Intersection Safety; Bathroom Space
Chicago Dispatcher, December 2007
By Jonathan Bullington
The issues drivers have with the airport taxi-staging areas do not end with receiving parking tickets. Veteran cabdriver Arnie Kast has been picking up passengers from O'Hare for the last 28 years and in that time, he has tried to bring to the attention of city officials areas where he thinks airport ground transportation can be improved. Despite his efforts, Kast has become increasingly frustrated by what he sees as the city's complete lack of consideration for cabdrivers and their safety - and he has examples to prove it.
Example 1: Almost two years ago, Kast recognized a potential safety concern in the way drivers are entering the staging area at O'Hare. Specifically, he said drivers are making an illegal turn into the staging area from the far-right lane, instead of turning from the two lanes clearly indicated as turn lanes. In Kast's opinion, a photo-enforced traffic light at the entrance to the staging area would stop this problem and help prevent the possibility of a car accident occurring at that intersection. According to Kast, he had made this suggestion to more than one DOA official but has never heard any response from them other than “we'll see what we can do.”
“They’re going to wait for a fatality there,” Kast said of the city's inaction.
The Chicago Dispatcher asked Ms. Pride about Kast's suggestion. Her response was, “The department's Security Division was made aware of this issue. A photo enforced light has not been installed at that location; however, there has been an increased police presence in the area of the intersection.”
Example 2: Kast said he and fellow drivers have concerns about the size of the bathroom stalls located near the “Multi-use rest shelters,” which he said are not large enough and can barely fit an adult. He even went so far as to invite WBBM investigative reporter Steve Miller to O'Hare to get a first-hand look at the bathroom stalls, after which Kast said Miller agreed with his assessment of the situation. However, Kast was disappointed to hear the report, which he said offered little in the way of investigative reporting. Therefore, Kast invited this reporter to O'Hare so that I could get a look. Being of average height and weight (6 foot, 155 pounds) I was surprised to see that, in fact, the bathroom stalls did offer little to no room for an adult's use.
The Chicago Dispatcher again asked Ms. Pride about this bathroom situation, including my personal assessment of the bathroom's small size, however, Ms. Pride failed to comment directly, instead saying only that the bathrooms are a “permanent structure…constructed to accommodate high traffic unavailable in the existing facility.”
arnie wants photo enforcement at the traffic light at O'hare??????
That's the last thing we need is a way for the city to give us more fines!!!!!!!!
come on Arnie are you crazy!?
somebodu should put a camera in arnie
somebody should camera in bathroom
There are too many drivers driving neglegently and dodging through the staging area at Ohare Airport, driving through redlights and risking accidents just to be one lousy car ahead. Then later finding out that they went through all the trouble going to Terminal 5 or a short trip for nothing.
These cab drivers are very stupid and this is why people look down on cab drivers, judging that good cab drivers are just as bad as the bad drivers. So cab drivers ruin it for themselves.
So, I agree with Arnie about the cameras around the staging area that will help educate these drivers to start driving like human beings.
So again, if we can't educate these drivers by sitting down with them at defensive driving classes, then hit them where it hurts, the money in the pocket.
As far as Steve Wiedersberg is concern wanting hot meals served at Midway Airport, he doesn't need it. Steve eats enough hot meals everywhere else and that two ton baker looks like radio personality STEVE DAHL.
