On my early morning bike ride from Shadyside to downtown Pittsburgh this morning, I was verbally assaulted by a runner with a black and yellow backpack. As I was leaving the back parking lot behind the Rodef Shalom Temple, to ride up Devonshire Street toward Fifth Avenue, this runner started to yell and scream at me that I was going the wrong way on a One Way Street. I rode over to him, and he just kept yelling. He told me that because of riders like myself, who didn't follow the rules, city streets were more dangerous for bicylists. He even stated that the rider who was stabbed, was stabbed because he cut off a driver and wasn't following the rules. After asking me if I had read the City of Pittsburgh bicyling laws, to which I responded yes, I told him that I was actually a very cautious and courteous rider, who not only respected the rules, but also followed them. By the time we started down Panther Hollow together, he settled down somewhat. He told me that he lived on Howe Street,was from Westchester New York, was running to downtown, and that he was also an active bicylist. He further stated that he was trying to make Pittsburgh streets a better and safer place for himself and his kids. I agreed and told him that I also had kids, and shared his view that it is in our interest to make Pittsburgh's streets safer. At that point, we parted ways.
Beneath his extreme anger he is probably a nice fellow, but the outward rage that he showed was baffling.
I was so taken aback by his strong voice and biting language, that I didn't even begin to think about the specifics of Devonshire Street. But as I rode toward downtown, I realized that the "One Way Street" that he yelled at me for riding the wrong way on (Devonshire Street in Shadyside), is actually a Two Way Street. In fact, my turn from the Rodef Shalom parking lot toward Fifth Avenue was absolutely legal, and within my rights. I guess he will eventually figure this out. Maybe when he figures this out, he will also find a way to control his rage.
I hope that the general tone of conversation regarding bikes, cars and people becomes more responsible and respectful.
"City of Pittsburgh bicycling laws"? There is no such thing. How could either you or runner guy have read them?
(Some local statutes exist, but they are specific to Point State Park. Otherwise, it's all PA vehicle code.)
Maybe next time you cross paths with him you can ask safe streets guy how he feels about his fellow runners salmoning upstream in bike lanes.
The Rodef Shalom parking lot has separate entrance and exit connections onto Devonshire. Maybe he thought you were exiting via the entrance? (Or else he confused Devonshire with Clyde, the next street west, which is one-way northbound.)
He probably had it mixed up with Clyde Street. I lived at an apartment on Clyde for one school year and I often confused myself, regarding the turn there, with Devonshire.
yeah, given that there are no "city of pittsburgh biking laws" either you were confused and you two discussed and read PA state laws, or.... shenanigans.
not sure how s/he's doing it, but the OP is the same Bike Pittsburgh / BIKING IN PITTSBURGH character that began life on the boar chastising us for something nebulous. When I go to edit my profile, I don't get the option of changing my display name. Anybody we actually know on here manage to do that?
Name changes?!? I was just thinking about changing my screen name so I could have a really offensive online alter ego. Is the name "hcurtis" available?
Quzbot, I originally accessed the PA Vehicle Code from the Bike Pittsburgh website so when he asked if I had read the Pittsburgh biking rules, I answered yes.
Steven, unfortunately he was referring to Devonshire. He actually told me to ride up the sidewalk instead of using the street.
ejwme, when I set up my info on Bike Pittsburgh I mistakenly used Bike Pittsburgh as my handle. I changed it to Biking in Pittsburgh but felt that this was still to close to Bike PGH. I have since changed and will stay with Biker412. You can change your profile using the following wordpress link -
http://bike-pgh.org/wp-admin/profile.php?updated=true
hmm... that assumes synchronicity between one's wordpress acct and bpgh, or at least something similar. I keep mine separate, I just don't trust "them".
I think biker412 is a much better handle, much appreciated. Sorry if I came off as rude, usually new people ease onto being verbal on the board with an intro so people who don't are suspect. We've been getting a lot of spam and trolls lately.
So if he was on the sidewalk and not the road...wouldn't that be sidewalk rage?
Yes, both sidewalk and road rage....and very, very angry. It wasnt, and isnt the way that I like to start my day. One of the reasons I ride is to get away from car rage. I plan my trips with the least amount of car/moving vehicle interactions as possible. I guess I have to beware of runners now 
dude, if he was running from Oakland to downtown, AND raging like that, sounds like he could put that energy into his run for better results. I've never encountered a raging runner (unless they were working out the rage on the run, something I'm fond of as well).
He was raging...the event sort of ruined my ride until i realize that it was a Two way wtreet not a one way street....then I just chuckled to myself...I cant wait to see him again...One Way Westchester..heehee
@ejwme
What was so bad about his/her handle being biking in Pittsburgh?
I could understand if it was scottbisadouche or something but really?
Also I dislike that you automatically consider people troll's just because they post something that does not fit a certain view or agenda.
There is only so many ways to say "don't run stop signs" or "drivers are jags"
and from the (bike pittsburgh) post that is what I took from it. Relax and just ride. Simple...
These non-exhaustive posts and threads get boring, real boring and accomplish nearly nothing.
And in my opinion there is more to be gained by simply hitting the streets and showing a lot of people cycling is fun rather than treating them like they have no common sense and galvanizing the idea that the cycling community is a bunch of elitist jerks
Something to think about while waiting for that bike safety gold star sticker to come in the mail.
I think the jogger was hitting on the OP, since they ended up conversing while descending Panther Hollow together. (oops, runners hate to be called joggers, my bad)
@vannevar I think the jiggler was hitting on the OP, since they ended up conversing while descending Panther Hollow together
Fixed it for ya!
Velo, the troll like nature of someone who comes on the boards, without any introduction, a generic profile, a presumptive handle, and tells the cycling community (of which this board is but a small part) that our attitudes need to be adjusted, then swaps to a less presumptive generic handle in all upper-case letters (shouting online), can be concluded without my disagreeing with them. In fact, I wasn't the first person to think that, see the other thread.
After the new user posted a little more, it appears they are not a troll, were accidentally presumptive, actually are a cyclist, and likely to be continuing on here. Thus I backed off what I thought was a perfectly reasonable irked tone, and even apologized for being rude, if you actually read the above thread.
So is your entire post geared solely at me on this thread, me on the board generally, or is your ire more broadly applied? Hard to tell.
why is everyone being so snarky on here lately? tag-o-rama just
(almost kinda but not really i guess) cooled off after some flaming. blame the cold weather maybe?
Maybe, or maybe all the cyclist-directed violence this year is wearing everybody down. But it does seem like people on the board are more keen to assume the worst these last few months. Hopefully it'll pass soon.
My snark is weapons grade but I do not recall every really using it here.
Rage based on factually incorrect information is the best
Also, runners who really value their joints and tendons run on the road (or trails), so I'm wondering if this guy yells at them too
I'm new, so I can't speak to the boards, but I think everyone everywhere is pretty tightly wound lately.
