Triathlon Refuses to Learn

Shawn on September 09, 2007, at 08:31AM – #1

Just to be clear your friend can't get out of the building, she can't get her car out of the building, or both?

Either way that would suck if you had plans. It's too bad that the word didn't get out to everyone. I'm a little surprised to hear that because I knew about the closures and I don't even live downtown. They were published in the LA Times yesterday.

Who's dropping the ball? The race organizers? The city? Or the building owners? I'm gonna say that it's the city that should be putting up signs since technically it is the city that is closing the streets.

Bert Green on September 09, 2007, at 08:40AM – #2

As with any mitigation, there has to be a clear plan for allowing people access to and from their homes. The event organizers may have provided notification, but they must also provide access, both by foot and by car, and access for emergency vehicles. To not do so is incompetence, as Eric states.

Jordan on September 09, 2007, at 09:11AM – #3

I'm curious to know how exactly they're blocked in? What types of barriers are used? What's stopping someone from "protesting" this action and simply driving slowly into the street? Sounds silly, but it seems like the runners would get pretty damn pissed-off at being interrupted, and someone would start complaining to the triathlon planners to stop making routes that put them in danger.

JG on September 09, 2007, at 09:52AM – #4

There's police at each intersection. You can't just drive through. You even have to get their permission to cross the street by foot.

jim on September 09, 2007, at 12:25PM – #6

what a bunch of whiners. you move downtown, and then start complaining about the events that have kept downtown solvent for the last thirty-seven years. my out-of-town guests were thrilled to see the triathalon run past their window -- they don't have that sort of excitement in iowa!

do you know how many tens of dozens of volunteer positions and literally thousands of dollars this brings to downtown every year? do you just want those jobs to pick up and go to baltimore, which is perfectly willing to offer up its streets and residential entrances for such an event?

the online blog rants are just getting ridiculous. why don't you pack it up, and leave it to the real journalists to decide what to raise concerns about?

you're all just a bunch of anti-exercise zealots. go back to eating your huevos rancheros and drinking your caramel half-caf lattes and stop gentrifying the place up.

JonathanD on September 09, 2007, at 12:56PM – #8

No, the organizers are genuinely incompetent. I live on BunkerHill and they sent out a notice with a map for the event but didn't the fricking date on the notice. It's been up in the elevators for several days and confused many and not really given notice to anyone. Sure I went online and learned it was today, and others learned by asking guards, but the stupidity of those who sent out the flyer and screw up folks Sundays shouldn't be doubted.

TheLeifsons on September 09, 2007, at 01:07PM – #9

It is ironic that problems caused by too many people (film crews, for example) or various special events are negatively affecting the so-called downtown experience when so many of the community's streets and walkways overall often are surprisingly quiet, even dead, particularly on weekends or in the evening.

LAofAnaheim on September 09, 2007, at 02:34PM – #10

This is what happens b/c we live in a car-centered society. There is Metro Rail capability in all of downtown LA! If she needs to get out, use the Metro to the nearest stop of her destination and have friends or take a bus to her final destination. Face it, this is a CITY and downtown deserves to be the main spot of all cultural events. We're not the suburbs. Things like this happen and should be promoted. That's what makes downtown exciting!

Bert Green on September 09, 2007, at 04:37PM – #11

Nobody here is suggesting that these events should not be held downtown, or that the inconvenience is unexpected. Most people who live downtown want to be in the middle of a city, that's why they are here. But try living in any other city. I've lived in 3 others. And guess what? When there are huge, congestion-causing events, the people who live in the middle of it are informed, accommodated, and given ample notice and access.

I was in the Bay Area a few weeks ago, and everywhere you went, everyone was talking about the fact that the Bay Bridge would be closed all Labor Day weekend. It was the biggest news in town. If any of these event planners expended 10% of their energy on providing information, people would gladly plan around it.

Just like with the filming issue, it is simply about accountability and competent planning. Duh.

Benjamin Pezzillo on September 09, 2007, at 05:21PM – #12

Jim, I'm still laughing so hard I forgot what I was going to say!

Bert's got it right, Downtown does not get proper respect and consideration with regards to community notification about special circumstance events like today's triathlon or the more frequent occurrence of location filming.

That has to change because the result is that so much negative sentiment will build up that such events are prohibited or strictly controlled to the point of why bother.

That's why we are trying to address the over-filming issue now.

Because, as the California Film Commission put it so well earlier this week when announcing new restrictions of the over-filmed CalTrans building at 100 S. Main, we want "to ensure that these unique properties remain available for filming for years to come".

It's not "anti", it's there's a better way to do this without alienating the community.

Jeff Eldersveld on September 09, 2007, at 05:50PM – #13

My wife and I are the ones who were literally 'stuck' in our Renaissance Tower apartment this morning. Yes, we could have taken the Metro, as LAA pointed out, but that is not the point. The point is that there was a communication breakdown (Led Zeppelin?) from the people who organized the event and the people who live downtown.

In our case, it appears that our apartment management is at fault as they were the ones who let residents know that the triathlon would be coming down Grand Ave with a note that was placed on our doors late yesterday evening.

And just to show the discrepency in communication, here is what it said in the note and what actually was the case:

"ingress and egress from the building may be challenging". In actuality, it was impossible to exit the building as two police officers informed me who were doing everything in their power to make sure 'the triathletes do not sue the city because of some crazy driver.'

I wonder if there were any 'crazy drivers' on the course today...

bob on September 09, 2007, at 06:50PM – #14

I feel the frustration even though I don't live downtown. I lived a block north and east of Hollywood/Highland the past 4 years. Every red carpet event shut down Hollywood blvd from Highland to La Brea with little to no notice. My 4 mile drive home from work would take me an hour.

LAofAnaheim on September 09, 2007, at 08:25PM – #15

If the discussion is all about notification, then I understand. At my residential bldg, no notice was given by the bldg manager regarding the triathloan. I was well informed b/c of my WORK bldg on Grand Avenue, they sent an e-mail to all employees. I can understand the frustration then, but I just hope people think about alternatives instead of focusing on the car as numero uno.

Jeff Eldersveld on September 09, 2007, at 08:55PM – #16

My wife and I have one car between us so I totally agree with you on transportation alternatives. My work also informed me of the triathlon (I work downtown) so I knew it was going on just not to the extent that our building was on lock-down for 7 hours this morning.

Naturallawyer on September 09, 2007, at 09:11PM – #17

Not only is the issue about notice, it's about common sense. I received a map of the route a couple of days ago, and studied it closely to see how I might get in and out of my building and/or park on a nearby street (I live on Grand Ave). However, the cops decided to shut down traffic on streets that did not come close to the race route (they closed 9th Street east of Fig, not allowing any traffic east on 9th, even though the race was over on Grand Ave). Those street closures were not on the pre-disclosed race route map.
The race route map that was made available for traffic details should have noted that not only would the route be closed, but LAPD would decide to close three blocks to the west as well (for no apparent reason).
I've got no problem with living in a city with events like this (and I even encourage it), and I even got notice of the triathlon so I don't complain about not knowing about it, but LAPD's choice of road closures was ridiculous (and very, very local-resident-unfriendly).

Joe on September 09, 2007, at 09:13PM – #18

I agree with Jim! What a bunch of whiners! Did you forget that you live in Los Angeles? If you are all so fed up with this once a year event, then maybe you should plan on a vacation to some place boring and not worth the dirt its built on. Then move there.

Benjamin Pezzillo on September 09, 2007, at 09:26PM – #19

Joe, Jim was joking.

Nick on September 10, 2007, at 08:16AM – #20

I live on Sunset Blvd and every year I wake up to this crap. I don't even recall seeing the notice. One thing they did learn was to close only half the street and not the whole thing. For that, I am grateful. One year, the cop had the audacity to question how I got onto the street. Derr...I live here!

Even worse than the triathlon is the Firecracker Run that traps people from leaving the Cathedral High School area in Chinatown. Dodger Stadium Way is closed and so is Broadway. However, people can still enter into the area through the one-way entrance to Cottage Home Street coming from Hill St. right before you enter the 110N. So imagine a 1-way entrance to a street with no exits. Oh and the councilmember/chamber of commerce hasn't done anything about it. Then think of all the angry people honking cars while a church service is going on. People seriously need to plan these routes and road closures a little better.

Oh by the way, I've lived here ALL my life (all 27 of them). I'm just glad the marathon doesn't go in front of my place anymore.