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Dangerous Drivers Thread, vol. 2

Another thread has hit the board's 25-page limit, so here's volume 2 of the Dangerous Drivers Thread, "where you can share your pictures, stories, descriptions of dangerous drivers." This thread continues from page 26 of the original, here: http://localhost/mb/topic/dangerous-drivers-thread/page/26/
epanastrophe
2016-01-17 17:58:23
About 1 pm Wednesday. A white pickup truck pulled out through a red light on Dawson street to make a left. I'm pretty sure the guy looked at me coming before he pulled out in front of me and made me stop. He had to stop in the middle of my lane because a car was coming up that lane. It was an old white guy in a white pickup truck - matches the description of the guy who killed a cyclist at the corner of Meyron and Louisa St. Could this be the same guy? He looked hostile and clueless - the way he might look if he were, say, drunk at 1 pm.
mick
2016-01-21 00:33:56
Didn't get a look at the driver, it happened so fast. PA plate JFT-5505, dark blue-ish ???sedan. I'm southbound on Perry Hwy on that 250-yard snippet just south of Willi's Ski Shop. I'm in the right lane, and several cars and a couple trucks pass me in the left lane without problem. Then this car pulls into the right lane to pass a truck passing me and manages to execute a thread-the-needle pass at good clip, probably 35-40 mph. Missed me by mere inches. Have a look.The first 50 seconds shows routine passing. The next 15 seconds are pretty scary. The left lane becomes a left-turn-only at the light. But meanwhile, there are two lanes to carry what's typically only one lane of traffic. I'm in the right lane, by law and necessity. There is no shoulder. Because the hillside next to the curb lane is constantly providing it with eroded dirt and branches, plus the usual car debris and other litter, so while the lane looks fairly wide, it is not, so I have to stay out in the center of the lane. But there is a perfectly good left lane to pass me. And the tractor-trailer does just that, as did the half dozen vehicles before it. The problem happens when someone tries to pass the left-lane truck in the right lane, and bingo, there I am. I have at least three videos of people doing something stupid on this stretch, and have tweeted a dozen other incidents.
stuinmccandless
2016-01-21 04:15:10
Wow Stu, I think that's the worst I've seen around here...and I've seen some pretty intentional aggression. I hope you reported that to the police. Regardless, I'm glad you made it!
mattjackets
2016-01-21 08:24:20
On my last ugly driver: I should have gotten a license plate. I don't know the details, but I hope that the killer of Ruihui Lin would still be on probation or parole or something. If I reported the license plate to various folks - the mayor, Bike-Pgh, police chief, etc., then if it WAS that killer, maybe someone could have an semi-official talk with him. Or, if it wasn't the killer - and it seems most likely that it was not - I wouldn't be casting aspersions here.
mick
2016-01-21 17:16:25
Stu, I am speechless after seeing that. Wow, imagine having that little regard for human life. Glad you are okay and survived that. I literally lost my breath watching that damn video.
gg
2016-01-22 22:01:26
For anyone who rides on station square drive. I take the shuttle from the west station square drive parking lot to my office in town. Yesterday afternoon on the way home a cyclist was in front of the bus and the driver started ranting about cyclists being on the road instead of the trail (which was covered in ice, but anyway). He's normally a pretty nice guy, so maybe he was in a bad mood or was having a rough day but when he said something like if it wasn't for the fact that I'd open the door and hit this guy with something". I decided to share with everyone. And now for the craigslist missed connection part of my post: it was 4:45 and you looked cold. You were riding a fixed gear bike and had a messenger bag.... I'm sorry for how close that guys was to you. He should have either laid off or passed once traffic stopped in the other direction.
mscal
2016-01-29 09:09:42
Here's another driver using the Panther Hollow trail as a shortcut. Older white male in an unmarked, older minivan, didn't catch the plate unfortunately. https://youtu.be/w1M1-N6r6o4 They guy slowed down to pass, but floored it when he saw me turn around to get his plate. :( City still won't lock the gates to the trail...
mattjackets
2016-01-31 22:49:06
You need to report that to Zone 4 for enforcement in the area. The city has locked the gates only to have the locks cut off(presumably by residents who do this): the only thing that's ultimately going to prevent it is catching and citing the offenders.
mjacobpgh
2016-02-01 12:40:09
I was wondering why they welded covers over the lock last time they worked on preventing this problem. Do you know if they've been cut off since they reinforced the gates? It seems like the city has just given up on the problem the last few months. I'll look into contacting zone 4, but if you know of someone I should contact in particular, send me a PM.
mattjackets
2016-02-01 13:37:51
The north gate was closed last evening at 5 or so. Last week I ran into (almost literally) a city salt truck tha seemed to be using the shortcut.
neilmd
2016-02-02 17:33:59
Haven't had much action on this thread in a while so here's one: ZFZ-3004 - White Chevy 4x4 truck, 2 male drivers, both bearded and wearing hats, 9:30 PM, Highland and Centre Avenue. I was traveling towards target on Centre Avenue taking the right hand lane on Centre Avenue, as I am legally and supposed to. A truck revved it's engine and passed in front of me as the two lanes on Centre turn to three, I was going to continue straight, but I was hooked by the truck into making a right hand turn onto Highland. I called him an, "a-hole" and shouted out his plate number, as well as alerting him to the 4-foot passing law and that he is on camera (he's not.) He revved his engine again, spraying me with cinders and black smoke. Traffic was heavy on Highland so I was able to stay behind him and gain more information on the vehicle. I kept my distance and made sure there were bystanders nearby. He was shouting profanities as he turned left onto Alder. This is the route I take to get home so I also turned left onto Alder. He slowed down, blew more smoke, and told me to stop following him. I shouted that I couldn't hear him, didn't care, and to leave me alone. He then proceeded to turn right onto Shady, as did I, allowing one car between us. He harassed another group of cyclists heading the other way on Shady and proceeded up the hill. Would not like to run into him again, be careful.
jason-pgh
2016-03-06 22:08:06
I also had an over-sized pickup truck run-in this weekend with two hicks on Beechwood. Coming down the "bike lane" on Beechwood towards Browns Hill road where the road curves and the "bike lane" is a parking zone. A large over-sized bigman truck came hauling down and almost hit me within less of a foot while laying on his horn with not even an attempt to slow down or any concern if I made it home to see my wife and son again. I caught up to him at the light after it just turned red and both occupants were slobby morbidly obese low IQ looking types. I rode up to the side of his over-sized man truck. He was yelling and his face was all red about how I shouldn't be on the road and he was going to run me over with his truck. Because being a morbidly obese redneck using a huge truck to threaten violence is anything but cowardly. I am surprised the fatass didn't drop over from a heart attack. During the remaining time the light was red I gave him my evil look and had to restrain my anger the best I could. I just left it to insults. I haven't been that angry with another driver in about a year cycling and I cycle a lot. Plate number YJK-8732. Harper Auto Group-Belle Vernon, PA. Two rednecks, 55+, very overweight (board-line morbidly obese), smoking large cigars, inbred looking, cowardly, and threatening violence with his bigman truck. I will be looking at all large red Ford trucks looking for this plate number. I want to see this fat fuck again.
shooflypie
2016-03-06 22:35:22
Plate FRR-2803, dark green Jeep or something that shape. I'm northbound on Perry Hwy, have just pulled away from the red light at Cemetery Lane. I knew there was no car immediately behind me at the light, so this would have been 100 to 200 yards beyond the light, plenty of time tosee me and figure out how to deal with me. At that spot, Perry is one lane nb but two-splitting-into-three southbound, with a rumble strip and a double yellow separating the two directions. There is no shoulder so I take the lane. In most cases, as it was here, oncoming traffic is sparse, so there was plenty of space to get past me. Nope, this guy has to come up behind me going close to the posted 35 already, pass me with 12 to 18" of space, and lean on the horn while right alongside. This is what I call a "fucking horn", purposely trying to frighten, alarm or bully me. No video, unfortunately. My rear camera had shut off a bit earlier, though the light was still working. It was the only altercation I had all day, after a 25?-mile ride from McKees Rocks to Robinson, back on Steubenville Pike through Crafton, the West End Circle, the traffic lane on the West End Bridge, and up N. Charles and Perrysville to home.
stuinmccandless
2016-03-07 01:25:02
…both occupants were slobby morbidly obese low IQ looking types. …a morbidly obese redneck… I am surprised the fatass didn’t drop over from a heart attack. … Two rednecks, 55+, very overweight (board-line morbidly obese), …inbred looking… I want to see this fat fuck again.
> Rules: Be respectful and constructive. Knock it off with the hate. There is nothing about an individual's size or family origin that is relevant to this post, certainly not five times over. If you can't write about the incident without spewing invective, wait until you can calm down. Sick of this shit.
epanastrophe
2016-03-08 14:24:37
twice on one ride today! I was riding on Negley toward Highland park, and right before the Giant Eagle a bicyclist on the other side veered over in the middle and waved to a car that was passing me too close to slow down. I was all the way over to the right. At the stoplight in front of the Giant Eagle back driveway, the driver of the car in front of me yelled, "ROADS ARE FOR CARS!" Given that the two gentlemen in the car were in their 20s, and I'm not, and also very buff, which I am not, I kept my distance and didn't say anything. Thanks to that biker going the other way! And then, I crossed the Highland park bridge using the sidewalk, crossed out onto Freeport under the HPB toward Aspinwall when there was a big break in traffic. As I am nearing the Medexpress, a van from a local Sharpsburg company drives up a foot behind me, honks for 10 seconds, then guns the engine and passes by me with about 2 feet to spare. Freeport is 4 lanes there. He was the only car. Unluckily for him, I am good friends with owner of said company, and dropped my friend an email today. Bad luck for me to have 2 in one day. Though I'm wondering if I should bite the bullet and just get a GoPro or something similar to mount on my handlebars just in case. It is ok if I don't get all the action, and I know the audio is crappy with the wind and all, but it will at least catch part of the action. The other thought is to put it on my helmet, but thinking it might be too heavy and make my neck hurt. Any thoughts on cheapie cameras that are waterproof that'll hold 1-2 hours of video at a time? I'm also ok with stopping after an hour, deleting the file, and going from there, since i'm just wanting to use it to video crazy people.
edronline
2016-03-17 18:47:12
I know $175 is a bit steep, but I've done pretty well with my Fly6 taillight camera. When it fills the chip, it just starts overwriting the oldest.
stuinmccandless
2016-03-17 20:44:18
http://www.amazon.com/Contour-1600-ContourROAM-Hands-free-Camcorder/dp/B005GLFSYQ or http://www.amazon.com/Contour-ROAM3-Waterproof-Video-Camera/dp/B00METYIQ2/ref=dp_ob_title_ce You can get these refurbished and used: 75-$80. I've had mine almost 3 years. If you have room on the handlebars, get a solid mount. If you've got a flat surface on the side of your helmet, this works great: http://www.amazon.com/Contour-3720-Rotating-Surface-Cameras/dp/B005Q314XS/ref=sr_1_1?s=photo&ie=UTF8&qid=1458265961&sr=1-1&keywords=contour+roam+mounts As far as weight on the helmet, yeah, it makes my helmet list a bit to the left, but I don't get any neck pain from it.
rustyred
2016-03-17 20:57:46
Muy helpful. Just want something cheap so when I get run over they can find the person. (:
edronline
2016-03-17 21:44:35
Ah, car drivers... To add some variety to my life, today I decided to ride out on Penn for the evening's commute; usually I take a left at Negley and head out on the ELB, on the whole a less stressful option (well, except when a bus decides to go half-ways into the bike lane). Anyway, just past Highland there's congestion. A late-model black car in front of me makes a point to edge to the right (in the bit with the construction) and block my path. Ok. I stop behind him. Nothing's moving. So I get impatient and squeeze past on the right (bumping over the foot of a barrier). I hear "Hey what are you doin'?" He catches up to me near the far ELB intersection and makes a point to swerve in front. I extend a middle finger, lingering long enough to make sure that he has the opportunity to experience our transient bond. I thought we had (mostly) won the bicycle wars... Did I get that wrong?
ahlir
2016-03-17 22:17:15
I'm guessing the bicycle wars might start in earnest if 1) bicyclists start getting some space that makes a real impact on drivers, and 2) we get enough political clout that road laws are occasionally enforced. You could have used that middle finger to help you scrawl down a plate number on the back of your hand.
mick
2016-03-17 22:42:51
I think that's why I'm getting a cheap video camera. A polite, "Sir, I'm video taping this" would probably get him to drive away without incident.
edronline
2016-03-18 05:40:26
Heard of a hit and run in the South Side yesterday involving a cyclist and driver. Don't know about the cyclist's condition. Driver fled, but they have his/her license plate. Anyone know more about this? Also heard of an altercation involving a cyclist and driver on Liberty Ave through Bloomfield. The incident apparently escalated to the point where the driver got out of the car and flashed a holstered gun. Police got involved, but no charges were made. Be careful out there.
chrishent
2016-03-19 08:42:01
The cyclist in the South Side hit-and-run was Will Pearman, Sarah's brother. He's conscious and in the hospital; Sarah is being circumspect in her public comments - I assume b/c this will be a criminal matter. There were witnesses, somebody got and reported the license plate, people (other than the driver) rendered aid. In a curious way, some of the reporting seems to have happened on a closed Facebook group (SouthSideSecrets) rather than official channels.
vannever
2016-03-19 09:18:23
Mick, I think the bicycle war will only begin when we start putting privileged people in jail for reckless/ hazardous/ threatening driving.
vannever
2016-03-19 09:22:04
I, for one, am logging every instance of inconsiderate drivers, close passes, and other willful ignorance. When feasible, I will log criminal complaints. But dammit, we have a right to be here, and when we need to drag them in front of a magistrate, it's only out of their own ignorance, intolerance, and inconsideration for others that brought them to that.
stuinmccandless
2016-03-19 12:02:30
Camera is coming. Since im not going to mount it on my helmet any thoughts about handlebars pointing forward vs rack pointing backwards? Again, just want proof just in case. I guess maybe handle bars is the best. If someone is going to get out of their car then they will pull in front as I am moving forward. And if there's a close pass then I'll see them after the pass. And if I get hit from behind. Well. Not much can do anyway as there are no front PA license plates anyway. Thoughts?
edronline
2016-03-19 20:08:02
if I only had one camera, I'd mount it pointing forward. Doorings, cutoffs, people making left turns that never "saw" you - there's a lot that happens in front. Plus, as you said, there's no front plates for a rear camera.
vannever
2016-03-19 22:32:12
"I thought we had (mostly) won the bicycle wars… Did I get that wrong?" Long way from that victory, I'm afraid.
fultonco
2016-03-20 05:56:33
I lost my camera somehow and I'm thinking about not replacing it. It never did me that much good; I couldn't get a cop to pay attention even when I'd captured a license plate. And I think I could intimidate a driver just as well by pointing to my helmet headlight and saying, "Sir, are you aware you are being recorded?"
jonawebb
2016-03-20 08:24:48
I wrestled with a couple of ways to mount the front camera. My current configuration is a GoPro chest strap.
stuinmccandless
2016-03-20 21:27:24
So.....the driver in Bloomfield displays a gun, says they'll shoot a person, and no charges are filed? How is that not a threat with a deadly weapon? Maybe I should just strap an AR-15 on my back when I bike around with a shirt that says "I will shoot you" on it....seems like the cops & DA are OK with that!
mattjackets
2016-03-22 09:35:33
So let's separate the driver's behavior on the road from the cyclist following and confronting the driver. It seems like the driver's actions in the garage were probably close to what they're supposed to do if they feel threatened. If you accept (for discussion) that the cyclist followed them into the garage (an isolated area) and then approached them, and the driver felt threatened, then the driver identified that they are armed and prepared to defend themselves. What else do we expect the driver to do? Cyclists don't have a "direct pursuit" authorization. The driver was wrong on the road. I think the cyclist was wrong to follow the driver into the garage. I've done a similar thing myself, and I won't do it again. I have never had a satisfying outcome when I chased and confronted a driver. You have a beef? Call a cop. Don't want to call a cop? Then you don't have much of a beef. It's not a bad exercise to contemplate that a certain portion of cars contain guns. I know more than 1 person who keeps a gun under their driver's seat.
vannever
2016-03-22 10:35:36
@Vannevar Nicely stated. It seems that some cyclists have lost touch with reality. Following someone into a parking garage, where they are essentially cornered is provocation and could result in one's death. A cyclist once told me that he caught up to an offending vehicle at a traffic light. He then opened the car door to say something to the driver. The driver drew a weapon. The cyclist is lucky to have been able to tell that tale.
fultonco
2016-03-22 18:08:14
^ I'm not disagreeing with V or fultonco - confronting drivers is sketchy. but I find it amusing in a juxtaposition kind of way that the driver of a two ton hunk of metal thinks its perfectly acceptable to drive recklessly near you, sometimes at very high rates of speed, but then the same driver gets scared when confronted by the cyclist straddling a thirty pound bike behind said piece of metal. Similarly, it's usually the overweight-nonathletic types that yell homophobic slurs at you as a way of showing how non masculine you are because you are riding a bike and they are in some ginormous truck - Juxtaposition dude.
marko82
2016-03-22 19:23:29
The reality is that you have no way of determining what sort of sociopath will emerge from the car. Leave them alone. I did, for a while, but realized this was really dangerous. One time some guy jumped out of his car and started for me. Sometimes, it's nice to have a bike...
ahlir
2016-03-22 20:28:30
I thought this was interesting, from New Scientist 23 March 2016: Road rage is caused by cats. "Infection with Toxoplasma gondii, a protozoan parasite carried by cats, has been linked to a human psychiatric condition called intermittent explosive disorder. People who have IED typically experience disproportionate outbursts of aggression, like road rage. T. gondii is already known to change the behaviour of the organisms it infects. By making rodents bolder and more adventurous, the parasite makes them more likely to be caught and eaten by a cat, allowing the parasite to complete its life cycle. "It can also infect humans, through contact with cat faeces, poorly cooked meat or contaminated water, and as many as one-third of the world’s population may be infected. The protozoan doesn’t make us feel sick, but forms cysts in the brain where it can remain for the rest of a person’s life. Such infections have been linked to psychiatric conditions including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and suicidal behaviour. People infected with T. gondii also have slower reaction times and are more likely to be involved in car accidents."
jonawebb
2016-03-23 15:40:42
@Marko82, can we please try to keep the fatphobic replies in this forum to a minimum? As infinitebuffalo said previously, what someone looks like physically has no bearing on their sympathy (or lack thereof) to cyclists. And fear of being verbally harassed for their appearance often keeps folks who'd otherwise love to try cycling from doing so.
chrisamaphone
2016-03-23 16:49:42
Well, now we have two kinds of IED's to worry about on our roads...
ahlir
2016-03-23 17:56:24
I am not going to get caught up in the sensation of PC culture with the board SJWs. I really don't care. If a morbidly obese person tries to run me off the road by using a large vehicle I will call him as is.
shooflypie
2016-03-23 21:16:09
Key: IED = Improvised Explosive Device IED = Internet Expert Douchebag SJW = St. John’s Wort SJW = Social Justice Warrior
paulheckbert
2016-03-24 08:21:51
A fine line between description and denigration, at least sometimes. "Red sedan, license plate xxxyyyy, heavily overweight white female driver" seems legit. "Fatass" is more the type of term used by people who are so angry or scared that they need to feel as if they're striking back, even though they really aren't. Source: said similar things myself in the past, wished I hadn't let my precious feels lead me into acting like a jackass.
reddan
2016-03-24 15:28:09
Right hook by PA ZBC-3550 going south on Wightman towards Raleigh. Cars were backed up down Wightman and I was going pretty slowly in the bike lane. I probably should've backed off right when I saw him turn on his right-turn signal (at 0:08), but for some reason I assumed he was going to turn on Beacon, not Raleigh. [video]https://youtu.be/ctUETQUcl6Y[/video]
jamie
2016-03-30 19:16:20
Scary. He did the classic fade into the bike lane "fuck this traffic I'm out of here move.". I would have screamed something since his window was open. Usually " watch!!!!!!!!!". Not that it does any good because either a) he was watching and saw you and was being a prick, or b) he wasn't watching and with that type of vehicle I worry that a concealed carry is close by. I figure though at least "watch!" makes for great audio and is non controversial. Glad you are safe.
edronline
2016-03-30 20:30:26
Almost got t-boned yesterday at the intersection of Liberty and Sixth downtown, scared the hell out of me, guy ran the red doing about 35 during rush hour while I was northwest bound on Sixth turning left on to Liberty. Be careful out there, grateful that I didn't get creamed.
ka_jun
2016-03-30 21:26:58
Twice today (so far) I've yelled "Go through a red light, DRUNKARD." The first time the person had their window up and clearly didn't hear me - but the pickup truck behind them also going through a red light had it's window open. The driver, indeed, looked like he could have had a problem with alcohol. The second time the driver shot me a look. In both cases, pedestrian passerby heard - and appeared to register - what I yelled. In courage any biker to use "DRUNKARD!" when they want to yell an epithet at a driver.
mick
2016-03-31 11:44:06
It would be difficult to find major fault with the pickup driver. Instead, this is a built-in danger of road-edge bike lanes, and why I am growing to distrust every one of this type. Granted, the driver should have checked the mirror before starting to fade right. But that's a fail-safe; that space was empty when the driver initially got to that point. OTOH, this cyclist and every cyclist should be aware not to pass vehicles on the right. Even in a designated bike lane. Because this happens. Regularly. Solution: Get out of the bike lane. Get in the traffic lane. Get in the left tire track. Stay there, particularly at lights. Since the Susan Hicks incident, I've also started to leave an entire bike length, maybe two, between my front wheel and the rear of the car in front of me, just in case someone rear-ends the car behind me. TL;DR, this isn't a dangerous driver, this is a dangerous bike lane design.
stuinmccandless
2016-03-31 12:41:23
Different topic. At tonight's Walk//Bike Ross meeting, I heard about a car-on-bike crash near North Park recently. Two males riding westbound on Wildwood Rd, a father and teenage son. Son was not hit but the father was clipped by a passing car's mirror. Father went to the hospital, badly hurt. Probably will be out of work for a couple months. Unfortunately, I'm getting all this verbally, second-hand, and have no specifics beyond what I stated above. Has anyone heard about this incident? I know nothing about the driver, not even whether they stopped.
stuinmccandless
2016-03-31 21:39:45
Pittsburgh Yellow Cab driver, white Dodge Caravan unit 453, license plate TX-47572. Less than 1' pass while I was taking the lane on William Penn Pl downtown (there's street parking on both sides). The light at 6th Avenue was red, so all this driver accomplished was getting to the red light faster than me. After the light turned green, he merely went across 6th and got in line for the taxi stand. One more reason not to give Yellow Cab my money. I'll be submitting a formal complaint later
chrishent
2016-04-10 15:28:57
I got buzzed with less than a foot of clearance by a black pickup truck while biking Second Ave toward downtown just after Saline St , the railroad overpass, and the right turn. (I generally use the chute for outbound travel, and the road for inbound). I was biking in the center of the inbound lane (to dissuade a car from attempting a pass), Yale was behind me and slightly to my left. I think what happened is that the pickup truck's driver, impatient, decided to pass us just after the right turn. He saw a car approaching in the center lane (there are 2 lanes outbound and 1 lane inbound here). Rather than wait until they could pass safely, the pickup truck driver zipped past Yale and me, swerving right and nearly hitting me. No reaction as I yelled at the truck.
paulheckbert
2016-04-10 17:14:11
Red pickup truck plate MINKA-2 somehow managed to aggressively pass me twice within half a mile. Once at high speed with his foot down as the residential road narrowed with parked cars. This is immediately after he had to poor judgement to make a three point turn without checking for traffic, finding himself stuck perpendicular in the road as people went around him. The second pass, again high speed with the engine at high RPMs, around a blind turn partially over the double yellow as cars were coming the opposite way. All that, and I was still stuck directly behind him afterwards.
mattjackets
2016-04-12 09:45:25
Perry Hwy in Ross, southbound, between Thompson and Harden Drives. A small, red car (maybe a mid-sized GM thing like a Chevy Corsica?), plate EGP-2255, does a thread-the-needle pass, with 12-18" clearance. It's two lanes through here, one northbound, one southbound, but right at Harden Drive the shoulder, which had been wide enough to park cars on, disappears altogether, so I've learned to take the lane along here. (StreetView) What's really maddening about this is that, after a second car passes me (with lots of space, as the oncoming car had passed) and they both stop at the light for Rochester Road, the first guy rolled his window down as if to encourage me to come up and talk to him. Nope, I had no interest in engaging. Just pulled over and tweeted the plate. What this told me was that he had passed me that closely on purpose. (Totally unrelated, but amazing discovery: Rotate the StreetView image to point north, and the red station wagon in the image is my old Sable!)
stuinmccandless
2016-04-12 13:10:22
I got this one from its creator on Facebook. A definition: Cyclopath. Noun. A person with this behaviour (usually a car or taxi driver) shows an irrational and deep rooted hatred of cyclists that is impervious to any logic or reason. The behaviour is exhibited variously from a belief that cyclists should be responsible in some way for the upkeep of the roads (as drivers wrongly believe they do through "road tax", correctly called VED) through to the belief that cyclists have no right to use anything other than the extreme nearside of the road, must always wear high visibility clothing and helmets, and should be licensed with visible identification. Ultimately this belief may progress to physical threats and abuse, so-called "punishment passing" and harassment both verbal and physical. The condition has yet to be classified as a mental illness under DSM-IV but is well recognised by the cycling community as a sociopathic condition. There is some evidence that it extends to institutions such as the Police and the Judiciary. The term is believed to have first been used in a post to Critical Mass London in December 2014. Attribution to Michael Glan Facebook link
stuinmccandless
2016-04-13 13:54:56
I’m sharing a wise comment from Ferdinand Cesarano that appeared on a Gothamist blog, on the subject of the dangers of urban cycling: http://gothamist.com/2016/04/19/bike_commute_video_nyc.php#comment-2634386492 Driver training is in the hands of self-styled amateurs, when it should be an official function of each state. This gets to the point that we need meaningful standards of licensure. As it stands now, people who are essentially incompetent (and who have been "trained" by incompetents) can easily acquire driver's licences. I can recall in my own driver's test that I made an error which I was sure would sink me -- I stopped ahead of a stop line at a stop sign. Yet I passed with no problem; the examiner didn't even say anything. Passing a driver's test should be very difficult; ideally, it should be something that most people are incapable of doing, just as a acquiring a pilot's licence is out of the capability of most people. Even if we accept that that desireable state of affairs is not achieivable because so many communities are already deformed by the assumed universal availability of driver's licences, what is achievable is to ensure that driver's tests be far more stringent than they currently are. The aim would be to bring about a cultural shift such that people seeking licences would regard a driver's licence as a serious responsibility for which they must demonstrate their fitness, rather than as a mere technicality which they are entitled to receive. Furthermore, testing should be a condition to keep one's licence; every licence renewal should depend upon passing another strictly-graded road test. Of course, state-run training and licence-renewal testing would require a great deal more staffing at state DMVs, and would necessitate the hiring of many highly-trained experts and professionals. While I personally would be perfectly happy to pay far higher taxes in order to fund a public agency that would provide this useful and life-saving function, the backward anti-tax orthodoxy that predominates in this country would not allow for this. So there are many obstacles to ever improving the competence of drivers.
paulheckbert
2016-04-20 21:00:19
I agree with @paulheckbert. But good luck in getting this implemented (you pinko-socialist big-government black muslim, you).
ahlir
2016-04-20 21:23:16
I almost got creamed yesterday coming down Bayard in the bike lane in front of Sunoco. Car going same direction with front bumper at level of my front tire kept drifting to the right. Only a really load "watch!!!" Caused the person to hit the brakes. They were a foot away when they did. Person was going straight too. And so was I. Oi! I was a good boy and had no follow up comments, no dirty looks, etc. Just got on my bike and kept going. Idiot followed me down Bayard to Winchester Thurston but was too scared to pass me again. I know what Stu is going to say about these bike lanes. (: Typically I have zero problems with the Oakland bike lanes and a lot of people even give extra space.
edronline
2016-04-21 08:08:24
Those outbound lanes suck. The diagonal transition areas are not wide enough for many folks to navigate, so they drift in to the bike lane. Had several issues with this, especially since the baum blvd lane closures. I want the transition areas widened, and bike lanes painted FULL KERMIT due to their confusing layout and lack of stop lines at crosswalks! The inbound side is mostly fine, except I never turn left on to bigelow from bigelow (to go towards the cathedral / schenly plaza) since rush hour traffic backs up in the straight and left turn lanes so it's hard to merge safely and the left turn lane is set back so far that you can't easily install a bike box.
benzo
2016-04-21 08:18:14
I had the same thing happen to me in the same spot around 9:15-9:20. I think the City of Pittsburgh should make intersection markings to show where the bike lane continues.
jason-pgh
2016-04-21 08:18:26
The problem with the Bayard's lanes is that they should never have been put in. While I appreciate the enormous amount of effort it took to do this, the truth is that there isn't enough space as designed. If you are riding in the middle of the bike lane the only way a car can give you a four foot passing distance is to cross the yellow line. Most drivers don't do that and I can't blame them. From a design perspective we have created a lane for bikes and a lane for cars so we are telling them that it is ok to pass closer then four feet because the design is bad. If you can't add a three foot buffer strip to a bike lane the road is too narrow and any bike lane will be dangerous.
marko82
2016-04-21 08:42:44
Full kermit, I take it, means painting the street green? One factoid we learned last night at the North Side meeting was that that sort of paint treatment costs $15 per square foot.
stuinmccandless
2016-04-22 03:22:21
For some context, that road work up the street (Baum-Craig-Bigelow) is an "estimated $14-17 million project". That's six 0's at the end. But I guess the square footage is greater.
ahlir
2016-04-22 06:12:26
Full Kermit = green bike lanes, painted green for the entire length, maybe some staggering across intersections. Basically the same as the penn ave bikeway or near the bloomfield bridge. The terminology I used was inspired by the #freshkermit hasthag used around the social media world for tagging freshly painted green bike lanes.
benzo
2016-04-22 10:47:16
Area in front of wpic is super confusing too. Is traffic lane, then bike lane, and then empty space that looks like a traffic lane. So when people want to turn right and go up Desoto toward the Pete they either go in the no man's zone by the curb or in the traffic lane, or sit in the middle of the bike lane. Somehow you can have two cars in two diff lanes turning right at the same time. Not sure the best way to bring up these complaints. Do we 311 these? These seem more systemic than a quick 311 fix.
edronline
2016-04-22 11:01:40
Emailed to Walnut Capital main (info@walcap.com). Will call 412-683-3810 later if I don't get a reponse: "At 8:45am on Apr 25, 2016, I was traveling west on bicycle on Pocusset St in Squirrel Hill. A Walnut Capital shuttle bus was behind me. Just past Wightman St, the driver honked. Since the oncoming traffic lane was clear, I waved that the shuttle could pass me. However, instead of moving over complete into the other lane, the driver chose to pass me very closely, giving me about 1 foot of clearance instead of the legally required 4. The shuttle was close enough that I could put my hand flat against the vehicle while it was passing me. This is both illegal and extremely dangerous for me. When the driver pulled over a block later for his next stop, I stopped by the driver's side window and reminded him that 4 feet was the legal passing distance for bicycles. The driver gave me a glance but did not otherwise acknowledge me, then drove on. The shuttle number was 942, with a license plate of BA-58401. This driver must be informed of the correct way to legally and safely pass a bicycle. I have uploaded a video of this incident at this URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d7eMAbSZKug (datetime on video is incorrect). Please have someone get in touch with me regarding this incident. " (included my phone and email)
bk7j
2016-04-25 09:19:25
I got a reply already. ----------- Hi, I apologize for the drivers conduct, and we have made a complaint with his company. Thanks, Carlie Husaini Walnut Capital Management 5500 Walnut Street, Suite 300 Pittsburgh, PA 15232 Phone: 412-683-3809 Email: CHusaini@walcap.com
bk7j
2016-04-25 09:24:49
That is exactly what you should do when you encounter a shuttle bus driver driving illegally.
jonawebb
2016-04-25 09:31:11
Well done, @bk7j
ka_jun
2016-04-25 09:49:27
Last night around 6:45 I was biking from the Point on Liberty, in the middle lane (since the right lane was taken by parked cars). I was going to make a left on Stanwix in order to move over to the Penn Ave bike lane. There were cars passing me in the left lane. About 100 yards before the intersection the light turned red and the cars started to slow down and stop. At this point I indicated my intention to move into the left lane. The car driving next to me slowed down to about 5 mph (I was riding faster than the driver at this point) and I logically assumed they were letting me in, so I moved in. At this point the driver - a middle aged trashy looking white female - started yelling that she could've effing hit me, put her car in park, jumped out and continued to yell profanities. I pointed out (rather calmly to my surprise) that there were two car lengths between us and I indicated before switching lanes. At this point the light turned green and I proceeded to make my left turn (nervously, since she was behind me, still yelling that the next time she's just going to effing hit me). It was a greenish-blue neon or something like that, didn't memorize the plate. This was my first ever verbal altercation with a motorist.
rainbow-dog
2016-05-04 13:46:14
As backdrop to today's Penn Avenue story, I had a minor altercation with the driver of a grey Jeep on East St, inbound, between the end of the bike lane and before the dogleg turn to cross 279. I'm on a bicycle; the posted speed limit has just dropped from 25 to 15. I am still doing 23 when this Jeep comes up behind me and I hear a horn. Like, where am I supposed to go? There is no "over", just a concrete barrier and a 30-foot drop onto the highway below, and we have a 90-degree turn in less than 100 yards. Driver floors it to go around me on the bridge, and hurls some insult at me at the stop sign, then speeds off. I followed, and of course caught up two lights later at Tripoli St. Woman, 50-ish, well fed, smoking a cigarette. All I said was "What's your problem?" Her beef was that I was not in the bike lane. "There's a bike lane, and you're supposed to be in it!" she said. Actually, I was in the bike lane, when it existed, but after the Gerst Way crossover, it disappears. (I have a separate video of how it vanishes into nothing along this very spot.) GPJ-8259. I will post video later. I have audio but not a visual of her face. She looks familiar, as if she might be one of the anti-bike people at the Federal/East St bike lane meeting at the North Side library a couple weeks ago. She wasn't too threatening, just annoying, and clearly misinformed.
stuinmccandless
2016-05-04 14:42:42
http://imgur.com/QGFOR8k Driver of this black Ford Taurus Limited with Pittsburgh Airport registration tag and livery licence plate---white female, undistinguished age (30s? 40s? I'm bad at this game)---rolled down her window to yell at me that I should have been in the bike lane on the southbound Millvale Ave Bridge. (For the record, there's a sharrow at the north end of the bridge; the shoulder is usually covered in gravel and in my opinion unsafe to ride; and, according to my data, I was moving at approximately 23mph in a 25 zone.) She was so incensed by my presence she nearly ran into the enormous Rescue 1 truck with its lights flashing as it was pulling out of the ambulance station between the bridge and Baum. She then nearly rear-ended another car in her mad dash to make it from the light at Baum to the red light at Centre, where I took this picture; tailgated another vehicle through the successive turns onto Centre and Devonshire; nearly cut off a driver crossing Devonshire on Bayard before she remembered to stop for a stop sign; and still hadn't made it more than four cars ahead of me by the time we reached the end of Ellsworth nearly half a mile later.
epanastrophe
2016-05-04 14:49:51
Just a reminder to the driver of the black sedan who zoomed around me on Forbes outbound around 4:20pm (Wed., May 4) right before it becomes one lane by the CIC: maybe don't do stuff like that *with a BikePGH sticker on your car*, okay? You may have thought you had enough room to get around me before the lanes merged, but you would not have had I not realized what you were doing and adjusted accordingly. I was not moving slowly. Maybe just chill out? Certainly not the most egregious driver in this thread, but did make me cranky, especially given that some of the recent injuries to cyclists I know and love make me feel like I'm riding around with a target on my back. If it was someone here, I'm guessing you weren't being intentionally malicious—but to let you know, what you did was not cool from the cyclist's perspective, so, um, don't do that.
2016-05-04 15:42:00
Forbes in front of the CIC is a challenge. So far I've been lucky. I usually try to get completely in the lane before the bridge. Fortunately it's downhill to there so you can get going at a reasonable speed. Being completely in the lane gives you a bit of margin if you get cut in front of. Ideally cars stay behind you; and they'll still be able to get to the red light at Morewood in plenty of time.(*) What I don't understand is why this shared, and crowded, bike / car stretch does not have markings that allows both constituencies to safely co-exist. For example maybe some flashing yellow lights. And a "slow down, 15mph" sign (flashing?). How hard is that? Maybe it's time for some re-education seminars in the department that's in charge of signage in construction zones? Wasn't there some advocacy group in town that might have looked into this? (*) Yes, at night when car speeds get up to highway level, they can make it through the Morewood light.
ahlir
2016-05-04 21:03:08
What is the "CIC" ?
mick
2016-05-04 23:54:55
@Mick "What is the “CIC” ?" "Collaborative Innovation Centre". First building on the right after you cross the bridge on Forbes heading from Craig toward Morewood.
epanastrophe
2016-05-05 06:57:39
Video of my East St incident yesterday. I don't know how I could have handled that any differently. Video starts just before where the bike lane starts at East & Suffolk. I'm moving about 29 mph, and get in the bike lane. * 1:00 - car passes me going much faster; I'm still at about 25. Posted 35. *1:20 - Pass Gerst Way footbridge, end of the bike lane. * 1:23 - I verbally announce I am getting in the traffic lane. There was nobody behind me when I did this. (I have a mirror.) * 1:35 - I am going 23, and say so. Speed limit is 25 now. * 1:59 - Horn. Speed limit is 15; I am still going about 23, with a 90-degree turn a few feet ahead. * 2:13 - She pulls up alongside me and yells at me to be in the bike lane. (Which ended a quarter mile earlier.) I yell "What's your problem?" but she zooms off. * 2:18 - I verbally announce license plate, GPJ-8259. * 2:25 - The police car is there to check for overweight trucks. I ignore it. * 2:57 - I catch her at the Tripoli Street light. "Stay in the damn bike lanes!" she yells. "That's what they put them there for!" * 3:04 - She ignores my order to pull over, and zooms off onto the 279 on ramp.
stuinmccandless
2016-05-05 08:53:55
of my East St incident yesterday. I don’t know how I could have handled that any differently.
I don't think there is much to be said. I think what she meant was she didn't want you on the road at all, given there was no cycle lane at all at that point.
sully
2016-05-05 09:59:24
Awaiting verification of who GPJ-8259 is. Myself and one other have strong suspicions. PM me if you think you know. If you absolutely know, feel free to weigh in.
stuinmccandless
2016-05-05 12:12:47
I miss the old "SPEEDERS LOSE LICENSES" signs.
mick
2016-05-05 12:37:13
This morning's commute on Mckean St. Frank Bryan Concrete truck pulling out of the garage onto the street. Looks my way then pulls onto the street in front of me. There was maybe 20-30 feet between him and I when he pulled onto the street, I had to brake relatively hard to avoid incedent. Needless to say I was pi$$ed so I jumped in front of him at the stop sign at 2nd and Mckean to let him know he pulled in front of me but before I could he started yelling at me for pulling in front of him, it verbally escalated between the two of us from there. I'm guessing I should take the jail trail for a while as I'm sure I won't be received well around Frank Bryan Concrete for a long time to come.
sped
2016-05-06 08:14:24
I was down there myself on Friday morning. There seemed to be quite a bit of concrete truck traffic. Seemed heavier than usual. They must have a big contract somewhere. I didn't have any trouble and didn't see you. Just be careful out there. I've heard they make some concrete shoes and then take you to the river for a swim. Nobody ever comes back to give a review.
fultonco
2016-05-07 16:40:10
Becuase of ft Pitt tunnels closed cars were detouring off the ft Pitt bridge onto Carson. Terr was so much traffic by the far entrance to station square that cars were driving partly on the sidewalk to get to another lane faster. Just watch going through that area.
edronline
2016-05-07 17:36:41
JGF-2818. Passed me on the right when I was in the "go straight" lane, he was in the right turn only bu popped back in my lane. Gave me maybe 5 inches. I caught up with him at the next light. He lowered his window and I got started explaining the 4 foot law, but I was interrupted "F YOU!" and a finger. Later he pulled up beside me and started videoing me with his smart phone. I yelled "YOU SHOULDN'T BE DRIVING, DRUNKARD." It would have made a better video had I kept my voice down a bit (just loud enough to be clear) and gently explained "You shouldn't drive when you are as drunk as you appear to be." But hey, you can't have everything. Question: do plate numbers in the thread come up when they are googled? How can we descriptions of this behavior available to anyone who searches on a plate number?
mick
2016-05-10 12:59:25
> do plate numbers in the thread come up when they are googled? doesn't seem like it. trying a couple recent ones, GPJ-8259 turns up Stu's youtube videos, but the others mostly just get gibberish.
epanastrophe
2016-05-10 13:03:11
In my videos, I put the plate in the title. Also, YouTube is owned by Google, so it might have a better chance of showing up quickly. The one above might be too new to show up in a search. Try again in a few hours or tomorrow.
stuinmccandless
2016-05-10 13:10:14
http://bikingpgh.com/index.php?title=Dangerous_Drivers not sure who's responsible for that top entry over there, but PD in a plate description almost always means 'permanently disabled'. Police vehicles in PA get an MG ('municipal government') plate, or a standard private plate for private departments. i'd also suggest that that page might be more useful if it linked back to the incident descriptions...
epanastrophe
2016-05-10 13:10:22
> The one above might be too new to show up in a search. Try again in a few hours or tomorrow. that's why i tried several, going back to the top of the previous page. yours was mentioned because it was the only one that got any useful results.
epanastrophe
2016-05-10 13:12:05
JZT-0648, large grey/pale blue sedan (Buick-like), black male. Didn't do anything to me or others, but the man Face-timed the entire time on Penn Ave, from 16th St until 11th, and probably beyond. SMH
chrishent
2016-05-12 20:12:36
Dangerous driver during Ride of Silence, 05/18/2016. He tried to pass 40 riders, but was only stopped when there's oncoming traffic on the opposite lane. It's a red Suzuki and the license number seems to be JZS-0101. Video of the whole incidence will come soon. Now I'm going to invest in a rear-facing Mobius action camera to complement my front-facing one.
ninjaturtle0304
2016-05-19 12:48:18
AZ JSZ-0101 Appears to be an Arizona plate.
ka_jun
2016-05-19 13:20:53
No, I think that's a PA plate. Maybe an AZ bracket, but the color and numbering look like PA's.
stuinmccandless
2016-05-19 13:50:07
Looks like a Chevy Impala.
fultonco
2016-05-21 21:44:08
@fultonco: Thank you. I think it's early 2000 model of Chevy Impala
ninjaturtle0304
2016-05-23 16:15:04
Looks like an '04
fultonco
2016-05-23 16:20:22
Thanks @Gordon, these are some good quality images. I remember the first guy, windows down, music blaring, tried to overtake the entire ride on a narrow street only to come face to face with oncoming traffic. Then sat there like a dolt with no where to go. The second guy.... damn look at that mug...
tenplusone
2016-05-26 10:31:38
Lately I seem to be plagued by cars that are sitting there wai9ting for me to pass behind them before they make their next move - but their backu0p lights are on and I would go behind them like that. Ever.
mick
2016-05-26 11:53:54
Occasional lurker, first time poster ... Around 8:40 yesterday evening, I was struck on my bike while in the crosswalk at Fort Pitt Blvd. and Smithfield St. by a dark SUV driven by a younger black male (probably in his 20s) who ran a red light. He stopped long enough to give me attitude and took off the moment I turned my back. Luckily, I wasn't injured and a witness got his plate number: JRZ-1807 Police report was filed on the scene. https://www.instagram.com/p/BGF7Q9cjXLM/?taken-by=gingerbeard412
pghfun1
2016-06-01 04:16:23
Thank you for filing a report. I hope firstly that you are ok and that secondly your bike is ok. Guy will be getting a ticket in the mail im sure.
edronline
2016-06-01 06:26:04
+1 on thanks for filing a report, hope you & your rig are okay, GBM.
ka_jun
2016-06-01 10:44:05
@Gordon: I saw "your" Impala today! I was riding on Brownsville Road in Mount Oliver and encountered some construction so I took a left turn on Ormsby Avenue and then the first right onto Louisa (Street?), which is an alley running toughly parallel to Brownsville. Part way through the alley, a car with its lights on was staying well behind me. I finally was able to get over and let the vehicle pass. When it did, I noted that it was a burgundy colored Impala. I then saw the license plate and it was the very same JXM-8023! The vehicle took a left at Calhoun (Street?) and I went right, to get back onto Brownsville. Neither the vehicle nor anyone inside gave me any trouble or behaved in a threatening manner. I think the driver was trying to also get past the construction but was unsure of the way. Perhaps the cyclist who knew the way gave him a better perspective on us.
fultonco
2016-06-01 19:24:27
@fultonco: You've got such a good memory! I'm glad they didn't give you any trouble.
ninjaturtle0304
2016-06-01 20:59:25
I was heading east on Baylor and stopped at the four way stop sign at Devinshire. There was a pedestrian waiting to cross so I told them to go ahead and cross. A black Audi with California plate 7HXL479 didn't think he should have to wait. As I started pulling away after the pedestrian got to the sidewalk he right-hooked me and I had to bail hard to the right to not get hit. (there were no parked cars so I was positioned further right than normal, but still about six feet from the curb & wearing my dork hi-viz vest). Since he was in such a huge hurry... I naturally was able to follow him to where he parked further up in shadyside to get a good pic. We exchanged words until I started to call 911 - then his buddy rushed him into his house. Driver is 40'ish fit male with dark hair http://i.imgur.com/OQl2cbD.jpg
marko82
2016-06-06 15:53:20
A shout-out to the driver of JYJ-3133, in a white Jeep in Millvale yesterday, who said he'd run me down if he caught up with me at the next light, because I dared to take the lane -- just yards after a sign that clearly says "[bicycle symbol] MAY USE FULL LANE". He beeped at me after seeing me in traffic two more times in the next 15 minutes, so I know he knows me on sight now.
stuinmccandless
2016-06-10 09:50:23
Hope you called that in to 911. I had that happen to me in Oakland, if you're being threatened with bodily harm, have to call that in.
ka_jun
2016-06-10 10:37:56
@Stu: I'm sorry that you got harassed. I tried to look up some info regarding this for cyclists in PA, but all I could find is general info which may or may not help: http://www.stopstreetharassment.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/SSH-KYR-Pennsylvania.pdf Quoting the article: "Harassment Title 18, Chapter 27, § 2709 As noted under the “Verbal Harassment” section, in Pennsylvania, the general harassment law prohibits following someone in or about a public place. Penalty: Harassment is a summary offense in the state of Pennsylvania, punishable by up to 90 days in prison. Using lewd, lascivious, threatening or obscene language is a third-degree misdemeanor, punishable by up to 1 year in prison. Reporting Crimes to the Police o Call 9-1-1 for help if: o The crime is in progress o You or someone else is physically hurt or have been threatened with physical violence o You can provide information about who may have committed a crime. o Call the local police office’s non-emergency number to submit a report afterward. For example, in the City of Harrisburg, the number is 717-558-6900; in Philadelphia, call 311. Be prepared to provide them with: o When it happened (date and time). o Where it happened (street location, store location, bus line or bus stop, etc). o Who is reporting (your name, contact information). o A description of what happened. o The name and contact information of witnesses, if you spoke to any. o It can be helpful to include the law the crime falls under, such as Disorderly Conduct, Title 18, Chap. 55 § 5503. o A description of the harasser/s. o Many police departments also have online reporting forms, for example, the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police has an online reporting form. o Some police departments also allow you to anonymously send a tip about a non-emergency incident, for example if you see a group of people routinely harassing passersby at the same location. Visit your local police department website for information. Once you’ve reported a crime, if you’ve provided your contact information, within a few days, you will receive a call with a police report case number and may have to answer follow-up questions. Save a copy of the police report for your records." I also found some articles regarding harassment in Portland, which may or may not be applicable here: 1. http://bikeportland.org/2011/07/20/bike-law-101-harassment-and-how-to-deal-with-it-56563 2. http://www.stc-law.com/bicyclist-harassment.html
ninjaturtle0304
2016-06-10 12:42:03
Of course this occurred on a day when I wasn't using a camera. Harassment is one thing. What I'd really like to see is a bounty system. Anyone with incontrovertible video evidence that Driver X harassed a cyclist could pocket a nice $10 bill, part of the $100+ fine assessed on said motorist. Drivers can think of this as tuition: Pay $100, learn a thing or two about treating cyclists properly. We can hammer out the details elsewhere, but the sooner we start turning in these idiots, the better.
stuinmccandless
2016-06-10 15:23:42
While searching for anti-harassment articles specific to cyclists in PA, I came across this old article on Post-Gazette: "Review finds Pennsylvania's new bike safety law not closely enforced" (http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/local/neighborhoods-city/review-finds-new-bike-safety-law-not-being-closely-enforced-688939/#ixzz2UD8nbIc0) It is said the lack of enforcement may be due to "...officers who are busy with more serious matters. An officer answering a call for a burglar alarm or a fight, for instance, would not pause to stop a driver for passing a bicyclist too closely, he said. Also, he said, an officer would have to be in the exact right place at the right time with a good viewing angle to discern a violation and determine that a car was within four feet. And motorists are less likely to make a dangerous pass if they see a police car..." I think the same problem may be encountered if there's a push to enforce anti-harassment on cyclists. But like Stu said, if dangerous motorists could be convicted based on photographic evidence captured by cyclists and the fine paid by the guilty party go to both the city and the said cyclists, it may make considerable changes on the behaviors of motorists. I was wondering if the city could work with Healthyride to start a pilot project. Perhaps Healthyride could install cameras on part of their fleet, which upload video data to a central server whenever they are docked, and utilize them to charge and fine offending motorists. The paid fine would then be split between Healthyride and the city. It would be difficult to process a huge amount of video data, of course. Perhaps Healthyride could put a "flag" button on the cameras to allow users to highlight any potential dangerous encounters with motorists. My Mobius action camera has such a button allowing me to save a 5-min section of video data whenever I push it.
ninjaturtle0304
2016-06-10 16:22:44
Of course, what would really help is better driver training. Since most cyclists also have driver's licenses, my plan would have the secondary effect of better informing cyclists what rights they do have, and what responsibilities they have to adhere to. I should write a whole blog post on this, but I'll try to keep this to just a couple dozen words. * Every newly licensed driver will take a much longer written exam, 80 questions instead of 18 like they do now. * Every four-year renewal will require a 25-question exam on changes to the law and the proper dealing with vulnerable road users (horseback, motorcycle, bicycle, motorized wheelchairs). * Everyone with points on their license at renewal has to take the 80-question version. Further, each question will have questions with four answer choices. a) A correct answer (five points) b) A plausible answer (one point) c) An incorrect answer (zero points) d) An unacceptable answer (negative five points). Score the answers such that N unacceptable answers triggers an automatic failure. Put this in place, and over four years, we will have better educated drivers and cyclists. Or the delicensure of people who have no business being behind the wheel of a motor vehicle.
stuinmccandless
2016-06-10 19:25:10
EWC-8417, silver Toyota Prius. Didn't happen to me, but I've seen @callahan's video. Thread-the-needle pass with a close oncoming car, Babcock Blvd in Shaler by the Shop'n Save. If that spot sounds familiar, it should. I've filmed and/or tweeted over a dozen incidents in this half-mile stretch.
stuinmccandless
2016-06-24 06:22:22
ZHX 2660 Gray GMC Sierra pickup truck Passed me on the right, close, 8-10", sent me onto the yellow lines, no oncoming traffic fortunately. I was in the middle of the straight-on lane on Babcock southbound, just after the little hill before the lights at the turn for Rochester (with a RH turn lane), coasting as the light was red. Truck passed scarily close, pulled in front, and then had to stop because the light was still red. Sigh.
naomi
2016-06-25 13:25:52
Love your videos with soundtrack!
helen-s
2016-06-28 11:10:03
Yesterday, either 2015 or 2016 Light Grey Nissan Sentra 4 door. JWS-7595. Scrawny, pale, white male, wearing black tank, black shorts red-stripe, and black hat. He close passes me as I am taking the lane down S. Aikan towards Shadyside. I call out. He's then directly in front of me. Traffic is slowing as it always does on that road, yet people still feel the need to floor it through that intersection leading up to Shadyside Place. He's yelling at me to "Get off his tail" To which I can't really make out what he's trying to say or what he expects me to do. He jumps out, runs up to me, and tried to push me off my bike. He fails, as I'm not going down, so he runs back to his car, gets in and continues to yell at me "Don't touch my car." So i circle back and get behind him again to make sure I get his plate number. At this point i'm just laughing at the guy, he floors it and speeds up the street toward Oakland. I pull over and call the cops. Officer shows up about 10 minutes later and we have a chat, I give him all the info I have. As i don't have any injuries or damages, he doesn't think they can get him for assault. He said maybe a summary harassment, but it would be a long shot. Looking back I just think all that was pretty hilarious. I honestly think he got scared when he got out of the car and realized how much bigger I was than him, but he still had to defend his ego since this bicyclist was picking on him. I didn't really consider him a threat, so I didn't see the need to escalate the situation further by using a higher level of force. But it just goes to show you. People just seem to get stir crazy when they drive. This guy obviously had many screws loose to act like that. I'm glad this is one situation where I held my temper - something I am trying to work on. Maybe I am a lot more sarcastic with people than I think and he thought I was messing with him? - *Spoiler, i kinda was* But as usual, lookout.. obviously something isn't right with this dipshit.
tenplusone
2016-06-30 09:15:22
Good for you for holding your tongue. These days I worry about idiots with guns.
edronline
2016-06-30 14:47:33
Had a similar occurrence last Saturday. I pulled up behind stopped traffic on Shady northbound at 5th at 8:30am. The car in front of me inched forward about two feet, so I also inched forward, just as I would in a motor vehicle. The driver flips out and starts yelling not to get so close to his car. I mumbled something like "Dude, it doesn't matter." He made a show of discomfort, but didn't exit the car, like the criminal incident above. And I didn't bother noting it any further. I have to say, I'm pretty impressed by this local fear of cyclists who are behind one's car.
ornoth
2016-06-30 17:35:35
At any moment you could lean over and lick his car if you get too close.
edronline
2016-07-01 19:37:04
Red Jeep, JPT 6836. Fast, honking close pass at ~40 mph on the 31st St Bridge (posted 25 mph). Got held at the red light at the Penn Ave end, of course. Middle-aged white male driver, naturally. Rolled down his window to yell something incomprehensible back at us (something about needing to stay right, maybe?) before making a left onto outbound Penn. Apparently doesn't know about turn signals, either. http://i.imgur.com/LA3RVII.jpg
epanastrophe
2016-07-02 21:41:37
Involved in my first bike crash today. I was proceeding straight in the 6th Street Bridge bike lane on the RC bridge, Downtown through the light at Ft. Duquesne. A dark silver chevy traverse with Ohio plates (didn't get a plate) proceeded to turn right crossing the bike lane with no signal. It was around 3:30 and I was wearing a bright yellow shirt. He hit me, I fell off my bike and landed on the pavement, catching myself mostly with my left hand and hip. The car did not stop and proceeded through the light and turned left onto Stanwix. (ps thanks to the guy who tried to follow him) I work at Kayak Pittsburgh so I returned to the office where I filed a report but since I don't have a plate, I doubt anything will happen. So yeah. It helps to go limp.
jason-pgh
2016-07-06 15:44:12
Are there traffic cameras in the area? Probably should have called police to the scene, also summon medical help, gone to an emergency room. Hard to believe a driver did not know he was involved in a collision.
kolo-jezdec
2016-07-06 18:01:28
There were a lot of things I should have done. But honestly, I was full of adrenaline, I didn't feel any pain whatsoever and I wasn't thinking logically. I believe someone at the scene called 911 but I can't confirm
jason-pgh
2016-07-06 18:02:57
Leaving the scene of an accident where injury results is considered a 3rd degree felony This is a serious crime, with mandatory jail time. I know it's a pain but you should pursue it. This driver is a dangerous criminal.
ahlir
2016-07-06 19:25:04
Ok, so, just talked to a police officer from Zone 5 (Badge 4376) he said that it's not really useful to file a report but I encouraged him to do one anyways and that, "the detectives have so much of a caseload that it will probably be cold then closed." So, unless someone leans on the cops, nothing will come out of this.
jason-pgh
2016-07-06 19:41:01
Anyway, thank goodness you are OK. The first crash is an eye opener, makes you aware of how vulnerable we are. Be careful out there.
kolo-jezdec
2016-07-06 20:01:24
Speaking of traffic cameras, how would one go about finding where they are and acquiring them?
jason-pgh
2016-07-06 20:03:19
At the least the police report helps with insurance claims. Maybe also qualifies for some victim compensation whether a loss on a tax return or some other program? Cops don't want to do them because they take time and see little benefit re finding the bad guy.
edronline
2016-07-06 20:22:53
^plus police reports are the basis for all sorts of data driven public policy & safety statistics. If a police report isn't filed- it didn't happen. Glad that it sounds like you'll be ok.
marko82
2016-07-06 21:08:40
I'll be back to work tomorrow! Not gonna get back on the bike for a while (1-2 weeks) until my hip feels a bit better, but for now, it'll be the bus for me. Thanks for all the support guys! Maybe I'll lean on the officers in a couple weeks to see if anything changed.
jason-pgh
2016-07-06 21:12:30
There's a bollard missing on the inbound Clemente Bridge bike lane. I use it, when possible, to get back in the traffic lane, just so I don't end up in that situation. This is not a dig on you, Jason, and I'm glad you're OK. But if I was to go back through the board posts to when that lane was first put in, that exact situation was foreseen. I know Colleen and I and others all have video showing right hooks. This is a design fault as much as driver danger. Meanwhile, I need to get my rear camera back in operation. Ohio has front plates. Had I been in that situation, with a functional rear camera, chances are pretty good I could have gotten a plate number.
stuinmccandless
2016-07-06 21:33:30
Funny thing is I knew this would happen eventually. I know that lane sucks for right hooks, and I wish the city would do something about it. I was looking and scanning for right turn signals to see if I was about to get hooked. This guy had no signal.
jason-pgh
2016-07-06 21:53:59
Yesterday I had a very close pass by a white box truck on the steep part of Center in Aspinwall. I heard it laboring up the hill and moved pretty far right, and I still could have signed the side if I had a pen out. It turned left onto 8th and I did not get plates. Bizarre.
neilmd
2016-07-10 07:19:05
From a series of tweets on Saturday afternoon while I was driving in West View. 1. JGL-?045 "?" was a 5,6,8,9 not sure. Silver 4-door sedan. First laid on the horn bc I was going too slow. Then passes me *& the bus* ... 2. ...on a curve, at a traffic light. Somehow no oncoming traffic. This is on downhill 19 in WView btwn McD's & WVwParkDr. 3. Further note that I was in the car at the time! Not on a bike! Passes a car going 20 then a stopped bus & tries to cut in front of the bus. So, yeah. I'm slowing down because a bus is stopped in the street, discharging passengers, and before I come to a stop, this driver lays on the horn, gets full over into the oncoming lane, on a blind right curve, at an intersection, and then cuts off the bus which, by that moment, has begun moving again, only to make the same left the bus is making, so has to speed up a bit to make it in front of the bus before they both turn left. That takes a special kind of stupid.
stuinmccandless
2016-07-10 10:32:14
Was headed down Saline to continue on Irvine this evening so I pulled into the travel lane about 100' from the intersection (with a red light) and soon heard a roaring behind me. A guy in a Tahoe stopped behind me at the light and yelled that the bike lane was over there. I explained that the bike lane WAS over there but had ended, that I was going straight on Irvine, and that we were all obeying the law. He yelled he didn't care and I got a little less polite... He started to gun around me to make a left onto Greenfield when the light turned but thought better of it. Bleh.
neilmd
2016-07-12 18:38:37
On saline, it's close enough to point to the parkway "The car lanes are over there, dude."
mick
2016-07-13 17:24:00
The title of the thread should maybe be "Dangerous and Asshole Drivers"... Here's my contribution: This morning I'm coming down Schenley Dr. My habit is to move to the car lane (basically just over the car/bike divider) when coming around the blind curve just before the Tech St intersection. The reason is simple: pedestrians use that lane coming up; you don't want to bear down on them going 20+mph. Anyway, I'm coming around the corner. I sense a car behind me, slowly following. Usually they zoom by. This is odd. Eventually the car moves up next to me and the driver rolls down the passenger window. I hear: " You know, I'm supposed to give you people 4ft. But you're not letting me do that. Why aren't you in the bike lane?" What can you do? It's not the time or place to initiate a reasoned discussion, trying to point out the flaws in their reasoning, invoking relevant traffic laws, and generally addressing the situation at hand. So I just yell "why can't you just pass?". Which he actually does and speeds off. Sadly, he likely did not hear the next part: "why do you have to be such an asshole?" Not very new sedan (dark grey?), needed a wash/wax. SSA ("Shady Side Academy") sticker on the back (aka "I can afford the tuition for my brat and you can't"). Late-middle age male. Why do all these cliches keep hounding me? It just makes biking in Pittsburgh feel claustrophobic.
ahlir
2016-07-13 22:05:05
The only safe thing to do on Schenley Drive downhill is to take the lane. You are probably speeding in any event, or at least going pretty close to 25; I know I'm well over 25 around the s-curve, usually over 30. Then there is the little detail that there isn't even technically a bike lane there, just a wide shoulder...
neilmd
2016-07-14 05:42:41
^ What @neilmd said. Take the lane here.
chrishent
2016-07-14 07:40:12
I do usually take the lane, and am going at or close to the speed limit; I will even slow down if I notice myself getting close to 30 (there's a posted speed limit there, after all). On this particular occasion I was travelling with another person who was slower and behind me, so I was hanging to the side and trying to leave room for cars to pass. And, yes, that is not a bike lane; it's more of a pedestrian walkway that bikers end up using due to speeding traffic.
ahlir
2016-07-14 07:56:35
I sort of commend the driver in Ahlir's recent case for wanting to know what the right thing to do is/was. But, neither the time nor the place was the right one. This might have been an ill informed motorist, but unlikely more than that. It does point out the need for enhanced education among drivers wanting to do the right thing. A parent with school stickers on the car is a good reminder that starting with kids is a good way to educate adults.
swalfoort
2016-07-14 07:59:51
^I somewhat disagree. The driver knew he was suppose to give four feet to pass yet the did not do this. Nowhere in the law does it say 'unless there isn't enough room'. This situation is the very reason the law was passed! If you cannot give four feet (for ANY reason) - DO NOT PASS
marko82
2016-07-14 08:35:45
It's really just a driver and a cyclist dealing with a bad road design, and a driver not knowing what to do in a particular situation. @ahlir gave him correct instructions, just pass. It's the best that could be hoped for. That road may get redesigned eventually, as a result of the effort to reduce runoff.
jonawebb
2016-07-14 08:39:11
Uber driver with plates JZM8605 was driving recklessly in Oakland this morning. Nearly ran the stop sign to my left when it was my turn to use the 4-way stop intersection. I came across him again a few times speeding down the side streets of Oakland, doing rolling stops through stop signs and using the Marathon parking lot as a passway. Don't remember the car, it was a white sedan maybe? :/
yllw
2016-07-14 09:53:29
Back to the Schenley Dr. thingie. I do get passed A LOT on blind curves, like Boundary before it dips down to Joncaire or Hobart going up (west) past Murray or many others. I can't fathom this. I am not generally going slowly (even on the rise on Hobart). My solution on curves is to move over close to the double yellow. I don't know how much more I can do to signal to the drivers to wait behind me (and I do put my left palm down and wave backward too if need be). I've been passed on Dorseyville Road on those bends near Beechwood Farms, again on blind corners, many times. It is just senseless.
neilmd
2016-07-14 16:09:20
Now that I have moved to Polish Hill, I have nearly-blind curves on nearly every road I take, in and out, and it's almost guaranteed that if there's a car behind me, they'll try to pass me at the apex of a curve when they can't see a damn thing coming. 28th St Bridge, Herron Ave S, Melwood/Gold curves....all of the above. I think sometimes Pittsburgh drivers must have a death wish...their own or someone else's, doesn't matter...
epanastrophe
2016-07-14 18:27:21
It is so unfortunate that I have to report two cases of dangerous driving on the day of Pittsburgh Bike Plan - Open House meeting. Case 1: Close pass Time: 07/14/2016 07:56 AM Location: N Negley and Penn, Pittsburgh Offense: Did not observe 4-ft passing law Model: Subaru XV Crosstrek (Blue) Plate #: FHG-7037 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Chgnn0rY_g Case 2: Right hook Time: 07/14/2016 07:26 PM Location: N Neville and Ellsworth, Pittsburgh Offense: Right hook Model: Toyota Tacoma (red) Plate: YFF-7588 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HRhgVEUQJVQ Both will be reported to Close Call and ReportDangerousDriver.com
ninjaturtle0304
2016-07-14 23:20:31
A copy of the Pennsylvania Driver's Manual went through my hands today. I was curious so I flipped through it. There's something in it about "Bicyclists"! Three "safety tips" to be exact (pedestrians get 9). But there's also a section on applicable laws, with 6 points. So I guess we're even. Anyway, for the record, here's the bit entitled SAFE PASSING IS THE LAW With reference to my earlier post re that guy on Schenley Dr, it would appear that, yes, my appraisal of him was essentially accurate (see point #1, on passing decisions). I can concede that I maybe I should not have commented on his "SSA" sticker. But it's always baffled me that people put stickers and such on their cars. What are they telling us about themselves? (Not in the specifics, but by the act of marking itself.)
ahlir
2016-07-15 14:45:37
I don't usually ride during normal rush hours, so maybe was surprised by two close passes this morning. Heading east on Wilkins approaching 5th a minivan passed within maybe 2.5 feet and I yelled HEY loud enough the driver heard me. When stopped behind her at the light, she asked why I yelled at her. When I said she was supposed to give me 4 feet of clearance, she then asked how she was supposed to tell if she was 4 feet away. My response was to try to give 5 just to be sure. Shortly afterwards, on Aiken approaching Center, a car sped past very closely. At the light, I rolled up to the open window and said she was supposed to give me 4 feet. Looking up from her phone, the driver was a bit startled, and turned down the very loud radio while partially closing her window, saying "what did you say?" After my same response, her reply? "To tell you the truth, I never even saw you in front of me." I reminded her that made her a very dangerous driver and my life was in jeopardy with her on the road. Just another day riding in traffic.
helen-s
2016-07-18 12:43:13
Two dangerous situations I encountered on motorcycle in the past couple of days. Saturday night, Ferguson Road, Hampton Twp. Plate # JPY-1934. Extended tailgating, honking, flashing high beams, trying to force his way past, despite my going the posted speed limit. I let him by (to get the plate) and followed him for a bit. Topped out at 51 mph in a 35 zone. Tonight, on Brighton just before the split at California and N. Charles, someone passed me on the right in the parking lane, just as I was starting to edge right to go up NCharles. I was doing 25 in a 25 zone. Plate JXF-7341. I suspect they would be aggressive, intolerant bullies to a bicyclist, too.
stuinmccandless
2016-07-18 19:42:28
To Ahlir and neilmd, Schenley Dr. isn't any better now than it was in the 90's. That used to be my commute and I would take the whole lane for the various reasons stated here. I had a couple of incidents, though. Once, I was riding along, going more than 25mph, and a car behind me honked. Since I was travelling fast and approaching the curve, I didn't look back. Turns out it was a police cruiser (no lights or sirens on) who decided to pull me over and give me a talking to. I said yes sir (this was the 90's and I didn't want to get into an argument about "as far right as practicable") and then continued to ride the same way. Second time, I again was in the middle of the lane, probably closer to the yellow line, and some idiot felt that 25-30mph wasn't fast enough so they passed me on the inside. They went through the pedestrian area I was working to avoid. I get similar crazy behavior these days coming over the crest of the hill on Wilkins westbound before it drops down to 5th Avenue. I don't know how many people believe that they can see through solid rock to determine if a car is going to be coming at them head-on as they pass me right before the crest of the hill. Almost matches the idiocy of people passing me going up Wilkins from 5th and almost causing a head-on crash with a police cruiser.
abm760
2016-07-19 13:33:58
JXJ-1621: Close pass on the South Aiken Bridge towards Ellsworth. I caught up to him at the light at Ellsworth (shockingly) and he gave me a *shrug*. So I simply stated, "It's four feet to the left in PA." This apparently pissed him off, but he was out of good insults so the best he could muster was a basic, "f*$k you." However, he then opened the door. In a somewhat fear for my own safety, I lied and said he was on camera and if he stepped out of the car he would be reported to the police with evidence. I've never seen a door shut so fast. He then sat through the entire green light. I turned right onto Ellsworth, he went straight.
jason-pgh
2016-07-26 22:28:46
@Jason: I'm glad you averted a possible road rage incidence - good use of the "you are on camera" bluff. But if you are interested in getting an actual camera, I've had good experience with Mobius ActionCam: https://www.mobius-actioncam.com. It is lighter and more compact than its competitors. With the weather cover, it can withstand rain and snow as well. Note: this is not my setup - I prefer a front and a back camera mounted on my handlebar and rear rack.
ninjaturtle0304
2016-07-27 09:26:48
Cobble Hill, Brooklyn, mural Mural I saw last week near Cobble Hill in Brooklyn  
edronline
2016-08-13 20:51:49
Just another close pass (like 1ft, & fast), on Duncan this morning, heading towards Peebles. White Ford Explorer minivan, DRX 3370  
naomi
2016-08-23 19:24:37
I don't know if this really belongs in this thread, but my observation of the newly reopened West Carson St., after having driven it three times now, is that biking it would be dangerous to the point of suicidal. I don't know if the lanes have all been completely painted (sharrows are missing, for one), but the lanes are ENORMOUS. As such, it's hard NOT to speed. I'm a cautious driver, as I bet most are who post here, given our experience on the road outside of a metal cage, but even I found myself hitting 45 MPH without really noticing. I slowed down to 40 and the car behind me started tailing me as if he was planning on passing me. It's such a shame. The pavement is really nice and the sidewalks are clean, at least.  
doublestraps
2016-08-23 20:15:10
On the Every-Pittsburgh-Neighborhood ride (Saturday 8/20, 74 miles), I thought car drivers were more polite this year than in past years. I don't recall any honking at us. There were a number of cases of drivers waiting patiently for a safe chance to pass. But there was one hostile SUV driver in the South Hills that yelled out "When are you guys going to get licensed like other motorists?". I yelled back "We're not motorists".
paulheckbert
2016-08-23 21:01:21
On August 4th I was assaulted on Liberty Avenue outbound by having a van purposely hit his brakes in front of me causing me to wreck into him. I was legally in the right lane and he could have just simply switched over to the left lane like a normally adjusted human being and passed me. Instead he came by honking at me closely in the same lane with the woman in his car flipping me off. I flipped them off back to cause him to get in front of me and slam on his brakes. I totaled a three week old $1600 bike, glasses, and cracked my helmet. I was scratched and bruised, bleeding in my mouth, and had a headache for a few days. However, I refused medical treatment due to the hassles I had to deal with the first time I went to an EMG room with knocked out teeth and the driver was considered not at fault. A witness helped me at the scene and a friend of his was also driving near by followed the driver who fled and texted him his plate number and gave it to me. I am glad to say that the Detective at zone 2 has found and charged the man. I wrote the commander a email last week explaining how I felt this crime should be pursued as this was violent in nature and he purposely caused harm on me with no regard to my life. If a person was following me closer I could have been hit while on the ground. Since then a detective called me, and was very kind and respectful and went after the person. So I would like to give a kudos to zone 2 police. I do have to admit that I am kind of hesitant in having to face this guy in court. I do just want his insurance to pay for my bike and other belongings, but I am not backing down and I want this guy to face his actions for treating me like I don't matter.
shooflypie
2016-08-29 14:17:23
@ShooFlyPie: I'm glad your injury seems minor (or is it?). I think you did the right thing to pursue a criminal charge against the motorist. Read up the case of Ron Peterson vs. Christopher T. Thompson - it might be helpful for you: http://www.bicyclelaw.com/news/n.cfm/road-rage-case-highlights-cyclist-vs-driver-tension http://www.bicyclelaw.com/road-rights/a.cfm/road-rights-justice-served http://www.bicyclelaw.com/articles/a.cfm/legally-speaking-bikes-v-cars
ninjaturtle0304
2016-08-29 15:19:37
You're lucky, BTW, that the concussion didn't turn out worse. People have died from a subdural hematoma, after hitting their head in much the way you did, and thinking they were OK. I'm glad you're OK now and the police are being helpful. It was great that the witnesses helped you out; o/w the driver could have gotten off scot-free.  
jonawebb
2016-08-29 15:37:16
Just got to this thread... The Neighborhoods ride did have another nasty driver encounter. On Mt. Oliver, approaching 18th, a lady in an SUV yelled out "get off the road, some people have to get to work". Eventually she cut across the gas station lot at the corner. When reliving that moment, in that Walter Mitty-esh way, I thought I should have said "why didn't you leave earlier?", or maybe "shouldn't you be in church?" I guess it's human to project our inadequacies on the behavior of others, or to believe that we can rise to all occasions. For context, I was at the back of the pack where the driver was, and there was enough "car back!" yelling to have pulled everyone to the side of the lane.   Current pet peeve: Should not all drivers be required to re-test every (say) five years? Laws change and abilities decline. Wouldn't everyone be safer if we kept tabs on drivers? They (literally) have license to a piece of equipment that's know to be dangerous to themselves and others.
ahlir
2016-08-29 19:48:20
When I read "Should not all drivers be required to re-test every (say) five years?", Gene Wilder singing "World of Pure Imagination" played in my head. LOL. But yeah, they absolutely should.
edmonds59
2016-08-30 17:39:20
Bozo parked his black Subaru outback, PA GBT 7568, across the Southside Trail near 9th St, as if it were a parking lot. So we stickered his windshield.
paulheckbert
2016-08-31 16:33:40
Might not be the best idea to post that here... As the Klingons say, "Revenge is a dish best served cold, and eaten in private."
jonawebb
2016-08-31 16:37:51
Illegal parking and yelling is quite dangerous. I hope there were no injuries.
shooflypie
2016-08-31 20:56:14
White sedan, PA plate GRT 1620 struck a cyclist in South Oakland on 9/1/16, left the scene without rendering aid to cyclist or providing information.
ka_jun
2016-09-01 22:20:08
PA plate GRT 1620 is possibly a Nissan Altima 2014 or so.
ka_jun
2016-09-02 13:41:45
Simplex Grinnell minivan, plate ZCT 4612, cut around a vehicle stopping for pedestrians at the Bellefield/Fillmore crosswalk, then blew past the crosswalk itself, nearly hitting me and a coworker heading to lunch Thursday. Of course, Bellefield Ave being what it usually is during the school year, the light at Fifth cycled twice before he was able to get through it, so I was able to walk up and take this picture of the van.  Unfortunately didn't think to take a picture of the actual driver. Attempted to call Simplex Grinnell via the phone number on the back, but got redirected twice before ending up in a voicemail.
epanastrophe
2016-09-02 18:40:21
Wow. Are you saying that employees of Simplex Grinell, whose website (https://www.tycosimplexgrinnell.com/) notes that "Tyco SimplexGrinnell is advancing safety and security for organizations of all sizes in a wide range of industries" employs individuals who casually endanger pedestrians while driving company vehicles? I wasn't there but I wonder if management knows about this possible law-breaking behavior, disregard for human life and disrespect for the company's reputation. I see that the vehicle is monitored by GPS, so they should be able to identify the driver who was assigned vehicle 'ZCT 4612' on September 2nd, 2016 and had appointments in Oakland (Pittsburgh, PA). It certainly suggests that Tyco SimplexGrinnell might not care about acquiring a bad reputation for its business and have comments appear in public forums. That's Tyco SimplexGrinnell in Pittsburgh, right? With local offices at 220 West Kensinger Dr, Suite 400, Cranberry Township, PA 16066. [Do feel free to quote in other fora as you see fit. Do add text with relevant keywords if you're so inclined.]    
ahlir
2016-09-02 19:27:34
Ahlir - your post was excellent, and made me laugh! I was wrong for so long.  Not all bicyclists are the bad apples I contend with, and often brake for on my own bicycle.  I am so glad to see people complaining (in another thread) about the lack of adherence to traffic laws during Pedal Pittsburgh (a most frustrating debacle at times, I must say after four years of participation in it).    
dida
2016-09-03 12:57:32
This isn't about a driver, but a dangerous walker. Today my wife and I were out for a ride on the GAP, riding in the Waterfront at around 10:30 am in front of the apartments going towards the Pump House at about 11 mph.  We were riding on the sidewalk in the front of the apartments because the GAP is poorly maintained behind the apartments, and the street is too busy for my wife's tates.  there was a man walking on the sidewalk toward us.  as soon as we got close to him he stopped, puffed up his chest, spread out his elbows, and screamed at us, "THIS IS A SIDEWALK, YOU FUCKHEADS."  He looked to be about 6'0", 200+ lbs, a lot more muscles than me, bald, wearing a really old Rolling Stones t-shirt.  We had to go on the grass to pass him. not wanting to get the shit beat out of me, we kept going. But it was scary, and this was the first time I ever encountered anything like this.
edronline
2016-09-04 11:37:56
Some dangerous motorists think they need to use their vehicles to force cyclists out of their ways. I don't know if they are aware of the destructive power of their rides. But if they do and still don't care, they need to be treated as terrorists and dealt with as such.
ninjaturtle0304
2016-09-04 23:29:42
Someone needs to teach those Uber robot cars to measure 4'. I had two of them doing laps around me on my commute home tonight. The first three passes were arguably safe but probably about 3', but the last one (by a white Ford on Liberty Avenue before the Bloomfield Bridge) was about 2 feet.
erink
2016-09-07 21:39:43
Honestly I'd call Uber. They would actually appreciate the feedback (I'm not being sarcastic). They run these things 24/7/365 it seems, around Strip, Bloomfield, Cultural District, River Ave, etc. etc. and they are constantly tweaking the algorithm.
edronline
2016-09-08 10:53:53
I was riding on the bike lane on liberty near it's terminus when a self driving uber came up to me and slowed down allowing me to take the lane. It did not act like a rational human though and unnerved me a bit. It was a little jerky in it's avoidance of me. However, it did appear that it was trying to give me a bit of buffer space, but I wouldn't say it was 4 feet, but I could be wrong on that since I was a little weirded out.
benzo
2016-09-08 12:37:58
Here's video of one passing us. Before it passed us, we joked that we should make erratic, sudden moves to test the vehicle. https://youtu.be/130EXGsEDp0
rustyred
2016-09-08 23:46:21
Cool video of the Uber autonomous car passing cyclists and turning safely! It a sharp contrast to the human-operated car @0:50 - the driver was probably doing 35 mph on a 25-mph street, putting the cyclists in greater danger. I long for the day when autonomous vehicles replace human-operated ones. Human-operated vehicles are weapon of mass destruction after all, and should require stringent regulations. In the future, individuals who wish to purchase a human-operated vehicles should pay a tax of $200, fill out a lengthy application to register the vehicles with the federal government, submit photos of the said individuals, ask the local chief law enforcement officials to sign on the application, and wait for 7-11 months for approval. Even with application, the officials should not be obliged to approve the purchase - driving a motor vehicle is a privilege, not a right after all.
ninjaturtle0304
2016-09-09 09:22:57
That car at :50 looks to be going 40+, not just 35. I would be happier with much more stringent licensing. I have said several times I would like to see a written test at every license renewal. But beyond that, at initial licensing, I want to see more like 60 to 100 questions, not the 18 or 20 or 25 that it is now, varying by state. Further still, I want the answers to be tougher. I want four choices. One of them will be the right answer; score five points. One of them will be a plausible answer, not exactly wrong, but not the best answer; score one point. Having to decide between two potentially right answers will narrow the chances for success significantly. Then a third, wrong, choice; score zero points. But then also, a fourth, very wrong answer; score a negative five points. Say we stick with the 20-question test. Twenty, five-point answers provides 100 points. I would say you need 81 points to pass. Choose two simply wrong answers, scoring zero for those two, and then even if you get the other 18 right, you would score 90 points. But choose two very wrong answers, with the other 18 right, you score 80, not good enough to pass. One very wrong answer and one merely wrong answer, you get 85, good enough to pass. The point being, if you have any more than one really wrong answer, you have no business having a license.
stuinmccandless
2016-09-09 14:44:40
More stupid than dangerous. I can't get my photo to post. Pretty much a person driving in the bike lane on Penn Ave downtown.
shooflypie
2016-09-13 20:59:57
ShooFlyPie: if you just type in the flickr URL, like this (but without the underscore): https_://flic.kr/p/M9j2td (so no html, no "<img src=...", just the URL) then the picture will show up like this: https://flic.kr/p/M9j2td
paulheckbert
2016-09-13 21:48:11
got passed by KFC7446 on Wightman (before the bike lane) today with maybe a foot of clearance. In happier news, construction crews are filling up some major potholes on Darlington today, which is nice.
yllw
2016-09-14 10:04:36
This was a fun way to start a beautiful Friday morning: I'm riding down West Station Square drive, headed towards the entrance to the South Side trail. I approach the entrance and hold out my left arm to signal I'm going to turn left. I was, of course, maintaining the lane. Just as I'm about to turn left, a white sedan being driven by a middle-aged lady passes me... on my left. I hit the brakes and swerve back to the right, yelling expletives in the process. She stares straight ahead, and continues on to the parking lot. In my anger I didn't get any identifying characteristics of the car. But I felt the need to vent here. It's really cool when someone decides that arriving at a PARKING SPOT three seconds earlier is worth risking your life. And I was probably going an easy 18-20 MPH at that point anyways, so it's not like my presence was a major inconvenience.
doublestraps
2016-09-16 10:50:11
This isn't the first time that's happened there, drivers don't seem to expect a cyclist to turn there, even if you're signalling _a_turn.   I've started making a habit of riding the yellow line to prevent a pass as I approach that bend.   Would better signage help there? Maybe a speed table?
rustyred
2016-09-16 11:07:37
Cases like that, where they're trapped (headed for a parking lot), I'm starting to get courageous enough to chase them down and have a word with them. "Do you pass cars on the left if they have their left blinker going? "
stuinmccandless
2016-09-16 11:28:39
https://youtu.be/QFQoWuinncQ Dangerous driver captured on video again! Unfortunately, Pittsburgh police will not act on this, and I can only report this to Close Call database again, which has no official power to do anything. I think Pittsburgh should set up a traffic violation report system similar to 311 system. The police should fine the violators if there are enough evidences against them. This system has been implemented in my home country – Taiwan – for years, and has been very popular. In 2015, there were 230,000 reports with 167,000 successful prosecutions in New Taipei City: http://udn.com/news/story/7266/1634485 (in Mandarin)
ninjaturtle0304
2016-09-21 23:40:34
The July incident is clearly a violation of §3331e, particularly as you have front and rear video, which show that you had to take evasive action to avoid being hit. § 3331. Required position and method of turning. (e) Interference with pedalcycles.--No turn by a driver of a motor vehicle shall interfere with a pedalcycle proceeding straight while operating in accordance with Chapter 35 (relating to special vehicles and pedestrians). I suggest we get Bike-Pgh to give this case some visibility.What beyond this would give it that visibility, short of actually being hit, or worse, seriously injured or killed? This driver has it in for cyclists. Needs a stern talking to by someone with the power to make something stick. FWIW, you were in one of the much vaunted bike lanes. This is the sort of trouble we are not supposed to have to endure by being in such lanes.
stuinmccandless
2016-09-22 12:59:58
Regarding my video above, one of my friends said: "Looked to me like the person that was closest to the truck was too far from the curb, if a vehicle isn't going the speed limit, it can cause accidents if holding up traffic, especially since that bike lane is there" Here's my reply: " Bicycles are considered vehicles under PA laws, and may take full lane if conditions do not permit safe passing regardless of the existence of bike lanes. Just look at the 7/14 incidence, I should probably even move further in the middle to prevent being right-hooked. In addition, speed limits refer to the MAXIMUM speed that a vehicle can go, even though most motorists go at least 10 mph above that. When motorists are in an accident in the cities, they usually only have minor cosmetic damage on their vehicles, but cyclists may lose their lives. That's why laws and infrastructures should be in favor of vulnerable road users such as cyclists. Driving a motor vehicle is like carrying a loaded gun with safety off. In a gun range, muzzles are required to point down range all the time. Like wise, motor vehicles should pass cyclists as they would pass other motor vehicles."
ninjaturtle0304
2016-09-22 13:13:24
Gordon, see my comment on your friend's comment in another thread. Also, the problem I have with increasing the financial and administrative burden to driving (especially without facilitating alternative, public transit options) is that it will impact lower income individuals more harshly than the already-privileged. I, for instance, am no fan of autonomous vehicles, IMO they are no more than the jetpacks and monorails of this era, and all they will do is continue to facilitate a single occupant vehicle transportation framework. Society will take the keys to my 1973 Mini, which has nothing more autonomous than a vacuum advance on the distributor, from my cold, dead hands. I, and I'm guessing many other people with the means, will gladly pay higher fees and undergo more stringent testing to maintain the privilege of operating a personal vehicle. In fact, I would STRONGLY favor that approach. However, people of more limited means will be adversely affected if autonomous vehicles become the default. I fully expect that the economic burden of being able to use autonomous vehicles will not be insignificant either. Those things aren't cheap. More than anything we need to steer our transportation system toward equity and fairness. Long, sorry.
edmonds59
2016-09-22 14:12:54
@ed, cars used to be a lot more expensive than horses. Poor people couldn't afford cars. But now the reverse is true. There's nothing inherently expensive about autonomous vehicle technology. The costs will come down enormously over time. And the cost of a car includes the likelihood that you'll be involved in an accident. Driverless cars, if we develop them in the right way, will greatly reduce that chance. I agree about driverless cars helping to freeze the current broken system in place -- we have to keep pushing for better city design. But the cost to the poor shouldn't be a limiting factor. And maybe they'll still let you drive your Mini someplace, a closed course for example.
jonawebb
2016-09-22 14:39:06
Sure, but what about my motorcycle? I haven't heard about any work on autonomous motorcycles. As long as I can fk around in traffic with the sensors on the autobots, I'll be happy. :)
edmonds59
2016-09-22 14:57:49
A while ago at one of the DARPA Grand Challenges someone was running an autonomous motorcycle. Self-balancing. I don't think it succeeded in that particular competition but I suspect people are still working on that sort of thing.
jonawebb
2016-09-22 15:08:31
Oooh, I would pay real money for a motorcycle I could summon like the Lone Rangers horse Silver, then drive manually. And obviously hack out any "safety" features. Ok, I'm in.
edmonds59
2016-09-22 16:05:50
Yamaha autonomous motorcycle rider
jonawebb
2016-09-22 16:53:52
White Chevy HHR: PA License HGT 0759 (or maybe 8759) This morning about 8:30 a.m. I was coming up Butler inbound. I usually take the lane until things get backed up around 44th and then filter on the right, but today I was in no hurry and wanted to be a responsible cyclist, so I stayed in the lane as traffic began to back up at the light on 45th. As soon as I start to slow down someone behind me starts honking. I look back, and a middle aged white woman is frantically gesturing for me to move over. I smile at her and point to the sharrow, which I am directly on top of. She flips out, yelling for me to get over, and starts taking pictures of me on her phone (showing me waiting patiently at the the light in bumper to bumper traffic). When the light goes through a full green-red cycle without traffic moving I pull over to the side to allow her to move up the 8 feet of her road that I had been occupying, but she didn't. I walked my bike back to her car and gestured for her to roll down the window to talk, but she wouldn't, so I eventually rode off.  
dberlin
2016-09-23 09:33:09
To be filed under: some people are more wound up than others...   When we tried to let this driver know she was driving in a bike lane, instead of "Yeah, sorry.. I'm lost." or something SANE, she let loose with screaming and vulgarities. Wow.   Black Hyundai SantaFe, PA KDM-3900 http://imgur.com/iQHHtxS
rustyred
2016-09-30 09:01:28
The lanes on Wightman are really bad, constantly see drivers in the bike lane there.
ka_jun
2016-09-30 11:30:35
Indeed, Whightman could use a road diet. Is there a reason why it is wide enough for 6 lanes of traffic?
dfiler
2016-09-30 12:59:55
I almost was killed today riding in a crosswalk at One Wild Place/Butler going up into the woods from the Highland Park Bridge.  I pressed the crosswalk button and waited until it gave me the go ahead.  I waited a couple of seconds after it was okay to cross.  Some black guy tried to kill me and looked me in the eye as he passed.  It was close.  He wanted to take me out.  I have been encountering this now and again.  I suggest people be very careful these days.  I think there are some people out to make a statement.  I have been riding a bike around our city for decades and this is new.  I hate to say this, but if you are a white person, beware.  Things are changing.  There has been too many situations for me to ignore at this point and I have been talking to other commuters that are actually quitting riding a bike to work due to this.  They have little kids and said they are not taking the chance anymore.  I find this pretty sad.  I am riding almost all sidewalk and woods to work now.  I guess I am one of the few that is seeing this?  I don't get it, but maybe this type of thing is not spoken of?   Sorry, but I am speaking of it.
gg
2016-10-02 23:43:58
Dude, that racism is totally inappropriate. There is just no place on this message board for deciding how people are going to behave based on their race. Stop it or get off the board.
jonawebb
2016-10-03 09:04:08
I think it's a matter of perspective. In the city, I'm liable to get close passes and other harassment from blacks about as often as whites or anyone else. Once I get out past Millvale or the Ross line, said harassment is coming mainly from whites. It's just where people live. I've seen no qualitative distinction based on the part of town I'm in. Sorry to say, willful ignorance is an equal opportunity employer.
stuinmccandless
2016-10-03 11:49:42
At best, it is naive to think that being white makes you more of a target when riding on the road. It is worth taking a step back and reevaluating your perspective. You don't have to live with delusions of persecution and you don't have to withdraw from society to feel safe. Quite simply, there isn't a trend of targeting bikers because they are white. I seriously hope that feelings of racial persecution aren't fueling resentment in other aspects of your life.
dfiler
2016-10-03 13:05:41
That poster has a record of similar posts, fwiw.
ka_jun
2016-10-03 13:18:59
I've had wide range of interactions from folks of all color: some really fabulous, happy folks who are delighted to see cyclists and the other end of the spectrum too. Skin color has nothing to do with it. Here's how you *should* group dangerous drivers: A) the angry ones 2) the inept/clueless ones III) the non-sober or distracted d) those with medical issues   gg, your outlook is clouded by racism. Yuck.
rustyred
2016-10-03 13:22:55
http://imgur.com/joXZSw2   Ford  gold colored SUV PA KBC 9036 Driver revved engine and came up behind me at a high rate of speed in Spring Way, stopped suddenly and nearly hit me when I stopped at a cross street, he tried to squeeze past me at the cross street. We spent a full minute arguing about the speed limit in the alley and close passing.
rustyred
2016-10-05 16:06:39
YZL-2589 grey pickup, passes me on R in intersection of Perrysville & Ivory, has to climb median to do so, and #fuckinghorn, too.
stuinmccandless
2016-10-09 16:52:29
Ford Fiesta PA- KBY-4582 Follows me for a block and half up Penn Ave on_her_horn in order to beat me to the red light.   http://imgur.com/Kpzz8f6  
rustyred
2016-10-12 09:20:51
Bronze-coloured Acura SUV passes me--not super-stupid fast, but pretty close--on Craig St SB just past Bayard.  Of course, I caught up to him at the light at Fifth (and again at Forbes). https://twitter.com/infinitebuffalo/status/788376838506676225 He didn't seem to care for having a photo taken of his vehicle, so when he turned around to take my picture I helpfully held up the sign for "FOUR [FEET]"... https://twitter.com/infinitebuffalo/status/788378315816132608
epanastrophe
2016-10-18 10:11:48
He probably has no clue what you meant with your four-finger gesture. "Does this guy have four kids?" "Is he quadruple-flipping me off?"
paulheckbert
2016-10-19 08:56:51
He other day i was at the 40th and butler intersection and was surprised when a medium size white pickup truck, who had been waiting at the light to proceed uphill on 40th ran the red light from a stopped position right after I crossed through the intersection in front of him (i was traveling on butler and had a solid green light the whole time). Even if the light had changed while I was crossing, he would have still had to wait for the left turn cycle. There may have been some discourteous words exchanged afterwards when i inquired as to what the stuff was he doing.
benzo
2016-10-21 08:23:23
Black Dodge 4x4, license plate ZDP-0206. at 5:50pm, on Pocusset between Wightman and Murray in Squirrel Hill. I stopped at the stop sign at Wightman to let him turn in front of me.  Usually on this block the majority of the cars are waiting to turn right onto Forward, so I wait until traffic has stopped, then filter up on the right.  This guy REALLY didn't want me to do that, and kept inching over, almost hitting some parked cars.  I didn't realize that he was trying to block me for most of a minute.  When traffic finally stopped, I just passed him on the left, at which point he yelled "GET ON THE SIDEWALK" at me. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hlPfB0lJPfk
bk7j
2016-10-25 18:22:31
bk7j - I usually shout back to those drivers "YOU shouldn't be on the road!" And chances are, that driver did not have all his ducks in line - he should be sober, licensed, have his car registered, inspected and insured.  Chances are he was missing one or more of those things. And, y'know?  He's supposed to know the law, too.
mick
2016-10-25 22:21:29
I witnessed a crash during my ride today on Smithfield near Dollar Bank around 9:00 AM.  Cyclist in a hurry decides to pass an SUV on the left in the opposite lane.  I could see the SUV starting to swerve right and attempts a U-Turn.  Cyclist doesn't see it coming and runs right into the left fender of the SUV.  Thankfully, the rider was just shaken up a bit.  Both were at fault in my opinion.  The cyclist was illegally passing and the driver was attempting an illegal U-Turn.  PA Plate HTT 1907
durishange
2016-10-31 11:07:48
What's the law about bikes passing cars?  On a 4 lane road can a bike move to the left lane to pass a slow moving car in the right lane?  (Not saying this was the situation above. Just wondering.)
edronline
2016-11-03 21:44:04
From 75-3301c1: Pedalcycles.-- (1) Upon all roadways, any pedalcycle operating in accordance with Chapter 35, proceeding at less than the normal speed of traffic at the time and place and under the conditions then existing shall be driven in the right-hand lane then available for traffic, or as close as practicable to the right-hand curb or edge of the roadway, except when overtaking and passing another vehicle proceeding in the same direction or when preparing for a left turn at an intersection or into an alley, private road or driveway.
stuinmccandless
2016-11-03 22:50:43
Thanks.
edronline
2016-11-04 10:18:36
hello! I posted this on fb and a friend recommended I share here. At about 12:30 pm today (11/22) a very large orange construction truck ran me into a parked car on Black st. between Negley and Chislett. I was unable to get the plate - the truck came up behind me quickly and forced me to hit a parked car. Even with my body and bike up against the side of the parked car, the truck was about an inch from touching me. If my pannier had been on the left it could have been ripped off, or caught on the truck and dragged me along. The man inside the parked car and the woman driving behind the truck both made sure I was ok, but nobody got the plate. PLEASE be careful around the construction at the top of Black st. There is no way this guy didn't see me, I must have been over a block ahead of him when he turned and I was wearing bright colors in broad daylight. Since then I called 311 and found out PWSA is doing the construction, and I called them and complained (got a sympathetic response and the rep said she would report it to her supervisor). The truck didn't have any logos or identifying marks, it was a large industrial construction vehicle. I wish I'd thought to go up to the construction site to get the plate, but I was pretty much having a panic attack for like the next 15 minutes.
ztaeger
2016-11-22 13:46:24
I'm glad you weren't hurt, as you easily could have been, and glad you called the PWSA. I hope they track down the construction company and get some action. This is really horrible. It's the sort of thing the police should get involved with, IMO.
jonawebb
2016-11-22 14:27:39
Man, glad you're okay, @ztaeger.
ka_jun
2016-11-22 14:44:35
thanks! I'm really glad I'm ok too. And now I seriously wish I had a camera on my bike. PWSA was actually really responsive and helpful, I got called back twice. but apparently they're not the ones doing the work up there today, and it's probably the gas company. Time for another round of trying to talk to someone in charge.
ztaeger
2016-11-22 15:50:08
Glad it didn't turn out serious. I seem to have stuff happen to me on almost a daily basis, to the point it's almost not worth talking about. Today I'm on Beechwood, approaching Forbes from the north. An SUV driver pulls out in front of me, right into the bike lane, to pass someone trying to turn left. Close enough that I get to wack them on the back (after managing to screech to halt; I have a bright front light). I'm ignored and (s)he roars off. Two cars down, someone else pulls the same stunt. They zoom fast so I don't get to wack them. Since I have the floor... I have the habit of wacking cars with my hand that get too close (yes, they will get that close), on the theory that the driver should know that they were dangerously close to another human being. I think this is the right thing to do. Ideally they get to reflect on the fact that they did something wrong and might be more careful in the future. Of course there's the downside: some drivers take this as a personal affront and jump out of their car to start yelling. (You have the mobility advantage, most of the time.)
ahlir
2016-11-22 19:01:57
I do too.  If they are close enough for me to touch then they need to know that. I've never had anyone get out. Most of the time they think I'm a nut case and they take off.  But I think it gets them thinking that the next human hitting car sound may be a head.
edronline
2016-11-23 05:36:56
I've stopped doing that. I think it could be interpreted as an aggressive act, requiring escalation. I've also stopped cursing drivers, at least most of the time. Zen.
jonawebb
2016-11-23 09:04:44
zen +1
benzo
2016-11-23 09:29:23
For the most part I do the Zen But then there are times I have to do a bit more to restore the balance of the universe So there
ahlir
2016-11-23 19:33:45
Coming home by bus, it takes less than four minutes from exiting the bus to standing inside my house. The 0.9-mile trip on Perrymont should be simple, just a 250-yard climb then a half-mile downhill. Should. But often isn't. There are two blind crests going west off of McKnight, the first at the top of the aforementioned climb, the second a bit later before the big descent. It was at that second one Tuesday night that someone passed me, at speed, at the very top of that crest, and very nearly hit an oncoming car head-on. They were both going 35+, and missed each other by about 50 feet. Front video Rear video You can see in the rear video that the guy made no attempt to slow down. He just saw me in the lane, changed lanes, passed, and pulled back in. Which would have been fine if there hadn't been oncoming traffic he could not possibly see. PA plate ZFY-8649, pickup truck, could not tell make, model or year.
stuinmccandless
2016-11-23 20:28:15
@Stu: PA plate ZFY-8649 is a 2017 Toyota Tacoma
rustyred
2016-12-06 10:03:59
12/8/16 20H00 My family and I almost got mowed down as pedestrians last night in front of the Phipps Conservatory while we were in the crosswalk.  Driver in a red vehicle intentionally sped through and threaded between us and another set of peds who were in the crosswalk on the hashmarks crossing to the side with the café.  Really wishing I had the presence of mind to get a plate.  Be careful if you're over there to see the lights.
ka_jun
2016-12-09 10:11:21
Wish they would put a speed hump by that crosswalk.  It is hard to see the pedestrians stepping off the curb on the Phipps side.  There are all the trees, the street is curvy, and there is the wide bike lane you need to cross first.   that being said, sound like the red car driver was being an asshat.
edronline
2016-12-09 11:10:58
Width induces speed. Doesn't matter what else is going on there. If the paved area is 40 feet wide, people will drive 40 mph. I'm not a big fan of speed bumps, or humps. BumpOUTs, on the other hand, effectively narrow the travel lane, making people slow down. I'm not sure how well that would work with the bike lane, but OT3H, I'm not a big fan of the bike lane there, either.
stuinmccandless
2016-12-09 17:23:03
... and that would be the Pittsburgh Montessori School, at Roup and Friendship. The caption identifies it as a Pittsburgh "suburb".
ahlir
2016-12-13 16:45:35
I see nothing positive about that idea.
  • Newbies to the configuration will indeed be confused, and might slow down, but might just as well dodge onto a sidewalk or do something else foolish.
  • As the article mentions, as soon as you get used to it, it will cease to slow drivers down.
  • I didn't note that it makes any allowance for it being dark, or having snow cover.
  • Without having already introduced a lower speed limit, it's nearly functionless.
stuinmccandless
2016-12-14 13:09:43
KBZ-3566 is going to get a call from the authorities. This is me, bailing, because the car you see at left made no attempt to change lanes to pass me. The left lane was empty. It's a four-lane road. Broad daylight. I'm wearing a blaze orange vest with a blinking light on my bright yellow helmet. Link to photo from Facebook (because I cannot upload directly to the website from my computer)   https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10154781196903955
stuinmccandless
2016-12-28 13:05:31
On Ellsworth Ave., about 15 minutes ago a dangerous driver of a black SUV felt so extremely impatient that the person seemed quite willing to kill me with their vehicle. Kept revving the SUV super-loud and getting really close (accelerating to do so, directly in my direction). The driver couldn't wait the 30 seconds for oncoming traffic to clear and use that lane to pass me. If the parking lane on Ellsworth was instead a bike lane, there wouldn't have been an issue. If the true sports utility vehicle (talking about my bicycle) had been treated legally and given a 4-foot wide clearance and safety from behind, I wouldn't have had to pull over to the right, still afraid for my life as the person roared by. Watch out for this dangerous driver.
lori
2017-01-14 13:26:24
Is that the driver on the phone, calling for help? I hope nobody helped him get out of there. If the giant recycling claw had picked up his car and taken it away for scrap, that would have been just. The photo from twitter:  
paulheckbert
2017-03-01 11:22:59
Only place to get on to get stuck there is by hot metal bridge, right?  Would have to obviously go up on sidewalk at that point...  So not a "I followed by GPS" excuse.
edronline
2017-03-01 12:33:13
You can also get on just upstream of the football practice field, but it's pretty obvious that you are doing something wrong. Steetview https://goo.gl/maps/J8ude3QmLRv  
marko82
2017-03-01 12:52:44
What was the phone call going to accomplish?  They aren't removing those gates. Time to back up, turn around when you can, and drive back from whence you came.
edronline
2017-03-01 15:21:44
Before the autonomous eagle comes and rips your head off.
paulheckbert
2017-03-01 17:42:14
The gates can be opened (for emergency vehicles, etc.). A call to the Authorities might have gotten the gates opened by key or breaking the lock as was done for Ras Ible: https://www.facebook.com/Ras.Ible. Some trail people have keys.
yalecohen
2017-03-02 01:14:14
So I run into this on my way into town this morning: That's the bus station. It's not a delivery. What made this dangerous is that a biker would have to swerve out into a busy street to get around the truck. And another biker did that just before me. As I took a pic, the driver's door opened and this guy looked like he was getting out. Oh-oh. But then he got back in and drove off. Fortunately he didn't need to roll over any (remaining) bollards. The license plate is 'Ohio PVN 3855'. Anyway, I checked out the interwebs and this looks to be a local company:
PITT OHIO Corporate Office: 15 27th Street | Pittsburgh, PA 15222 | (800) 366-7488
And here's an excerpt from their (rather lengthy) Mission Statement:
DECLARATION OF OUR COMMITMENT TO SAFETY: We at PITT OHIO do hereby declare our full and absolute commitment to safety in every facet of our business. The safety of all personnel, our customers, and other highway users is of the highest priority. Therefore, safety will be an integral part of policies, procedures and programs governing our business. We further recognize that it is the responsibility of every level of management to provide a safe working environment, abide by all applicable safety rules, comply with State and Federal regulations, and insist upon complete commitment to safety from all personnel.
So here's the question: If I somehow manage to summon the wherewithal to do something about it, what should that be? I can get in touch with the company ("we're so sorry but we don't keep track of who's driving what truck on any given day") or with the city or police. If the latter, where? It's not a 311 or is it a 911. What is it?
ahlir
2017-03-14 21:47:05
It is a 911, but don't expect it to be treated any differently than any other illegal parking.
epanastrophe
2017-03-14 21:50:19
Please contact the company. Some companies are responsive to such issues, some aren't, but why assume the latter? I agree that the police are unlikely to do anything about a one-time instance of illegal parking.
steven
2017-03-15 04:49:09
The strip trail ends at pitt Ohio. Just saying.
edronline
2017-03-15 06:14:26
You should definitely contact the company. You'll at least get an apology and maybe they'll talk to the driver. They won't brush it off. They know which driver it was.
jonawebb
2017-03-15 07:06:21
This:
Yesterday at about 11am, while riding on the Penn Ave bikeway, my way was blocked by one of your trucks parked in the bike lanes. You can see this in the photo at https://goo.gl/photos/hikvkw1GnK9Y3tVi8 Your driver created a dangerous situation forcing me (and another cyclist who went by while I was stopped) into traffic on Penn. Please instruct your drivers to not block bikeways, or otherwise make the street dangerous for cyclists and others. Thank you.
Led to this:
Thank you for the information and picture you provided. We will speak to our drivers about these deliveries downtown and bike lanes. We want to be respectful of the bicyclist and not create a dangerous situation for anyone we share the roads with. Than you again, Tim Tim Stipcak | Manager of Safety and Hazmat PITT OHIO Phone: 412-232-3015 x6311
ahlir
2017-03-17 12:23:38
^Hopefully that is sincere (and we have no reason to think it's not) and it helps educate their drivers to be better road users.
marko82
2017-03-17 16:45:48
Can you tell him to extend the trail behind Pitt Ohio?
edronline
2017-03-17 16:52:16
Hi, A few days ago, I was riding westbound on Penn Ave. from Shady Ave to where it merges with Liberty Ave. in Downtown. At 25:10, as I am 1/4 of the way across 9th St., A blue Chrysler crosses me from the lef as the traffic light turned yellow. I slammed on the brakes, yelled out "Asshole (License plate number)" before proceeding. Also a man was walking in the bike path between 13th St. and 12th St. at 23:00 I start ringing my bell and he does not move. I get closer, Ring the bell a few more times, and say "You should stay on the sidewalk." He said "Shut up, I'll walk wherever I want." I replied, "Be glad I didn't run you over" once past 12th St. Since there are signs all over the place, people in cars should expect and know to look out for cyclists on every street. Bike path or not. If you want to pollute the air with car exhaust and make city more dangerous, that's what highways are for, not Penn Ave. If you must use a car. BE CAREFUL! Also, Would any sane person walk in the middle of an Interstate highway and not expect to get honked at and run over by trucks? The same is going to happen on a bike path. It won't hurt quite as much, but it will definitely cause some pain. Here is a link to my Penn Ave. video: https://youtu.be/EijTzVxVAyI?t=1380
zzwergel
2017-03-19 21:59:38
I totally get being annoyed with someone blocking you on the bike path and being rude when you try to let them know you are there and want to pass. But when you threaten them with being run over, you're becoming the dangerous driver. Please don't do that.
jonawebb
2017-03-20 09:05:09
I'd also add that at 2300 hours the person strolling in the bike lane was possibly intoxicated or mentally ill, and thus increases your chance of getting your clock cleaned. After seeing the video that someone else posted in another thread (which I included below), this is going to be my new M.O. when people are in the bike lane.  Downside -- you look like a dork doing this; Upside -- your face will most likely remain intact. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ehh8ZdIMMj4  
edronline
2017-03-20 09:48:02
witnessed an almost-crash today walking home from work. I was on Delafield at 4th in Aspinwall heading toward the VA.  A silver jeep liberty but bigger looking SUV was getting off of 28 also heading on Delafield toward the VA. A bicyclist had just passed the mouth of the off ramp about 2 seconds before the jeep reached the merge point.  The woman in the jeep was looking over her shoulder to see if there was any traffic coming up delafield, but missed the biker straight again. She slammed on her brakes with about 6" to spare. The biker was a saint.  Didn't say anything, just kept biking.  There was probably a dirty look in there.  He then went up my hill (E. Waldheim) I would have been screaming at the top of my lungs and eventually St. Margaret would have to send over a team to hit me with the defibrillator. It was scary watching from about 200 feet away.
edronline
2017-03-20 17:25:51
Fifth Ave., Car turns out of parking lot without me seeing him/her. Speeds down Fifth Ave. and turns right onto Washington Place on red while clearly stated "No turn on red". This driver deserves a ticket for endangering a cyclist and running a red light.   https://youtu.be/gQd2H8xc4PE?t=371
zzwergel
2017-04-01 21:14:44
One fine day on the Federal Street bike lanes. Situation #3, below, is why this is relevant to this thread. Here is a four-minute-and-change video as I descend Federal St and head on over past PNC Park. As copied from my initial comment on the video itself:   A couple of minor situations, none serious, in four short minutes rolling through the North Side, from Federal and Alpine to PNC Park. * Situation #1, 0:21 – Downhill DZBL bike lane starts. I refuse to use it, so am far to the left. At 0:29, because I am not in it, driver sees me and stops. Had I been in it, we likely would have collided. My travel speed is close to the posted 25 mph. * Situation #2, 0:32 – Cars parked in the bike lane. * Situation #3, 0:43 – I am properly placed in the forward-direction lane, with a car stopped on my left. A car and a bus are waiting to make a left. I proceed effortlessly through the intersection, but need to move left to get around a parked school bus. But I cannot, as at 0:48 a speeding white car has managed to maneuver through the same set of vehicles in the LTO lane and cuts me off. Was not able to get a plate number. Note: Using my mirror saved me here. * Situation #4 – Skip ahead to 4:21, the start of the PNC Park DZBL bike lane, which I avoid. (Also see a friend crossing the street.) At 4:33, the parked delivery vehicles fully occupy the DZBL. At 4:38, as the lane ends, I swing into the protected bike lane on the bridge. Moral of the story: Both DZBLs should be restriped with hatch-marks to denote being buffer zones NOT to ride in. Riders should position themselves fully in the lane, without apology, and drivers should accept it, without a hint of objection.
stuinmccandless
2017-04-06 17:14:25
Oh hell, I give up trying to get the damned message board to render any sort of HTML markup properly.
stuinmccandless
2017-04-06 17:25:13
Tuesday morning going north on Negley I was passed twice by cars on the tops of each of the hills on either side of Fair Oaks.  I was in the lane, so they had to swing wide and into the other lane to get past- not a good idea on the crest of a hill.  I was able to point out to one driver how dangerous that was on their part. A bit farther north, I was passed with about 18 inches clearance by a red Yaris with plate FSK 8307 (Pennsylvania).  I yelled "Hey" very loudly- when I caught the male bearded (late 20's?) driver at the next stoplight, he rolled down his window and asked if I had a problem with him.  I stated he legally had to give me 4 feet of clearance, to which he replied "Get off the road you sorry ass bitch".  He then proceeded to drive normally for a few blocks.  I tried to get out my phone to take a picture at a red light, but was unable to get a photo.  I finally was able to write down the plate number.  After following him a bit further, he then started driving at less than 12 mph, and then pulled over partially onto the sidewalk.  I passed and sprinted to get away, concerned he would follow, but after a block or two he was no longer behind me. On the way home that evening, going south on Negley a car passed very closely, to which I again yelled "Hey!"- they stuck their hand out the window palm up, which I interpreted as a "what was the problem?" gesture.  They then sped through the orange (yellow to red) light turning left onto 5th Avenue. Just another commute.
helen-s
2017-04-07 09:44:14
Got passed very close this morning by a Red PAT Bus #1716.  It was approximately 8 am.  I was going uphill on Southern Avenue and could have reached out and touched the side of the bus.  Didn't have a camera rolling.  The whole thing was most unnecessary because there was not any traffic at all, except us, and the driver could certainly have given me a bit more room w/o putting himself in any sort of danger.
fultonco
2017-04-08 11:59:41
File a complaint on the pat website.
edronline
2017-04-08 13:20:34
@edronline  Done!  Thanks.
fultonco
2017-04-08 15:45:38
@fultonco, Whenever I need to report a bus driver for dangerous driving I prefer to call 911, then ask the operator to connect you with the port authority police.  Tell them that your concern involves a bus & you need to speak with one of their officers instead of the city/boro police.  Sometimes the PAT cops have taken my info over the phone, but I've also met them roadside to file a formal report complete with incident# that you can check up on latter.  Remember that PAT cops are full police officers just like the city, so interact with them with the same respect you would any other officer. IMHO, that feedback form is a useless black hole meant for "minor complaints" not life threatening behavior.
marko82
2017-04-08 16:30:50
Now that I think of it, I've never gotten a response from the pat form more than "thanks we'll check into it." @marko82, what have interactions been like for pat police? Also, what is the threshold for calling for you? They tend to hang out downtown by wood Street station in front of McDonald's. So if the incident takes place near there may be easier to find them than call 911.
edronline
2017-04-08 16:37:23
Interactions have been very professional.  My sense is that PAT officers don't get to do a lot of real police work, so they don't mind being sent on a call.  Most of my city police interactions have been good too, but they seem less likely to do anything, or file a report. My threshold: that's hard to pin down, but basically I will call 911 (PAT or City) when I think that the driver intentionally put my life at risk and I have a plate# and driver description.  The other factor is how much time you've got, because it can take quite a long time for the police to show up. Just remember, if no one reports crime, statistics say there is no crime;  same for car-on-bike assaults.
marko82
2017-04-08 22:00:03
Silver Volkswagen Jetta PA JTR 0147 http://imgur.com/a/jgdZT Nearly causes a head-on collision passing around a bend.... just so he can get to the red light faster... so he can wait. Naturally, I catch up with him and he blames me for his incompetent driving skills.
rustyred
2017-04-12 09:22:52
Here is Monday's contribution, a close pass on Penn Ave. rear video The first minute or so is normal. I leave a long lead-up to show what normal looks like. About 1:45 a series of three cars come up behind and pass me with plenty of space. Then at 2:00, this guy comes up behind and passes me with about a foot, maybe 15" clearance. PA plate GZA-7110
stuinmccandless
2017-04-12 18:53:37
Why is there so much speeding on Browns hill Rd? Look at this! I would recommend some rumble strips Between Hazelwood Ave. and Imogene Rd. After Imogene Rd., Install some speed bumps so if speeding continues, the car will be damaged. If they ask for insurance to fix their car, it will be declined because they were going 50 MPH in a 25 MPH zone. Also, the use of radar at the three traffic lights to turn them red upon detecting speeding cars would not be a bad idea. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F89g1ESBcRE  
zzwergel
2017-04-17 21:02:24
Also, Add a Gatling gun to the traffic light at Imogene Rd. like this one.
zzwergel
2017-04-19 21:05:52
Earlier today, we had an encounter with a fine gentleman driving a pickup truck. We were going uphill on the bike lane on Brereton in Polish Hill, and stopped at the intersection with 30th St. The gentleman in question was also going uphill and got to the stop sign after we did. Naturally, he rolled through the stop sign and proceeded to cut off two of my fellow riders to go up 30th St. At this point, name-calling ensues on our part, to which he responds by threatening to shoot us, and follows that with some choice epithets. Didn't take his plate. Middle-aged white man driving a grey, Ford Ranger-type pickup.
chrishent
2017-04-22 15:01:34
Maybe he was late getting to the March for Science?
edronline
2017-04-22 17:54:30
Rarely post and usually deal pretty well even with dangerous situation(had to renew my account). Yesterday, turning from Forbes to Denniston (small part that hits Darlington in Squirrel Hill), I take the lane as it is a short strip, narrow, cars parked on both sides and has a stop sign at Darlington. Honda Oddessey (00057CC) passes me with about 6 inches and I yell "how about 4 feet." He swerves in front of me and hits the brakes. I almost crash into him and we begin yelling. My wife and kids are now at Darlington and Denniston (we were racing home) and are watching this. Guy turns left (so do I). He gets cut off by a car at the stop sign (backing up). I yell, "how do you like being cut off, sucks huh". He proceeds to get out of the car, I go around and he again passes me with no space and speeds off. I was fearful for my safety, he has  county constable license plate so likely carries a weapon. He should be held to higher standards. File a police report?
deezus57
2017-04-27 09:48:44
I would.  Worst case scenario is nothing will happen. Best case scenario is that there is a record of this guy's behavior for the next time. And a Honda Odyssey... I only thought low testosterone suburban men like me use those swagger wagons as our primary ride.
edronline
2017-04-27 09:54:14
This guy was wound tight. I recognized him as either a neighbor or from the courthouse. In his late 40's early 50's, grey curly short hair, had cones (sports) in the vehicle. I either recognize him from kid's sports or court.
deezus57
2017-04-27 09:59:16
At 1:26pm today (4/27) Yale and I were biking on Foster St from 40th to 44th in Lawrenceville, riding about 2 feet from the curb, single file, 10 mph, and a fat, middle-aged woman driving a silver sedan coming up behind us honked at us, although there was space for her to pass us legally. PA license plate KBN 2772. She yelled something like "there's a bike trail, you know" as she passed us (gave me 3 feet, probably). Because there are stop signs at 42nd, 43rd, and 44th, we were nearly catching up to her at every cross-street. We yelled out "what's your problem?" and she gave us the finger as she drove away. It appears that her beef with us is that we were riding bicycles on a city street! (We were biking to Gourmandine bakery. Ain't no bike trail to there, of course.) Darlene Harris-style cyclophobia like this is bad for all of us because it legitimizes hateful speech, which could degenerate into dangerous physical behavior. We need to get more of these cyclophobes out of cars and onto bicycles.
paulheckbert
2017-04-27 17:09:41
I wish you'd left the fat-shaming out of this.
jonawebb
2017-04-28 09:10:33
Looking back at my original post about the Darlene incident (page 2 of this thread), the term I used in my description of the driver was "well fed". Conveys the same idea, minus the shame, I think. At that moment, I did not know who it was. Someone contacted me on Twitter a few hours later, resulting in my follow-up post of "If you absolutely know who this is..."
stuinmccandless
2017-04-28 12:37:17
In the medical field our code words including "well-nourished."  One time I was reading my medical records (NEVER A GOOD IDEA) from a recent visit where I had an ingrown toenail/abscess drained, and the doc used that phrase to describe me.  I guess I got a taste of my own medicine!! Now I rarely if ever comment on that in my notes.  And if I do, I use the appropriate medical term -- obese.
edronline
2017-04-28 13:34:58
I can see why it's relevant in medicine, but maybe in describing dangerous drivers we don't need to hone in on their weight. After all, pretty much everybody is overweight, to some degree, in this country. We can just assume. And avoid connecting driving behavior to a physical issue that is associated so strongly with moral judgment.
jonawebb
2017-04-28 14:16:48
I think this discussion should be in the Dangerous Posters Thread...Or the Poorly Reasoned Opinion thread.
yalecohen
2017-04-28 14:28:05
An exercise in how to be descriptive without being judgmental. Or, how to be as objective as possible on a subjective topic.
stuinmccandless
2017-04-29 01:26:14
"I wish you’d left the fat-shaming out of this."   Since Trump won, political correctness is passe`.
fultonco
2017-04-29 12:33:22
Ironically, Mr. President doesn't like pics of him in which he looks heavyset/well-nourished/husky/obese.
edronline
2017-04-29 16:07:18
It is not exactly dangerous driver but today while teaching kids how to ride on Major Force Ride... License Plate PA ECJ-1050   http://i.imgur.com/nv7x4Wx.png
mikhail
2017-04-30 01:19:39
Last year @stefb coined the phrase "Park n' Fish."  Is this "Park n' Eagle view"?
edronline
2017-04-30 07:17:08
Wow. Sounds like somebody has to go to tolerance camp.
shooflypie
2017-04-30 22:12:02
^^ that's the second car someone on this MB has photographed going more than a mile down the trail - Just this year! That gate by the practice trial needs a sign and a LOCK  
marko82
2017-05-01 07:40:01
BTW what police department should I report to? This is from Action Cam and has date/time stamp and license plate is visible.
mikhail
2017-05-01 15:20:40
If it is right by eagle lake/bird viewing it is Pittsburgh. Hays is the neighborhood.
edronline
2017-05-01 16:23:40
Mikhail: were they there birdwatching? Was anyone in the car? I'm half tempted to post a warning to one of the eagle-watching facebook groups that cars will get ticketed/towed/impounded for driving on the trail as well as a request that they call 911 if they see cars on the trail.
rustyred
2017-05-01 16:46:57
I'd start by emailing the trail council for over there. Is that steel valley?  They probably know some of the birders there and can get them to police themselves.
edronline
2017-05-01 18:10:47
That car surely (IMHO) was there supporting the SVTC Raptor Row Ride. ... I saw it as well and figured as much...Eagle Lake was a busy location with tables, etc..for the event supporting the trail: all are invited to support their trail (https://steelvalleytrail.org/). It looks like they obeyed the four foot rule... I'm sure I can find out who it was if you wish...Typically the car should have some indication that it is on the trail for trail business.
yalecohen
2017-05-01 18:11:34
Wasn't the Raptor Ride on Saturday? The car was there on Sunday.
rustyred
2017-05-01 20:01:06
Mikhail's ride was [when I saw him and the car] Saturday (unless he did one on Sunday also), but his post is 1:19AM 4/30 Sunday...Unless @RR saw it on Sunday as well... How did you conclude it was Sunday? It doesn't sound like you saw it as per your earlier post...Please correct me...I'm just a dumb lizard.
yalecohen
2017-05-02 01:09:18
Ah, Sorry...Nevermind....I'm confusing my AMs and PMs.
rustyred
2017-05-02 11:27:23
That was the car of Paul Coleman, also with Steel Valley Trail Council, supporting the Raptor Row Ride. His car was there on Saturday, the day of the ride, and I talked to him about it. He brought in a table for the ride's rest stop. He said he drove from Haysglen St on the ballast next to the train tracks, not on the trail. Maybe people should get back to discussing actual dangerous drivers, not shaming parking near bike trails, and not language-policing.
paulheckbert
2017-05-02 14:06:49
On a positive note, one of my facebook "friends" got a citation for driving in a bike lane in Pittsburgh trying to use it as a shortcut to get around rush hour traffic.
edronline
2017-05-02 14:12:09
@ paulheckbert I'm with you.  Fat leaves no doubt about what is being described.  Dwayne Johnson is well nourished but hardly has any body fat.  Besides, fat is only 3 characters, which is very important when tweeting.  All the best...  
fultonco
2017-05-02 21:28:16
I agree with Paul about the language police statement. You SJW language police can go fuck yourself. People in America are fat. Yes they are fat overweight tubby pieces of car driving glutenous shit. The truth is the truth. I have gained weight myself when I stopped biking so much. You know what I called myself? "chubby". I myself was a fat fuck at one time. I decided to lose weight. The truth is not offensive. It is the truth. You SJWs are sad people. This over protective ultra left language policing SJW slant of this board is obnoxious. And yes, Maybe Trump won, and political correctness is passe. It is you SJWs who are offended by everything that made that happen. Even real true liberals like myself couldn't vote Hillary because of people like you.  
shooflypie
2017-05-03 22:33:18
So... Changing the topic. This isn't bicycle related but is dangerous driver related. Per the pg story a woman was killed on 79 after losing control when a driver bumped her from behind, and the police were contemplating a "driving too close" charge. Perhaps a manslaughter or homicide charge too?  My guess is that the pg has incomplete information because it was written overnight and the DA probably didn't have time to review the case yet, but still... http://www.post-gazette.com/local/north/2017/05/04/Driver-killed-crash-I-79-mercer-county-pittsburgh-tincher/stories/201705040136
edronline
2017-05-04 08:00:20
Here's an explanation of the rules for deciding if somebody should face a vehicular manslaughter charge:
To be convicted of vehicular manslaughter in most jurisdictions, the prosecution must prove, beyond a reasonable doubt, that:
  • the driver operated a motor vehicle in a reckless or grossly (severely) negligent manner, and
  • the driver’s conduct caused a fatality.
  • Reckless or grossly negligent conduct poses a more severe and obvious threat of death than mere carelessness or simple negligence. Recklessness and gross negligence can be shown in a variety of ways, such as driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol or violating certain traffic laws, like speeding, texting while driving, or deliberately running a red light. Ignoring a warning not to drive while taking prescription medication could also constitute reckless and gross negligence, and so could driving with a known medical condition that could affect your ability to drive safely.
    So, from the description, it doesn't sound like vehicular manslaughter fits. And homicide is right out, unless it can be shown that the driver deliberately bumped the other car, intending to cause harm.
    jonawebb
    2017-05-04 08:31:41
    This afternoon, 3:30 PM on North Euclid just north of East Liberty Blvd. I got passed within 2 feet by a tan Jeep Wrangler, plate number KCT 3021. Looks like she passed a bike behind me in the same way. I yelled, "um, no, that's not how you do it" and pointed at my camera, which wasn't recording. She stopped at the intersection of Hays and N. Euclid to pause for a moment, but then continued on her way. I'd say older female with a short haircut. For reference, I was to the far left of the lane, trying to prevent a pass, and waved her off once.
    jason-pgh
    2017-05-15 19:05:59
    http://imgur.com/a/OKIgG ZDF-2313 black Nissan pickup White male, 20's possibly intoxicated. After we left the Ride of Silence, this driver ran a stop sign on Sarah St, aggressively passed us then ran a red light.
    rustyred
    2017-05-17 22:11:40
    This driver stalked us for about 1/4 mile spouting off that "our excercise was causing him to risk his life in oncoming traffic"...he was a little dude with a beard, wearing a cabbie hat, white shirt and a black bow tie. I don't know if he is a waiter or someone who had been out all night. The vehicle was a gold GMC pickup PA plate number ZJC 2206. We were on Fox Chapel Road near Squaw Valley Park at 8:00 am on Sunday 21 May 2017. My little disgruntled dude's plate number and description will be turned over to the O'Hara Township Police. Any other suggestions?
    rwsaunders
    2017-05-21 11:19:49
    ZJB-7047, black Ford pickup truck, southbound Perrysville Ave just before Perry HS. I'm first in line pulling away from the light at Vinceton/Bascom; actually had a jump on the cars behind me because I wasn't exactly first, as a car was making a right onto Bascom from the left lane, allowing me to squirt past before anyone had a chance to get moving. And I got right up to 20 mph within 10 seconds. Big space behind me, but not for long. Glancing in my mirror, I see a couple of cars behind me, a white? car, a red something-or-other and a third, larger vehicle. Nothing untoward so far. Then I hear a horn. At me? No, the car in front of that line, which had gotten on my tail in short order, slowed to pull to the curb. The horn came from the pickup, who apparently was following the red thing so closely he pulled way out into the oncoming lane to avoid rear-ending the guy who slowed for the first one. I actually thought he was going to pass both those cars and me, too, but he pulled back in. Rounding the curve just before the six-way corner at Perry HS, I see I have to stop for the light (that light is always red), so pull in behind a stopped car, and the red thing pulls into the left lane to make the left onto East, putting the pickup almost even with me, a little ahead. The window goes down (or was down) and he snarls at me that I can't be taking the lane like that, that I'm supposed to be far to the right. Apparently he did not notice the continuous string of parked cars, including the one whose driver was standing with the door open as I went by. I replied with "3301c1, go look it up" a couple of times, but did not engage. The light turned green, and he screamed off past the school going 35 to 40. Speed limit along there is 25. I was doing somewhere between 25 and 27, and may have yelled that at him, though reason was not this guy's strong suit. I have both front and rear video, and will upload tonight after some editing. The similarity to the Darlene episode is not lost on me:
    • I was fully in compliance with the law as regards lane positioning.
    • It was not possible, let alone practicable, to be any farther right, because of parked cars and open car doors. (Also, business district; not legal to bike on sidewalk.)
    • I was at or over the posted speed limit.
    • The driver did not think I had a legal right to be there.
    • It's in Darlene's district.
    Suggestions on how I might have handled this better are most welcome. (Might be easier to answer this after I have the video up.)
    stuinmccandless
    2017-05-23 13:15:54
    An idea for Stu: Print out 3301c1, fold it up into a little wad, carry this around so that in a situation like this you can quick-draw it and toss it in their car window. This would give them time to read the law at their leisure. On the other hand, somebody might tell us it's illegal to throw folded paper.
    paulheckbert
    2017-05-23 14:10:20
    Or someone might think that having an unknown object thrown at them gives them cause to return fire. Castle doctrine and all.
    steven
    2017-05-23 14:38:26
    Well, we saw how useful it is to yell "Pull over!" No, the only way we get this through to people is to hand them a written test at license renewal, and not allow them to pass until they provide the correct answer to relevant questions. I would not mind if we made it open book, but they have to sign their name to the correct answer, or they don't get to keep their license. Applies to interactions with bikes, headlights on a rainy day, changing lanes to pass a stopped emergency vehicle, applies to four dozen other changes to rules in the last few years. Only if you know what you're doing should you be allowed behind the wheel of a car. The answers should be choices between:
    1. A preferred answer (5 points)
    2. A plausible answer (1 point)
    3. A wrong answer (0 points)
    4. Automatic failure answer (-10 points)
    To pass, they have to have a minimum point value, plus no unacceptable answers. Put that in place, an in a four-year renewal cycle, we'll either have more educated drivers, or more people without licenses because they never should have had them in the first place. If I do meet a premature end because some nimrod broke a rule to run me down, please name the law after me to get this change in place.
    stuinmccandless
    2017-05-23 16:15:07
    JMD 3583, black Mercedes E-class sedan, too-close pass on Gold Way, couldn't wait to get past the dumpsters on both sides of the alley and nearly ran me into one. Then he nearly hit another car head on because he couldn't keep to his side of the road through the curves as Gold becomes Melwood. Polish Hill pass-through driver, turned north on Herron towards the Strip...
    epanastrophe
    2017-05-31 20:58:44
    Plate: GKY-1603 (PA plate) Car Make/Model: Black or Navy Jeep Patriot Driver: 20's-30's black male, alone. Location: Baum Blvd. heading towards S. Euclid Avenue (former Penn Circle), left lane. Description: It was around 10:30pm when I was biking on Baum Blvd. towards S. Highland Avenue. I had just turned right onto Baum from S. Negley Avenue on a red (came to a full stop, signaled, then proceeded to turn right on red.) There is parking on the right hand lane of Baum in both directions so I maintained my position in the left-hand lane proceeding at about 25mph. After the cars ended, which is just after Stamar Way. One car had already passed me, safely doing so. After the cars ended, there was a gap in the parked cars, but there was a motorcycle in front of the Pittsburgh Institute of Mortuary Science, which would prevent me from going into the right hand lane. Also preventing me from going into the right hand lane was the fact that the right hand lane is right turn only, and I needed to go straight. The Jeep pulled behind me, and gave me a, as Stu likes to call it, "fucking horn" for no reason. I whipped my head around and said to him, "you're on camera, so think long and hard about what you're about to do." He wasn't actually on camera but it would keep him at bay. He then passed at less than 2 feet while staring me down. He also passed through an intersection, in violation of state law. I followed only long enough to get the plate and call it out.
    jason-pgh
    2017-06-01 23:07:41
    I'm surprised no one has thrown water bottles off their bike at speeding cars.
    zzwergel
    2017-06-02 01:13:31
    We're above that. Just call out their bad behavior, and record the plate and description.
    stuinmccandless
    2017-06-02 02:02:53
    I agree with stu. Remember, the NRA made sure that PA has a Castle Doctrine law. According to PA law, this extends not only to your home but to your CAR and to your WORKPLACE. If anyone has any reason to feel their life is threatened, under PA law they are allowed to shoot to kill you and be protected under the law. In most cases there are no witnesses.  All someone has to do is say that they were minding their own business when you approached their car with what looked like a weapon so they shot you to protect themselves. How many juries would convict this person? Approximately 0.
    edronline
    2017-06-02 06:44:55
    I believe the castle doctrine is weapon-neutral. So if a driver feels threatened by that thrown object, but has no gun handy, they're allowed to use another weapon like a car to kill the threat.
    steven
    2017-06-02 08:06:08
    You are correct.
    edronline
    2017-06-02 08:09:56
    With the kind of drivers that make it to this thread in the first place, we already know they are somewhat angry and violent. (for whatever reason and probably not solely because of a person on a bicycle) When I'm not full of adrenaline, it doesn't seem like a good idea to provoke them further.
    andyc
    2017-06-02 09:41:43
    @edronline said: According to PA law, this extends not only to your home but to your CAR and to your WORKPLACE. It also extends to your BICYCLE. AS written for PA law, the Castle Doctrine indicates that it applies to vehicles. Under Motor Vehicle Code, vehicles are defined to include bicycles.
    cdavey
    2017-06-02 10:09:39
    Nice. Though a person on a bike with a water bottle is typically no match against a driver in a car or truck with or without a gun.  Unless they're a ninja.
    edronline
    2017-06-02 10:46:47
    As much as I like to fantasize about it, everybody should PLEASE be aware that it's a bad idea for a cyclist to get into an altercation -- physical or verbal -- with anyone sitting inside a multi-ton death machine, possibly holding a concealed firearm. Just don't do it. Record video, remember license plate numbers, and report serious incidents to the police. Don't try to solve problems yourself. You can make things worse and end up looking as guilty at the motorist.
    jonawebb
    2017-06-02 11:08:31
    While cycling, I've had empty soda cans thrown at me. This is not for doing anything provocative, but merely for being there, on a bicycle, it seems. One time I was picking up litter on the sidewalk of Glenwood Bridge when I had a paper cup full of soda and ice thrown at me and it hit me in the arm. I suspect that cyclists have objects thrown at them by car occupants far more often than the reverse.
    paulheckbert
    2017-06-02 11:16:31
    I had a full, unopened beer can chucked at me while riding in Columbus, OH after an Ohio State football game. Luckily they missed and it exploded on the shoulder of the road.  Waste of a PBR.
    benzo
    2017-06-02 13:19:32
    I went to U-M, so I could make a million comments right now.
    edronline
    2017-06-02 13:20:56
    It's best to just stay calm and report the encounter - unless you are Arnold in Terminator 2!
    ninjaturtle0304
    2017-06-03 01:14:00
    Hit and run at 1000 Grandview Ave apartments.  An older person (possibly male) driving a white Cadillac Crossover hit me and forced me off the road while turning out of the apartment parking lot. Got it on video but no plate.  Contacted the police.
    greg-h
    2017-06-03 16:36:35
    greg, I hope you are ok.  You might want to wait to post any more details until the police have finished investigating.  Keep us posted if they don't move forward.
    marko82
    2017-06-03 19:21:22
    This truck's sideview mirror came within inches of my arm this morning. It was a deliberate close pass. He flipped me the finger when he got stuck in traffic further down Becks Run and made a u-turn to avoid it.   White 2015 Ford F-250 Super Duty PA ZHS 9756   http://imgur.com/5xgTwy7 http://imgur.com/ZbNjbv6 http://imgur.com/74MwY6R   For
    rustyred
    2017-06-06 09:32:38
    Dark gray Chevy Malibu LT, license plate KDK 4876, buzzed me on the Pocusset pedestrian trail at 5:40pm today. Yep, that's right, they drove through the barriers clearly marking Greenfield Rd approaching the bridge as closed (although someone had helpfully left a car-sized gap in the barriers), drove through (and probably knocked down, I didn't go back to check) the barriers clearly marking it the trail as off-limits to cars, and swerved around me when I stopped to see what that noise was.  I caught up with the car stopped at the light on Pocusset at Murray about 3.5 minutes later. Driver was a black woman with at least one young child in the backseat.  She turned right onto Forward. Video: https://youtu.be/WWBjtWQ1HOw Pictures: http://imgur.com/a/vRS4F
    bk7j
    2017-06-06 19:47:15
    Send video to police.  They should ticket this person.
    edronline
    2017-06-06 19:57:16
    Where to send that someone will actually read and care?  Is 311 good?
    bk7j
    2017-06-06 19:59:15
    Please tweet the crap out of that: @PghZone4 @billpeduto @Pgh311   (and also: @WPXI, or your favorite local news media)   http://pittsburghpa.gov/police/zone4
    rustyred
    2017-06-06 20:52:35
    I'd call the.police directly, zone 4, and tell them you have video of a car illegally using the pocusset cut through
    edronline
    2017-06-06 21:36:04
    JRK 8417. Green-ish Subaru sedan, middle-aged female driver with glasses. Was riding down Schenley Drive through golf course towards Oakland. Approaching the blind right turn before Tech St, riding on the wide shoulder. Driver starts to pass me, but then when making the turn cuts two feet over the white line beside me (rear of car is even with my front tire). Fortunately no contact. I yelled an expletive at the driver. She continued down Schenley Dr. and then ran the stop sign at the three-way intersection by Phipps. I caught up to her at the red light at Schenley Drive Extension. Pulled up to her window and told her "you need to drive more carefully, you almost killed me." She just looked straight ahead and ignored me.
    voondebah
    2017-06-08 08:45:33
    75-3331e § 3331. Required position and method of turning. (e) Interference with pedalcycles.--No turn by a driver of a motor vehicle shall interfere with a pedalcycle proceeding straight while operating in accordance with Chapter 35 (relating to special vehicles and pedestrians).
    stuinmccandless
    2017-06-08 21:12:07
    I'd like to get back to this happening less often to me. More than once a month is too much. Passed with nuthin" to spare on Tilbury heading north while slowing to a red light at Forward.  Dark colored Subaru Forester, license PA HWW-9230 passed me like I wasn't even there, scraping against my handlebars.  Asian woman driving with nobody else in the car.  Her front passenger window was open so I went up and clearly explained the 4-foot passing law, which she seemed oblivious to.  I got a nod and an "oh, ok" before she continued on when the light turned green. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F_LOXWWesGU
    bk7j
    2017-06-20 09:45:07
    Greg H: To state the obvious: the car driver broke the law both by failing to yield to you (you had the right of way) and for leaving the crash scene. You could cruise the apartment building's parking lot and see if you recognize the car. That might allow you to get the name of the car owner. An approach similar to that helped a reporter identify Darlene Harris as the driver that harassed StuInMcCandless last year.
    paulheckbert
    2017-06-20 22:54:56
    Whose district is that?  You could contact the city councilperson and/or the mayor to lean on the PD.   Or contact the citizens oversight review board. Or contact the district attorneys office...
    edronline
    2017-06-21 00:18:25
    Drivers in Squirrel Hill after pedestrians, too. From (NextDoor Squirrel Hill(https://squirrelhillsouth.nextdoor.com/news_feed/?post=54676863&s=&is=npe&ct=ne9VoM_KedpjK-Gvr5ZnPoJzKLTNAZyyBmZysOecgJNq9pM7EqLAGn0egnzgZct2&mobile_deeplink_data=action%3Dview_post%26post%3D54676863&link_source_user_id=2202978 Disgruntled Pedestrian Rant xxxxxx from Squirrel Hill South • 7h ago I was walking home today from work. On my way home, at the corner of Beechwood Blvd. and Forward Ave. I was crossing on a green light legally. A man in a pickup truck starting yelling because I was going too slow for his liking. Well let me tell you this, I have a right to cross safely and legally at that intersection at my pace! It is just too damn bad that you and the man in front of you have to wait in your climate-controlled vehicles sitting on you keisters for me to safely cross the street. I have a few points I would like to make. Since I walk instead of drive to work; 1) I help to make sure that gas prices stay low due to less demand. 2) I don’t take up valuable parking spaces. 3) I help to make sure that health care costs stay low for my family and taxpayers. 4) There is more space on the road for you and your earth-eating vehicle. 5) I’m not a hypocrite or limousine liberal. I actually don’t just pay lip service to saving the earth to make myself feel better or appease my friends; I try to live it. 6) I don’t produce pollution. There is no need for anyone to yell at pedestrians who are legally crossing the street. Next time, I dare you to get out of your gas guzzling truck and tell me why you are so damn special that I need to put my life on hold for your convenience or put up with your verbal abuse. Don’t drive in the city, work in the city, or live here if you can’t handle pedestrians. I posted this incident because trying to cross that intersection as a pedestrian is difficult, and I feel many drivers need to relax. So many drivers are speeding on Forward Avenue. Those who wish to make a right onto Beechwood will look left to see if it is clear but not right where there are often times pedestrians. I have witnessed a few close calls at that intersection. Also, many impatient drivers making a left from Beechwood onto Forward. Even when there is a crossing guard, it sucks trying to cross at that intersection. In no way am I excusing illegal pedestrian behavior which I have also witnessed at that intersection. I am also not saying that pedestrians are more important than drivers. I feel better now. Thanks. xxxxx from Squirrel Hill South • 3h ago yyyyyy- Thanks for caring and writing a letter!!! You are on fire! I didn't even think about the bike lane situation, but it's true. zzzzz- On my way to work, I don't even try to cross at Monitor/Anita and Beechwood unless there are no cars. They get really pissed off if you cross there and make them wait. Speaking of buggies: I almost saw a kid's buggy hit at the intersection I talked about in my post. It was not the pedestrian's (person pushing the buggy) fault, either. My heart palpitations took a few minutes to calm down after that close call. wwww- I love your sensibility and wanting a positive solution. Thanks for your suggestion! ggggg from Squirrel Hill South • 1h ago I agree. Don't be in such a hurry, driver. Mary Shaw from Squirrel Hill South • 1h ago The pedestrian-bike committee of the Squirrel Hill Urban Coalition is looking for volunteers to help identify pedestrian issues and work with the City to improve the situation. Please join us, second Thursday evening of each month, 6:30-8:00 at JCC. See http://shuc.org/pedestrian-bike-committe... -- there's a button for getting added to the mailing list.
    yalecohen
    2017-06-21 00:49:28
    MG2410J white police SUV passed me at high speed with no more than a foot of clearance heading north on Brownsville Rd near the Sunoco at 12:48am today. It stopped at the light to turn left onto Amanda Ave, which is how I was able to catch up to it and take note of the license plate. It bolted as soon as the light turned green.
    altay
    2017-07-04 01:45:45
    Driver of this truck, a dark gray Chevy Silverado, PA plate YMP 6735, passed me at high speed on narrow Melwood Ave between Finland and the Bloomfield Bridge, then stopped, got out of his vehicle, and threatened me for calling him on it. Truck last seen on Melwood dead end north of Denver St. Polish Hill, North Oakland, Bloomfield riders especially beware. https://www.instagram.com/p/BWNUwduhAf6Zm7__tUMh5K9G4ElUnPCGdhdOOg0/
    epanastrophe
    2017-07-06 10:28:16
    @buffalo, can you post that picture on Twitter? Can't access it via Instagram. I only ask this because back in April, me and 3 other people were riding in Polish Hill and had a similar encounter (see my post from 4/22) with someone driving a similar vehicle near where this happened to you. We were not able to write down his plate number, but it may be the same person.
    chrishent
    2017-07-06 11:59:49
    20215 AF (Tan-grey SUV, PA Air Force? plate, older white male driver): Dangerous, aggressive pass in the middle of the intersection of Craig & 5th, drove at an oncoming car to pass me on bike. Of course, the camera I finally got mounted on my bike last week ran out of space not thirty seconds before.
    epanastrophe
    2017-07-25 12:29:25
    Ok, I told a few people this story privately but I feel like I should get it out.  Last Friday, coming home after the Flock ride, I came incredibly close to being hit by an unbelievably stupid and reckless driver - just two blocks from my house on Wightman St. I was rolling down the hill between Woodmont and Solway (street view) and saw two cars approaching from the opposite direction, between Wilkins and Solway (a distance of 400 ft, BTW). Suddenly the headlights of the trailing car were at a 45 degree angle, and I remember thinking "that guy is somehow fishtailing, he's going to wreck", and started to apply the brakes. Then I heard an engine rev and realized he was trying to pass the other car, coming at me head-on in my lane. I skidded to a stop as I processed this, then realized I was trapped by a parked car to my right and there was essentially nothing I could do but stand there and either get hit or not. Fortunately the answer was "not" - no thanks to the asshole doing the passing who absolutely never let off the gas pedal. But, the lead car must have hit the brakes, which allowed the other car to complete the pass. When I got my wits back and turned around, the lead car was stopped, slightly past me, and the asshole's car was all the way at the stop sign at the top of the hill. I couldn't read the plate from there, and the other car just left too, so I yelled some profanities in vain and went home. I'd estimate this all transpired in 200-250ft of pavement which is 3-4 seconds at 40mph. I had my headlight (B&M Luxos U, which is bright and has a really wide beam) on, and the area is also very well lit by streetlights. There's no excuse for what the driver did in the first place, and no excuse for him not seeing me - although he was following the other car so closely before the pass he was probably completely fixated on it. The parked cars to my right gave me no escape route - replaying the situation, the only other options I had were trying to deliberately crash inbetween two closely parked cars (yeah, right), or playing chicken by not braking and trying to make a right on Solway. Not only are those pretty outlandish but they obviously might have made things worse. There's no way I had time to dismount my bike and try to jump out of the way. I don't think I've ever been in a situation before where I was aware I might actually die in the next second, and it has me freaked out. After talking to a friend on Monday, I forced myself to ride to work on Tuesday but haven't ridden again.
    salty
    2017-07-30 23:14:26
    PS: I think I may finally be convinced to mount a camera on my bike. Not that it likely would have helped had this person hit me since we have no front plates, but given I didn't get hit, I certainly could have gotten a ton of mileage out of the video. Nobody who is not a cyclist is going to truly believe my story, but they'd certainly have to believe the video.
    salty
    2017-07-30 23:20:38
    ^Wow.  As a car driver I would be hesitant to even pass a stopped vehicle along there.    What the hell! ---- A few years ago I had a drunk driver sideswipe some cars immediately in front of me.  It's hard to feel comfortable on the road (even in a car) after an encounter like this, so I can empathize with your current feelings.  I started to change my routes a little after that.  Not that there was anything inherently wrong with the roads I was using, but to try to limit my exposure to these types of drivers.  And yet, these drivers are everywhere & on every road.  I don't know if that helps (either you OR me), but it's all the advice I can give - sometimes you can do EVERYTHING correctly and still end up with a bad outcome. See: 'cars into buildings' thread. Very glad you are OK.
    marko82
    2017-07-31 10:42:49
    Pennsylvania needs front plates.
    stuinmccandless
    2017-07-31 12:22:19
    Pittsburgh drivers are at their most dangerous when their patience is intruded on, even slightly. This is not just the case with bikes, but anything else on the road. People here will not tolerate what they consider an unnecessary wait. If ever I see cars not obeying simple following distance guidelines, I immediately assume they're going to do something stupid in the immediate future. It has never failed me. I'm not saying there's anything you could have done to mitigate what happened - and you are lucky you were not seriously injured or killed - but this doesn't surprise me one bit. I have been the lead car in that situation not once, but twice. Since using my motorcycle for my out-of-town commute I've got pretty decent and working out exactly how some drivers will behave purely on how they position their vehicle -in all speed regimes - in relation to traffic. I'm sure others have noticed it, but there are very clear patterns.  
    sully
    2017-08-03 11:34:41
    A few day ago, I was on myu way to Giant Eagle from my house in Aspinwall. I biked all the way down Western Ave. and turned left onto Freeport Rd. Because of 2nd St. having a stop sign at every corner. After I crossed Delefield Rd., I merged left and some black man with glasses driving a white car comes within two feet of hitting me. I slammed on the brakes and yelled "Didn't you see me?", He proceeded to call me names and said he could have killed me. I told customer service at the Giant Eagle about the altercation and gave a description of the car and man and that he threatened to kill me. Anyone who knows who this may be should report it to Pittsburgh and Aspinwall police.
    zzwergel
    2017-08-04 22:08:53
    Thanks Marco. To address what Sully said, as one of the tiny fraction of drivers who drives the speed limit, I've been illegally passed (on the left as well as on the right) many times - this was just a particularly egregious example given (as Marco pointed out) how narrow the road is, with parked cars on both sides. Anyways, I didn't ride my bike at all this week. Logically I know I'm no more or less likely to be killed than I was before this happened, I just need to get it out of my head. And mount that camera.
    salty
    2017-08-06 13:43:14
    Long time reader, first time contributor.  I decided this morning’s experience warranted sharing and asking for advice.  Sorry it's so long. Today I was stopped on my morning commute and harassed by a guy who identified himself as a police officer.  He was driving a back unmarked SUV and was in plain clothes.  After taking his abuse and threats about me breaking the law, I began to ask him for identification and he drove off.  It was a black Dodge Durango, PA license HLK-2570. So either it was a guy who pulled me over pretending to be a cop (which is illegal) or it is a cop who acted very VERY unprofessionally. Here is the rundown of what happened.  I've been biking part of the way to work several days a week since December from Millvale Riverfront Park to Downtown.  It's river trail, bridge, bike lane.  A fairly easy commute with very little vehicle interaction.  This morning was only the second time I tried making the entire trip all the way from home, which involves driving down Anderson Rd in Shaler, down the mountain, through Millvale, and to the river trail. While traveling Anderson Rd, I noticed a truck coming up on me shortly after I passed the entrance to Shaler High School.  It's also when I began to climb a hill.  I moved over to give him as much room  as I could to pass me.  He passed without incident and I looked over my shoulder to see a black SUV was coming up shortly after the truck.  I continued up the hill (which I can't do fast) and took to level ground, the entire time clinging to the shoulder as tight I could.  Knowing the road had some twists I began speeding up a bit, thinking he was waiting to pass safely and gonna give me my 4 ft, following the law.  I thought he had a few chances to pass, but in all truth the 4 ft rule would require him crossing the solid double yellow line.  When I came to an intersection with a side street, I saw an opportunity to slow down and move over more for him to pass.  He didn't pass. He stayed right on me.  And as the side street came to an end I yelled out to myself "come on, now" in frustration, just before he finally passed me, but after the intersection. He passed real close I might add. Then it got weird.  After passing, he comes to a complete stop in the middle of the road, maybe 30 ft in front of me and puts down his passenger window.  I come to a stop about 15 ft back, not knowing who he was or what might happen.  I hear him yell out "This is why people don't like bikes on the road!"  I hesitate, but moved forward and asked him what he said.  He said, "You don't belong on the road.  I'm a police officer and you are breaking the law."  Upon hearing this, I immediately go into cooperative citizen mode.  In my mind, this has just become a traffic stop.  I never once yelled or spoke disrespectfully.  I tried to ask what I did, but before I could get but a few words out, he goes on a tyrant about how I'm breaking the law for not traveling the speed limit (35mph for those who are wondering).  I said, "I'm sorry, I was just climbing a hill back there..." He cut me off again and repeated some of his previous dialogue. He mentioned the no less than 15 mph below the limit stipulation in the law.  I said I was climbing the hill and just got on level ground a short bit..."  I was trying to tell him I had moved over as far as I could, but he wouldn't let me get a word in.  He did however repeat at least three times that he was a police officer.  I was expecting him to issue me a citation with how many times he touted his position and mentioning what I was doing was illegal. This all happened in less than a minute.  And I should point out that though the vehicle looked like an unmarked police SUV, he was dressed in plain clothes.  After the last time he threw his police officer position in my face, I was legitimately pissed off, so I asked for some credentials.  I said, "Ok, Mr. Police Officer, what's your license number? What's your name and bad..." But before I could get out badge number, he just drove off. My cellphone was dead, so as soon as I got to my office I called 911 to report the harassment by a man who identified himself as a police officer.  They took some quick information and told me to expect a call from the Shaler PD.  About 20 minutes later I get the call.  I told him what happened.  He was very polite and kind.  A real professional.  We discussed the situation and both agreed that the 4 ft rule is tough on a street like that.  Which is why I added that I made every effort I could, short of stopping, to let him pass.  I said that I wasn't looking for a citation, but I just want the officer to know that he was not acting professional as a law enforcement representative of his community.  And I wanted to know if he actually was a cop.  The officer on the phone chalked it up to a verbal dispute, but said he will look into the license plate and get back to me.  I got a call back about 2 hours later, and he said he spoke to the other driver.  No surprise, the other guy's account of the events was completely different.  I asked if he was indeed a police officer, but the officer on the phone said he wasn't going to get into that.  He told me I could come by the station and pick up a copy of the police report if I wanted it. So that's where things stand.  I'm not sure how to proceed.  I plan to pick up the police report after work, but I doubt if it will tell me if he is actually a cop.  And that's the thing.  I can take the abuse from a random A-hole. I'd be a little pissed and get over it.  To may crazies out there to hold a grudge.  But his guy made this encounter official.  He made sure I knew, multiple times, that he was a police officer and that I was breaking the law.  This WAS a traffic stop. Like I said, if he is a police officer I want his supervisors to know how he acted.  He didn't show ID when asked.  He verbally berated me on the law and threatened me with what I perceived would be a citation.  And he vocally expressed his personal hatred of bicyclist at the exact same time as he was informing me of his status as a police officer.  But what if he isn't a police officer, then this is a case of impersonating one, which is a serious crime.  I feel if I let this sit, then nothing is gonna happen. Any advice...besides following through on the police report?
    kevpgh
    2017-08-09 14:46:35
    You can swear out a warrant for his arrest on impersonating a police officer, if he did that. Stu had more info.
    jonawebb
    2017-08-09 14:50:54
    First put everything in writing with as much detail as you can remember, including your conversation with the Shaler police officer. Details get fuzzy quickly.  Then stop and get a copy of the report and let the officer explain why he will/will-not be following up with the other driver.  He might have legitimate reasons for not telling you if the other guy is a cop, or why he can't charge him.  But if you do not feel like your questions & concerns are being taken seriously, or if you think he's just looking the other way to protect a brother-in-blue, I would look into filing a complaint against either/both officers with the Shaler mayor or borough council. Separately,  I would try to explain to the Shaler cop that the four foot rule was put into place for exactly the reason he states that it's hard to follow on a road like this - if you can't give four feet the road is too narrow to pass safely!  The driver is required to wait until it is safe.
    marko82
    2017-08-09 16:02:16
    You did everything right.  Most likely this guy was a cop. And an asshole. He probably doesn't work for shaler and I doubt he was on duty. I'd get the police report and then honestly let the whole thing slide. If he's a cop he'll get benefit of the doubt. He could be really antisocial and can make your life a living hell. Karma will bite him in the ass someday.  You go on being a good person.
    edronline
    2017-08-09 16:05:30
    Thanks jonawebb, marko82, and Edronline for the replies. Edronline, I think you're probably right. The situation is over and I should probably let it be.  The guy most likely was a cop (his haircut and meat head demeanor was a solid giveaway). I did what I should do and report it.  It's very easy to let a grudge and social justice get the better of you.  And then I'm no better than this d1ckwad, regardless of how righteous the cause, or how much the guy blows sheep.  ...there, I feel better now :)  
    kevpgh
    2017-08-09 17:04:30
    Actually, you ARE better than this dickwad, because you were following the rules.  The guy is an asshole.  He was an asshole to you.  He's most likely an asshole to many, many people in his life.  That's why let karma do its work.  He's probably not a very happy person if he has to confront a defenseless biker following the rules to feel important/powerful. You get to bike to work and enjoy beautiful days like today.  And you're probably also nice to your family and friends.  And I'm guessing you're not a dick to others, at least the vast majority of the time. So the satisfaction of that should be more than enough. And maybe park back down at Millvale for a few days and enjoy the stress-free ride. P.S., totally ok  to think evil thoughts about him for a while. That's cool. and doesn't make you a bad person.
    edronline
    2017-08-09 17:58:51
    You may not know, but he definitely should know (if he is legitimately a cop), that a motorist may legally cross the yellow line to pass a bike, if visibly safe to do so. Title 75, Section 3301a6. By contrast, 3301a2 is what lets you drive around a fallen tree if visibly safe to do so. Like with a tree, if you cannot pass safely, you wait patiently. There is no such thing as a minimum speed limit (outside of an interstate highway), and that 15-below thing he mentioned is a fabrication. I've been advocating for years that PA should require passing a modified version of the written test when renewing a driver's license, specifically checking for things like interacting with bikes, and recent changes to the law. You probably handled it as well as you could have. The only thing I would have done differently is I would have waved him by when I considered the way forward safe.
    stuinmccandless
    2017-08-10 05:12:15
    I think it is moments like this where cameras really pay for themselves. He probably would have checked his behaviour had you been rolling video. Anyway, alls well that ends well, he was a dickhead, you're okay. Just rock on.
    sully
    2017-08-10 07:44:36
    StuinMcCandless, I did swing my head once to encourage him to pass.  So I guess I check off all the boxes.  Thanks for the input.
    kevpgh
    2017-08-10 08:09:30
    Even if you pulled over, super apologized,offered him $100 in restitution and detailed his car, he would have been an asshole. Dickheads gonna dickhead.
    edronline
    2017-08-10 09:17:41
    @KevPgh: Sharing the story publicly is very helpful. Now we have a record, so if you or others see a black Dodge Durango, PA license HLK-2570 harassing cyclists again, we can build a case against this hostile driver. Maybe more of us need to bike Anderson Rd. And wow: "You don’t belong on the road" ... "you're breaking the law for not traveling the speed limit" ... "you can't travel at less than 15 mph below the limit" -- all fabrications! I wonder what other laws this "police officer" imagines.
    paulheckbert
    2017-08-11 11:50:30
    I do not know where to post this but it's kind of related. Squirrel Hill, Bartlett St. and Wightman St. Westbound. Gray or dirty blue car, PA plate number GPJ-7476, White male, 45 to 60 something, wearing glasses. This son of a bi*** belongs in the pokey. As I was going down hill between Murray Ave. and Wightman St., Horn beeps., At stop sign, I stop. This imbecile passes me and tells me he saw me "...25 times doing this $***...". I try to tell him I have equal right to the road. He starts cussing and drives off as a pedestrian approaches from the south says that I was right about cyclists having the right to use the road. After the encounter, I go to BikeTech and tell the clerk about the encounter. He told me to make a Facebook post about it. Since I do not use Facebook, I am posting it here so the Pittsburgh cycling community can see it.
    zzwergel
    2017-08-12 15:21:13
    I happened to see video on the news of the bicyclist from Westmoreland County who has been jailed for holding up traffic while riding his bike and violating related court orders.  In the video, he was taking the lane on a road where there was not much ability for anyone to pass and had a line of 8-10 vehicles plodding along behind.  It occurred to me that there is, or perhaps used to be a traffic regulation that a slow moving vehicle holding up traffic must pull over and let others by.  Does anyone know whether this is a traffic regulation that is still on the books?
    fultonco
    2017-08-13 08:20:53
    The relevant statute, 75-3364b2, is subjective. Smith was being an ass about it. Most of us can figure it out somehow.
    stuinmccandless
    2017-08-13 10:57:49
    Why was he on that street anyway? Bartlett St. is a narrow, one-way, residential street posted speed limit 25 MPH. It is not intended as a through street. plus, why speed if there is a STOP SIGN 100 feet ahead and are going to have to STOP at it??
    zzwergel
    2017-08-13 18:08:50
    Intended or no, it is unfortunately a handy feeder street to the park road that becomes Blvd of the Allies, so gets a lot of traffic. In any event, I see this incident as more a matter of being inconsiderate and unpleasant rather than dangerous, but thank you for grabbing the plate. Establishing a history is important if this same car turns up again in similar or worse situations.
    stuinmccandless
    2017-08-14 07:33:59
    Anybody know an older white man who drives this Kia Sportage? Angry expression, spittle on lips, yelling something about how there was a four-foot rule that I was somehow breaking by not moving over in the lane on Forbes near the Cathedral so that he could try to perform the magic trick of fitting his SUV, four feet of air, my bicycle, and me into one lane? PA KBV-7949, black Kia Sportage, aggressive driver, harassed cyclist in Oakland 20170814-1500 Also got yelled at by some teenagers in a beige SUV who wanted me to get on the sidewalk on Forbes, but—shocker—they turned right in a block or two anyway before ever needing to get in front of me. I really won the Oakland driver lottery today.  
    2017-08-14 15:30:49
    @Stu, @Ed, I am totally glad to see cyclists on some roads like Panther Hollow Rd. and Washington Blvd. Today, I went to Oakland from Squirrel Hill to catch the 75 Ellsworth bus back to Aspinwall. When I was in Squirrel Hill, My bike was parked on the squirrel-shaped rack in front of Rite-Aid. When I left the JCC, I waited until the traffic light on Murray Ave. at Forbes Ave was red, Put my bike in the lane, mounted, and rode toward Darlington Rd. I did not take Bartlett St. because of last Friday's asshole as well as being difficult to cross Wightman St. I proceeded to Beacon St. and turned right. As I was going west on Beacon St. the light at Wightman turned green and I shifted into high gear and i was able to get up to 22-23 MPH until the curve in Beacon St. I stopped at the stop sign and turned Left onto Hobart St. I had to stop for a red light. After the light turned green, I continued onto Panther Hollow Rd. and Reached 13-14 MPH climbing the small hill. Once over top, I really started moving and shortly thereafter, took the ramp down to the Panther Hollow Bridge. I slowed down at the yield sign to let cars go by and crossed into the bike track on the left hand side of the road. I continued to follow Panther Hollow Rd. and onto Schenley/Frank Curto Dr. Upon Reaching Bigelow Blvd Ext. I had to use the crosswalk to cross onto it. At the crosswalk between Forbes Ave. and 5th Ave., I turned into the bus shelter and waited for the bus.  
    zzwergel
    2017-08-15 20:54:03
    @fultonco, I started laughing at the 1:23 time point!
    zzwergel
    2017-08-16 19:18:39
    @zzwergel, So much for sharing the road!  Nice views of the city and it ends up at my alma mater ;-)
    fultonco
    2017-08-16 20:57:44
    Today I had the closest and scariest encounter I've ever had while biking. I was biking toward downtown on Butler st. between 48th and 49th when a driver in an off-white Chevy Impala, PA plate KGH-2931 accelerated and came within inches of swiping me. They had the entire other lane to move over into, but not to use any of it. I yelled out of surprise, and caught up with them at the light at 48th. I stayed behind the vehicle, but to the driver's open window calmly but vocally reminded them of the 4' law. They responded to this by raising so as to be visible through the rear windshield a black pistol. Then they pulled over across the street from New Amsterdam. I went past and then took residential streets home, checking over my shoulder more than usual.
    maxg47
    2017-08-16 21:47:55
    Person threatened you with a gun. I'd call the police. At the worst they'll run the car owner for warrants and maybe a stern talking-to. At the best they'll file charges.
    edronline
    2017-08-17 07:10:24
    You have the plate number. DEFINITELY call the police.
    jonawebb
    2017-08-17 07:31:58
    Today, I turned into the left lane of Forbes Ave. between Bouquet St. and Bigelow Blvd. so that I could get to the 7-11 store. Some idiot lays on the horn and passes me with two feet to spare. Why can't they move right another lane and pass me? I was in the left most lane for a good reason.
    zzwergel
    2017-08-29 20:18:49
    Do we have signs like this? http://imgur.com/gallery/dKFJA As I ride around, I see these everywhere and it occurs to me the motorcycle community does a pretty good job of raising awareness for itself.  I would put something similar in my yard, near the road, pertaining to raising bicycle awareness. (Disclaimer - This is not my yard)
    fultonco
    2017-08-31 21:02:07
    Check with Walk Bike Shaler. I think both they and Walk//Bike Ross were putting together a sign campaign.
    stuinmccandless
    2017-09-01 06:11:59
    PennDOT promotes car driver awareness of motorcycles. Note that page 2 (the page inside the front cover) of the Pennsylvania Driver's Manual devotes a full page to warning drivers to take extra care around motorcycles. See http://www.dot.state.pa.us/Public/DVSPubsForms/BDL/BDL%20Manuals/Manuals/PA%20Drivers%20Manual%20By%20Chapter/English/PUB%2095.pdf Does PennDOT do anything similar for bicycles? No! On pages 54-55 of the manual, we're told, among other things:
    • re pedestrians: "Be patient with elderly pedestrians and pedestrians with disabilities"
    • re motorcycles: "Obstacles that may prove minor to a motorist can be deadly to a motorcyclist/moped driver"
    • re bicycles: - (no sympathy for cyclists)
    On the positive side, this 2017/6 edition of the Driver's Manual eliminated the horrible diagram that showed cars passing bicycles with 1 foot of clearance (attempting to illustrate the 4 foot law)! I think my tweets to them about the bad diagram might have caused them to drop it! See http://localhost/message-board/topic/pa-bicycle-laws/#post-341934
    paulheckbert
    2017-09-06 21:17:58
    PA YMV 6445 2009 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Elderly white male, wearing a ball cap. Drove in the bike lane on Birmingham Bridge, forced a cyclist to jump over the wall to avoid being hit. https://flic.kr/p/YMyzoC
    rustyred
    2017-09-25 19:05:12
    @kolo has gotten mad when I've said this before, but call the police?  Maybe someone is medically not able to drive?  Police could force him to have a test/get cleared by a doc. So many families are afraid to pull licenses from their older loved ones.
    edronline
    2017-09-25 20:53:47
    Passed within 1 foot up to jail trail by parking authority vehicle. Followed them into the municipal garage and gave them a talking to.
    deezus57
    2017-09-26 11:59:04
    A white work van with a 1-800 telephone number on the back nearly went head on with a pick up truck on Nobles Ln.  Van tried passing me around a blind corner and the truck had to go off the road to avoid a collision.
    greg-h
    2017-10-14 12:32:08
    While Yale and I were standing on the sidewalk of Smallman St where Marty's Market used to be (between 23rd & 24th Sts), Oct 27 around 4pm, car traffic eastbound on Smallman was heavy and slow. Recall that there's a stop sign at 24th St. A cyclist was biking east on Smallman, taking the lane, moving almost as fast as any of the cars, but the driver of the car (SUV?) behind him was yelling at him. It went kind of like this: Driver [yelling out car window at cyclist in front of him, as he drives at 10mph]: Get on the sidewalk! Cyclist: What? [Stops in middle of lane, sets bike down there, stands in lane facing driver] I can ride where I am! Driver [stops car, stays seated]: You belong on the sidewalk! Paul [wearing spandex and bike helmet, on sidewalk nearby, walks to the curb, chimes in] Cyclists can ride in the roads! Driver: Says who? Paul, Yale: Pennsylvania law! Driver: There are no marks on the road. Cyclist / Paul / Yale: You don't need marks ... Learn the law ... Cyclists are allowed on all roads ... [Cyclist mounts his bike and proceeds east, Driver follows, as do the cars backed up behind them]   The above happened quickly, maybe 20 seconds total. Perhaps Yale remembers other details. I think the moral of the story is that a lot of drivers think that sharrows indicate which roads cyclists are allowed on, and they belong on sidewalks or trails otherwise. Yikes! We need to get all of those people out cycling!
    paulheckbert
    2017-10-28 00:51:42
    The cyclist continued on ...in front the vehicle. The driver must have thought the cyclist was a hermaphrodite as he suggested the cyclist should self-fertilize--though not in so many words...At the next block the motorist passed the cyclist by passing into the opposing lane...but had to move quickly as there was traffic coming the other way.
    yalecohen
    2017-10-28 01:55:57
    Why doesn't long distance eastbound traffic stay on Liberty Ave. to at least 32nd St and cut down to Penn Ave. If they want to completely avoid cyclists and pedestrians, they should take Rt. 28 to the 31st Street, 40th Street, or 62nd Street Bridge and access Penn Ave. or Butler St. from there. If necessary, they can take Rt. 28 to Highland Park Bridge and take Washington Blvd/5th Ave. to Penn Ave for east end destinations. Bigelow Blvd. to the Bloomfield Bridge can be used for motorists from Downtown to get to Bloomfield. Smallman St. is not intended as an alternative to Rt. 28, Bigelow Blvd., or Liberty Ave. Motor vehicle traffic can take the Blvd. of the Allies or Parkway to get to Regent Square and Wilkinsburg.
    zzwergel
    2017-10-28 16:42:19
    Z, that would make sense. The people complaining are not sensible.
    stuinmccandless
    2017-10-28 23:51:02
    I guess by now you've all heard about the terror act of a man who drove a home depot rental truck down a bike path in NYC.  Eight killed and at least 4 more injured.
    fultonco
    2017-10-31 17:42:24
    Tuesday, about 6:40 PM. Freeport Rd., Westbound between Center Ave. and Western Ave., Aspinwall Plate No. EBS-2177 Green Toyota Corolla. https://youtu.be/FBMGslYFeIY?t=304  
    zzwergel
    2017-11-28 19:43:28
    ZGS-1086 grey Chevy pickup, woman driving. I'm driving 35 in a 35 zone (Babcock Blvd, Siebert to Millvale). Honking, high beams, attempting multiple times to pass me on the right.
    stuinmccandless
    2017-12-08 10:22:57
    She wanted to drive 50
    edronline
    2017-12-08 14:41:23
    Why do so many people drive like maniacs, especially in places where pedestrians, cyclists, and transit users can be found? Last year, someone got mowed down getting off a bus in Aspinwall on Freeport Rd. opp Western Ave. I use that bus stop nearly every day in which there is no rain. IF YOU WANT TO DRIVE LIKE A MANIAC, YOU BELONG ON RT 28 WHERE A COP CAN WRITE TICKETS, IN AN INSANE ASYLUM, OR IN JAIL.
    zzwergel
    2017-12-08 19:15:51
    Impatience, self-centeredness, bullying, oversized engine power, sense of impunity to the rules ... compounded with absence of enforcement. I’m just getting started on that list. Someday, we’ll make headway.
    stuinmccandless
    2017-12-08 20:48:55
    Today, I had an altercation with someone driving a pickup truck on Center Ave. The guy gunned his engine behind me as if he was trying to pass me to the right despite there being a stop sign 1/20th of a mile ahead. I pulled right trying to stop him from passing me since the speed limit is 15MPH and because I woul have caught up at on of the the stop signs which exist at every intersecting street in all directions in which travel is legal. I still wonder why there are no stop signs or speed limits along the alleys essentially meaning anyone can just speed down the alley nonstop at 55 MPH. Whose to blame if some pedestrians get killed or the speed demon crashes into parked cars or garbage cans?
    zzwergel
    2017-12-08 21:07:51
    I had a driver on Carson St yell at me because I crossed in front of him as he was pulling up to a stop light. Sometimes people just want to yell at somebody and pick any convenient target.
    jonawebb
    2017-12-08 21:30:21
    Why did you pull in front?
    zzwergel
    2017-12-08 22:19:28
    I was going to OTB, Crossing to the parking. The light was red, he had to stop.
    jonawebb
    2017-12-08 22:29:36
    Recall the guy who jumped out of his car to throw me off the bike? Plate JJV-1316. I had a minor run-in with him today. East Street inbound, just past Venture St; in fact he was on Venture, approaching the light when I went past (on the green) on East. That little bit of East has no bike lane, is one lane wide, has a full curb on the right and a raised median on the left. Passing a bike there cannot be done. Yet he came up behind me and beeped the horn a dozen times in the 1/10th of a mile before it opens back out to three lanes (one inbound, one outbound). Eighteen inch pass, but no further trouble.
    stuinmccandless
    2017-12-11 13:50:03
    This bad driver complaints is actually on a fellow cyclist.  And there might be some differing opinions on this out there but I'm gonna say it anyways.  To the guy who biked the entire length of Penn Ave from the Strip District through dahntahn today around 12:30.  The city does give us a bike lane once we get past the 16th st bridge.  Please use it.  I was behind you the entire time (in the bike lane) and watch all the traffic interaction in front of me.  Lots of drivers looked frustrated with you...and I'll say rigthfully so. Now I probably will get backlash about there not being a law requiring the use of the bike lane or that he had just as much legal right to be on the road.  But this complaint isn't about legal rights or even bicycle safety for that matter.  The guy was not biking in the middle of the road or swerving.  He had bright yellow panniers and jacket and several flashing lights.  He allowed room for cars to pass. So he was doing everything right.  This is about fostering a better relationship with the cars we share the road with and the community.  Something  I feel a lot of cyclist FORGET that the effort is a two-way street (only a small pun intented).  Listen, I get it.  We are on the defensive so much that clinging to our legal rights is the only ammunition we have for our share of the road.  But far too often cyclist use their legal rights...to be d1cks.  Yes, I said it.  I can admit.  Because I've done it myself. The problem is that far too often we don't do anything to IMPROVE relations with the cars.  We put 100% of the effort on them.   "We're here, so get used to us. If you don't like it, tough.  I'm obeying the law."  But when we take that attitude and do things that piss off drivers (whether in the right or not) it sets us back.  It's easy for me to ask fellow bicyclist to please stop at stop signs or don't run through red lights.  Because were talking about the law.  Many still ignore those laws and it makes us ALL look bad.  But in this case, even though the guy is in the legal right, a simple act of courtesy to your fellow vehicles by using the bike lane the city has provided to us goes a long way.  You're biking right beside the bike lane anyways.  Just move over.  Your pride will heal. So let your armor down for once.  Be courteous to others on the road.  And every once in a while ignore what is "right" and do what is "polite."  Please use the bike lane if it is there.
    kevpgh
    2018-01-11 13:33:23
    There's a whole anti-bike lane thing. See Forester's "Effective Cycling" (which, btw, is a great book in other areas). There's also the converse, from Copenhagenizer. It's like Forester followers: bike in highly visible clothing, take the lane, wear helmets. Copenhagenizer followers: bike in everyday clothing, advocate for bike lanes, don't wear helmets. Both groups are dead certain they're right. I think of their attitudes as being something like the anti-vaxxers. You can't argue with them. They have whole internet pages backing them up. And any studies showing they're wrong are done by people in the lucrative helmet industry, or by people trying to scare people away from biking.
    jonawebb
    2018-01-11 18:21:38
    Sigh, yeah... Forester had many good points for his time (forty years ago), but they were so saturated with intolerance and invective that he made lasting enemies out of people who should have been his natural allies. Although I agree with the majority of his points, I still can't stand reading "Effective Cycling" because it's so bombastic and arrogant. Sadly, the negativity he engendered seems to be his most lasting legacy for us. I blame him for a large portion of the enmity that functional/utility cyclists and modern community-based bike advocacy groups as a whole bear toward roadies, and vice versa. In Boston, the Complete Streets alliance was successful in helping peds and cyclists see the bigger picture and begin to erode the contempt between the various subclasses of riders (as well as peds). I have hope that it'll produce similar benefits here.
    ornoth
    2018-01-11 20:01:26
    Looking for a cyclist who might have witnessed a car-on-car crash today (Friday 1/12/18) just before 5 pm on Melwood in (or near) Polish Hill involving my friend's small orange hatchback. Feel free to send a private message - thanks.  
    erink
    2018-01-12 18:43:38
    When I was out to get the last tag, I stopped at Rite-Aid on Saw Mill Run Blvd. I got off of the T at South Bank, turned right onto Saw Mill Run Blvd., right onto Fairhaven Rd., left onto Stewart Ave., left onto Saw Mill Run Blvd., and right onto the jughandle to the parking lot entrance. I got at least 3 horns on Saw Mill Run Blvd. and one on Fairhaven Rd. There is a 35 MPH speed limit which I think is reasonable for that road given all of the traffic lights and crosswalks. Of course, a cyclist cannot move that fast on that section of road so traffic moving faster should move completely into the left passing lane just as they would to pass a truck, bus, or any other slower moving vehicle.
    • Why do they have to routinely exceed the speed limit by 10 to 20 MPH given that they are going to have to stop for red lights and watch for pedestrians?
    • Until local police departments are allowed to use radar and laser, State Police officers should routinely patrol the area and bust there violators of the law with the maximum fine allowed by the law.
    zzwergel
    2018-01-16 11:19:50
    Also, today, I saw a car commercial with a mountain bike in it.
    zzwergel
    2018-01-19 18:41:37
    Zz, that's the video that got talked about on the WDVE morning show.
    edronline
    2018-01-19 21:04:14
    I like Z's work. He's out there, documenting conditions the rest of us somehow manage to put up with. He's right. This total disregard for speed limits is getting people killed, usually other motorists. I've done a lot less biking and a lot less video than I was a year or two ago. Job change, equipment problems, less willingness to duke it out with stupidity on Perry Hwy after getting hit in Oct 2016. So I'm glad he's out there with his camera.
    stuinmccandless
    2018-01-20 17:21:59
    True that.
    fultonco
    2018-01-20 17:42:51
    Bethel Park, Library Rd. southbound 500 feet north of Sarah St. by #5668, unsafe in-lane pass while I was avoiding a parked car. Blue Honda van plate number JCP-5388.
    zzwergel
    2018-01-20 20:08:00
    In biking to work downtown for 30 years I was edged off the road only once. This silo of bad driver reports makes me wonder what has changed. Was it my choice of routes? (I refuse to ride where the traffic is fast and the cartways narrow like Liberty thru the Strip, Penn thru Point Breeze and Fifth thru Shadyside.) Is it the attitude of drivers? or the attitude of cyclists. Civility on the road seems to be reflecting the political climate. When I am driving, I do find myself having little patience for my fellow cyclists who run lights, ride at night without lights (while wearing black). With a little more Zen and an abundance of caution I still look forward to my next ride.
    fcwatts
    2018-01-20 20:29:54
    I've gotten more zen over the years. Today I had a totally unsafe pass on Penn in the strip.  I just let it go.  Getting angry or trying to catch up and confront the guy won't work.
    edronline
    2018-01-20 20:40:26
    @edronline, Can you post a link to the radio thing? I keep getting YouTube comments regarding that and I keep thinking it's some kind of joke since no one will post a link. @Stu, Thank you, I think it was your work that has inspired me to do this. What kind of equipment failures did you have. Do you still take the bus to and from work in the Steel Tower?
    zzwergel
    2018-01-20 20:47:21
    I was down a bike over the summer, and my front camera quit, both at about the time I did that video seminar. I still do ride, but my new job encourages working from home, so entire days go by without going outside, let alone dealing with traffic, the elements, cold, and darkness.
    stuinmccandless
    2018-01-23 04:02:37
    Road rage in Oakland. Per the guy filming it: "A cyclist pulled up in front of the red SUV in front of me. The angry yinzer in the red SUV then rapidly pulled forward, braking just before he rear ended the cyclist. The cyclist pulled forward again to get away, the guy in the SUV almost rammed him AGAIN, then opened his door and began attacking the cyclist. That’s when i started filming. " https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x3JUf7rldXw
    chrishent
    2018-01-25 22:09:50
    So, did he go to the police?
    jonawebb
    2018-01-26 07:45:08
    @jonawebb, no clue. Hope so.
    chrishent
    2018-01-26 08:07:43
    Several news stations have called us about this. it's not clear yet whether anyone involved called the police. So far, they are not investigating, as far as we can tell
    erok
    2018-01-26 12:31:48
    From the City Paper: Alicia George, spokesperson for the Pittsburgh Department of Public Safety told CP when asked about the incident: "I am aware of the video but at this time, there is no police report to verify the incident or confirm if/when it happened."
    erok
    2018-01-26 14:05:43
    Perhaps the rider isn't comfortable going to the police. They ought to, though; as much as anything drivers must not get the idea it's acceptable to assault cyclists and damage their property.
    sully
    2018-01-26 14:21:44
    Well, you can hear at the end the cyclist telling the driver whose filming "someone needs to get that guy...tell the police that he assaulted me on the street..." and then proceeds to give the driver his phone number, just before the video cuts out.
    kevpgh
    2018-01-26 14:50:16
    My neighbor, who is doing home construction, was able to look up the owner of a car that is blocking his dumpster pickup, using the license plate. I've looked into this in the past and I think it might be illegal. But, still, someone out there has the ability to find out who the owner of the car with license plate #HYM-6986 is, whether or not the bicyclist files a police report.
    jonawebb
    2018-01-26 14:55:34
    I'm wondering why the police didn't do all this .they have video proof of an assault and have all the tools necessary to look up the car, find the guy, etcetc .The police are allowed to press charges themselves .    
    edronline
    2018-01-26 20:53:20
    Not sure it would work, but what about the guy who filmed the assault filing a police report?
    jonawebb
    2018-01-27 09:11:02
    Someone needs to educate MB and Jeff Maxwell in the Post Gazette comment section about the "rules of the road".  These people who justify the driver's actions because the cyclist deserved it for breaking the law...which he didn't. I don't filter, but I can't understand why cars get so pissed about it. Cars are allowed to pass a moving cyclist, so shouldn't it be completely fair for a bike to pass a stopped car.  I mean, equal right?  They get pissed like the bike is "cutting in line". If that's their problem then they should be forced to stay behind all bikes on the road.  No passing by anybody, then maybe they'll see how dumb their logic is.
    kevpgh
    2018-01-27 10:52:57
    This is the mentality of a driving culture not familiar with multi-modal roads. They will slowly change. I've had colleagues joke that they would open a door on filtering motorbikes. I always respond that if it bothers them that much, get a bike.
    sully
    2018-01-27 11:27:04
    Are you supposed to allow someone to assault you in that manner?
    fultonco
    2018-01-27 17:30:42
    City put out a press release today that the police were investigating
    edronline
    2018-01-27 23:07:51
    Had a very unpleasant encounter with a driver today. I had decided it was too hot to ride home, and was waiting for a bus on Liberty and 21st with my bike. Another guy on a bike pulled up and told me he was from out of town and needed directions to Trader Joe's. He wasn't completely off the road, but his tires were touching the curb. A late-30's to mid-40's African American man in an Infinity M35X, Pa Plates KME 2770 starts honking at us from the red light half a block back, then comes speeding up, slams on the breaks, and starts screaming at us to get off the f'ing road, get to the f'ing bike lanes, etc. When I calmly explained that: 1. dude was just momentarily stopped to ask for directions; and 2. bikes are allowed to be on the road, he started to flip out, yelling "you guys think you're f'ing tough guys, we'll see how tough you are." Then he threatened/pretended to call his friends, presumably to teach us whatever lesson we were meant to learn. Eventually he sped off, telling my new friend he would "find him." Nice welcome to an out of town cyclist. I apologized on behalf of our city, finished my directions (which included getting off Liberty asap), and gave him my number in case he got attacked later and needed me to fill out a police report. Watch out for this lunatic:
    dberlin
    2018-07-16 22:18:46
    He's nuts!!! Last week i was crossing the 62nd st bridge toward Sharpsburg and some dude in a suv guns it to pass me on the off ramp. 6 inch pass, I was up against the barrier. Veteran license plate. When I caught up to him at the stop sign he rolled down his window and it smelled like weed. Ugh.
    edronline
    2018-07-17 10:26:54
    He was probably stoned on the cannabis and should not have been driving a 2000+ pound steel tank that can do a lot of damage.
    zzwergel
    2018-07-19 16:16:56
    I haven't posted on here in a long time. However, this weekend I had an incident downtown that has prompted me to post in this thread. I was cycling up Blvd. of the Allies Saturday around mid-day. Some low life scum in a black BMW with the lame vanity tag of "Raize It" came blaring up behind me. He sped around me within feet. He wound down his window and started yelling about how I didn't belong in the road and typical Boomer Yinzer shit. He turned onto Smithfield and I followed. He got out of his car and approached me like he was some hardass and kept harassing me. I broke my helmet cam and haven't worn one in a while. This is the typical shit people won't do if you are wearing one. If you see a BMW with a lame vanity plate of "Raize It" please watch out. There is a low life scum bag behind the wheel who doesn't care who he may run over and he is super tough behind the wheel of his automobile, but when he approaches you he is a sad sorry excuse of a old typical yinzer.
    shooflypie
    2018-08-26 21:34:52
    He sounds like he fancies himself the most important person in the world.
    edronline
    2018-08-26 21:41:25
    Blog post about thread-the-needle passes, with front and rear video. As I said in another thread, this driver was impatient and inconsiderate, also a leadfoot, but he passed you safely. Watch my videos, that fourth car (at about 1:20) especially. Left tires right of the center line.
    stuinmccandless
    2018-09-17 21:36:11
    The bus's headsign said Ross Garage, not the name of a route. That suggests the bus broke down and is waiting for a tow, and is not illegally parked.
    steven
    2018-09-18 00:56:11
    I’ll go with Steven’s summary. There is an approved layover point on Penn just past 9th St, only a few hundred feet ahead. Ross Division would indicate this had been a 91 Butler, which at that point on Penn would be still in service. All other Ross routes in that area lay over on the East Busway. So this looks very much unplanned.
    stuinmccandless
    2018-09-18 03:39:28
    I figured it was a 91
    zzwergel
    2018-09-18 12:07:22
    submitted at http://www.portauthority.org/paac/RiderServices/CustomerService/Feedback.aspx First name: Paul Last name: Heckbert Email: ph@cs.cmu.edu Incident Details Route Number: 61B Date of Incident: 10/04/18 Time of Incident: 07:14 PM Where you boarded [I didn't board]: Forbes in Frick Park Direction: outbound Bus Number: 3314 Operator Number: xxxx Comments: I was biking east on Forbes Ave in Frick Park, biking at the left edge of the bike lane because I was dodging debris there. The 61B bus, a two-segment articulated bus, buzzed me, passing me with only about 2 feet of clearance! This is a violation of Pennsylvania Vehicle Code, which requires drivers to give cyclists at least four feet of clearance. I believe the left car lane was vacant, so the bus driver could have moved left in order to obey the law and drive safely. Even if the passing lane had not been vacant, the law requires drivers passing cyclists to slow and wait until they can pass safely and legally. Your bus driver did not do that. This bus driver deserves a suspension for breaking the law and endangering my life!
    paulheckbert
    2018-10-05 11:43:43
    I  get where you are coming from, and getting buzzed can certainly make your heart skip a beat. Especially if it's from a massive bus. Even at 4 feet, the air they push around when they move can be quite a force.  I've personally been knocked over by a such a gust in the past.   But unfortunately even I found the official complaint you filed comes off as whiny. This reply is not intended to knock you down.  Just I know from experience that messages like that usually get brushed aside and aren't given a second thought. I know it feels good to vent. But when you attack the offending party with vitriol and righteous indignation, they usually just blow you off. You are better off if you approach future situations professionally, politely, and actually with less specific information.   More like, "...I had a rather disturbing encounter with the xx bus this morning during my morning commute that I feel needs to be addressed.  The encounter occured around x:xx AM along xx road. The issue is a serious matter a public safety and may warrant an internal investigaton.  Please contact me at xxxx so that I may convey specific details of the encounter and express my concerns." I hope this helps.
    kevpgh
    2018-10-05 13:49:51
    I've found that PAAC doesn't respond to 99 percent of these complaints. A better way is to Tweet @ port authority and add the CEO to the tweet. She's very active on Twitter. This comes from someone (me) who was almost run down by a bus making a left turn onto liberty while I was legally in the cross walk and crossing on walk. The driver didn't care and proceeded to scream at me for legally crossing the street. When I filled out the online form... Crickets. Now that I see the CEOs response to complaints on Twitter, I figure next time I have a near death experience with a bus I'll tweet it plus a pic.
    edronline
    2018-10-05 14:36:07
    Today I wasn't going to be the victim of a dangerous drive, but another car coming the other direction. I was travelling on Delafield toward Aspinwall, going 20 mph in a 25 zone, over to the right. Behind me a red Honda Element with a "I love my Toaster" window sticker decided it had to get to the line of cars at the stop sign at the intersection of Route 28 ramps/4th Avenue/Delafield 3 seconds faster so did a WIDE pass around me. the man driving said toaster was chatting on his cell and took the other lane, fully, right as a car got off the 28 off ramp going the other direction. to avoid a head on collision said toaster, who was going more like 35-40 mph, had to swerve back into the proper lane. Oi. If they would have collided it would have been a shit show. I'm sure I would have been hit by shrapnel.
    edronline
    2019-06-03 08:15:05
    I've been hit twice in the last month biking in the bike lane on Friendship Ave toward downtown by clueless cars turning onto and off South Mathilda.  Most recently this happened this morning. Additionally, I was biking down Penn Avenue towards the Strip District about a month ago when the car behind me laid on his horn the entire way down the hill (note: I was keeping up with the car in front of me, so I was causing zero delay in traffic).  When I got to the light, he sped around me, threw open his door and came up screaming that he was going to kill me, beat my ass, run me off the road, etc.  He was screaming so close to my face his head was hitting mine.  I'm a smallish 5'3 120lb female, and he was an overweight white guy in his forties.  I was genuinely terrified and speechless.  I got to work and was shaking and crying.  He was driving a white SUV that was pretty beat up and had a woman in the front seat.  I got his license plate and called the police, who told me "he was probably just having a bad day" and they weren't going to do anything about it.  I'm a lawyer and my brother is a cop, so I know this to be total bs.  I called the number BikePgh recommends you report people to, but I doubt anything came of it.  Are there resources for dealing with these people?  Has anyone had success?
    bikerjess
    2019-06-03 15:54:35
    Sorry you had this experience, and I'm sorry that the cop told you that, too. A few options. I'm not sure how much they work, but... 1) Get a camera and mount it to your bike handlebars and roll tape when you ride. 2) Call back whatever zone that is and ask to talk to whoever is up the chain from the person who told you that they weren't going to do anything about it. And mention that you are a lawyer. 3) Call a city councilperson for whatever district that is (or, if you live in the city, your personal council person) and see if they can put pressure on the police to take a report. 4) sorry that happened!
    edronline
    2019-06-03 17:47:42
    Holy hell, yes, get a decent front camera and a way to mount it. (I use a chest strap.) If you can swing it, also get a rear camera, and a couple-terabyte external drive to dump your video to for later processing. When the guy on Perrysville Ave jumped out of his car and threw me off my bike a couple years ago, all I had to say was “Video!” and he backed off right away.
    stuinmccandless
    2019-06-07 12:50:42
    I still don't understand the psychology behind the "I'm so fucking pissed at this cyclist holding me up that I'm going to spend 20x more in lost time getting out of my car and physically threatening said biker." It logically makes no sense. But I guess narcissistic assholes don't run on logic. (Insert President orange bloviator comment here)
    edronline
    2019-06-07 22:46:44
    Hey all- So we've been in touch with one of the developers of the How's My Driving App. He's coming to town on Monday to discuss the app. The goal is to see if this would be as useful a tool here in Pittsburgh as it is in DC before we put any energy behind it. Figured people who are following this thread may be interested, so you're invited! Please read the following and if interested, just take a sec to RSVP on the link below.   Title: “How’s My Driving” App Demonstration and Discussion   Description:    Tired of cars parked in the bike lanes and blocking crosswalks? Want a place to record and log a dangerous driver or near miss experience?   It's time to take Street Safety into our own hands   Enter the How's My Driving app. A new street safety tool designed to harness the collective power of pedestrians and cyclists by facilitating quick and easy reporting of oftentime momentary--yet dangerous--driving infractions, like parking in a bike lane, blocking a crosswalk, or an Autonomous Vehicle gone rogue. The app's ultimate goals will be to aid targeted enforcement of Pittsburgh’s most dangerous drivers and help defend these dedicated spaces for our most vulnerable road users.   Recently launched in DC, the app has already brought significant attention to the safety issues that pedestrians and bicyclists face, even while it’s still in beta test. In just 5 months, 1,200 users have generated close to 10,000 submissions associated with vehicles that have over $2.5 million in outstanding citations in DC - you can check out the real time interactive map here.   How’s My Driving App Co-founder Mark Sussman will be in town on July 15th and we’d like to invite you to hear his presentation and see if this would be a useful tool here in Pittsburgh.    Date: Monday, July 15, 6-8pm, Healthy Ride Office, 3328 Penn Ave, Lawrenceville.   Please CLICK HERE to RSVP so we know how many to expect.  ----------- Before the meeting, please check out these 3 app resources:  
    1. Watch the Two Minute Demo Video
    2. Read Smart Cities Dive profile of the app, which captures both user sentiment and ultimate goals for the app.
    3. Explore the Data Protected Bike Lanes Project, a demonstration in which over 70 DC bike advocates used the app to record nearly 700 bike lanes blockages during one day's AM/PM rush hour in one day!
     
    erok
    2019-07-09 11:18:18
    Whats the word on the hows my driving app in Pittsburgh?
    davedoom
    2019-07-21 17:43:30
    City of Pittsburgh driver in City of Pittsburgh van PWWH1 pulling out of business driveway on Wabash St in West End yelling at me and calling me an asshole for not stopping while riding down Wabash Street to let him pull out, 09/18/19 ~9:00 AM.  I guess, he's not aware that I have the right of way when proceeding straight on a road.
    sped
    2019-09-18 09:15:48
    Haven't read this thread in a while. I can't post every bad experience I ever have or it would be just me ranting and raving. That sounds terrible what Bikerjess went through. There is absolutely no excuse to get out of a car and threaten violence, but to a much smaller female? What a loser. I hope she puts pressure on the police because they don't care unless personal property is damaged or you go to the hospital. That is what I learned. When I was purposely hit on Liberty avenue I had to go to the commander and wrote an email about how I had witnesses, a plate number, a police report, and how offended I was as a tax payer of this city that they wouldn't do anything about it. Remember, they work for us. As for zzwergel on Greenfield ave. This is a few blocks from where I live. I take the lane, no matter what. I find it harder going the other way as you don't have as much speed and momentum from going down slope. However, where the road splits I have been hit almost TWICE now in this same week. Monday I am signaling that I was making a left and somebody at the stop sign ignored me and I had to swerve out of the way. Yesterday the exact same damn thing happened again. Thinking of adding a sign at the bottom of the stop sign that they have to stop for cylists too coming down Greenfield avenue.    
    shooflypie
    2019-09-18 13:37:27
    Riding to work this morning through Oakland on 5th Avenue around 8:10, traffic is heavy, and pretty slow so with a bit of effort a cyclist can fit right in to traffic flow.  I was in a middle lane as the buses were stop and go on the right when a blue sedan passes me on my left and yells something I can’t understand, then cuts in front of me into a small space which quickly slows as traffic dictates.  I pass him on the right and inquire what he said. “Get in the fucking bike lane, you ass hole” is his reply. I ponder this for less than a second, and say “there is no bike lane here, get on the highway!” He ran the next red light, so I was not quite able to catch him in uptown to continue our conversation.  
    dave
    2019-09-25 11:10:27
    @Dave: good job on the response.
    paulheckbert
    2019-09-25 17:04:40
    Get in the habit of yelling out the plate number. It helps to remember it for later, and if the driver does hear it, s/he may realize their non-anonymity. For the rest of us, record that number somewhere (I use Twitter), so that if any of the rest of us have an incident with that same driver later, there will be a prior history which can be helpful if pressing charges.
    stuinmccandless
    2019-09-25 21:26:23
    @ShooFlyPie, Where was this on Greenfield Ave.?
    zzwergel
    2019-09-26 00:57:25
    The article states Memorial Ride for Jason is Sunday October 20... 10/20...twenty.

    At 1:00 pm. Three mile ride from Laurel Mountain Ski Resort Lodge in Ligonier Township.

    Laurel Mountain Ski Resort Boswell, PA 15531 (724) 238-2801 https://maps.app.goo.gl/ioTmfa9FEBxhqjsSA  
    yalecohen
    2019-10-14 04:43:50
    Today at the intersection of Penn Ave and the 31st Street Bridge, a man in a blue car was screaming at me from across the intersection. At first I didn’t realize what the sound was, but when I biked passed him I realized it was directed at me. I didn’t understand anything except for “... the wrong state for that...”. Also, when I biked passed him (going in opposite directions) he had a camera out and was pointing it at me.   I’m used to the occasional asshole driver shouting incomprehensibly about bikers being on the road blah blah, but the fact that he photographed / recorded me has me kind of spooked. I’m also wondering if perhaps I did something wrong - I had just come out of the side road from Smallman st that runs along the bridge, messed up getting onto the sidewalk on the bridge like I’d intended and so I had to end up making a quick change of course to right myself back onto the road. Sorry if that’s confusing, it’s hard to explain. I’m wondering if this is common, if anyone else has had a run in with this guy, or perhaps where he might be posting whatever he’s recording.
    ptrq
    2020-10-11 16:47:42
    Welcome to Yinzerville PTRQ. I get out to other cities such as NYC and Boston every so often and never had the ridiculous harassment that you get in this town. Your typical yinzer sees a guy on a bike and it triggers them. Friday I had a guy trying to run me off the road and honking at me. He pulled over and was yelling that bikes didn't belong on the road and we should pay insurance and blah blah blah. I just pulled out my cell phone and started filming him. He walked up to me and hit it out of my hand. The incident is all on film and I am deciding if I should take it to the police to file an assault charge. I have his license plate and the whole incident of him driving aggressively and the simple assault as well. I was not injured and my phone was not damaged. I am deciding if getting this guy charged is worth it if it would stop him from doing this to other cyclists as well.
    shooflypie
    2020-10-11 17:25:18
    If you have the time, it's worth it just to have the paper trail. Anyone willing to do that is capable of a lot more... not just harassing cyclists, but, domestic abuse and animal abuse at the very least.
    headloss
    2020-10-12 00:09:54
    Yes, I think an assault charge makes sense. If you have the video, that should be pretty convincing.
    paulheckbert
    2020-10-13 08:45:38
    I got pushed off my bike by someone who jumped out of a car to harass me, a few years back. Complete with front and rear video, I went to the cops, filed the paperwork, but end result, no charges pressed. I do have a name, address, plate number, and I think I know his date of birth, too, at least to a month if not a specific date. He's harassed me a second time, too, probably not knowing he'd tangled with me previously and that I recognized him. Point being, though, by going through that process, even down to paying the $15 for your own personal copy of the police report, may be worth the trouble. Actually taking him to court might not, but I didn't get that far.
    stuinmccandless
    2020-10-16 09:15:29
    I had the misfortune of meeting a local this morning in Squirrel Hill while leaving Giant Eagle.  Heading north on Murray just right of the center of the lane, approaching red light at Darlington with no cars approaching in the other lane a tan Lexus buzzed past without even crossing the yellow lines at which point I yelled HEY and held up 4 fingers. When he stopped at the light, he opened his door and calmly asked if I would like to discuss it on a side street, and I said yes. When he pulled over and got out of his car, his calmness immediately disappeared and he approached shouting at me for being in the middle of the lane, called me a few not approved of on prime time names, said he oughta punch me out, cocked his arm back, then said I was lucky I was an old guy. At which point I asked him how old he was, since he appeared to have at least as much gray in his receding buzz cut and scruffy beard than I do. (I don’t have a buzz cut, but my ponytail is still brown towards the end.) I did get his license  which I will try to post before he drove off. Then a college aged guy walked up and said he watched the whole thing, saw him nearly hit me, and offered contact info as a witness. I declined but thanked him for offering and witnessing. Of course the assailant was not wearing a mask when he got in my face (I had on two and have gotten both shots) and he did not smell like alcohol. His bumper sticker said Pitt Powerlifting, so maybe it was ‘roid rage. This was a truly dangerous driver. Look out for him.     https://flic.kr/p/2kH2Vgg
    dave
    2021-03-04 13:53:59
    This is a tip I've tossed out before (maybe TOO many times.   When you you feel the need to yell some curse at a driver,  consider yelling "DRUNKARD!"   Of all my habits, that is the best one. Two good reasons. First you get the sympathy of any bystanders.   If you yell "Slow down, #$#&@!"  then to most witnesses, you are just being a #$#&@ cyclist.   Really.  Heck, I've thought that myself when a cyclist has let loose with a loud string of obscenities.   Also, the motorist can (maybe.  sometimes.  I guess.) defend violence by the "fighting words" doctrine. I got an ovation from pedestrians at the sidewalk-traffic-intensive Forbes and Bouquet once for shouting "YO!  DRUNKARD! GO THROUGH A RED LIGHT!" Second- sometimes, when you shout DRUNKARD at a driver, they suddenly straighten up their act.   That happened to me in the Southside on St Patrick's  Day once. Both of those incidents were exceptionally gratifying.  
    mick
    2021-03-07 17:51:04
    Has anybody else ever experienced rager activity on the southern part of Beechwood where there is no bike lane but it is rather a shared lane with both signs and sharrows? This week I have had my second most intense road rage incident on this section. The last one was with a guy in a pickup truck many years ago that tried to run me down in the sharrow lane here. This Monday on April 27th I was cycling towards Browns Hill road here and was on the section around Luster street where you must take the lane due to cars parked on the side and cars coming the opposite way. A rager with his wife and kid did not like that and buzzed by at a high rate of speed then continued spraying me with windshield wiper fluid. The physics major got to the light a whole 10 seconds before me so I filmed him. I never act threatening and just film these assholes. This man gets out of the car and keeps raging on and pushed me so I called the cops. The cops said maybe you should be over to the far right and maybe I should just stay off "major roads" like Beechwood.  I told him I have every right to be in the lane in this section, and Beechwood is a sharrow lane and maybe the rager shouldn't be raging down Beechwood. He was saying I should have been over the far right by the line (next to the parked cars). I have been having an email exchange with Cory O'Connor and the commander about this incident and how amazing it is that the cops don't understand the law. While they did admit I was the victim they were almost victim-blaming me as if I lead it on by cycling in the lane in a narrow sharrow lane on a 25MPH street clearly marked as a bikeway. The wife of this lunatic was saying to the cops defending her abusive husband, "He is one of those asshole cyclists who thinks he owns the road!" as justification for trying to take my life. It made me infuriated. The cops agreed with her. I am an asshole who deserved it I guess for cycling with the rules of the road. They didn't get charged with a thing. Why did the city put speed humps in the section that already had bike lanes and not down here where it is a shared roadway anyways? Thanks  
    shooflypie
    2021-04-30 14:50:25
    Shoo fly pie - Thanks for calling the cops on that guy.   And thank you for following up with the city on that  alleged policeman.   Maybe Bike-pgh can help you push the issue? To continue what I said above- In this kind of interaction, you can maybe influence the police  by emphasizing,  "The guy was driving like he was DRUNK,"  and, "The guy got out of his car and raved at me like he was DRUNK or something."   My impression is that the phrase DRUNK DRIVER is triggering for law enforcement.  Once a cop is obligated to give a sobriety check, the driver falls into the " possible perp" category.    
    mick
    2021-04-30 18:00:59
    Is there a journalist anyone knows that might pick this up? Seems newsworthy to me.
    dave
    2021-04-30 20:54:09
    I did tell the cops that I didn't have proof of the close buzz. I have a top of the line new helmet cam coming. Reviewing my cell phone video that I pulled has everything from after the moment he raged past me to when he approached me to shove me. I reached for my phone after he buzzed by. It starts right after he is spraying me with wind shield washer fluid.  
    shooflypie
    2021-04-30 23:35:17
    He shoved you?  He committed battery and you have it on video?  You could pursue this, dude.
    mick
    2021-05-01 18:52:25
    My video of his actual shove is not that great in that I had to unclick my cleats out of my one pedal and position myself defensively or I would have been shoved easily off my bike. During this time I restarted the video and it is a short clip of him in my face before I called the cops for him assaulting me. I have everything from them yelling at me about how I was "in their way" to him exiting his car and approaching me. He was revved up before even coming to put my camera on him. I had to rewatch the videos and I am sure I could probably prosecute him with the evidence I have for simple assault if not harassment to a lesser extent. Honestly, I doubt I will go after it. This whole thing is negativity in my life I don't want. I want to move past it, but I do get pissed when I am out for my evening bike ride and have to come home feeling happy I get to see my family that day. That shit should not happen. The fact that this guy would want to risk taking me from my son so he could get to the light quicker still boils my blood and makes me feel criminal prosecution is worthwhile. Also, sorry about posting this negative stuff on the forum. I typically only post something when something negative or bad happens. Typically I am cycling very happily and minding my own business and life till I have to encounter a person like this and feel the need to post it.
    shooflypie
    2021-05-03 16:38:18
    Shoo Fly Pie, I've been overcritical in this thread.  You called the police, and that is a huge positive step.  It might modify that guy's actions in the future. It was a damn shame that you got Derek Chauvin for the police response, but you called THAT out to politicians. There's been too many times when I coulda shoulda woulda called the cops and I failed to.  And I think that is true for most of us.
    mick
    2021-05-03 19:14:53
    Dave. I encountered the same individual (I think a few weeks before then). He passed me on Darlington (I took the lane because cars on both sides, he pushed past me with about an inch to spare). Anyhoo, turns right at Murray and I catch up after he parked, got out of his car and went in the post office. I wait, he comes out and I ask him why the heck he risks my life to wait in line at the Post Office. Of all the dumb things. He gets angry, wants to fight, I tell him he should make better life choices. Also, that it makes sense he is angry, because, I get angry when I am wrong also. Few choice words and he revs off to the light. Couldn't help it but give it to him for the 30 seconds he was at the light and rode off. Guy was an ahole.
    deezus57
    2021-05-05 20:50:04
    I bike that section of Beechwood several times per month but so far I've never experienced anyone that hostile there. Drivers like that need to lose their licenses. I agree that the cyclist-blaming behavior of the police that you report is unacceptable. One time, while walking (not biking) across the intersection at Greenfield Rd & Hobart St, crossing with the walk signal, an impatient driver (who had a green I think) failed to wait a few seconds to let me cross and did a left turn just a foot or two behind me, close enough that I was easily able to reach out and casually slap his driver-side mirror with my left hand. This set him off and as I continued to cross the street he suddenly stopped his pickup truck in the middle of the road, got out, gesturing like he was going to start a fight. I kept on walking, and yelled "learn to drive" or something like that. He gave up and drove away while I watched over my shoulder to make sure he wasn't following me.
    paulheckbert
    2021-05-06 01:17:50
    I'd have to do some serious digging through this site, but I'm pretty sure we had a series of situations in that same part of town a good five, seven, eight years ago. Seemed like a repeat offender. Most of a decade on, I'm sure he has a different car. Please, get plate #s when these happen. After each such encounter, I pull off and tweet. As to the camera, I always yell the plate # as loud as I can, in case the camera itself didn't get a clear view. I did exactly that with Darlene Harris. At the time of the encounter, I did not know who I was dealing with.
    stuinmccandless
    2021-05-07 18:40:19
    I posted a clear photo on my post of my guy’s car as he left. I keep looking for it again in the Forbes Murray corridors, but have not seen it since.
    dave
    2021-05-09 10:39:51
    https://flic.kr/p/2m6hqPX Riding north on Negley approaching Baum I had the misfortune of having more than one driver pass very closely. When I caught up to this car, I pulled up on their right, it took them a moment to be distracted from their phone conversation and see me gesturing at their window. When I was lowered a bit I said they passed me way too close, are legally required to give me 4 feet of clearance and they should hang up and drive, their reply was “Fuck off!” When I took the above picture, they appeared to take my picture in their left side mirror. Then they accelerated almost hitting the dark car on their left which was pulling into their lane. Note I did not identify the driver’s age, appearance, and apparent sex as it was irrelevant to their behavior. But for identification purposes, it was a perhaps mid 20’s blonde appearing female wearing a blue and white baseball styled cap.  
    dave
    2021-06-18 13:41:54
    ...the license KRN.. alludes to her being a Karen..with no vowels..
    yalecohen
    2021-06-18 14:48:27
    Interesting catch, Mr. Lizard. So I wonder what and where she posted things about me harassing and threatening her with having to follow traffic laws.
    dave
    2021-06-18 19:12:00
    I'm done cycling. I'm 41 and started to get into road cycling heavily around 31. It is approximately 10 years now of being an everyday cyclist. Since my incident in April, I literally have done nothing but loop around Schenley park or local roads around Squirrel Hill because I was getting sick of road ragers. I went from a hardcore roadie doing century rides and long day all-day rides every weekend to looping Schenley and staying away from cars. It has been a vast change in a short amount of time. I got used to dealing with road rager issues throughout cycling, but as I got over 40 I started to severely get sick of them. The negativity after an incident gets to me so much more now. Today I am just cycling down E. Circuit Drive downhill doing my downhill speed. This white van with a plate PA YSG-3309 sped around me to pass in the park. I literally didn't do a thing to this guy. All I literally did is put up my hand with NO fingers up. It was just a "why are you passing so fast in a park?" type of gesture. He is rampaging down Circuit drive with mothers pushing strollers, cyclist out, pedestrians, etc. I kept riding downhill behind him to the stop sign at Schenley Road to where he wound down his window and proceeds to harass me calling me homophobic names. I did NOTHING to provoke this man. He was yelling about me running a stop sign. But the thing is he passed me downhill on E. Circuit Drive into W. Circuit and I stopped behind him at the sign at Schenley, so I don't know what stop sign I ran around this guy. He was yelling about how he "hates you guys", and calling me all kinds of sexist and homophobic names. He seemed so angry and I never even made did a thing to this man other than lift my hand. He kept driving behind me on the shoulder of Schenley drive where a large number of walkers and cyclists are. He drove by multiple times and would turn around again threatening violence saying "I will get you next time, F*g". I didn't even know why this guy was triggered.  In the photo, I clipped from a video he appears to put on gloves when turning around and had an object in his hand he was going to throw at me. He clearly threatened me in the video with violence. In my video, I was literally asking him to leave and he would not leave me alone. He turned around multiple times coming at me. If not for other walkers, drivers, and people in broad daylight I don't know if this guy would have resorted to other violence. Again, I did nothing to this man to start this interaction. I am sick of this shit.  If I take this to the police it will be scoffed at on my tax dollars. If I take this to the city councilman it will be a waste of his time. I guess I can't even bike in the park I pay taxes for now. I can't even enjoy the last God Damned bit of roads I take my damn bike now without some violent neanderthal threatening violence there. I am done with this shit. If anybody wants a carbon fiber Norco Section or a Steel Norco Search I might be selling my bikes. I got into cycling as a substitute for other addictive behaviors I had and fought through my 20s. Seriously though, out of all of my addictions cycling has had more negativity than any other one only behind alcohol. It's time to find a substitute for cycling now.  I'm sick of trying to cycle off work stress at lunch being threatened and harassed by angry violent thugs for no reason. The police in this city never give two shits either, and I pay their damn salary. I'm getting back into walking or hiking only. I would rather walk into an angry bear's path in the woods on some peaceful hike than some riled-up jackass trying to threaten me with his van on a park road while I do my lunch loops.  Sorry for the rant.
    shooflypie
    2021-10-20 15:47:12
    Damn.   That's a bummer Shoo fly
    mick
    2021-10-22 22:02:09
    I recommend filing a police report. You're probably right that it won't get this rage-filled, dangerous driver appropriately punished, but maybe the police would call him and talk to him about the incident. Also, you might consider putting your video on youtube and share a link to it here. If all car-on-bike road rage incidents got reported, it would help in the long term.
    paulheckbert
    2021-10-24 19:26:45