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.

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Ron: Like it or not, Seattle still loves cars