Making Drivers Hate The Disabled

The Seattle Times says one of the ideas for spedning the $60 car tab fee in Seattle would be to re-design bus stops so that they deliberately block traffic every time they pick up passengers:

…sidewalks and bus stops would protrude farther so buses stop in the road lane, which blocks traffic but keeps the bus from being delayed after picking up passengers. Depending on the site, motorists might have to wait behind the bus until passengers, including those in wheelchairs, get onboard, as on newly rebuilt Dexter Avenue North.

City Councilman Tom Rasmussen says bus-travel times could be reduced as much as 20 percent if changes are made on an entire route.

No doubt it would speed up the buses, but it will make drivers hate them — especially when they see a disabled person waiting. Even though wheelchairs typically load in less than a minute — it will feel like an eternity, and you will see cars doing whatever it takes to pass that bus before it stops.

Suppose we just keep the recessed bus stops, but equip the busses with school bus-style flashing red lights attached to the left turn signal which would BY LAW require cars to immediately let them into traffic once loading is complete. Hatred disappears, buses run on schedule, everyone is happy.