Bridge Waits - Pandering at its Worst

The last couple of weeks in El Paso the issue of bridge wait times has come up yet again.  Hold on - the issue of the wait times at one bridge has come up again.  We're talking about the "free bridge" right?Correct me if I'm wrong, but the other bridges aren't much of a problem, right? 

Maybe we should look at bridge wait times and see.  Go to the link below to see El Paso's bridge wait times and tell me which one is the longest wait.

http://www.elpasotexas.gov/commute/bridge.asp

Now compare those times against all the wait times for all crossings to other countries (Canada and Mexico if you're keeping score at home).

http://apps.cbp.gov/bwt/

So you have one bridge that puts commuters right in the middle of the action (central El Paso) and it's FREE!  Who wouldn't want to use that bridge?  It's FREE!  I don't care if I waste $10 in gas waiting to cross the FREE bridge because it's FREE!

And there you have problem numero uno - people making a terrible decision based on the economic concept of "free."  After all, there are other concepts of "free" and this surely doesn't have anything to do with the moral concept of "free." These people pile into one choke point for the advantage of saving money - not time.  If they wanted to save time, they'd obviously pick another place to cross because everyone knows the free bridge takes a lot of time to cross - but it's free. 

The gripe we have here is that while these people have put cost above time, they aren't satisfied with the outcome.  Turns out that they want the time benefits to equal the cost benefits.  Somewhere in here there's a quip about "time is money."  More fitting is "having your cake and eating it too," which I've never understood because what else would you do with a cake other than eat it? 

And before you get all accusatory saying that I'm being racist for equating the love of "free" and the absence of intellect to being from Mexico - stop.  I work in downtown Washington DC and have seen men who make mid six figure salaries push each other out of the way to get a free sample of gum being handed out on a street corner.  The idiocy that the economic concept of "free" causes in an individual is not limited to a race, ethnicity, income level or any other defining factor - some people are just struck stupid by anything that is "free."  Like I've always said - you could be handing out free kicks in the ass and there would be people lined up around the block to get one and a few people sneaking back in line to get seconds.

Anywho...

So you have a lot of people going to one crowded point because they don't want to pay the cost for convenience that the other bridges offer.  It's like watching people pour out of a movie theater and only use the center set of doors and none of the ones to the left or right - it causes a log jam.  Of course - people on city council would blame the center doors and the size of the door opening for the problem, not the people who have made a conscious decision not to go to the other doors.  Nope - it's a door problem, not a people problem.  And that is probably why El Paso is the laughing stock of Texas... well among other things - Alex Lozano was elected to office... twice.

If we want to pretend this is a "door problem" as these people would like you to, we can assess why those doors aren't changing anytime soon.  And I plan on doing that...

Oh, and don't tell me that people use the free bridge because it's closer to where they live.  I have talked to hundreds of people who have crossed all their lives and they will readily admit that they live closer to another bridge, but don't like paying to cross that one so they drive miles out of their way to go to the free one.  Everybody in Juarez can't live within a mile of the free bridge - it's just a fact. 

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City Council members think the federal government should have more lanes open at the free bridge so they can move people through faster. 

The federal government doesn't give a shit. 

Any questions?

You see, people looking to smuggle illegal stuff into the United States don't want to use the empty crossings with no waiting because the Americans with badges at those crossings have nothing better to do than check everybody that comes by. Why not take your time and check them thoroughly?  It's not like the crossers had to wait in line to get to the little booth of interrogation and suspicion - at least that's what I call it because I sympathize with lawbreakers.  Just kidding, but it is a fitting description, no?

Smugglers like the confusion and sheer number of people at the free bridge.  The American authorities know this and try to keep the process under control. This means things slow down at the free bridge, not speed up.  The important thing to remember is that the agents waiting at the little booths of interrogation and suspicion weren't hired to direct traffic so it flows faster, provide directions for lost foreigners and give visitors a big Texas "howdy" as they pass.  They were hired to make sure you are allowed to be here and you aren't bringing illegal stuff with you.  That mission kind of slows things down given that we don't use the "wink and nod" system of citizenship verification anymore.  We don't use the "benefit of the doubt" or "honor" system at our border crossings either.  It's too bad because I'd like to think they'd be effective practices - cheaper too.

One solution to the problem would be for people from Mexico not to bring illegal stuff over to the United States.  Let the guys in the little booths of interrogation and suspicion go a few months without finding a ton of a marijuana dressed up as a Toyota Tercel and things might speed up a bit.  It's pure logic from my standpoint.  If they stop finding illegal stuff, they'll stop looking for it so hard.  As long as they keep finding it, they'll keep looking for it.  It works exactly like prospecting for gold save for the lack of long beards and dirty overalls. 

Ah hell that's the dumbest thing I've ever heard of - asking people to follow the rules so others don't have to deal with the bullshit they cause... what was I thinking? 

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Now the second part of this is where some people are going to get their panties in a wad.  Well, maybe not - we're talking about loving liberals here, right?

This whole issue was put to rest years ago when people figured out that the reason the bridge had such long wait times  was because it was free.  Oh, and they did exactly what city council demanded they do - made the place much much much bigger and put in all kinds of stuff that would ease wait times.  Guess what?  The bridge attracted more people because they heard it was now free and faster.  Back to square one. 

The issue is only resurfacing now because Beto O'Rourke is running for congress against Representative Reyes and it's a problem just looking for an owner.  The Beto friendly people think that Representative Reyes should own the problem - after all, he's the guy with the office in Washington, right?  He should be controlling the day to day staffing at the bridge, right?  They're federal employees and he's a representative to the federal government - it all makes sense.  It's Reyes' fault. 

The newspaper got on board for whatever reason. They like Beto and don't like Reyes.  It's a "new blood" thing I'm sure and nothing personal.  Reyes has never been good at being open with himself when it comes to the local media and you can't blame the EP Times for holding it against him.  And why not see how much power you really have?  If you can move an election, what must you be able to do for your advertisers?  A lot... I would guess. 

The real story here is that the Congressman is a member of the legislative branch of government.  He doesn't have control over the day to day operations of any federal agency.  Any high school educated idiot should know that.  Apparently the EP Times and some other elected officials in El Paso have chosen to forget that little fact in an attempt to pen a crime of convenience on an innocent man for political gain. 

Sounds really dirty when I put it like that, huh?  Makes me wonder what these guys would do to others in the name of political gain... scary.

The fact is that the day to day operations of the border crossings are handled by someone who was essentially hired by the President of the United States of America, who is coincidentally the top guy in the whole executive branch of government thingamajig.  It's his people who decide how things should be run at those ports of entry and any anger about how they are run should be directed at the guy who gets his mail at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.  But that doesn't really serve any purpose for Beto and friends, now does it?  Nope. 

Bottom line - even if Beto is elected, he won't be able to do a damn thing about bridge wait times. I hope you know that.

It's a brilliant strategy, though, because the masses don't know the difference.  Poor Reyes isn't a great orator or defender of himself because he's never had to be before now.  They could blame him for anything and I'm sure the EP Times would go along. 

The Cowboys missing the playoffs?  Reyes

Cold weather? Reyes

Hot weather? Reyes

UTEP Students parking in front of your house?  Reyes

Arthritis? Reyes

You get the point... and maybe a few ideas if you're seeking to help Beto. 

If these people who are pissed off about the bridge really wanted to bark up the right tree they'd call the federal government and plead their case.  Of course, we all know what the feds will say - "make the free bridge no longer free."  They've said it before and they'll say it again.  The problem isn't that hard to figure out.... well maybe to the simpletons we elect. 

The answer from the simpletons will be "but we have a treaty!" And the feds will say - "that's your problem not ours" and go about their business slowing down traffic at the free bridge.   

Asking for money at this point isn't going to work.  This is mainly because EVERYBODY ELSE ON EARTH KNOWS WHAT THE PROBLEM IS ALREADY!  You don't have to pay anyone to tell you what's obvious.  Oh wait, that's how the city of El Paso operates!  They always need a "study" to tell them what they already know.  It's a real boon for those companies that deal in telling people what they already know, which is good for them... bad for you, but you already knew that.  Confused?  Good, now hand us your money. Just kidding!  Sounded like a politician, didn't I?

Meanwhile you are missing out on $10 kabillion in shopping dollars from Mexico.  It's devastating, but I'm sure you'll get over it.  I mean, what would Wal-Mart and every other national big box store do without those Mexican shoppers?  They'd probably still ship all the money out of El Paso. 

One more question - why is it okay... take that back - why is it totally awesome that people from Mexico traveling over here to shop "create retail jobs" and Paul Foster's huge mall that creates retail jobs isn't?  Out of one side of your salsa stained mouths you bash projects that create "crappy service industry jobs" and then out of the other side you exclaim how truly wonderful it is that Mexicans shoppers create those jobs... hmmm. 

Another question - can you travel into Mexico for free?  Do they have "free bridges?"  I really don't know - so please tell me.

gotta go - wifey needs sleepy and I'm keeping her up - much to my detriment!

Comments

[who cares about wait times?]

Absolutely correct!! My favorite line is the "if a kick in the ass was free people would line up for that".... you are so right.

[mo money]

Maybe Beto should blame the Postal Service on Reyes too.

[Robnelp]

The current hoopla over the wait times isn't about how long it takes..they are laying the ground work for adding a toll for crossing the bridge.
Those Mexican shoppers will still come either way, but it's easier to sell to the public if they look like they are trying to do something about it before the "last resort" of adding the toll inevitably occurs.

[Old Fart]

Great points David K. Thanks for pointing them out!

[Carl Starr]

I am not sure the Times or Beto's Camp have forgot that fact eg my understanding is the way politics work is if fed issue, then contact local Congressman then he leans etc [if they want] and or passes it up the pipe...I don't see nothing new or forgotten here, its always been that way.

I think the treaty is important but I think it may have already been broken re 25 miles of border part of Treaty.

[Mark]

When you sit in office long enough you become responsible for a lot of things just because you have been in office a long time.

What are the benchmarks for an effective federal politician? I suppose a voting record is a good place to start.

So I'd like to learn about Reyes' voting record over the years versus what he has not done for the bridges?

The bridges suck like LA traffic. Vehicle congestion on the bridges is like airport security during Thanksgiving. That's just the way it is and your wait time just depends on what time you get there....

Beto has to be aggressive and look for vulnerable places where he can move Reyes and tip him over. Reyes is like a big toad on a rock and he's been sitting on it for a long time. Beto is the lean green grasshopper trying to figure out how to move the toad off the rock and claim it as his own. It's proving not to be easy, but there's a chance.

There's two things that win elections. Money and votes, not bridge wait times.So let's not waste our time so much on this perpetual problem. I'd rather like to know how Beto's voting in congress will be different than Reyes'.

Beto I want to know why I should vote for YOU? The bridge is the bridge and maybe you can help to do more than Reyes. But today I'm more concerned about your presence in DC and how voting for you will not only make a difference for EP but for America.

[dot]

In the meantime, anyone know anything about this Roen guy... I'd probably cry if we get a decent Republican to run for anything. He might not be able to defeat the straight ticket voters, but at least we'd feel like we gave it the old college try.

[Reyes needs to go]

You're right. Reyes isn't to blame for anything. Why? Because not only has he done nothing, but he doesn't bother to show up to work, either. 95% of the Congress has a better attendance record at voting time than Reyes does.

The City Council has been talking about bridge wait times for years. Why should they stop now? Because it hurts Reyes's feelings?

[Rich Wright]

From my personal experience, the wait at the Paso del Norte Point of Entry is long, too. Much of it is seasonal. Before Christmas, I took my daughter to the airport in Juarez, and she was in Mexico City before I had cleared customs. Two weeks before that, I waited in the bicycle lane at the Paso del Norte bridge for an hour and a half.
Currently, bridge wait times are down because UTEP is not in session, and the students are all crossing at the same time.
Also, I think that ICE is trying to induce us to all get SENTRI cards, so they make us wait a little longer. (I'm extrapolating from past experience. During the transition period, a passport seemed to get you through customs faster.) The other thing that gripes me is that they built 10 lanes at the Paso del Norte bridge and only four or five of them are regularly open, and one is dedicated to SENTRI and the other is for buses.

[Rich Wright]

Oh yeah, and the free bridge is free both ways. And the bridge tolls accrue to the country you're leaving, so it's not like Mexico is letting you in for free. It's that the U.S. isn't charging to leave.

[David K]

Rich,

good insight - somewhere in there I see a joke about "getting you coming and going."

I have received a bunch of emails with the SENTRI theme you talk about here.

Got a wild hair and called over over to the congressional liason's office at the BP - they had no idea what I was talking about...

[Texaswoman]

Here is the deal. If the wait times were a real problem the CEO's of the multinational firms would be talking to the real decision makers and the problem would be corrected. Problem is our lobbyists are talking to the wrong people. But that's ok since its only your tax dollars asleep at the wheel. Guess certain pot heads are upset that their drugs are taking so long to get across the border.

One thing is for sure. Good old Beto has learned a few new words he refused to acknowledge while on council. Those words are Veteran, Veteran Health Care. New words for him but for him they hold no meaning except that if he says them a few times he is hopping to garner a few votes.

Beto= bookend

[mo money]

The bridges have gotten worse since 9-11. Its become even worse since the Drug war started. Doesn't have shit to do with Reyes. Bayto and the rest of council dont have a clue. It was bad 25 Years ago too. Government Entities have never really done a good job at running anything efficiently(9-5ers). Look at the Postal service as an example. Why isn't Bayto blaming Reyes with the Postal service too ?

[Ju]

awesome... give unto Cesar that which is Cesar's!

P.S., Do you and Jaime dream about Norma at night too? just curious (it makes for good entertainment, though).