Kansas City things

[The Big Train]

Not if they are homeless

[DQ12]

i don't know if that's an overriding concern with anyone that i've discussed the streetcar with

I've heard it at least a dozen times.... Usually the conversation is around how much is that going to cost me to ride... I say it's free... Response... Oh great homeless will ride it all day. 

my gripe is that I think that if there truly is a need for accessible public transport in downtown, a bus system would be much more effective.

disclaimer: I ride in a bus every day.

[pissclams]

i have no desire to do something to solve what drives them to beg.  i'll work on me, they can work on themselves, seems like a pretty fair deal.  moving beggers to less affluent, tourist frequented or population dense places gets them out of my neighborhood, that's the good it does.  i'd bet legislation would get drafted pretty damn quickly if they decided to camp out on every corner of mission hills. or any development out in OP/leawood. those people wouldn't deal with it and i shouldn't have to.

You're not wrong, just a bit of a NIMBYSC

i see the same dudes sitting in the same places every single day.  several times a day.  then you got the guy playing the flute, the guy playing the trumpet, the dad and daughter (him drumming, her singing), the myriad of magicians, several guitarists, a saxophone or two.  my sidewalks become a carnival on warm weather weekends.  the neighborhood that i live in is  much more than a shopping center and it will be here long after forever 21 closes, and it depends on people like myself investing our time and money in it.

Today I learned that 'clams is the biggest bad person on this blog.

Really? Complaining about performers on the plaza? Isn't that the point of urban centers?

there are street performers and there are people who picked up a flute from the pawn shop on the way down to the plaza.
but if you think i'm an bad person, i'll allow you to think that.

[KCFDcat]

i have no desire to do something to solve what drives them to beg.  i'll work on me, they can work on themselves, seems like a pretty fair deal.  moving beggers to less affluent, tourist frequented or population dense places gets them out of my neighborhood, that's the good it does.  i'd bet legislation would get drafted pretty damn quickly if they decided to camp out on every corner of mission hills. or any development out in OP/leawood. those people wouldn't deal with it and i shouldn't have to.

You're not wrong, just a bit of a NIMBYSC

i see the same dudes sitting in the same places every single day.  several times a day.  then you got the guy playing the flute, the guy playing the trumpet, the dad and daughter (him drumming, her singing), the myriad of magicians, several guitarists, a saxophone or two.  my sidewalks become a carnival on warm weather weekends.  the neighborhood that i live in is  much more than a shopping center and it will be here long after forever 21 closes, and it depends on people like myself investing our time and money in it.

Today I learned that 'clams is the biggest bad person on this blog.

Really? Complaining about performers on the plaza? Isn't that the point of urban centers?

there are street performers and there are people who picked up a flute from the pawn shop on the way down to the plaza.
but if you think i'm an bad person, i'll allow you to think that.

I mean, if you hate that crap, don't live on the plaza.

As you said "they're gonna work on them, and you're gonna work on you" why should they be concerned how their actions affect you?

[420seriouscat69]

Wait, I thought 'Clams was in college?

[DQ12]

Wait, I thought 'Clams was in college?

please don't ruin this blog's kayfabe

[pissclams]

i have no desire to do something to solve what drives them to beg.  i'll work on me, they can work on themselves, seems like a pretty fair deal.  moving beggers to less affluent, tourist frequented or population dense places gets them out of my neighborhood, that's the good it does.  i'd bet legislation would get drafted pretty damn quickly if they decided to camp out on every corner of mission hills. or any development out in OP/leawood. those people wouldn't deal with it and i shouldn't have to.

You're not wrong, just a bit of a NIMBYSC

i see the same dudes sitting in the same places every single day.  several times a day.  then you got the guy playing the flute, the guy playing the trumpet, the dad and daughter (him drumming, her singing), the myriad of magicians, several guitarists, a saxophone or two.  my sidewalks become a carnival on warm weather weekends.  the neighborhood that i live in is  much more than a shopping center and it will be here long after forever 21 closes, and it depends on people like myself investing our time and money in it.

Today I learned that 'clams is the biggest bad person on this blog.

Really? Complaining about performers on the plaza? Isn't that the point of urban centers?

there are street performers and there are people who picked up a flute from the pawn shop on the way down to the plaza.
but if you think i'm an bad person, i'll allow you to think that.

I mean, if you hate that crap, don't live on the plaza.

As you said "they're gonna work on them, and you're gonna work on you" why should they be concerned how their actions affect you?

i'll live where i want to, urban planner guy.
by the way, when was the last time you offered to let these "street performers" into your venue to entertain your clientele?
because i get to listen to homeless joe work his way through the barry manilow discography on his saxophone a whole lot.
are you a sucker for card tricks?  because i'm sure your customers are, and they'd love to empty their pockets every day while sipping on ice cold microbrews.

[8manpick]

Hmm, didn't realize these people were entering businesses and residences to do their panhandling

[KCFDcat]

i have no desire to do something to solve what drives them to beg.  i'll work on me, they can work on themselves, seems like a pretty fair deal.  moving beggers to less affluent, tourist frequented or population dense places gets them out of my neighborhood, that's the good it does.  i'd bet legislation would get drafted pretty damn quickly if they decided to camp out on every corner of mission hills. or any development out in OP/leawood. those people wouldn't deal with it and i shouldn't have to.

You're not wrong, just a bit of a NIMBYSC

i see the same dudes sitting in the same places every single day.  several times a day.  then you got the guy playing the flute, the guy playing the trumpet, the dad and daughter (him drumming, her singing), the myriad of magicians, several guitarists, a saxophone or two.  my sidewalks become a carnival on warm weather weekends.  the neighborhood that i live in is  much more than a shopping center and it will be here long after forever 21 closes, and it depends on people like myself investing our time and money in it.

Today I learned that 'clams is the biggest bad person on this blog.

Really? Complaining about performers on the plaza? Isn't that the point of urban centers?

there are street performers and there are people who picked up a flute from the pawn shop on the way down to the plaza.
but if you think i'm an bad person, i'll allow you to think that.

I mean, if you hate that crap, don't live on the plaza.

As you said "they're gonna work on them, and you're gonna work on you" why should they be concerned how their actions affect you?

i'll live where i want to, urban planner guy.
by the way, when was the last time you offered to let these "street performers" into your venue to entertain your clientele?
because i get to listen to homeless joe work his way through the barry manilow discography on his saxophone a whole lot.
are you a sucker for card tricks?  because i'm sure your customers are, and they'd love to empty their pockets every day while sipping on ice cold microbrews.

Haha I'd imagine if someone wanted to play the sax out front I couldn't do much to stop them, nor would I want to, unless they were harassing people.

I can understand why it's annoying. I lived on the plaza for two years and loved seeing all that stuff. Just my opinion.

[mocat]

i don't know if that's an overriding concern with anyone that i've discussed the streetcar with

I've heard it at least a dozen times.... Usually the conversation is around how much is that going to cost me to ride... I say it's free... Response... Oh great homeless will ride it all day. 

my gripe is that I think that if there truly is a need for accessible public transport in downtown, a bus system would be much more effective.

disclaimer: I ride in a bus every day.

there already is a bus system

[pissclams]

as it relates to the actual street performers, i really have no problem with them at all.  there are several areas where bands are allowed to set up, and they play and you can tell the practice, etc.
i just feel like a good number of them are panhandling under the guise of "learning their art"
and the shell game and follow the card guys, i mean, wtf.

[DQ12]

i don't know if that's an overriding concern with anyone that i've discussed the streetcar with

I've heard it at least a dozen times.... Usually the conversation is around how much is that going to cost me to ride... I say it's free... Response... Oh great homeless will ride it all day. 

my gripe is that I think that if there truly is a need for accessible public transport in downtown, a bus system would be much more effective.

disclaimer: I ride in a bus every day.

there already is a bus system

Remind me why a streetcar is beneficial then?

[CNS]

It would be awesome if kc had more true buskers

[pissclams]

It would be awesome if kc had more true buskers

in spain they have gypsies everywhere and the rub plants on you and try to sell them to you.  very annoying and gross.

[CNS]

That's not a busker

[Phil Titola]

i don't know if that's an overriding concern with anyone that i've discussed the streetcar with

I've heard it at least a dozen times.... Usually the conversation is around how much is that going to cost me to ride... I say it's free... Response... Oh great homeless will ride it all day. 

my gripe is that I think that if there truly is a need for accessible public transport in downtown, a bus system would be much more effective.

disclaimer: I ride in a bus every day.

there already is a bus system

Remind me why a streetcar is beneficial then?

Fixed rail drives and focuses development. It is a starter line for a bigger system including commuter rail. It doesn't have the stigma buses have (I hate that one but it's true)

[mocat]

i don't know if that's an overriding concern with anyone that i've discussed the streetcar with

I've heard it at least a dozen times.... Usually the conversation is around how much is that going to cost me to ride... I say it's free... Response... Oh great homeless will ride it all day. 

my gripe is that I think that if there truly is a need for accessible public transport in downtown, a bus system would be much more effective.

disclaimer: I ride in a bus every day.

there already is a bus system

Remind me why a streetcar is beneficial then?

well i think there are several benefits to having another means of transportation.
1. it's free to ride
2. the bus route that operates on the streetcar route (the MAX) is always extremely full. (i take it to work every day when it's not crazy cold out, although i have this week and it's still packed)
3. the streetcar will run late at night, unlike the bus
4. this does not benefit me (the midtown resident), but i think it will be great for visitors to downtown, who want to get from crown center to pnl / river market. people from out of town do not use the bus.
5. river market to crown center (and eventually to midtown) is and always will be the densest part of kc; makes sense to have a permanent option in addition to the bus.

[8manpick]

Drives and focuses development sounds like buzzword propaganda

[DQ12]

Remind me why a streetcar is beneficial then?

well i think there are several benefits to having another means of transportation.
1. it's free to ride
2. the bus route that operates on the streetcar route (the MAX) is always extremely full. (i take it to work every day when it's not crazy cold out, although i have this week and it's still packed)
3. the streetcar will run late at night, unlike the bus
4. this does not benefit me (the midtown resident), but i think it will be great for visitors to downtown, who want to get from crown center to pnl / river market. people from out of town do not use the bus.
5. river market to crown center (and eventually to midtown) is and always will be the densest part of kc; makes sense to have a permanent option in addition to the bus.

Just spitballing here, but couldn't you just add more busses to the busiest routes?  Or add more routes?

[mocat]

Drives and focuses development sounds like buzzword propaganda

here's one of many examples suggesting otherwise

http://www.kansascity.com/news/business/development/article57020493.html

[8manpick]

i don't know if that's an overriding concern with anyone that i've discussed the streetcar with

I've heard it at least a dozen times.... Usually the conversation is around how much is that going to cost me to ride... I say it's free... Response... Oh great homeless will ride it all day. 

my gripe is that I think that if there truly is a need for accessible public transport in downtown, a bus system would be much more effective.

disclaimer: I ride in a bus every day.

there already is a bus system

Remind me why a streetcar is beneficial then?

2. the bus route that operates on the streetcar route (the MAX) is always extremely full. (i take it to work every day when it's not crazy cold out, although i have this week and it's still packed)
3. the streetcar will run late at night, unlike the bus

Idea: more frequent buses and extended hours

[mocat]

i don't know if that's an overriding concern with anyone that i've discussed the streetcar with

I've heard it at least a dozen times.... Usually the conversation is around how much is that going to cost me to ride... I say it's free... Response... Oh great homeless will ride it all day. 

my gripe is that I think that if there truly is a need for accessible public transport in downtown, a bus system would be much more effective.

disclaimer: I ride in a bus every day.

there already is a bus system

Remind me why a streetcar is beneficial then?

2. the bus route that operates on the streetcar route (the MAX) is always extremely full. (i take it to work every day when it's not crazy cold out, although i have this week and it's still packed)
3. the streetcar will run late at night, unlike the bus

Idea: more frequent buses and extended hours

great idea 8mp. they should also make it free to ride and then not make it a bus so that out of town people will use it, and developers will want to develop properties around it.*

[mocat]

*with temporary property tax abatement incentives, of course 

[8manpick]

Why do you think the free streetcar won't have the same stigma that Kansas Citians seem to have with buses?

[mocat]

Why do you think the free streetcar won't have the same stigma that Kansas Citians seem to have with buses?

not kansas citians (as i said earlier the MAX is maxed out).

and no i don't think it will. do you?