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Keep your eyes peeled for protractors! If you find one let me know!

So a walking friend noticed there were protractors being glued up all over pittsburgh, became obsessed with this fact, and started recording them.... there are lots of them, maybe as many as 232... this is what they look like:



there is a list and some explanations and ponderings and a list of the 50+ located so far on his blog:


http://ericlidji.wordpress.com/


if you find one that is not on the list try to take a picture or note the intersection, most of them are visible from bike!


imakwik1
2011-06-16 05:29:09

Ha - I just saw one of those tonight, on the bridge steps from Ellsworth up to Highland Ave. Can't remember the number.


salty
2011-06-16 05:31:04

I see that one is already accounted for (#87)


salty
2011-06-16 05:36:01

bah! i don't have time for protractors. i'm too busy with goniometers.


hiddenvariable
2011-06-16 06:08:12

I've been seeing these for months. I would mention them to people, and no one knew what I was talking about. I'd love to know what this project is is about.


nochasingiguanas
2011-06-16 10:45:04

Oouuu glad to see this! When my friend was visiting we spent three minutes trying to see if it actually was a protractor or not.


Doesn't look to be on that list. Down on 43rd street in lville, across from the NREC. I'll have to go snap a pic...


wojty
2011-06-16 11:20:36

The "word" in the tagging "scene" is that this guy is just a nutjob, and they don't mean anything.


robjdlc
2011-06-16 14:04:00

I LOVE NUTJOBS. i don't really expect them to mean anything, in my youth i cataloged KIDS for a long time, it was a different time then though! kids is dead, protractor man has replaced him in my head, but not my heart.


imakwik1
2011-06-16 15:00:42

i bet the meaning of these "tags" will lead to quite a protracted discussion.


cburch
2011-06-16 15:17:13

hmm. i hadn't looked at it from that angle.


hiddenvariable
2011-06-16 15:33:58

well stop being so obtuse.


cburch
2011-06-16 15:42:47

There have been some protracted discussions on the board before but nothing of this degree.


edmonds59
2011-06-16 15:47:10

pun threads are for squares


imakwik1
2011-06-16 15:57:49

Sure, they go off on tangents, but eventually circle around to the origin point. I think we're all in a chord on that.


steven
2011-06-16 16:15:30

these jokes are so bad they have me scalene the walls to escape.


ejwme
2011-06-16 16:31:08

Let's not descend to hyperbolic excess.


reddan
2011-06-16 16:35:25

One of my all-time favorite jokes from The Simpsons --


Lisa: I'm studying for the math fair. If I win, I'll get a brand new protractor.


Homer: Too bad we don't live on a farm.


mmfranzen
2011-06-16 17:32:04

You guys are so punny. Stop making me laugh.


stefb
2011-06-16 20:12:39

Don't laugh so hard you end up in acute care...


reddan
2011-06-16 21:14:20

D plane! D plane!


stuinmccandless
2011-06-17 00:57:55

I think maybe I saw one on euclid ave.


dmtroyer
2011-06-17 01:14:40

protractors are just nerd rainbows


pseudacris
2011-06-17 02:09:55

"OH! MY! GAWD!!! A DOUBLE PROTRACTOR ! ! ! !"


mick
2011-06-17 02:40:43

Nevermind.


cburch
2011-06-17 06:39:44

Saw one on a light pole at Friendship and Carroll, I'll have to get the number on the way home this evening.


westender
2011-06-17 11:28:18

nice!


imakwik1
2011-06-17 13:45:03

Mick, you made me laugh so hard I scared the dog.


ejwme
2011-06-17 15:07:12

@ejwme I scared the dog.


Now you have to teach him trigonometry.


It's only fair.


mick
2011-06-17 16:58:32

Oh, that wouldn't bode well for the poor pup, any progress would be purely imaginary.


ejwme
2011-06-17 22:45:24

Imaginary? Just rotate the dog 90 degrees then.


steven
2011-06-18 00:30:13

That would be completely irrational though.


cburch
2011-06-18 00:39:22

Someone must encompass what's missing from this protracted thread.


fungicyclist
2011-06-20 10:13:27

@Salty -- there are two there. #86 and #87, saw them on our way for lunch on Sat.


myddrin
2011-06-20 12:19:39

There is one on the 16th street bridge glued to the bridge structure on the outbound (from the strip) side sidewalk. I'm pretty sure you would only see it if you were walking inbound though. I didn't record the number or take a photo, sorry :(


dwillen
2011-06-20 16:29:55

hmm... I could rotate her 90, or hope it's just a phase she's going through...


ejwme
2011-06-20 16:57:11

@ejwme I could rotate her 90


That's right!


mick
2011-06-20 17:28:01

My friend K. found #230 today, on the switchback ramps connecting the Washington's Landing bridge to the North Side trail.





vannever
2011-06-21 02:22:26

I found 229 on the beached / sideways boat across the allegheny river from the cork factory, before you hit Washington's Landing.




benzo
2011-06-21 18:41:36

there is one on friendship inbound where is splits around friendship park. i didn't have time to take a picture this morning. maybe i will go home that way and get it.


cburch
2011-06-21 19:35:46

hmmmmmmmmmm.... now that is interesting because i am in both of those places at least once a week and they were definitely not there last friday... they are multiplying!


imakwik1
2011-06-22 01:02:52

#16 is on the rail on mccandless ave, just up from stanton


rubberfactory
2011-06-22 04:53:37

These are way more interesting to me than spray painted tag handles e.g. Jesse or Mook.


scott
2011-06-22 12:15:30

how are they attached? glue? tape?


ejwme
2011-06-22 13:03:12

Maybe if you map them it's a connect the dots puzzle!


benzo
2011-06-22 17:48:31

in my dreams!


imakwik1
2011-06-23 01:11:15

Saw #183 at the intersection of Negley and the back entrance to the Giant Eagle garage.


kgavala
2011-06-23 01:59:42

I'm inclined to go on a tangent & ask what is up with the red spray painted particle board hearts I've seen tacked to telephone poles throughout the east end.


quizbot
2011-06-23 02:19:19

Like the Tag-o-Rama tag on Gold Way last week?


In other news, I've been up and down Federal and Perrysville a bunch of times the last week or so, and have been looking for protractors, without success. Have any been found on the North Side?


stuinmccandless
2011-06-23 04:20:43

There was another heart on ToR last year, under the Bloomfield Bridge. Used to be one on Chislett between Hays & Baywood. There may be one on Aiken in Garfield.


Keeping an eye out for protractors ... they're hard to detect at gallop speed though.


quizbot
2011-06-23 05:03:12

... they're hard to detect at gallop speed though.


hahhaha... that got me good


imakwik1
2011-06-23 12:29:38


on federal street on the north side. i take federal from my office through north avenue then around allegheny center toward la cock. this one is between north avenue and north commons. i think someone JUST put it up. i didn't notice it yesterday after work, but then again, i am usually focused on bad drivers and peds in that area.


stefb
2011-06-24 00:19:55

It was definitely not there last night. I came through there around 7p and was explicitly looking for them.


So we have blue ones now, too! Does that say #259? I think that's the highest number I've seen so far.


stuinmccandless
2011-06-24 00:22:54

yep. unsure how to add it to the map. it is on the base of the lamp pole that is visible on google about a hundred feet or so before the intersection with north commons


stefb
2011-06-24 00:55:21

anyone can add to the map by going to the map, pressing edit (a button above the title), and placing the marker (click the blue google lookin marker and then click where you want it). i have been insanely out of time lately but some rainy day that work gets cancelled i'll put up all i can find! try to put them as close to the point that they are as possible with the satelite view so other people can find them if they want.


imakwik1
2011-06-24 02:37:18

254 - white - S. aspect of Tripoli walkway over 279 N, and less then 25 meters east,


263 - blue - Tripoli and East, NW aspect of signal changing box


Adhesive is less then 24 hrs. old, and more then 3 hrs. set.


I'm fairly certain these were not there five hours ago.


Whomever is putting these up is reading this board.


fungicyclist
2011-06-24 03:27:12

On a whim went out on my bike to track this protractor perpetrator. Went where I'd go were I riding from Lawrenceville/The Plateau.


243 - white - S. end of Charles J. Lieberth bridge near the Sarah Heinz Center. On the west face of a lamppost, two meters from ground.


244 - white - middle of Lieberth bridge, west face of lamppost directly in front of Heinz plant.


245 - white - North end of Lieberth bridge, on the south face of a switching box catty corner from the Penn Brewery.


252 - white - Corner of East and Peralta on the north face of a mail drop box.


Adhesive appears to be urethane. I'm guessing the perpetrator of protactorage is roughly six foot and riding a mid eighties road bike. But what do I know, I was only on their trail an hour and a half, and it was moonless?


Please note, the pattern on the bridge suggests they are being laid out in sequence.


fungicyclist
2011-06-24 05:07:24

Each protractor was precisely where I expected it to be. I would have adhered one to that broken down barge.


Hunting protractors is way easier then hunting wild mushrooms from a pedalcycle. Protractors are where they should be, and I haven't been hit by a tree, yet...


I challenge the protractor perpetrator to find Boletus edulis within a 100 km of Pgh. That's difficult.


Only "fungus" I must hunt by night (thus far) is Fuligo septica, and it has the bonus of evasion. Just like "The Blob", it "crawls". A delicacy in Mexico where it's pursued and captured under the full moon in clear glass jars. Once exposed to daylight it changes from clear to yellow and is no longer a desirable edible. There was recently a fruiting.


But this was fun. Thanks, protractor-person. I guess now I'll have to find the remainder tomorrow when there's light?


p.s. I think I know where this is going. Be Observant.


p.p.s. (Way OT, sorry) Spoke with some folk who'd been fishing the Allegheny and they had caught Trout along with the usual catfish. Trout are delicate: the River is healing.


fungicyclist
2011-06-24 07:43:08

I am so EXCITED there is a thread about this. Even more so, that there are other people out there as curious as I am. So many thoughts and questions. I have a couple pictures on my phone, but most have already been posted.

FUNGICYCLIST

Did you see the 'protractor perp' putting up protractors? I'd probably chase them down. I want to know whats up with them? Is there really 200some of them? Where do you get that many protractors?


SOOO excited about this. not usually a message board fan, but when i found this I had to sign up so i could talk with some other protractor enthusiasts.


rongallaher
2011-06-24 12:30:23

board is officially renamed the BIKE (around) PITTSBURGH (to find protractors) message board!


imakwik1
2011-06-24 13:28:46

also fungi... i found a whole slew of Monotropa uniflora with pinky flowers yesterday, first time i had seen pink ones. not a fungi but fun nonetheless!


imakwik1
2011-06-24 13:34:32

RG: Did not see protractor erector. Even if I do, and I'm likely to, I will respect the value of keeping that person anonymous and the mystery alive. It's more fun for everyone that way, don't you think?


mark: Fun indeed, though not fungi. Of the blueberry family and generally indicative of habitat friendly to fungi, so the Indian Pipe is a welcome sight to me too. Pink Pipes are rather odd though. Did you take pictures? That it isn't mycological is of little matter; I delight in finding hillsides of pink ladyslippers marking the end to morel season. It's really all connected. One needs know an elm to find Morchella, and spruce to find the King.


fungicyclist
2011-06-24 14:04:32

I didn't take a picture or note the number but as of Thursday night there is a protractor glued to the bench in Arsenal Park on 39th St by the hockey court where we play polo. It was not there on Tuesday.


bradq
2011-06-24 14:38:15

ya i think people like to take these because they look fun... eventually we'll probably be able to figure out which one that is


imakwik1
2011-06-24 14:52:29

261 - blue - Sandusky St inbound, on structure under the railroad overpass.


stuinmccandless
2011-06-24 17:18:11

I like to imagine that it's actually Mark and Fungicyclist running around putting these up together, but I really have no idea.


pseudacris
2011-06-24 18:16:45

This is awesome.


Does anyone know about toynbee idea tiles, or the little robot/skeleton guys, that you can find tagged into the surface of roads? They look like they're made of the thermoplastic road markings that you use for (good) bike lanes.

Toynbee tiles are delightfully insane and have a whole documentary about them. There are two around Mellon Square downtown, on Stanwix.


The skeleton guys, I haven't been able to find any info about. But I've found a few in Pittsburgh:

-Forbes & Schenley Dr Ext

-Bedford Sq & 12th St

also in Baltimore: Key Highway and Battery Ave.


alnilam
2011-06-24 18:32:39

A Toynbee tile made its way into the tag-o-rama thread not too long ago. I've seen one or two downtown.


pseudacris
2011-06-24 18:48:06

skeleton guy is everywhere in DC and NYC... pretty into it


imakwik1
2011-06-24 21:19:10

there's 3 tiles on smithfield st.


also, I've only seen one protractor in person. I'm too lazy lately to go looking for things.


rubberfactory
2011-06-24 23:06:09

#29: bench in front of Leslie Park, facing Butler St


#155: 25th & Penn... I wrote it on my hand and I forget what it was on now, a mailbox?


edit: RF is right, I always get smithfield and stanwix mixed up...


alnilam
2011-06-25 03:53:10

Long day, and no time. On way home in pouring rain went one block out of my way to test a hypothesis. The result:


255 - white - SE corner of Tripoli and James, N face of postal drop box.


Now, if you don't mind, I'll sit here and drip.


fungicyclist
2011-06-25 03:58:43

we need a connect the dots ride.


ejwme
2011-06-25 04:05:54

What we really need is a smoke-filled, dimly lit room with a huge map on the wall, pushpins at each protractor's location, and strings connecting certain, seemingly random, pins.


Over a period of months, we'll clip excerpts from newspaper stories and stitch them back together on an adjacent wall to "find the code." Different colours of wax pencil will circle numbers of the protractors as they appear in stories, and insane notes will be scribbled in the margins. "29 children attend event = 29 at leslie park = leslie nielson / 29 + 17 = 46th st!!!"


alnilam
2011-06-25 04:09:46

so fungi... what's your hypothesis.


imakwik1
2011-06-27 11:27:56

Somone ripped the one off the boat by the heinz plant


rongallaher
2011-06-27 22:59:31

This will certainly be a protracted search


sgtjonson
2011-06-27 23:12:13

This will certainly be a protracted search

One might even say it'll be drawn out...


reddan
2011-06-28 00:10:28

We don't yet know what degree of effort will be involved.


stuinmccandless
2011-06-28 00:14:21

But, if we spend enough time figuring out all the angles...


reddan
2011-06-28 00:20:42

i found 5 today, 4 on the northside (5, 6 , 7, and i forget the last one), one in the strip (149)... YIPES... also the trib is doing a story on these this weekend... totally interested and scared.


imakwik1
2011-06-28 04:09:56

Mark, where are these new finds of yours?


I entertain no overarching unified theories. My hypothesis was "there should be a white one between 254 and stefb's blue find, 259." The modest theory was that they were laid out in a sequence on the northside. Of course I have yet to discover those between Stu's blue Sandusky St 261 and the blue 263 on East at Tripoli.


Whoever stuck up Stu's is at least 6'3 or had a ladder?


fungicyclist
2011-06-28 05:14:43

three on the ped bridge between heinz lofts and penn brewery, 149 in the strip on mulberry just after 31st street, one at the corner of voskamp and whatever penn brewery is on. if the last one is 4 than i'm guessing 3,2,1 are on voskamp going up the hill, or maybe the stairs going to the waterpark on troy hill, and there are lots in the strip in the alleys (probably 10 more)


imakwik1
2011-06-28 06:02:19

Mark: Thanks. The three on the ped/bike bridge (The Charles J. Lieberth bridge) are 243, 244, and 245, as I documented in a previous post, though one (245) is opposite the junction of Vinial St. and Troy Hill Rd., and opposite Penn Brewery.


I can't find a Voskamp St. or Rd.


Where did you find numbers 5,6, and 7?


Edit: Whoops, had not googled Voskamp "Street" as I'd thought. Hmm, great, now I'll have to go out and check the intersection of Voskamp and Vinial. Thank you so very much. That one is new. I just rode past there six hours ago and must have missed it? (It was dark at 10 pm.) Let's see, that should be number....246?


fungicyclist
2011-06-28 06:15:12

The one on the east facing Stop sign on the corner of Voskamp and Vinial is white and number 247, which was nothing but troublesome to my mind.


Ranged back and forth between 245 and 247 weaving and hopping onto the sidewalk and circling mid street. Then I hear a loudspeaker voice behind me "Pull Over, (Looks like we have another drunk on a bike)" "Not drunk", I say as the cruiser pulls alongside and I straddle the top tube, "Looking for protractors." Bending over and looking in his passenger side window I recognize young Officer "M", to whom I'd preached Penalosa 5 hours earlier. He'd thought the "protected" bike lanes and speed bumps/rumble strips quite clever. His sister, who never learned to ride a bike, called him yesterday and told him she'd taken it up because of NYC's new strategy. (She lives there.) This officer thinks biking in Pgh too dangerous for himself and his wife, but if protected bike lanes and rumble strips were implemented, just might start riding.


I told him the abbreviated version of the protracted tale so far. He watched my bike while I went up those endless stairs off Vinial up to I think it was heaven. They go up and up and up. Nothing. He cruised around and so did I and we couldn't find vexing 246. Officer "M" gave up, and I took a final spin around 247, then postulated it might be meant to be seen coming down Vinial, so rode up, admittedly the wrong way. Went all the way to the end of Vinial and on the way back spotted:


246 - white - on west face of mail drop box, across from the intersection of Vinial and Basin.


fungicyclist
2011-06-28 09:03:14

Correction:


246 - white - across from the intersection of Voskamp and Basin, (not Vinial and Basin).


fungicyclist
2011-06-28 12:44:07

so basically you had a conversation about graffiti with a police officer and he was like... oh cool i'll look too?


imakwik1
2011-06-28 12:57:19

@fungicyclist Spoke with some folk who'd been fishing the Allegheny and they had caught Trout along with the usual catfish.


TV public service announcement :


[Picture of a trout leaping in sparkling mountain stream]


Voiceover: This is your trout.


***


[Picture of a trout leaping with Downtown Pittsburgh in background]


Voiceover: This is your trout on drugs.


***


[Black screen. Ominous pause.]


***


Voiceover: Any questions?


mick
2011-06-28 14:31:06

Haha.


Heading inbound on Penn, I saw a white protractor right before the intersection of Penn and Milvale. Didn't get the number and I'm not sure what it's stuck to, either. But it's there.


kgavala
2011-06-28 14:38:10

Art project phase 2...they start moving around. Muhahahaha.


reddan
2011-06-28 14:40:58

242 just popped up on my street


imakwik1
2011-06-28 23:21:24

@Mark: Do you live between the Lieberth bike/ped bridge and the 31st St. Bridge?


@Mick: The "Pgh trout" should have the arms of an infant where its pectorals should be?


fungicyclist
2011-06-29 02:00:53

nope, polish hill melwood ave


imakwik1
2011-06-29 03:16:45

#131 at Friendship & Gross headed toward the parklet




quizbot
2011-06-29 13:39:30

On the way up to the fashionable Plateau, spotted 27 and 39, which according to the Master list, have already been documented. However,


37 & 38 - green - on gray door with much graffiti opposite 39 on the north side of Spring Way between 32nd and 33rd.


fungicyclist
2011-06-30 04:51:09


Baum and liberty on the corner where the old car dealership was. Did someone mention this one before? The handwriting on this one is different than the one I found on the north side.


stefb
2011-07-01 12:09:17

I saw my first one!!! On the mailbox next to Lili/Copacetic on Po'Hill. Maybe someone already reported it.


pseudacris
2011-07-01 15:30:51

Kudos Pseuda!

Now you will be seeing them everywhere.

Record the number and check it against the (hopefully soon to be updated) Master List at The Ongoing History of Pittsburgh to determine if it's been recorded.


fungicyclist
2011-07-01 22:13:55

so that 187 up there seems to have a different ahndwriting... any others that people are talking about have the more digital handwriting?


imakwik1
2011-07-02 00:02:32

can anyone identify the bloomfield building that the very first post in this thread is? i found that picture on the internet but have no idea where it actually is?


imakwik1
2011-07-02 00:07:45

Mark: Left a comment at "The Ongoing History of Pittsburgh" about the difference in numbering styles a few days ago, perhaps on his entry on the northside finds? Your low numbered ones have the "block" style of numbering, while the higher ones have a more cursive style.


fungicyclist
2011-07-02 00:26:46

99 baum and morewood mailbox green


i'm updating the map right now for a while


imakwik1
2011-07-02 00:49:43

just found 203-207 139-141 238-242... and one other one i cant remember... all on bloomfield bridge/bigelow


imakwik1
2011-07-02 03:58:38

111 and 109 in the hollow


imakwik1
2011-07-05 13:39:50

196 is found!


imakwik1
2011-07-05 14:05:39

There are (2) light purple ones on a box on the NE corner of Friendship and Coral but I didn't catch the numbers. If someone doesn't get them I'll try to see if I can get them.


lou-m
2011-07-05 14:15:25

Was there an article in the local paper? If so, anyone have a link?


stefb
2011-07-06 00:22:12

i think it's supposed to come out wednesday? or maybe this weekend.


imakwik1
2011-07-06 04:00:32

I will no longer be reporting any protractors discovered to this thread, any public board, nor to "The Ongoing History of Pgh" blog.


fungicyclist
2011-07-07 10:22:58

+1 Steven. I also didn't notice the two in panther hollow. I hope they aren't getting removed by authorities. Should we not post them here? Are the police using this thread to take them down after locating them?


stefb
2011-07-07 10:43:13

Bummer. I hope the protractor poster catches wind of this before it's too late. I haven't seen too many of them other than through the photos posted here. I love the colors and compositions.


pseudacris
2011-07-07 12:02:14

while its unfortunate that this is what its come to, the person doing this knows and has known it's illegal the whole time, I wouldn't be surprised if they are tagging other things along the way (who knows though). I don't really think that this will deter them, or change anything. there is a chance that some of them get taken down as a result of the article but with all the writing on the walls I doubt this will take a priority. who knows though... authority hates creativity, maybe they'll all be down by the end of the week.


I set my map to private and killed the link... i don't know what eric will do but I'm going to keep on lookin.


imakwik1
2011-07-07 12:44:47

Whos idea was it to do an article on it anyways? and why get the police involved in the article?

I hope they dont start getting removed. i have seen a couple 'ghost' protractors in the past couple days. I dont want to see more forgotten protractors.


rongallaher
2011-07-07 13:59:24

it was the tribs idea, i think they thought it was a genius marketing scheme by some local business, i guess they were kind of right.


imakwik1
2011-07-07 14:15:52

ha. i guess. not too many business do too much marketing without pushing their name on everything. The only thing i think when i see one is...WTF?


rongallaher
2011-07-07 14:27:57

My 311 for the day:


I read three things today about city government and police activity (or the lack of it). One - another cyclist was attacked on East Liberty Blvd. This common occurence could be eliminated by a few evening runs on East Liberty Blvd by an undercover policeman on a bicycle. The second is that there was a Tribune-Review article where Pittsburgh police detective Alphonso Sloan indicated that the police would take take to investigate and possibly arrest the person who is doing the wonderful protractor art that is being placed around the city. Why is any police time being wasted on that?


In the meantime, there are people who would like to place unwanted, unsightly advertising on Pittsburgh bridges. Money going to prevent that would be well-spent.


This is a beautiful, creative city. Let's keep it that way.


mick
2011-07-07 15:28:08

+1, Mick!


stefb
2011-07-07 19:14:57

This represents so much that is wrong with PGH's priorities as Mick points out. (Mick, btw wins the internets for the 311.)


There should be a slogan, suitable for stickers, T-shirts and hash tagging not twitter.


All I have is "Prosecute Crimes, not Protractors."


myddrin
2011-07-07 19:23:45

sounds like the Trib were the ones to rat them out to the cops. boo.


MATH IS ART.


ejwme
2011-07-07 19:30:39

@ejwe: That does it. Easily tweet-able. For Example.


myddrin
2011-07-07 19:37:25

incidentally, i didn't get the impression from that article that the cops are all over this like flies on doo-doo. it seemed more to me that they were being asked about an illegal activity and said "i guess we'll be looking into it." what else could they do?


hiddenvariable
2011-07-07 19:41:46

Take the protrctors downtown for questioning


stefb
2011-07-07 19:51:39

protracted questioning. i wonder what angle the investigation will take.


for some reason, every time I read this thread or see a protractor, I hear Edith Bunker's voice in my head screaming "AAAAAAARCHIIIIIEEE?!?!"


ejwme
2011-07-07 20:43:02

I took the Gerst Way bridge over I-279 to Howard Street this morning. All kinds of places to put protractors. Not a one. I don't know if they're getting pulled down or there never were any along there in the first place.


I too wonder why this should get one second of police time when cyclists are getting run off the streets. Chances are excellent that the protractors would disappear as quickly and mysteriously as they went up.


In other words, bridge and mailbox and traffic signal owners, chill the eff out. Let us have our giggle.


How'd this get to be a bike thing, anyway?


stuinmccandless
2011-07-07 22:20:31

As I am reading this thread, I see that kdka is having a story on this in the next half hour


stefb
2011-07-07 22:23:29

Pretty rad indeed.


kgavala
2011-07-08 13:22:40

annnd this story made Boing Boing with a reference to this thread and a photo credit to "Mark Bossanova". Oh, and fittingly enough, the first comment is a geography pun.


dmtroyer
2011-07-08 14:59:34

Haha! I was about to comment that I saw this story of the protractor on Boing Boing too! NEAT!


bikeygirl
2011-07-08 21:36:19

well that helps explains our web traffic jump yesterday.


scott
2011-07-09 16:50:05

lol... that is my favorite nickname


imakwik1
2011-07-10 03:07:07

One on the vacant lot power meter on cypress. Found when i was looking to see if thieves ditched my bike.


eendres2852
2011-07-14 01:03:05

Well the 2 I saw in Friendship have been removed. Too bad.


lou-m
2011-07-15 12:45:43

289 (I think) near the jail trail. If you are coming down the hill toward's 2nd Ave its on a telephone/power poll right at eye level for a cyclist.


myddrin
2011-07-15 13:10:35

it's funny how well-suited cycling is to finding things like this. yet another thing i love about it.


hiddenvariable
2011-07-15 13:23:40

woah 289... that's the highest one! methinks that means they are still going up!


imakwik1
2011-07-15 13:44:36

Yeah, seems appropriate if they were to stop at 360.....


myddrin
2011-07-15 14:47:52

that was my initial prediction too...


imakwik1
2011-07-15 14:52:28

I saw #289 and #291 by the Swinburne underpass and attached to a bench at the entrance to the Eliza Furnace Trail (Swinburne parking lot) just this week!


carieste
2011-08-03 18:36:18

P.S. - Mr. Policeman, we love these things. Please leave them alone and go fight some violent crime


carieste
2011-08-03 18:40:46

i also saw those! they're still commin


imakwik1
2011-08-04 02:09:08

i also found one attached to the road!


imakwik1
2011-08-04 05:22:57

I found #179 today, on the side of a garbage can at the intersection of Elmer and Ivy in Shadyside.


richw
2011-08-04 20:41:06

ProtractorHotMetal


#292 on the Hot Metal Bridge, not sure if this has been reported. It's my first sighting - can't believe I haven't seen others!


teamdecafweekend
2011-08-05 01:48:07

I can't believe I haven't noticed this! There is one on the new allegheny trail from the cork factory to the point. I believe it is right near the 16th St bridge. I have several pics of others I posted on Facebook that I will have to share here sometime.


stefb
2011-08-05 09:15:40

Just found this one this morning. #301 on bike trail in Millvale park.


smokeyc1
2011-08-05 17:18:53

woah, first over 300!


imakwik1
2011-08-06 06:09:41

I know this thread is kind of old, but I stumbled upon No. 306 (I think) today and it reminded me of it. Any new developments in the backstory?


that-guy
2012-01-02 04:35:43

I found 2 right next to each other on (I think) spring way.


rubberfactory
2012-01-02 08:58:30
Digging up this old thread because... they're back! Today's "Eat That, Read This" (#434) posted a link to this story describing the re-emergence of several of these in the last few weeks. In 2010-2012, this search, along with Tag-o-Rama and Wheelset of Fortune, the other (now dormant) search-and-photo games, are what really got me out looking around, finding new and different paths of travel around the city.
stuinmccandless
2016-06-30 14:30:25