BIKEPGH MESSAGE BOARD ARCHIVE

Great rebuttal. Thanks Joe.

I chipped in on it, too.

I like the sentiment of that letter and a lot of it is really clear and well-spoken. On the other hand, a bike causes one twenty-millionth of the dmage of car only if no one is actually riding the bike. When I get on my bike, it causes 2401 times the damage of that caused by the empty bike cruising down the road without me. Geeks 'R' us.

@mick, yeah, there's something like a 1/160,000 ratio between a bike and a car (not considering speed) and a 1/10,000 ratio between a car and an 18-wheeler truck. Which means that, uniformly, light road users subsidize heavy road users. Bikes pay more proportionately than motorcycles, motorcycles more than cars, etc. Nobody pays their fair share, and if they did it would put bus and truck companies out of business.

"it would put bus and truck companies out of business." I imagine that would be great for the railroads! ;)

This one has got to inspire some discussion: http://www.post-gazette.com/opinion/letters/2013/12/02/Signs-should-provide-rules-for-cyclists-in-various-zones/stories/201312020009

^ how about similar signage for cars? You know like, 'this street is in a residential area speed limit is 25MPH.' Yea that would work.

Uggghh bikes on the sidewalk. Surely it is safe to ride off of the sidewalk and into traffic, too.

How about they include some additional signs for cars like "Do Not Run People Over on This Street" Maybe some for pedestrians too like "Looks Both Ways Before Jay Walking" Dogs could get their own signs too..."Lift Leg Before Urinating on This Garbage Can"

I added my two cents to that 12/2 Post-Gazette letter: Cyclists should not be forced or routinely advised to take sidewalks. Cyclists travel at a variety of speeds. It's good to allow the athletic cyclists traveling at 20 mph to take a separate lane from those who are traveling much more slowly, say 5 mph. The fast can take the road while the slow can take the sidewalk (where legal and not too bumpy or blocked by cars or garbage cans or hedges or pedestrians), same as now. We don't want cyclists traveling at 20 mph on our sidewalks. Also, what works in the summer might not work in the winter. If the sidewalk is icy but the road is not, it will be safest for all cyclists to be on the road.

The letter writer of the 12/2 letter picked a very interesting sidewalk. I generally take the sidewalk going uphill through Schenley park on Blvd of the Allies (although unless I am in a hurry, I typically just take Overlook Dr instead) The sidewalk is not often heavily used by pedestrians because there is a much more pleasant trail that parallels the road. (My posit/opinion on the matter at least.) Anyone of course is allowed to ride on the road but that sure a place where the sidewalk might actually be better for a majority of people. I suppose the real problem is that there is a speedway over a hill with poor sight-lines through the middle of a park.

sidewalk going uphill through Schenley park on Blvd of the Allies It's still a sidewalk and pedestrians still use it. But there should be enough clearance to turn it into a (say) 10ft wide bikeway that accommodates everyone.

W.r.t to the route in question, in my opinion the problem was that our dear Max was not selective uphill vs. downhill. The prevailing downhill direction is kinda fun provided you claim a lane, go fast, and aren't too stressed by drivers who still pass at fairly high relative velocity in the other lane. Uphill, however, I just don't feel safe because traffic pressure tends to be worse, and in particular, as it winds right past the interchange, visibility forward from the right lane isn't so great and prevailing speeds don't duck down noticeably to compensate. Also, big difference between the lead time a driver has if I'm going 30-35 downhill vs. if I'm going 10-15 uphill. YMMV, but I think this is true for a lot of folks. Anyways, like andyc, I take the sidewalk going uphill through Schenley park on the main drag (technically labelled Panther Hollow Rd. past the interchange, but saying that seems to get it confused with the trail). I don't like being in pedestrian space there or climbing Bates, but I just try and be extra considerate and very often say "have a nice run" or whatnot, as I'm passing.

In my hometown of Dover, DE, bicycles were specifically banned from the sidewalk after an old lady was hit and killed. It was on a street very similar to Murray. (Which they are here in business districts too right?) Also, last time I checked, it was cars clogging up Murray, not bikes. Between riding a bike and being vegan, I'm exposed to a lot of ignorant opinions that have been thought of and thoroughly considered about a million times already. "Wow! Bicycles on the sidewalk! Now there's a new, totally logical idea!" All one has to do is Google "bicycle on sidewalks" to learn its a dumb idea