BIKEPGH MESSAGE BOARD ARCHIVE

on my way in to work this morning, a driver rolled down his window and expressed sincere concern and care for my well-being. the horrible news of late does seem to affected some people for the better.

@ HV i had the same experience

Rode around Shadyside and down to South Side Works this evening. Lots of cyclists out.

Drivers have been ok today

thank goodness for small karmic favors.

(its about gosh darn time.)

Rode from Oakland to Bloomfield to South Side, never had a problem once. Drivers do seem to be more aware and alert.

Also, the new bike lane on E Carson is amazing. Makes that stretch so, so much easier.

Yesterday indeed was a spectacular day in the city. In the evening I had dinner at Station Square and watched dozens of riders toodling over the Smithfield Street bidge and up and down the trail. Ate with a lovely middle aged couple who mentioned how terrible it was about the deaths on Penn, then were duly impressed with my riding to work, without the faintest hint of "it's too dangerous to be out there". Totally positive. And they are active people, so I wouldn't be surprised if now there is a little seed in their mind that will result in sometime pulling out bikes.

There is no indication that the horrible recent news has negatively impacted biking in the city. I think in fact we may be at some kind of flash point. Public sentiment and desire for biking is high, and I think the majority of people are getting the message that you should be able to ride without endangering your life. I'm hesitant to go hyperbolic, but we may be at a "Kent State" moment, when tragic events turn the tide powerfully toward positive change.

Sunday should be fabulous.

I'm hoping today will also be a good day. Then Sunday will start Bike Fest, lets hope this keeps going.

This thread is great - I love positive stories.

I couldn't agree more, I also have seen more riders in the last two days. I am excited to see how many show up for Pedal PGH.

It's always a good day on Car Free Friday.

yesterday for a variety of odd reasons I had to pick up (using my car) an inordinate amount of flash frozen meat from a farm and transport it from one exurb to another, using back roads due to lack of highways in the necessary locations.

On my drive I saw more cyclists than cows. It was spooky, but in a good way. Come to think of it, I saw more cyclists than lawnmowers [and tractors] too. I just never would have expected it.

In the city there are definitely more bikes about. Bikefest shall be awesome.

With the policeman getting hurt, I have a feeling car drivers may expect some backlash. All I can say is I wish the police would start enforcing speed limits and handing out countless tickets to the selfish idiots driving wildly fast on city streets.

Glad people are experiencing good things today. Hope my ride is as successful. I still don't trust ANYONE on the road and never will.

See, yesterday on Penn in the strip, where there's TWO inbound lanes (for a reason), I was passed angrily by a semi truck, and the passenger in the car was glaring at me and pointing to the right and yelling at me to move over after they'd already passed me. I shook my head at him and said "NO."

Then on the way home, a guy in a pickup truck tried to speed around a bus at a stop and then yelled at me for being in the way (read: the proper lane, where he wasn't). So yesterday wasn't a great day. Not the worst by a long shot, but not great.

Today though, was awesome. There wasn't anything amazing that happened, except that on the way in, I made it through every light right before it turned yellow (meaning I had almost no drivers behind me, and the ones that were there were courteous). Other than that, it was a boring day. Boring days are good days when you're biking in traffic.

There seemed to be less car traffic in general the last two days which have enjoyed.

rf, you would think that having two lanes would make riding Penn easier to share but it's not. I hate that road.

I just ride directly on the sharrows, point them out to impatient drivers, and hold my ground. "This is MY lane, you can have the other one" is the message I try to send.

I think they get mad that our sharrowed lane appears to be wider than their lane in some sections of penn.

I had. Nice commute today. Every single car gave me enough room.

Yesterday (Thursday) I did't have such a nice time of it with the drivers. At the city end of the Smithfield Bridge (where you have a pedestrian 'walk' sign you can cross on), I got honked by a right-turning car. I pointed to the sign...

A couple of days ago I got the classic turning-right-from-the-left-lane at 5th and Beechwood.

Is it me?

Its not you,. there's something in the water.

@ Ahlir it's really good to hear from you, I have missed you. And no it's not you I only hope your next day out will be better

Had a pretty good ride. Only had to say FU to a couple of drivers. Not bad.