There was a story in Adelaide a few years ago about a journalist for the paper who beat the tram through the CBD *walking*, including obeying all the traffic lights.

Tony P
---InTramsDownUnder@..., <transitconsult@...> wrote :

According to this site:

http://www.slate.com/articles/sports/sports_nut/2012/06/long_distance_running_and_evolution_why_humans_can_outrun_horses_but_can_t_jump_higher_than_cats_.html http://www.slate.com/articles/sports/sports_nut/2012/06/long_distance_running_and_evolution_why_humans_can_outrun_horses_but_can_t_jump_higher_than_cats_.html

"Elite human runners, however, can sustain speeds up to 6.5 meters (sic) per second."

As 1 m/s = 3.6 km/h, this means they can sustain 23.4 km/h. This is 14.6 mph. Sounds fairly good compared to the MMTB and
presumably YT scheduled speeds of 10 to 12 mph. Not surprising she was able to beat the tram.

It also says: "Even run-of-the-mill joggers typically do between 3.2 and 4.2 meters per second." This is from 11.52 to 15.12
km/h. The latter is 9.4 mph. ISTR that MMTB hoped to be able to make 10 mph in the CBD area, balancing this with faster runs out
in the countryside.

As the Video points out, the road is cluttered with cars. Toronto has just had the idea of doing something about King Street, which
is possibly even more cluttered than Sydney Road. The solution that is to be tried is that at every intersection along the main
section of King Street, cars will have to turn right (remember, Canadians drive on the right). This means that trams should be able
to reach the intersections without delays, and all stops will be shifted to the far side. As, so far as I know, TTC has not yet
done much in the way of providing proper platforms on King Street (still using safety zones just as Melbourne did on Flinders Street
50 years ago) there is little if any infrastructure to be abandoned.

Perhaps this idea could be tried in Sydney Road? If nothing else, it still allows that parking to which shopkeepers are so
dedicated.


Regards

Dudley Horscroft