BIKEPGH MESSAGE BOARD ARCHIVE

This sounds great! I'd be willing to help out in some capacity. Might I suggest a short after class ride too. It could loop around the Oakland area showing prefered streets to ride, etc.

Hey Mark,

That is a fantastic idea! Would you be willing to lead a ride like that?

I'll help lead, sure. I ride through Oakland often (I live in South Hills), but I think others would be better at picking the streets. Also, it would be good to know where the students would be commuting from, then we could plan around that.

Yes, good point. I think it would need to be closer to the event before I would be able to plan a route (I'd have to see who was coming, from what colleges, and plan accordingly). I wrote your username down on my brainstorming sheet though, and when I have more info I'll contact! Thanks for your idea and help!

I'd be happy to handle any or all of those topics. 15 mins is a *really* short time frame though. 30 maybe?

Don't forget to point them in the direction of this helpful video about using the bus bike racks.

This type of thing is something that has been discussed a number of times on here, so it's great that this will be happening.

The League of American Bicyclists has information regarding cyclist instruction, some of which is probably usable for your program. And there are LAB trained instructors around who might be helpful, I haven't seen Lyle (sp?) checking in in a while, but he's a certified instructor. Also I think I saw that someone from the Major Taylor club just became an instructor, Bruce, maybe? Would be helpful.

I'd help out, though I'm not sure what capacity I'd be most helpful in.

Outreach == awesomeness.

@chris: Nothing is set in stone so far. You can talk for as long as you want, really. 30 minutes sounds good.

@edmonds: I'll check into the LAB. That sounds really helpful.

Thanks everyone for your support! Other things I wanted to cover:

*how to properly lock a bike, especially when bike racks are not available

*set up a thread or some other way to coordinate group rides and build the cycling community between the different colleges in the area

In true bureaucratic fashion, I am not really sure if the date I chose (Friday, September 7th from 7PM - 11PM) has been "officially" secured yet. Moreover, it appears that I can't get any funding for the event until classes start agin in the fall, although I don't think this event would cost very much. Once I know that the date has been "officially" secured, I'll start making the plans that don't cost anything, like who will speak and the route for the group ride. I'll keep you all posted! If you have any family or friends that are students, spread the word. Very excited:)

For incoming freshmen, it's probably best to have the youngest possible instructors and ride leaders. Better impact.

May I recommend FreeRide:

http://freeridepgh.org/

They have a lot of strong, independent young women that might be a good fit

I'd be interested in helping. I'm not much older than college freshmen. (Hah, some of my students at Pitt are older than me. It's awkward.)

@Mick, I was thinking the same thing, but you put it more gently - old dudes is probably not the way to go here.

@pearmask, you teach at Pitt? That could be really excellent! Do you commute to work? And is there a certain topic you'd be interested in discussing?

Yes (grad student, also teach), and yes, I commute every day

As for a particular topic, I'm not sure. I'd probably feel comfortable talking about most basic commuting stuff (etiquette, equipment, etc.). Probably the only thing I'd be iffy on is the "riding in Pittsburgh" topic: probably better to have someone who knows more about the area / roads / routes to talk about that since I'm still pretty new here and am still figuring that stuff out.

I did just realize a sort of "equipment/clothing/carrying stuff" topic wasn't specifically mentioned.

For example, my students and other people are always baffled by how I carry around so much stuff on my bike because they don't understand what panniers + racks are. (On the occasions where they saw me carrying both of my giant panniers, some of them thought I had actually worn both of them as messenger bags on the way there. Silly kids, haha.) I think not knowing how they would carry their stuff is an issue for some people who might otherwise be interested in commuting.

So I'm putting you down to talk about carrying stuff/gear/etc. at the very least. Seems like you have a lot to say and would be supremely helpful! Would you also like to talk about road etiquette/traffic laws/how not to be a jerk, or should we delegate that to another person?

Cool! I don't mind talking about not being a jerk and all that, but if other people are interested in helping, I don't want to monopolize the conversation.

Side note: What do you think about the idea of including some brief "what to do if you get in a wreck or have a bad experience on the road" info? Obviously, we definitely wouldn't want to emphasize danger and scare them out of riding, so this may be a bad idea, but even handing out something like the Bike-PGH "what to do if you get in a wreck" cards could be good, maybe?

I wanted to bring in as many people as possible, so I think that someone else should talk about general road etiquette. Any takers? Note: this event is four months away, so we have plenty of time! @Chris Mayhew, marko82, or ejwme?

I'd also be delighted to help in any way I can. But then, to add to my previous caveat, I'm pretty much the oldest regular poster here.

Mick, I'd be glad to have you! Do you know Pittsburgh very well? Maybe you could talk about roads around here.

@ littleyellow - I have an excelllent knowledge of the roads, trails, pathways and shortcuts on the East part of town.

Less knowledge of other areas. But hey, the major univeristies are in the East End.

I'd also be happy to help, especially with routing options, if the scheduling works out. I've been in town about six years, but I've lived all over, from squirrel hill and north point breeze to the north side, and I'm a massive maps nerd, so I know a lot of the options at at least a basic level.

I live a stone's throw away from campus and I'd be glad to talk about some of the local roads or whatever else you need.

Depending on how things go up to that time, I'd be happy to participate as well. I might be able to help pull in the younger college crowd too as I have just have completed my undergrad, and have been riding around Oakland, Downtown and the East End for the better part of three years.

I'm a lifelong Pittsburgh-area resident however, but I virtually never rode my bike until I moved into my Oakland apartment three years ago. Now I ride all over the city, but I'm mostly the casual commuter type with the occasional "Sunday ride" along the rivers thrown in for fun.

I very much wish my university of CMU had some sort of Freshmen seminar like this when I was first coming up. Come to think of it, I think CMU, Pitt, Duquesne, Carlow, Point Park, bascially all the major universities should provide something like this. What a superb idea!

I would be interested in talking, I think. I would mainly talk about how I moved, I go grocery shopping, and do other things without a car, and how much cheaper it is.

Salty, you would probably be a good one to talk about where to ride, I mean just physically ie on the sidewalk vs road, right to the road, taking the lane, driver interaction, getting yelled at, staying calm and civil, not freaking out. You seem to have a pretty good handle on that.

And Mick, don't claim that mantle, I'm right on your wheel. I get my aarp mailers.

Also, RF, you would be excellent to talk about your experience in general. You are a stellar example of someone who basically picked this up from zero and made it work for you every day. Not that someone else wouldn't be, but we've met and I know a litle bit about your story. You had some setbacks and glitches but you managed them and kept going. And you are right in the target audience.

Also just IMO you kick ass on this bikey thing, big RF fan.

^RF ++1

I'll talk etiquette if I can have a peer check of my power point/ talking points (will power point be available? I can bring my own computer, just need the projection).

I think it might be good for someone who has been IN an accident to go over the "what to do when bad things happen". Someone who had injuries, but is back on the horse, so to speak. That way they can honestly answer questions from first hand experience, hopefully in a positive, non-scary way. (This would not be me, *knock on wood*.)

I was hit, but not injured. I think I can give a good story on "Always call 911, even if you're not injured at all," because the guy who hit me gave me a fake name and number. Ended up costing me about $150

I've been in an accident, not with a car, but due to a bad brake setup. I don't know if I'm the best person to talk about it, though, because it was super gruesome and bloody. I guess there is a good take-home message, though: maintain your bike. I'll think about it.

Because I don't post on here super often and I don't know you all really well, I think I will leave it up to you who will talk about what. It sounds like salty would be a great person to talk about traffic laws and road etiquette, and RF can talk about living car-free.

Also I made a couple posters, but I think this one's the winner. Poster

Allie Brosh is my personal hero. A+ poster.

I guess I fall into that category of having been in a wreck and having received injuries and all that, which was why I suggested a topic like that. I don't know that I dealt with it perfectly on the scene since I hit my head and was all goofy and confused, but I guess I know what to do in that situation in theory, and I guess I know how the aftermath goes, and I am happily back on my bike now and all that. If you want me to talk about that, I will.

ETA: and while it wasn't fun and I was off my bike for a while, it wasn't horribly gruesome either, so it's not the worst story out of possible bike wreck stories

In terms of accident information for newbies, I could kind of see it limited to the very basics, rather than crash stories, ie;

-It is possible you will get into an accident, so be prepared

-Treat it exactly as you would in a car - get as much information possible regardless of the severity of the accident, the drivers name, license number, make of car, plate number, and insurance company.

-If the driver leaves the scene without providing this information, they are breaking the law. Get a phone pic of the car and plate if possible. Fill out a police report.

-There are resources available to help in the event of an accident (BikePgh accident card), and attorneys who specialize in this, if needed.

-If a driver acts threatening or aggressive, get away to a safe place, call the police.

-etc.

Yeah, I think that's spot on. "You have legal rights, you should get their insurance info and plate #, report it to the police just like in a car wreck, etc"

Yeah, I would say that the first and most important thing is to get their plate number and write it down. Then call 911. Even if you're not injured.

I think that's a better approach. @edmonds, good call. I think this might fall under road etiquette and laws category? Do you all think we should have a special 20ish minutes dedicated to this topic?

that's a good point, littleyellow... I'm not sure that dedicating a whole section of a talk to crash/incidents would be the most positive way to convey the information.

I was more thinking someone giving the information could answer the obvious question with a quick, confident "yep, I was in an accident, and everything turned out fine" answer without harping on particulars or horror stories. Puts a confident, happily riding face to what could be a scary unknown.

"sup guys, i know your mom or someone probably told you, 'don't ride your bike on the road in the city, you'll have a wreck and die.' well, i'm here to say that yes, you could get in a wreck on a bike, theoretically, just like you could if you were driving a car instead. sure, it happens, but i am living proof that the dying part is not mandatory. in fact, if you ride safely and legally—and know what to do just in case something does happen—you'll probably be just fine."

yup, exactly that

Depending on how things go up to that time, I'd be happy to participate as well.

+1 from me

Ah, Stu said my good name was being abused over here.

I have some thoughts - I'll check in later, but right now I'm going for a ride.

UPDATE: I just submitted the event request form. Unfortunately, due to the timing of meetings and a bunch of stupid rules, this event won't be able to have funding. No worries though, it has now become a potluck.

Here is the tentative list of topics to be covered:

* how to properly lock a bike -- QR VS. bolt-on, u-locks VS. cables, etc.

* winter riding -- gear, safety, etc.

* traffic laws and general etiquette (salty)

* how to carry things (Pearmask)

* Mechanical issues: "fix a flat" demo, rubbing brake pads, improper shifting, other common problems.

* life without a car (RubberFactory)

Followed by a leisurely ride around the area.

Is anyone on here a mechanic OR super comfortable demonstrating a flat fix and discussing the issues listed above?

I was just wondering: Is there any way I might be able to do my thing early? I usually work ridiculously early on Saturdays and might need to get to bed Friday by 8 or 9ish.

Sure,maybe you could go first.

Although...I was thinking of organizing it in "booths" or areas of discussion for each, instead of a speaker. That way students could paroose as they pleased. Sortof like a bicycle fair. But if you need to leave early that's no big deal.

I could also talk about life without a car pretty well.

have you contacted all the bike shops close to the universities yet? I would imagine one or more of them would be happy to send over a bike mechanic to do demos or maybe even do bike checks on site for the opportunity to promote their shop to all these potential customers.

Hey all,

There has been some problem with the funding. I wasn't able to get any because of timing, and now they are saying that I can't have an event without purchasing things from the university -_-

Unfortunately this event will NOT be happening in September. I'm planning on applying for funding when the school year starts and setting a date for the spring. I'll keep you all posted once I get a new date. Thanks again for your enthusiasm and support!

How much money do you need? You could always organize it off campus, say at Pro Bikes. (they have a good lecture space)

^ +1

Or even somewhere in a park (Schenly?) or trail so people could demonstrate different stuff right away.

What about that little parklet by Forbes/5Av/Oakland? Or over by the merry-go-round or Carnegie Library? Do you need a permit or anything for that?

I'm thinking that if you were in a public space with an 8-foot table, a work stand, and a couple of people who can man the table, that you could do *something* to get started.

It's an opportunity looking for the right people to present it, and you have willing help right here. I wouldn't let the Fall term fly past without some attempt at making a go of it. If Pitt itself does not want to be cooperative, that's not a veto of the idea. They just happen to have control over a lot of space, and tend to be officious when it comes to good ideas.

*standard disclaimer about invoking readings of Vogon poetry when dealing with Pitt officials*

Substitute Pitt with Chatham and +1.

These are great ideas! I was a little trapped in the idea of having it in a "college" space because it's an event for college students.

I've never been to Pro Bikes, but I think I'll give them a call, and also look into Schenley and Frick.

Thanks guys!

Note: Iron City Bikes doesn't have a lot of space, but you could spit from the shop onto the Pitt campus.

Update: Schenley and Frick cost a decent amount of money to rent out for the day. Called Pro Bikes and they never returned my call. This is starting to get frustrating.

The first funding meeting is in the first week or so of classes, so perhaps I can get funding for an event in the spring, right when the weather turns warm. -_-

Don't get frustrated, this is such a worthwhile project! Move on. I didn't read back thru the whole thread, but have you tried contacting Trek of Pgh? They are probably the closest shop to Chatham, and I've heard good things about them.

Is it a question of a place to put on the event? If that's the only hold-up, people on the message board can certainly supply any necessary knowledge. Put something on in a picnic shelter in Mellon Park or something. You could even do something right in a parking lot on campus. Push on.

In the meantime, I can't speak for the Flock of Cycles group, but I'm assuming there will be a September Flock ride. If so, spread the word on campus and actively let everyone know that anyone is invited to these rides. It would be cool to see a whole Chatham contingent show up. There's always a standing-around time before the ride leaves that would be perfect for newbies to hang out and ask questions of oldies (?). I would be happy to wear a tag or something saying "ask me anything".

http://flockofcycles.org/ or

https://www.facebook.com/flockofcycles?ref=ts

Are there rooms availible in the local libraries?

How big an event is it going to be again? If it's not going to be a huge event, we'd be happy to try to work something out at The Big Idea (I'm one of the co-owners). send an email the events inbox (email is listed on the website) for details.

I find it hard to believe that the University (with it's sustainability program and all) would not fully support an effort like this by allowing an student group to use a space to meet. After all, Chatham is one of the few places around that supports the tax rebate program for bicycle commuters. I do not recall who the main person is for that, but they should be able to help you.

First, I am so irritated with university bureaucracies ( I teach in one, so have a fair amount of experience with this), and especially, as Helen S pointed out, Chatham seems to be a university striving to make a name for itself as "the" green university in the region. You have a Bike Collective, but no power to actually reach out to the population the university actually serves. Hmmm...this sounds like a great newspaper article: "Chatham University: Supports a tax rebate for riding your bike to work, but won't support students learning how to fix a flat."

I'm thinking more on this one. And, in the future, I'd be willing to show people how to fix a flat. You might also consider this resource for bike safety, etc.

http://cyclingsavvy.org

they have some great animations as well

http://commuteorlando.com/wordpress/animations/

littleyellow,

I just sent you a PM with contact info for the person to talk to at Pro Bikes. Give him a call, and hopefully you'll have better luck.

Littleyellow, I sent you a PM. Let me know if you didn't get it, since PMs are so unreliable

For PM's look at your outbox - if the "T0: " section is blank, it didn't go through.

Yeah, it looks like it went through.

looks like i posted above without having all of the information. it's so easy to get irritated with bureaucracies, and assume that they are all alike (and, i teach about bureaucracies--i should know better). anyway, thinking further on all of this, and getting more information--from numerous people at chatham, for example--i'm rescinding my earlier statement about chatham's lack of support. from what i understand about chatham and its various bicycle-oriented programs, there's much more to all of this, and much support for programming and outreach.

little yellow, i certainly wish you luck in getting a workshop together, and hope that your conversations with people at chatham are helpful and enlightening so that such a workshop does indeed happen.

This is a great idea - makes a huge difference to get students in a great biking habit at the beginning! I'd like to add to the carrying-stuff discussion: Panniers are pretty expensive, more than a lot of students can afford. A rack plus a crate is *much* cheaper, and holds the same amount. Rack about $35-$40, plastic crate from Target about $4, and 4 zipties about 30 cents. Another advantage to a crate is that a backpack, lunch, and other stuff can be easily carried - no need for 1 or 2 hard-to-carry panniers, in addition. I know some panniers can turn into backpacks, but those are expensive, too. So, I'd highly recommend discussing the option of the rack+crate. Affordability makes a big difference for people riding.

I think Mike Boyd is the person helen s was referring to, have you talked to him? Is he not able to help?

http://triblive.com/home/1999504-74/university-bike-boyd-music-wilkins-bicycle-chatham-college-composition-education

Than you, Salty. Despite his help, I still have not gotten the Carnegie Museums HR people to be receptive to the commuter credit for cyclists.

Hey, littleyellow, did you ever get my

PM? I'd love to talk to you about the idea of collaborating with Flock of Cycles. You can just email me at skp27 @ [insert first four letters of this city's name here] .edu if you want

Thanks for suggesting me as a contact. Our sustainability coordinator and I have been in touch with Robin about space on campus for this event or others like it. Our on-campus bike shop moved locations this summer into a larger space. It has a great area for teaching that will be nice for educational events like this.

OK sorry for this delay. My hard drive crashed right before classes started at the most inconvenient possible time, but everything is back up and running again!

Good news -- WE HAVE SECURED A LOCATION! Chatham University has a space specifically for bike-related events that we can use (who knew?) It's called the Bike Works space.

I'm about to PM everyone who offered to volunteer and talk details!

I did not get a PM!

Sending you one now, Chris.

PMs are pretty spotty. You might want to follow up in this thread or via email.

Everything is in motion. We have volunteers, a space, posters, and maybe even food! Amazing!

Thanks everyone for your help and support. If you know any college students, please let them know that the event will take place this Friday, Sept 7, at 7 PM in the Chatham Bike Works space, in the alley next to student health. Hopefully it'll be fun!

Cool! Is there a Facebook event or anything like that that we should share?

That's awesome. I told you to press on. Also just in time to let everyone know that this is on, a great way to acclimatize to the 'burgh! https://www.facebook.com/events/116816125132781/

littleyellow,

I hope this was a success. How many people turned out?

Unfortunately littleyellow was sick and had to miss her own event. Otherwise, I'd say it was a success, there were probably 15 people there, many of them pretty new to cycling. We covered a variety of topics - riding safely, using the bus racks, lights and equipment, locking properly, general maintenance stuff, and LoriF did a demo of changing a flat.