net:

Feast on delicious Thai dishes, listen to traditional Thai music, shop for colorful Asian art and explore Los Angeles’ Thai Town on one of the best days to do so, Sunday, April 1, during Songkran, the annual Thai New Year festival celebration. Avoid traffic and the high-price of gas by taking the Metro Red Line to the heart of the action, all around the Hollywood/Western Metro Rail Station.

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[tags]transit, los angeles, la times, car culture, transit culture[/tags]

A 2007 Toyota Sienna on its way to downtown Happyland from Greater New Perfect. Image courtesy of Toyota.

I just finished reading the LA Times 5-day “Dust-Up” debate about traffic congestion between Ted Balaker (of the Reason Foundation) and Bart Reed (of the Transit Coalition) that we reported on last week. As the dust settled from the epic brawl it became clear to me that an important element was missing from the debate between the pro-auto juggernaut and the transit gladiator. The Banksy elephant in the room if you will. That painted elephant in the room is culture. More specifically the prevalence (and global growth) of car culture and the absence of a transit culture.

Throughout the debate Mr. Balaker insists time and time again that building an extensive transit system is wasteful because people who dont’ have to ride it don’t ride it. People prefer to drive their cars. And he’s got a point. Clearly, if no one wants to ride transit, then there’s really no point in building an extensive system. But we have to ask ourselves, why don’t people want to ride transit and why do people want to drive cars?

As with so many things, it comes down to culture.

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Here’s some mass transit fun. While leaving the Pershing Square station on the Red/Purple line today, I saw this bizarre subway route map standing next to the escalator. It took me about half a second to realize this was a prop for some upcoming movie shoot. But they did a great job designing this totally fictional system map, which is fascinating. It shows a fake non-place, with some place names from L.A. and others from Washington D.C. Oddly, they’re using the real MTA “Metro” logo though. (Sorry, my camera freaked out here.)

Take a closer look. Meet you at Jack Avenue!

On the back of the map stand was this lenticular map, three maps in one actually, depending on the angle where you stood. This one has place names from New York City. Must have cost a bundle to make this.

The Pershing Square station was playing the part of the 14th Street Station on the Green Line. Okay then. Note Metro logo at left.

At this fake newstand was the security guy, keeping a close dutiful watch on all these expensive sets…oh no, wait…Dude’s reading a magazine.

The funniest part of this was that while I was taking these pictures, a number of people stopped and looked at this map, trying to figure out what the hell it showed and where they were. “Don’t bother homez,” I told the guy, who looked stumped, “that map isn’t real.” He wouldn’t believe me. As far I know, he’s still looking for the Gold Line to City Center Plaza.

[tags]los angeles, saving la conference, brady westwater[/tags]

 
The historic Los Angeles Theatre downtown hosts a sure-to-be history-making event
Credit: Jimw via Flickr (license)

From what?

Better yet, why?

Downtown Los Angeles Neighborhood Council member and L.A. Cowboy Brady Westwater will tell you:

If you want to save Los Angeles’ history, preserve the historic character of your neighborhood, discover more about your ethnic or cultural roots or find out more about the history of your family – you need to attend the first annual SAVING LOS ANGELES Conference.

It happens Sunday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., at the Los Angeles Theatre, 615 S. Broadway, in downtown Los Angeles. 

Westwater started up a separate web site, Saving L.A., for the event. It has a list of city officials scheduled to attend. Los Angeles Transportation Headlines even gives it its own entry apart from other news items, which only emphasizes its importance.

Connecting transit service: Metro Red/Purple Line and a short walk from every local and express bus line serving downtown Los Angeles; LADOT  DASH downtown lines Downtown Discovery, E and F; Foothill Transit Silver Streak (first day of service); Gardena Municipal Bus Line 1; and Montebello Bus Line 40 (east and west).

[tags]worldchanging, servicio ejecutivo, bus[/tags]

“Paper Lobster Bus” by Ken Tanabe
Credit: Servicio Ejecutivo

This is Network brings an exhibition of artist-inspired buses to its West Los Angeles gallery, at 2130 Sawtelle Blvd., Suite 200A, with an opening reception held 4-7 p.m. Sunday, March 4.

The exhibit, “Blood, Sweat and tires” originally opened in New York City in December. It can be found on Servicio Ejecutivo, and clicking on “Sociales.” Several artists were asked to create interesting, intricate designs on cardboard buses. The site says the designs reflect the stylings of buses found in Latin America, which are colorfully decorated by their drivers.

The exhibit is on display through April 7.

Thanks to Bruce Cheung of WorldChanging Los Angeles for the tip.

Transit access: Santa Monica’s Big Blue Bus lines 4, 5 and 7; and Culver CityBus Line 6 (weekday/weekend).

A dragon float at the Golden Dragon Parade. Photo courtesy of the Chinese Chamber of Commerce of Los Angeles.

On February 24th and 25th, the Chinese Chamber of Commerce of Los Angeles brings the 108th Golden Dragon Parade and Lunar New Year Festival to Chinatown. The Golden Dragon Parade itself will take place between 2pm and 4pm on February 24th, and the festival continues throughout the day and night. Other activities include food booths, lion dancers, martial arts demonstrations, carnival games, and childrens activites. A car show will be going on all day on Saturday as well, so go down there and tell ‘em you don’t need a car in L.A.

Transit Access: The Los Angeles to Pasadena Metro Gold Line stops in Chinatown, where many events are within a block or two of the station. Metro Bus Lines 45, 76, 81, 83, 84, 90, 91, 94 and 96. DASH Lincoln Heights/Chinatown and DASH Downtown buses also serve the area.