This does unfortunately happen multiple times per day. Sometimes it’s smaller incidents where the tram driver can get out and collapse the car’s mirror. Other times the owner of the car comes out of a nearby house after the tram used its bell extensively (like today) and moves the car. And then there are times when police needs to get involved to tow the car which often takes upwards of 1 hour.
The truly infuriating part is that if the tram damages a poorly parked car, the transportation company will have to pay the damages. Poorly parked vehicles never get fined and the owners will only need to pay if the car ends up getting towed.
Why do we accept that drivers sabotage a city’s public transport infrastructure like this?
The driver should be able to use the PA to announce “this is your driver, prepare for ramming speed, brace for impact”… But the trams should also be equipped with something that could key cars parked close to the tracks. That way nobody would chance it parking a little close.
I don’t mean like a machete, that would probably not go over well at the stops. Just something that would scratch any car coming with 5cm of the tram.
the scratching thing is just punitive, if someone parked in a safe distance then it’s fine, if they aren’t, then fuck em, ruin their car.
adding a device that would cause damage for the sake of it seems too extra.
and whenever the driver says “brace for impact” I’m sure all the passengers will clap and love it.
That’s actually a good idea. Put some retractable Houston swangers on that shit. People will give you a very wide birth