First of all I feel compelled to say something about the weather: this is not normal for us. Vancouver residents can not believe that spring came in mid-January. Not that it gets cold here, compared to the rest of Canada, but usually at this time of the year we get a ton of rain. Clear, blue skies in winter -- like the past two days - -are generally unheard of. So much so that my garden is blooming. Tiger lillies are coming up, everything thinks its spring. This is completely unprecedented, and locals are wondering if we are going to get slammed with a serious cold spell in March. I guess we'll have to see, but for now don't be alarmed if you see Vancouverites walking around in t-shirts and others in shorts! For us this is balmy, fantastic weather.
The problem of lack of snow on the north shore mountains is trivial, and effects only the snowboarding and freestyle skiing. All other mountain events are held at Whistler, which is choked with snow. Apparently athletes did a test run at Cypress on Monday and were beyond disappointed with the 'snow', but on Tuesday came out saying things had improved. Of course if we get rain like we're supposed to before the weekend that is going to change again. Organizers seem to have a couple of master plans to do their best to fix the situation, going so far as to spare no expense bringing in snow by helicopter.
I took a trip downtown yesterday and can see how traffic problems are going to unfold over the next two weeks. Where to begin? Seriously.
By my house at the top of Point Grey, just before UBC, I took the 99 B-Line express bus to Granville St. Olympic lanes on Broadway are in effect starting at Arbutus, and I can tell you no bus has ever moved that quickly to Granville. What a dream! Too bad it was so brief. Transferring to downtown on Granville is usually easy; four or five buses run that route so there is almost never a wait and almost always a seat. Well, yesterday at just before noon the bus going down Granville was packed. Very unusual and doesn't bode well for the next two weeks, especially during the large blocks of time that the Cambie Bridge will be closed for ceremonies held at BC Place, like right now for the Opening Ceremonies rehearsal. Granville will be a mess.
Once downtown, the changes are significant. Immediately upon arriving at Georgia St I could see problems. Not only are there Olympic lanes on the curbside going both ways but there are mysterious redirecting pylons set up in the middle of the road. I'm not sure if they are meant to be left turning lanes or what. Is there going to be traffic moving in three directions? Maybe the newly-created extra lanes are for super-special dignitaries or athlete vehicles only. Who knows, but the police were in the middle of the intersection managing everybody so I guess that is going to remain for the next two weeks.
Olympic lanes on Georgia St. are not being respected by the way, there were cars all over the place. From what I could tell people are pretending to turn right, giving them a reason for being in that lane. You can imagine what happens once they actually reach the intersection. I stood and watched at Georgia and Howe for a couple of minutes and its mayhem: once the light changes there is invariably a car or two stuck in the intersection so no one can go, then the light changes again but drivers going in the other direction decide that they should have been able to go so a few cars move through the intersection against the light. Then the last couple of those cars get stuck in the intersection as the light changes the other way and the opposing drivers start honking, then when the light changes again THOSE drivers decide they should have been able to go so move into the intersection against the light. Repeat all day. Get headache.
So far on Burrard St people seem to be respecting the Olympic lanes, we'll see how long that lasts given the example set by drivers on intersecting Georgia St. Taxi companies have been in an uproar because they are not allowed to pull over into any of the Olympics lanes. The fine is $100. Yesterday I was horrified to see a fellow jump out of his cab in the middle of Burrard St, as traffic was stopped briefly. This is what it is going to come down to: luxury buses bringing athletes in from across North American moving through town and specially imported old-style city buses meant to cart athletes and media around during the games -- all with drivers not familiar with Vancouver streets or traffic patterns -- mixing with regular city buses, sometimes in the Olympic lane sometimes in regular traffic, while people will be jumping in and out of cabs in the middle of the freaking street. And, just to make life more complicated Burrard St has a dedicated bike lane, clearly marked, going down the middle of what is now the Olympic lane. So all those new buses and new drivers, together with cocky bike couriers and people in business suits all sharing a lane. Yeah, can't foresee any problems there on a dark, rainy early morning when everyone is just trying to get somewhere fast.
Older model white buses with unfamiliar insignia and California license plates are making the rounds downtown. I saw at least eight, all empty or with one person on them. Getting used to the routes? These are the buses that will be getting the athletes around. On Monday visiting bus drivers held a revolt after difficult work conditions and poorly organized schedules became too much to handle. Visiting Bus Drivers Revolt just before Vancouver Olympics
Now it turns out those white buses from California can't make the grade up Cypress mountain (its a hill, really, but there is a steep grade getting to the top that's true) and Olympic organizers are calling in 99 new buses -- that's funny why didn't they just make it an even 100? -- half of which are coming from Canadian sources. Olympic Athlete and Media Buses Can't Get up Cypress Mountain
So, what is a visitor to do, given they are coming to see events tightly scheduled and options for transportation very limited? I will tell you right now: take the low road. Always stay as close to the water as possible. So if going across downtown and not able to walk the two miles then get down to Pender St, north of downtown almost as far as you can go, and take the #19 Stanley Park bus across town. Be sure to get off at Davie, the last stop before the Park. If on the south end of downtown take the #8 Davie bus, at the end of Davie it turns down Denman toward Georgia. I don't know what is up with the #5 Robson bus, these are being rerouted to some mysterious route and are currently running down Burrard St. Otherwise just walk, its not that far from Davie to Robson for example, or from Howe to Cambie.
Yesterday downtown, incidents of pairs or groups of delegates or security-types, all wearing various matching jackets with insignia and badges or lanyards with varying levels of importance, so far greatly outnumber regular tourists. They meander aimlessly about the streets with no regard for locals who might be trying to get a few vital things done during their lunch break then back to the office. This will surely be a problem during the Games but I have a solution for that as well: walk down the lanes. That's what wily Vancouverites do after a hockey game or big show at BC Place lets out, or after the Celebration of Lights fireworks during the summer. Ditch the main roads, even the side streets will be tough because the sidewalks are narrow and there are sure to be lunatic drivers barrelling down them after getting frustrated on the main roads. Take the back lanes, there may be garbage dumpsters and such but otherwise it is like having your own personal wide path. Besides, this is a good way to encounter regular Vancouver people going about their day, whether homeless searching for discarded bottles and cans or groups of youths smoking pot. Fear none, all are harmless. The dumpster-searchers don't care about you, just don't go near their shopping cart, and the pot-smokers are more likely than not to offer you a puff.
For the rest of Vancouver proper, stick to the same rule -- always take the low road. If going from UBC to downtown take the #44 express bus downtown, down Fourth Ave then crossing the Burrard Bridge. If going across town take the #84 Clark Station, which stops at the Millenium Skytrain. Both are express buses so stop only at the major intersections. If headed uptown then take the #25 King Edward bus.
Stumble It!
