Eastbound commuters on Weidler Street in northeast Portland endure a new experience these days: the absurd new eastside streetcar making a right turn from the left lane, across two lanes of motorized traffic and a bike lane. A red light makes everybody else wait while the streetcar takes its sweet time sweeping across. Cars then have to wait for another light up the street a way, because the streetcar's red throws the signal synchronization off for motorists. You can almost hear the car haters in City Hall cackling with glee. Earl Blumenauer's peyote visions inflicted on normal people.

But the joke's on the bureaucrats, because the new setup allows drivers to get a good look at how empty the streetcars are. At 7:45 this evening, there were exactly two passengers on board. The failures of our central "planning" were never so apparent.