Friday, February 15, 2013
House Bill 1011 passes in Ways and Means!
Posted by Ashley Kimmel on Fri, Feb 15, 2013 at 4:44 AM
One of my friends recently became carless, as well. After her car broke down, she decided to say "screw it" and adopt the bus-riding lifestyle. This is good news for me. It means that another car is off the road, but, more importantly, it adds a whole new level of entertainment to my life.
We now play a game we like to call "Is This Odd?"
Is This Odd? is a game played via text messages and pictures where we share our daily oddities while riding the bus.
Sometimes she will send me messages describing situations reminiscent of my first few months of experiences on the bus... things that I used to think were odd, but have now become desensitized to... things like: "A guy just got on reeking of alcohol and fell on his face. Odd?" And my response: "Nope, once a week."
Or: "My bus driver just flew right by my stop even after I pulled the 'stop requested' signal. Odd?" And my response: "Get used to it and wear walking shoes."
Or: "A flood of teenagers just got on my bus and immediately started making out in the back. Odd?" And my response: "Yes, that's definitely a new one. Ten points." And then she will send me a picture.
Or I will text her: "A guy just belched in my ear and is now moaning at me. Odd?" And she says: "Never had that happen before. Five points."
You get the idea.
Last Monday, my phone vibrated five times in a row. I looked at it to see a story from her that went like this (and I quote):
"So, I'm heading west on the 8, which is a new route for me. It's going OK, though west seems so far! We just pulled over at a bus stop where no one is getting on or off. First of all, odd? Better yet, there are two drivers on this bus, one a trainer, who got out and began throwing snowballs at the windshield!!! I realized it was because you could BARELY SEE through the layers of grime on the windshield. Is there no line item for wiper fluid at IndyGo?!?!?! Is this ODD????"
So far, she is winning the game by a landslide.
More good news for Indianapolis, though! Public transit is moving along through the House. HB-1011 passed in Ways and Means 20-2!
Transit Day at the Statehouse brought hundreds of people together to advocate and testify for dedicated funding, that will not only increase routes, options and frequency, but will also (fingers crossed) provide a couple of spare dollars for wiper fluid so that our drivers can see where they are going. Before the 25th of February, the full House will vote on the bill, then on to the (Republican-led) Senate, where things get a bit trickier.
Which brings me to wonder: "People are still against this bill even though it allows us our democratic freedom to vote on where our tax money goes. Tell me, is this odd?!?!"
More by Ashley Kimmel
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Most transit naysayers lack credibility
A lot of people opposed to the mass transit referendum have not first-hand experience with the local mass transit system.
- Mar 27, 2013
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We are still talking about HB1011
HB1011 was sent to summer study session, but why? Isn't decades of thorough study enough?
- Apr 11, 2013
- More »
