Petition: Weekend L Train Shutdowns Will Be Detrimental To Brooklyn Businesses

[Cait Sith]

Not at all.  I gave my own personal experiences when I ride the subway.  When they shut down service early due to "winter conditions" , there are barely any posters put up at any of the stations, so your comments are simply not accurate about them communicating so effectively when there are changes in the system.

 

Sometimes, those aren't planned way before snow actually happens, especially with these over-exaggerated storm forecasts we've been getting this season. When it happens, it happens. The TA is not the weather center.

[QM1to6Ave]

Anyone remembers the shuttle when they did Sandy repairs?

 

According to the people that used that(and the L), that was the best thing to happen to them. That shuttle was pretty coordinated to me....

 

In that case, I believe they had a ton of buses on hand at all times, which was hugely expensive. It's a trade-off, make the customers happy with lots of buses, or save money and piss off passengers 

Notices get put up in stations up to a week in advance of the actual disruption. Every car, every other station column, and recently a color mini map poster showing the alternatives (because just reading it was too hard apparently). I still don't understand why every time a G.O happens, people act like there was no warning.

 

I used to think the same way, but I've been in situations where I have to go somewhere at the last minute and don't have time to check the website and will take an unfamiliar line only to discover the GO after I get there. I get the emails for the lines I usually take, but sometimes I don't know which lines I will need

[Cait Sith]

In that case, I believe they had a ton of buses on hand at all times, which was hugely expensive. It's a trade-off, make the customers happy with lots of buses, or save money and piss off passengers 

Well, folks loved the G shuttle because it ran more often that G train service itself, some even wanted it to stay lol.

 

What kills me about the article posted was that there have been shutdowns for multiple weekends between Manhattan and Brooklyn along the L line, I don't know why it's such a big deal now....it's not the first time this has happened along the L line and all of a sudden, it's that detrimental? This is more of a cry from Williamsburg folks than it is from Bushwick folks. They got the J and M along with Shuttle Buses, what more could they want?

[Fresh Pond]

Not at all. I gave my own personal experiences when I ride the subway. When they shut down service early due to "winter conditions" , there are barely any posters put up at any of the stations, so your comments are simply not accurate about them communicating so effectively when there are changes in the system.

They post up the same posters every winter season talking about winter weather plans for buses, trains, and LIRR/MNRR and they stay up all winter long.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

Sometimes, those aren't planned way before snow actually happens, especially with these over-exaggerated storm forecasts we've been getting this season. When it happens, it happens. The TA is not the weather center.

I'll give you that one since those aren't always planned, but there are plenty of planned events that seem to screw up time and again.

[MTA Dude]

They said that QBL was running local last weekend. Guess what? My ran express.

[QM1to6Ave]

Well, folks loved the G shuttle because it ran more often that G train service itself, some even wanted it to stay lol.

What kills me about the article posted was that there have been shutdowns for multiple weekends between Manhattan and Brooklyn along the L line, I don't know why it's such a big deal now....it's not the first time this has happened along the L line and all of a sudden, it's that detrimental? This is more of a cry from Williamsburg folks than it is from Bushwick folks. They got the J and M along with Shuttle Buses, what more could they want?

LOL

[Wallyhorse]

Well, folks loved the G shuttle because it ran more often that G train service itself, some even wanted it to stay lol.

 

What kills me about the article posted was that there have been shutdowns for multiple weekends between Manhattan and Brooklyn along the L line, I don't know why it's such a big deal now....it's not the first time this has happened along the L line and all of a sudden, it's that detrimental? This is more of a cry from Williamsburg folks than it is from Bushwick folks. They got the J and M along with Shuttle Buses, what more could they want?

Simple: It's Spring, and they apparently do much bigger business then.  They ask it be delayed to August when many people are on vacation.

[LTA1992]

Not an excuse Wallyhorse. That's selfish. There are other ways to get there. You cannot blame the for peoples laziness and inability to always have contingency plan available when travelling.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

Simple: It's Spring, and they apparently do much bigger business then.  They ask it be delayed to August when many people are on vacation.

True. A lot of art galleries, etc. that need that foot traffic in the Spring time.  

 

Not an excuse Wallyhorse. That's selfish. There are other ways to get there. You cannot blame the for peoples laziness and inability to always have contingency plan available when travelling.

It's selfish for businesses to want to stay in business? That's a first.  That's called trying to survive and feed your family.  There are a lot people working in the boroughs that they reside in these days so many more folks staying local than in the past.

[Javier]

There was no reason to down vote his post, he has a point there.

[Fresh Pond]

So when do you propose the work gets done? In a system that never shuts down, it has to be done somehow. Someone has to take one for the team, and since ridership is lower on weekends, it'll be done then.

 

Once again, it's not like they up and decided to start construction just for the pleasure of screwing people over, they tell you about this up to a week in advance with travel alternatives.

[Cait Sith]

True. A lot of art galleries, etc. that need that foot traffic in the Spring time.  

 

It's selfish for businesses to want to stay in business? That's a first.  That's called trying to survive and feed your family.  There are a lot people working in the boroughs that they reside in these days so many more folks staying local than in the past.

 

 

Simple: It's Spring, and they apparently do much bigger business then.  They ask it be delayed to August when many people are on vacation.

 

Bear in mind...this has happened in the spring, summer and fall....for a few years now. That excuse is moot. They never complained about it before, so again, why now? If they didn't complain about it before, they sure as hell don't have a legitimate reason to complain about it now.

 

 

Also keep this in mind....this is the FIRST time since SANDY struck that they've complained about this, and the L line has had its Manhattan connection severed for many weekends....so I ask again, why now?

 

Again, moot excuses, especially since you have 4 very decent modes of alternatives to choose from with the J, M and the mass amount of shuttle buses they ALWAYS run for the L.....along with the G train. They should be glad it's not a major shutdown such as the between Jackson Heights and Manhattan, like the one they had between Bedford and Broadway Junction with service cut from Manhattan......THAT's when they should complain!

[LegoBrickBreaker101]

They said that QBL was running local last weekend. Guess what? My ran express.

What relevance does this have again?

[Via Garibaldi 8]

So when do you propose the work gets done? In a system that never shuts down, it has to be done somehow. Someone has to take one for the team, and since ridership is lower on weekends, it'll be done then.

 

Once again, it's not like they up and decided to start construction just for the pleasure of screwing people over, they tell you about this up to a week in advance with travel alternatives.

The should work with the communities involved and go from there.  Given the fact that they have a history of finishing projects WAYYYY behind schedule, I would be cautious about it being just 5 weekends as well.

 

Bear in mind...this has happened in the spring, summer and fall....for a few years now. That excuse is moot. They never complained about it before, so again, why now? If they didn't complain about it before, they sure as hell don't have a legitimate reason to complain about it now.

 

 

Also keep this in mind....this is the FIRST time since SANDY struck that they've complained about this, and the L line has had its Manhattan connection severed for many weekends....so I ask again, why now?

This should answer your question:

“When the L train closed for a number of weekends several years ago, many businesses in Williamsburg were so sorely impacted they were forced to close,” the petition said. “This closure will surely have the same devastating effect.”

 

[trainfan22]

They only way the shuttle buses would run smoothy is if they made it like Fulton Mall and had only buses use the street along the routing of the shuttle bus.

[Cait Sith]

The should work with the communities involved and go from there.  Given the fact that they have a history of finishing projects WAYYYY behind schedule, I would be cautious about it being just 5 weekends as well.

 

This should answer your question:

 

Thanks for selectively choosing things that I've said instead of acknowledging the entire post. Quite the compelling argument. I also find that to be a bunch of BS because they were never vocal about L train disruptions like that to begin with.

 

What's moronic about the entire thing is that if work doesn't get done, those people will complain. But if work actually happens, those people will complain. And if something happens because of work not BEING done, those people will complain. My main reasons as to why I don't buy that article and their complaints one bit along with the fact that it took them YEARS to be vocal about it....

[Via Garibaldi 8]

Thanks for selectively choosing things that I've said instead of acknowledging the entire post. Quite the compelling argument. I also find that to be a bunch of BS because they were never vocal about L train disruptions like that to begin with.

 

What's moronic about the entire thing is that if work doesn't get done, those people will complain. But if work actually happens, those people will complain. And if something happens because of work not BEING done, those people will complain. My main reasons as to why I don't buy that article and their complaints one bit along with the fact that it took them YEARS to be vocal about it....

What do you want me to do? You asked a question and I tried to answer it, hence why I didn't select the whole post.  Well maybe they see the economic impact that previous events had and feel the need to speak up about it.  Makes sense to me...

[MysteriousBtrain]

I'd like to see what will happen if SOMEHOW this petition is successful (which I doubt). Maybe the would be cut to running every 20-24 min north of Broadway Junction or the entire line so there could still be work done in the areas needed if the buisness owners get what they want.

[LTA1992]

True. A lot of art galleries, etc. that need that foot traffic in the Spring time.  

 

It's selfish for businesses to want to stay in business? That's a first.  That's called trying to survive and feed your family.  There are a lot people working in the boroughs that they reside in these days so many more folks staying local than in the past.

A business losing some extra business on it's busiest days is not going to put it out of business. They should try running a stand in Coney Island where whether or not you get any business depends on the weather.

 

Now THAT is difficult.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

A business losing some extra business on it's busiest days is not going to put it out of business. They should try running a stand in Coney Island where whether or not you get any business depends on the weather.

 

Now THAT is difficult.

You clearly have no idea of how some businesses operate.  Since I run part of a company, and work for myself on the side, I completely understand their gripes, as they are legitimiate.  Some businesses rely HEAVILY on the foot traffic that they receive from bus lines or subways. In some cases, it could be more than half of their revenue (keep in mind that I didn't say net income because revenue/gross income and net income are two different things).  These businesses aren't complaining just because.  I can assure you that they have more important things to do (i.e. making money as opposed to signing petitions), so if they're on the petiton, it's because they're truly concerned about their livelihood.  There are A LOT of small businesses out here, and a lot of them close up shop faster than you would think.  I run two of them so I should know.

 

If you are running a business and you don't have a lot of cash reserves on hand, it doesn't take long for you to eat into savings and have difficulty paying overhead expenses (employee salary, rent, and other expenses involved to operate a business).  5 weekends could easily kill some businesses.  There are a lot of start-ups that operate for a few years without making much of a profit, so this is indeed a big deal.

[LTA1992]

If the people before them could deal with it, they should be able to as well. Work on a line that benefits many areas between Manhattan and Canarsie should not be sidetracked for a few businesses. People before them have dealt with line closings and powered through time and time again. It's necessary. If they fail, well then natural selection has taken it's course. If they failed because their usual weekend surge was not completely available for five weekends, then they were destined to fail. If their customers really like their shops, they will find a way there. It's not like there are not alternatives available.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

If the people before them could deal with it, they should be able to as well. Work on a line that benefits many areas between Manhattan and Canarsie should not be sidetracked for a few businesses. People before them have dealt with line closings and powered through time and time again. It's necessary. If they fail, well then natural selection has taken it's course. If they failed because their usual weekend surge was not completely available for five weekends, then they were destined to fail. If their customers really like their shops, they will find a way there. It's not like there are not alternatives available.

That assessment is simply incorrect.  MANY businesses operate on very small margins and that doesn't mean they aren't successful.  You have no idea how a business operates, hence why you're saying what you're saying.  The would be wise to listen to these businesses.  More people that have jobs means more revenue for the , and all of the businesses petitoning are job creators.  They did enough damage to businesses on 2nd Avenue that they should be ashamed of themselves.  Numerous places that I used to frequent on the Upper East Side are no more thanks to the .

[Fresh Pond]

They only way the shuttle buses would run smoothy is if they made it like Fulton Mall and had only buses use the street along the routing of the shuttle bus.

The routing for the most part follows bus routes and shutting down streets just for the shuttle buses would only make it worse.

 

Take Metropolitan Av for example. It's a major truck route through the area and closing it just for buses would mean they would have to spill over into side streets.

The should work with the communities involved and go from there. Given the fact that they have a history of finishing projects WAYYYY behind schedule, I would be cautious about it being just 5 weekends as well.

 

This should answer your question:

Once again, you glossed over my post.

 

I asked WHEN it should be done, not how to go about doing it. You close a segment for construction, people complain. You don't do anything and let it crumble, people will complain. You're f**ked either way you look at it, no matter what time of the day/week you do it.

[Lance]

The routing for the most part follows bus routes and shutting down streets just for the shuttle buses would only make it worse.

 

Take Metropolitan Av for example. It's a major truck route through the area and closing it just for buses would mean they would have to spill over into side streets.

 

Once again, you glossed over my post.

 

I asked WHEN it should be done, not how to go about doing it. You close a segment for construction, people complain. You don't do anything and let it crumble, people will complain. You're f**ked either way you look at it, no matter what time of the day/week you do it.

Give it up FP. There are less headaches involved when you stop trying to communicate with brick walls.