Why people with a choice, avoid mass transit in certain cities.

[Danno 1,228]

Urine detection system installed in Atlanta transit station elevator

ATLANTA —

The city of Atlanta is looking to clean up the image, and the odor, of its transit system.

Many of its elevators have doubled as restrooms and smell like it. That's about to change with first-of-its-kind technology which catches "offenders" literally -- with their pants down.

"The smell hits you so bad. You hold your breath just to hurry up and get off the elevator," said Alicia Porter, a rider on a Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) train.

MARTA elevators have a smelly reputation. To get to the train, you often have to ride in a urinal first.

"If you've ever been in a Porta Potty, that's what it smelled like before," said MARTADirector of Elevators/Escalators Tom Beebe.

Beebe is working to clean up the image and the odor of MARTA elevators by launching a pilot program in an elevator in one of the Midtown stations. They asked local media to not say which one.

There are 111 elevators in the system. Beebe said they were having problems here every day. But not anymore.

"If somebody was to urinate in here, there's going to be a splash factor. It would splash and it would sense," Beebe said.

It's a urine detection device, called UDD. If a person relieves her or himself , the sensors sound the alarm and the MARTA police will be there in seconds to catch the offender in the act. There is also better lighting and a camera catching all the action. The pilot program has been in place for a month, and that daily problem dropped to one incident, in which an arrest was made. Next month, MARTA will begin installing sensors in other elevators, with the goal to have them in all 111.

It's going to cost MARTA about $10,000 to outfit each elevator with the urine detection device. This week, they also reopened restrooms at four stations, so they hope that will help with the problem.

http://www.ajc.com/news/news/marta-installs-urine-detection-systems-elevator/ncPgH/

[lostinblue 1,989]

Between that and the polar bear hunting most people would rather not be there.

[Darnell 8,478]

Bonus points to Atlanta, for not utilising any Chinese-made components in the UDD gear.

[Danno 1,228]

THey might have saved a few bucks by putting 5 gal. bucketts in there instead. Could have given them a fancy name too.

Defecation station.

[Peikko 1,575]

Only in America are mass transportation systems seen as a menace, a second class way of getting about, a poor choice. The rest of the world not only recognises the value of the system for everyone regardless of class and status, but put the effort into making it a pleasant and safe experience. Well done US, leading the way again

[Danno 1,228]

Only in America are mass transportation systems seen as a menace, a second class way of getting about, a poor choice. The rest of the world not only recognises the value of the system for everyone regardless of class and status, but put the effort into making it a pleasant and safe experience. Well done US, leading the way again

Lets not speak too broadly.

For many people, driving is not an option due to

-Cost of petro

-Availability of cars

-local zoning efforts to prevent driving.

So to boast of European or Asian willingness toward mass transist is not really fair, if they had the opportunity to drive to work, many would.

In some countries mass transit is a pleasant experience, I don't recall smelling urine or ####### in St. Petersburg or the Netherlands.

Even in the USA, people in seattle seem to enjoy mass transit while a rider in Chicago might opt-out after one or two bad or unsafe incidents.

Even so, Seattle is not without their problems as this story from the other day shows.

http://youtu.be/qP6gGjuNRnc

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Only in America are mass transportation systems seen as a menace, a second class way of getting about, a poor choice. The rest of the world not only recognises the value of the system for everyone regardless of class and status, but put the effort into making it a pleasant and safe experience. Well done US, leading the way again

The US gave up leading 30 years ago.

Edited December 22, 2013 by Mr. Big Dog

[Peikko 1,575]

Lets not speak too broadly.

For many people, driving is not an option due to

-Cost of petro

-Availability of cars

-local zoning efforts to prevent driving.

So to boast of European or Asian willingness toward mass transist is not really fair, if they had the opportunity to drive to work, many would.

In some countries mass transit is a pleasant experience, I don't recall smelling urine or ####### in St. Petersburg or the Netherlands.

Even in the USA, people in seattle seem to enjoy mass transit while a rider in Chicago might opt-out after one or two bad or unsafe incidents.

Even so, Seattle is not without their problems as this story from the other day shows.

http://youtu.be/qP6gGjuNRnc

You are wrong the most people outside of the US who use mass transportation do so because of lack of choice. Most UK citizens own a car and many, many leave the car at home when commuting, or going to town to shop etc. When I lived in the UK I would frequently choose mass transport and leave my car at home by choice. Mass transport is mostly cheap, is mostly quick, is mostly clean because the attitude of everyone is, it's a good option whoever you are.

As to the rest, of course it's a more pleasant experience, all classes use the system, it's not seen as a poor man's choice or a second class choice but a positive choice because it's the BETTER way to get to the destination.

[Sousuke 1,214]

I choose mass transit when I want a drink or I know parking is a pain. I did purposely choose to live near a bart station for easy access.

When time is an issue I prefer a car. Most cities here and abroad purposely make mass transit slightly cheaper.

[Karee 4,190]

People are increasingly making the choice to either live near where they work, or live near some type of decent mass transit. Who wants to sit in traffic for 3 hours every day?

You can also thank the auto industry for doing everything in their power to stifle public transport for years. Interesting read about that here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Motors_streetcar_conspiracy

How about high speed rail? Seems like Texas would be a perfect place for that with 3 of the top 10 cities in regards to population in the U.S. Unfortunately, Southwest Airlines and their lobbyists made sure that didn't happen.

In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Southwest lobbied against a proposed high-speed train between Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio, since studies showed that the train would require government subsidies of close to $100 per passenger. Since all of Southwest's fares between those cities were well below $100, the company claimed that with the same subsidy, it could fly everyone in those markets for nothing. Although a contract to build the train was awarded to Texas TGV, the company was unable to raise even a fraction of the start-up funds it required, and it ultimately defaulted on its contract. The project remains "on hold" indefinitely

http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/eps01

Try having a car in Manhattan where the parking is $100s of dollars a month.

Cars should be a luxury, not a necessity.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Lets not speak too broadly.

For many people, driving is not an option due to

-Cost of petro

-Availability of cars

-local zoning efforts to prevent driving.

So to boast of European or Asian willingness toward mass transist is not really fair, if they had the opportunity to drive to work, many would.

In some countries mass transit is a pleasant experience, I don't recall smelling urine or ####### in St. Petersburg or the Netherlands.

Even in the USA, people in seattle seem to enjoy mass transit while a rider in Chicago might opt-out after one or two bad or unsafe incidents.

Even so, Seattle is not without their problems as this story from the other day shows.

Millions of people commute to London everyday. There's an obvious reason they don't drive - and it's none of the ones you suggested.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

You are wrong the most people outside of the US who use mass transportation do so because of lack of choice.

Spot on! Whenever I visit home, I do have the choice of taking the car or taking public transport going into the city. I use public transport for it gets me closer to where I want to go faster. And it is much, much more relaxing. It's funny how those that have never lived where public transport is done right want to pretend to be some kind of expert on public transport. Same with health care, by the way.

Edited December 22, 2013 by Mr. Big Dog

[Danno 1,228]

Millions of people commute to London everyday. There's an obvious reason they don't drive - and it's none of the ones you suggested.

Well don't stop now, itemize the reasons people don't drive in London.

[Danno 1,228]

Spot on! Whenever I visit home, I do have the choice of taking the car or taking public transport going into the city. I use public transport for it gets me closer to where I want to go faster. And it is much, much more relaxing. It's funny how those that have never lived where public transport is done right want to pretend to be some kind of expert on public transport. Same with health care, by the way.

You are assuming some dismiss public transport on the whole, that is not the case with me.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Well don't stop now, itemize the reasons people don't drive in London.

Convenience and practicality. Obviously.

The only people who drive in the city are taxi drivers, delivery good drivers and the super rich.