SAN FRANCISCO GATE: "I rode Elon Musk's Vegas Loop, the worst transit system on Earth"  In 1863, the world’s first underground railway opened in London. On its first day, nearly 40,000 thrilled Brits made the short, speedy journey between Paddington and Farringdon. The future of transportation had arrived.  One hundred and sixty-three years later, I was at my desk in San Francisco, clicking around the Vegas Loop map, trying to figure out where the world’s dumbest form of transportation could take me.  In 2016, billionaire Elon Musk decided he was sick of traffic. Because Musk believes every thought he’s ever had is the first of its kind, he decided to revolutionize transportation. His mission was to build underground highways, creating a tunnel system below surface streets that would zip people around in a way that congested, outdated freeways could not. Las Vegas, which has never seen a gimmick it didn’t love, signed on to become the first American city with a Loop.   The scale is ambitious to the point of stupidity. Once its 104 stations and 68 miles of tunnels are complete, the Vegas Loop site says it “will serve up to 90,000 passengers per hour.” About 642,000 people live in Las Vegas, plus an additional 110,000 tourists on any given day. That means every single resident and tourist need to ride the Loop multiple times per day to average 90,000 passengers an hour. For reference, the Tokyo Metro moves 6.5 million people a day around an area with 33 million residents.You do the math.  So far, the Vegas Loop has opened just nine stations, five of which connect the Las Vegas Convention Center. From a sixth station, Encore, travelers can go only to the convention center. Three more stations serve Westgate, Resorts World and Fontainebleau. As it turns out, the ground below cities is not a vast, empty space. It’s already full of infrastructure like sewer systems, electrical lines, gas pipelines, flood-control tunnels — there’s a reason you call 811 before you start digging around in your yard. Musk, who’s no fan of regulation, holds the stance that it’s better to pay for penalties than follow the rules. As a result, the Loop has been plagued by issues, including allegations of worker injuries, chemical burns and “ankle-deep” water in the tunnels.  To supplement this sad little system, the Loop added $12.50 rides to the airport. But because there’s no tunnel there yet, it’s just a regular route on regular surface streets. Oh sorry, were you imagining a train? Autonomous cars? Nope. The Loop is operated by human drivers in Teslas. Elon Musk is creating a race of mole people driving endless circles below Las Vegas....  sfgate.com/travel/article/ve…  FILED UNDER:  #VegasLoop, #ElonMusk, #VegasLoopFail, #BoringCompany, #LasVegasTransit, #MuskTunnel, #WorstTransit, #VegasLoopCritic, #SFgate, #ElonMuskCriticism, #TunnelTransportation, #VegasConventionCenter, #TeslasUnderground, #MolePeople, #BadTransit, #LasVegasTraffic, #BoringCompanyLoop, #ElonTransit, #VegasInfrastructure, #HyperloopFail, #MuskGimmick, #UndergroundHighway, #LasVegasLoop, #TransitDisaster, #ElonCritics, #VegasTourism, #TunnelProblems, #HumanDriversTesla, #MuskVisionFail, #VegasTransportation, #BoringCompanyCritic, #SFgateArticle, #ElonMuskVegas, #LoopSystem, #BadEngineering, #TransitReality, #VegasMoleTunnels, #MuskTransportation, #LasVegasFail, #OverhypedProject, #TunnelSafety, #ElonLoop, #VegasLoopReview, #PublicTransitFail, #MuskProjects, #LasVegasNews, #BoringCompanyVegas, #TransitCriticism, #ElonHype, #VegasLoopDisaster

Ugh, another train line? Like my commute wasn't already a crowded clown car! 🙄 Do they *want* us squished together, smelling strangers' lunches?! Build MORE parking, people!! #PublicTransitFail #FirstWorldProblems 😂

Ugh, late AGAIN, thanks to the bus! 🙄 Is it too much to ask for a *functioning* timetable & maybe AC that works?! 🥵 I swear, riding the city bus is a daily comedy show. 🤡 #PublicTransitFail #CommuteLife

Ugh, late again! 🙄 The bus is ALWAYS late. And crammed. And smells vaguely of feet. Is it too much to ask for a chariot pulled by unicorns?! 🦄 #PublicTransitFail #FirstWorldProblems #SendHelp

Ugh, late AGAIN thanks to the bus! 🙄 Is it *physically possible* for these things to run on time?! Seriously considering teleportation at this point. #PublicTransitFail #WhyMe #Rant

Ugh, MORE stops? My commute's already a *thrill ride* of delays! Do they WANT me to be late for my artisanal avocado toast?! #FirstWorldProblems #PublicTransitFail 🙄

“That will teach you to never take transit in Miami,” My host in Coral Gables said with no amusement. #publictransitfail

@wmata should henceforth stand for “We Make Attempts To Apologize”. #wmata #dctransit #dcmetro #washingtonianproblems #publictransitfail

Imagine if even half of these poor bastards were using public transit—or riding a bike. Too bad #houston would rather build to create this, than build to alleviate this. @SylvesterTurner @HoustonTX #publictransitfail #biketowork

I’m on the Amtrak. Came out of the bathroom and somehow got turned around. Three cars later, I panicked. Yup, I literally got lost on a train. #PublicTransitFail

.@SFBART #publictransitfail @warriors games over and 20 minute wait for trains to SF.

@GOtransit taking an Uber exhibition to whitby..waited since 630 & still 40 min delay. freezing w no heat in the shelter #publictransitfail

dear @TfL. bus lanes dont work if they're not as wide as a bus. #helpfultip #lifehack #publictransitfail

Another banner day for #gotransit as all platforms jammed and all lines delayed #unionstation #publictransitfail

@_tessr #PublicTransitFail

The only thing more reliable than the Frontrunner is...everything else in the world. #publictransitfail

When you see your bus coming, but then it cruised past you and doesn't stop 😡 #publictransitfail

It's ~same price to take @uber 20 miles to work as it is to take it 3 miles to metro and @wmata the rest of the way. #publictransitfail

I missed the SFO BART by 20 secs and the next one doesn't come for 38 minutes. #publictransitfail