SEATTLE NEWS ARCHIVES & FEATURES

Ron: Like it or not, Seattle still loves cars

Jul 20, 2017, 4:36 PM | Updated: Jul 21, 2017, 2:19 pm

Seattle parking, seattle parking rates, window stickers...

(KIRO 7)

(KIRO 7)

WHAT ARE WE TALKING ABOUT HERE — People in Seattle still like to use their cars. There, I said it.

I know there are those who want nothing more than to shoe horn Pacific Northwestners into light rail or bike shorts, but the fact remains that most people still prefer to get in their automobile and drive to where they need to be.

In a place that seems to clamor to see how quickly they can spend tax dollars on services for any group that might vote for them, the City of Seattle now ranks in the top five cities in America for most time spent looking for parking.

The average is 58 hours — 58 hours!

RELATED: Seattle Mayor Murray is pulling all the levers of distraction

What are we talking about here? In 58 hours you could drive straight to New York City and be a third of way back to the West Coast.

Come on!

And while we’re in our cars, let’s talk about traffic lights.

Pretty simple, yes? Red, green, yellow. Been around for years.

Are you telling me that 200 feet away from a company that has programmed a device that can listen to you talk (Amazon), understand English, and deliver you diapers in under two hours, the City of Seattle can’t find a programmer to optimize a few traffic lights?

What are we talking about here?

Services for the citizens come in all sizes. Yes, many people are in dire straits and need some serious intervention. But the vast majority of people just need for things to work. Fix a pothole and a sidewalk, create more parking spaces, time the traffic lights.

Quit gouging me. I’m more than willing to carry my share of the road, but I deserve some services too.

WHAT ARE WE TALKING ABOUT HERE airs every day on the Ron and Don Show at 4:50 and 6:50 p.m.

An air tanker drops retardant while battling the Bench fire on Saturday, July 25, 2026, in Jefferso...

Associated Press

Fast-moving wildfires burn in central Oregon, in photos

Wind-driven wildfires burned across central Oregon, where firefighters worked to contain fast-moving flames threatening nearby communities. ___ This is a photo gallery curated by AP photo editors.

39 minutes ago

Longview fire air quality...

Frank Lenzi

Massive scrap pile fire in Longview triggers air quality warning; residents urged to stay indoors

A large scrap pile fire at PNW Metals in Longview sent a massive plume of smoke into the sky Saturday, prompting fire officials to issue an air quality warning urging nearby residents to stay indoors. The Longview Fire Department and Cowlitz 2 Fire & Rescue were on scene as of Saturday afternoon and anticipated remaining […]

1 hour ago

world cup hotel bookings...

Tom Brock

Unauthorized parachutists caught on video jumping from Space Needle

Tourists at Seattle's Space Needle got a little more than the view they expected Friday, when two men parachuted off the iconic structure's Observation Deck.

4 hours ago

FILE - The United States Court of International Trade is seen in front of the Jacob K. Javits Feder...

Associated Press

Small businesses file lawsuits against Trump’s new sweeping tariffs

NEW YORK (AP) — Trump’s tariffs are headed to court — again. Two lawsuits filed by small businesses are challenging Trump’s sweeping tariffs announced Thursday that impose double-digit levies on 60 trading partners. The tariffs, implemented under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 for what the Trump administration says is countries’ failure to […]

8 hours ago

Beach goers watch during the the 46th Annual California Surf Lifesaving Championships on Will Roger...

Associated Press

Heat dome expands across the central United States, creating dangerous conditions for millions

WASHINGTON (AP) — Dangerously hot weather will expand across much of the central United States this weekend and into next week, pushing temperatures above 100 degrees Fahrenheit (37.8 degrees Celsius) from Dallas to North Dakota with roughly 70 million people facing heat advisories. A heat dome, where atmospheric conditions trap heat, will create sustained high […]

9 hours ago

courthouse escapee snohomish county...

KIRO 7 News Staff

Deputies looking for Snohomish County courthouse escapee

The Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office is looking for a 39-year-old who escaped the courthouse Friday afternoon when a judge told him he would be taken into custody.

9 hours ago

Ron: Like it or not, Seattle still loves cars