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Straight-up list of Pittsburgh idiot cyclists

I ride from East Lib to Downtown everyday and I see plenty of cyclists who are begging to be murdered. I don't know their names but they have annoyed me to no end and caused problems for everyone. Here is an ongoing list.


1) Smug bearded little baby dude who rides from Lawrenceville (most likely) down Penn wearing one of those military ballcaps to the corner of Penn and 7th before turning right at Tambellini's. No helmet, no lights, WEARING HEADPHONES. Rides right up to cars and slaps them (saw him do this at Penn and 11th when HE cut the car off) and then turns the corner leaving every driver pissed at the other cyclists in the share lane.


Feel free to add your own to the list.


stevea
2009-10-23 14:40:28

it never ceases to amaze me when people ride with headphones. i mean you can get loud little speakers for your ipod now, then you can sound badass when you roll past people and still hear what's going on around you


erok
2009-10-23 14:46:09

i can't say that there is one particular person, but i've been seeing more salmon on the birmingham bridge bike lanes as of late


erok
2009-10-23 14:47:02

No-one in particular, but I've almost crashed into people at Smithfield and the Blvd several times recently. Usual pattern is, they're coming off the sidewalk on Smithfield at the corner; they pause for a moment, see no cars coming, and roll out through the red right in front of me as I'm coming up the Blvd with the green.


It's one thing to roll the red when no-one's coming...debatable, but no harm no foul. Doing it when someone IS coming? Dumb.


reddan
2009-10-23 15:08:16

i was just having a conversation last night about bike on bike crashes, and how they seem more frequent. i guess that's both a good sign and a bad one. more people riding, but more novices too.


erok
2009-10-23 15:12:10

The guy I saw weave back and forth through cars on Murray and then cut in front of a bus turning left onto Forbes. No helmet, dark clothes, he probably made 10 cars and a bus driver angry at all cyclists.


it never ceases to amaze me when people ride with headphones


Last night, coming home up the back side of the golf course in Schenley Park (E. Circuit rd) I heard parked car start their engine so I moved out to the left a little. As I passed the car I noticed that the driver was wearing headphones. And I'm not talking little ear buds, but a big honking pair of on-the-ear headphones. I think they might have been those Bose or Sony noise cancelling headphones. I didn't hang around to see if she would start texting as she drove....


jeffinpgh
2009-10-23 15:38:29

- crazy headphone guy on the south side trail who

once told me he would shove my camera up my f ing a..


steevo
2009-10-23 17:24:55

Long, curly haired guy that works at 21st street coffee.


Maybe it's not fair to put you on this list, you seem competent enough. But, your NYC style fixie antics of weaving between traffic, riding against traffic on 2-way streets like Negley to avoid the ELB light and cutting off other bikers as you turn left onto Birmingham Br from 5th is exactly what unsettles drivers and make them want to cream us at any chance they get.


dmtroyer
2009-10-23 17:26:44

10:15 p.m., Cranberry Township, southbound US19, there's a cyclist I've seen on several occasions who has no light, no reflector, no bright clothing, and no helmet. Not sure if the guy has no money or no brains, but on a road like that, that's inviting big trouble.


There are several like that in the city, too, but I'm not on enough of a schedule to recognize repeat individuals.


stuinmccandless
2009-10-23 17:53:41

Does anyone else feel like it's only a matter of time before one member of the board unknowingly calls out another member of the board, and this thread turns into a flame war?


bjanaszek
2009-10-23 18:19:00

Straight up my name is Steve Anderson and I think most of the idiot bike-riders I see on the road with me ride like fucking assholes and it makes me ashamed to be lumped in with them and if any of them have a problem with it they can ride with me down from South St. Clair to Friendship, Liberty, and Penn to Stanwix between 7:40 and 8:15 AM and call me an asshole but for real for real y'all are fucking DORKS and I hope you are hit and killed by cars so that attractive girls on bikes learn from your shitty example and buy helmets.


FUCK Y'ALL


stevea
2009-10-23 18:27:37

PS: dude i originally posted about rides like an 8-year old girl and gets pissed when you pass him and rides his HARDEST to overtake you then turns off the road. he has shriveled genitals and is jealous of anyone who can get an erection.


stevea
2009-10-23 18:29:00

I only get annoyed at people who wear the one blinky hanging off their bag and nothing else.


rsprake
2009-10-23 18:47:47

Welcome to the board Steve Anderson. Hope to see you making more contributions to the board like this. It's been boring lately, your wit and humor will be appreciated.


eric
2009-10-23 19:05:58

No blinkies at night or only one weak rear blinky are a pet peave of mine(along with helmets, but we have already had that discussion multiple times and that has less impact on others than blinkies). That an blatant light runners, I dont mean slow down and go if its clear, I mean full speed, who cares if anyone is coming, red light runners..


Basically people who are unsafe, and in being unsafe impact my safety.


netviln
2009-10-23 19:06:06

There's a woman whom I often see on Smallman Street when I'm headed home. She consistently blows through stop signs. More than once, I've seen her cut off a car that was rolling into the intersection after properly stopping. There's a lot of buildings close to the road there, so cars (and bikes, for that matter) that are turning don't always have much of a view of the road, and must rely on everyone obeying the stop signs.


Impressively, one time she cut me off when I was on my bike, coming up from Railroad Street.


In Shadyside, where I live, there's a teeming mass of cluebags who ride at night with no visibility. I don't know if this is the same group that arbitrarily leaves the road and starts riding on the sidewalk or vice-versa with no warnings to pedestrians, other cyclists, or drivers, but we have plenty of them, too.


jz
2009-10-23 19:11:36

wow someone needs to work out some issues...


cburch
2009-10-23 19:17:30

harsh vibes from colin. guess he told me!


stevea
2009-10-23 19:24:35

Does anyone else feel like it's only a matter of time before one member of the board unknowingly calls out another member of the board, and this thread turns into a flame war?


I just FIGURED someone would call me out sooner or later!


All of us could seriously overwhelm the other posts on thei board if we tried to list the all dumb and/or obnoxious things we've done on a bike.


There's the trifecta : Unsafe, obnoxious, AND illegal! Most of us have done a hat trick. Some quite regularly, I'm sure.


(But not me. No. Never. That must have been that guy that looks like me and rides a bike just like mine. Really. Would I lie to you?)


Mick


mick
2009-10-23 19:28:42

wow someone needs to work out some issues...


I'd say not just issues, but entire subscriptions...


reddan
2009-10-23 19:29:07

PS, I ride with one earbud headphone in the right ear. I listen to podcasts.


rsprake
2009-10-23 19:31:53

I used to ride at night all the time with no lights and didn't give it a second thought. If you would have asked me about it I probably would have said "isn't that what reflectors are for?" Pure ignorance, no malice... I think education is the main problem. Not sure how bashing other cyclists on a bike advocacy message board really helps.


salty
2009-10-23 19:35:36

i own a helmet which i wear every time i get on my bike in addition to lights and i attempt to ride somewhat responsibly so that i don't get fucking killed. but i guess being able to reason out why these things might be a good idea means i'm an elitist.


stevea
2009-10-23 19:48:23

I agree with salty that it is more probable that most of the people we are complaining about are ignorant. Most people dont know that it is state law that you have to have a headlight at night. I agree that education(plug for commuting 101 pamphlet) is the answer and especially places like the universities should take opportunities to educate their students as much as possible.


I also realize that there are people that know better but do what they do anyway. It does annoy me, but I try to not let it get to me.


Speaking of the commuting 101 pamphlet and the universities, has anyone approached them to maybe try to include the pamphlet in the student welcome packets or anything?


netviln
2009-10-23 19:56:36

SteveA, some of the things you posted in this thread are too aggressive for the usually friendly/helpful nature of this message board. I usually just ignore people like you, but c'mon dude.


I'm especially not down with you saying that you hope non-bike helmet riders get killed so that attractive girls start wearing helmets.


I don't intend to argue with you about anything in particular.. I just wanted to semi-publicly let you know that some things you said are problematic.


rachel_ding
2009-10-23 21:28:55

Yeah. Chill.


alankhg
2009-10-23 21:38:01

steve k. is an idiot.


mattwatson
2009-10-23 22:47:25

I'm a little frustrated with the amount of riding on the wrong side of the road that I've seen lately.


greenbike
2009-10-23 23:32:33

I'm waiting until I end up on this list.


bradq
2009-10-23 23:54:21

there's a lot of idiots in the world, some of them ride bikes - BradQ


erok
2009-10-24 00:29:02

Steve A: it doesn't matter how many hipsters on bikes get killed by cars, girls will never like you. I promise.


I live near your bike route. Maybe some morning we can get together over coffee and scones and explore your anger issues together.


kramhorse
2009-10-24 05:08:55

"Steve A: it doesn't matter how many hipsters on bikes get killed by cars, girls will never like you. I promise."


I take a more Darwinian approach. I don't care if girls ever like Steve, but it's good that they will not have a chance to let the other dorks reproduce.


Of course, my hypocrisy alarm just went of, as I've had occasion to do some awfully stupid stuff in my life. I try to do better now, but still don't always succeed. Fortunately I haven't killed anyone on my bike or in my car as far as I know. And I've already got a kid, so it's too late for Darwin...


jkoutrouba
2009-10-24 14:19:37

rsprake wrote: PS, I ride with one earbud headphone in the right ear. I listen to podcasts.


I do the exact same thing!


I was scanning the list to see if someone called me out, but nobody has, yet. At least two times on Liberty Avenue this week, I've been waiting at red lights and seen other cyclists go right ahead. Once it was someone who looked like a "utility" biker, but today at Millvale Avenue it was two guys in spandex. I'm sure they think I'm crazy for waiting, but they kind of annoyed me, to say nothing of car drivers also waiting there.


ieverhart
2009-10-24 20:30:19

oh oh oh... someone go to oakland today at 7:01pm and make a list!


imakwik1
2009-10-24 22:09:35

Bicycle rules are quite different than motor vehicles.I've often biked or walked across an intersection with a red light.Pedestrians can carefully and legally cross an intersection on a red light.The same rules apply to bicyclists as with pedestrians, and not cars.


lenny
2009-10-25 02:04:49

Can a pedestrian legally cross against a red light or "don't walk" signal? Reading the state law it looks like it's up to the local gov't, but I can't find Pittsburgh's pedestrian ordinances, anyone have a link?


http://www.dot.state.pa.us/Pedestrian/web/laws.htm


salty
2009-10-25 14:30:57

lol steve, are you trying to get bant from yet another message board?


Some little jerk off stole yet another front light off my bike. Almost always take them off but the three times I forgot in garfield they got pinched each time. So, last night, I was the hipster in all black with no lights riding to the southside and back @ 2am. Fucking terrifying.


spakbros
2009-10-25 18:58:38

i usually carry a headlamp around in my bag too. it's proved convenient for times when i lost a light, or forgot it. just strap that sucker around your arm, and you're good to go.


i kinda like it in a weird way, because i find myself actually pointing it at drivers to make sure they see me.


erok
2009-10-25 19:03:03

I'm with Rachel.


Bicycle rules are quite different than motor vehicles.I've often biked or walked across an intersection with a red light.Pedestrians can carefully and legally cross an intersection on a red light.The same rules apply to bicyclists as with pedestrians, and not cars.


I am not positive, but I am pretty sure that is not true.


I also carry a spare set of lights (little Knog knock-offs). I usually end up giving them to people that don't have lights, which is why I opt for cheap ones.


ndromb
2009-10-25 21:08:21

Pedestrians can carefully and legally cross an intersection on a red light.The same rules apply to bicyclists as with pedestrians, and not cars.


I also believe this is not correct. Especially the bit about the same rules applying to bicyclists as pedestrians, unless my understanding of the PA Vehicle Code is very, very off-base.


reddan
2009-10-26 12:10:20

SteveA, you're mostly preaching to the choir here.


@whoever said "If you would have asked me about it I probably would have said "isn't that what reflectors are for?" -- at least you HAD reflectors.


Erok, I'm going to be supremely pissed if I wind up hospitalized by an idiot cyclist who refuses to follow rules. The whole "facilities vs. education" debate sidesteps the point that rules, and education about those rules, are just as important for bike facilities as for ordinary shared roads. I think any "safety in numbers" argument is flawed if it doesn't accurately count bike/bike and bike/ped accidents.


lyle
2009-10-26 21:03:25

did i say otherwise?


erok
2009-10-26 23:12:18

this isn't pittsburgh, but i thought it worked in this thread. this is in philly.


Pedestrian Andre Steed passed away Saturday morning as a result of the injuries sustained in the hit and run with a bicyclist on October 15th.


Andre was a Paralegal for the law firm of Caesar, Rivise, Bernstein, Cohen & Pokotilow, Ltd. They are offering a reward of $10,000 for information that leads to the identification, arrest and conviction of the individual that struck and killed Andre...The cyclist has been described by witnesses as a white male, about 5'9" tall, 140 pounds, in his late teens or early twenties, wearing a white hoodie with red spots in the background and riding a white mountain bike.


http://blog.bicyclecoalition.org/2009/10/andre-steed-dies-reward-for-hit-and-run.html


erok
2009-10-26 23:29:05

I got a nice deep cut on my finger from some guy riding the wrong way down the street with no lights who ran into me during the G20. He is a jagbag.


However, guys like that pose a lot less danger to me than some idiot with potential kilonewtons at their disposal, so my concern lies primarily with motorists.


alankhg
2009-10-26 23:36:16

"did I say otherwise?"


Never. I was just taking off from your comment about more bike/bike accidents.


lyle
2009-10-27 04:02:50

I agree with reddan. If you are walking your bike then you are a pedestrian, but otherwise you are a vehicle and have to treat traffic signals the same way you would in a car.


There is a red light exception, that is not in the PA bike laws, but may be elsewhere in the code and certainly has legal precedent behind it. Cycling lawyer Bob Mionske once wrote in Velonews about red lights that refuse to change. Sometimes there's not enough metal in your bike to trip the loop detector in the pavement and cause the light to change. In that case you are legally allowed to run the light after making sure there is no traffic coming etc., just as you might in a car if the light didn't change after a couple of minutes and there wasn't any other traffic. From your perspective it is a malfunctioning traffic signal because it is keeping you from continuing legally.


jeffinpgh
2009-10-27 12:22:48

i was talking to some kids in nyc like 3 years ago who said for a while they were charging bikers with crazy fines for running redlights for a little bit so they were hopping off their bikes, running the redlights by foot, and hopping back on around cops, hoping for jaywalking tickets instead. insanity.


imakwik1
2009-10-27 13:56:19

This morning, I was driving to work. I was coming down Neville towards Fifth. The lights at fifth were all red, so I was just coasting, with my foot hovering over the brake pedal. Not going very fast. Guy on a bike on my right, just a couple of yards ahead of my car. He's also coasting up to the light- not cranking at all.


Suddenly, with no signalling whatsoever, he makes a left in front of me, going all the way over to the far corner.


Lucky for both of us, my foot was over the brake already, and I was watching out.


Last night, I was walking my dog down Elmer Street. I was on the sidewalk, as was the dog. Suddenly, a guy on a new-looking Trek comes flying around the (blind) building corner, on the sidewalk, and almost takes out both me and the dog.


Grn.


jz
2009-10-27 15:42:58

I was thanked by a cop for stopping at the Millvale/Liberty red light last night. "Most of you guys just blow through" he said. I dunno.... most cyclists that I see DO stop or at least creep slowly. Why do motorists & some cops have the misconception that everyone is blowing through red lights?


quizbot
2009-10-29 16:16:14

Why do motorists & some cops have the misconception that everyone is blowing through red lights?


Maybe because those who do are more noticeable? A cyclist stopped at a light, next to a car or bus or something, doesn't catch the eye nearly as well as the cyclist who is the only thing moving across the flow of traffic...


reddan
2009-10-29 16:32:58

quizbot: I was thanked by a cop ...


Meta-messages.

Cop-to-self: "Oh, a citizen," instead of "WTF?"


And then, maybe a positive realization of "Hey! I can talk to these guys!" The interaction of traffic cops with their clientele could get discouraging, I'm guessing.


mick
2009-10-29 17:40:01

Maybe because those who do are more noticeable? A cyclist stopped at a light, next to a car or bus or something, doesn't catch the eye nearly as well as the cyclist who is the only thing moving across the flow of traffic...


I think that is the case and I think the reverse is true as well. We remember the driver who pushed us over into the curb (happened to me at 5th and Neville), but not the other 100 cars that were just there.


I know I always endeavor, whether driving or cycling, to be visible but not memorable.


myddrin
2009-10-29 17:51:27

Yesterday. I was in car going down Liberty to Heron

and Liberty intersection.

Truck is turning left in left lane. I go in right

lane to pass and continue inbound.


Helmetless dude wearing headphones blows the light

coming down Heron, makes a left onto liberty nearly

crashing into me. He didnt see the car cause the

truck was blocking it (try to visualize)....


I honk. He flips me off. I have a "i share the

road with cyclists" bumper sticker and visualize

myself getting out to explain how dumb this kid

is and see the escalation that would ensue.


Douche bag.


steevo
2009-10-29 21:30:03

yer like "DUDE, I was on the Critical Mass that went on the Boulevard of the Frickin' ALLIES!!"


sorry, inside joke that maybe only steevo will get.


erok
2009-10-29 22:03:42

I think that is the case and I think the reverse is true as well. We remember the driver who pushed us over into the curb (happened to me at 5th and Neville), but not the other 100 cars that were just there.


I do think I will remember that woman whose car was just there - as she tried to pull on her panyhose before the light changed.


Mick


mick
2009-10-29 22:42:56
Time to pull out this oldie but goodie. We've seen a lot of stupidity on two wheels. Time to call people out.
stuinmccandless
2015-08-04 10:41:23
Thanks, @Stu!
jonawebb
2015-08-04 10:54:51
Random middle aged guy on a BSO riding on the white line between the left and center lanes on forbes ave against heavy traffic. Caused lots of swerves by drivers. I think he turned off the street after a few blocks. Another random middle aged guy wearing a helmet and a backpack riding down bigelow @ bayard street intersection against opposing traffic. I yelled "wrong lane dude" and he just gave me a hand wave and dismissed me. He was mostly hugging the edge of the road on the wrong side of the street, traffic was light.
benzo
2015-08-04 11:10:57
Older lady on East End Ave late morning today riding the wrong way coming straight at me. She says, "hello." I say firmly but politely, "You're riding on the wrong side of the street." We avoid crashing. Look behind me, she has not moved to the other side, but now she is riding straight towards an oncoming car...
scott
2015-08-04 13:15:16
This morning was unusual for having two middle aged cyclists on Darlington coming the wrong way at me on the bike train between Wightman and Murray. I was occupying the center, as I generally do there, and they were a bit indecisive about which side of me they wanted to be on, settling for my right, which seemed even more wrong, but who knows, maybe their plan was turn turn south on Wightman the wrong way up the bike lane? I'll also put myself on the list now for some rather self serving... what me, respect a no turn on red when there's nobody coming? and, and now I'm a car, now I'm a pedestrian, haha! maneuvers on the way back from camp drop-offs.
byogman
2015-08-04 13:50:41
Two teenaged boys scared the crap out of me yesterday. At 5:30 or so, as the evening commute started to wind down, they rode up Center Avenue from Washington Place (in front of Consol Energy) on the sidewalk. Mid block, without looking, they cross the eastbound lanes of Center Avenue, then proceed to ride the small concrete median for a short distance before crossing to the opposite sidewalk and continuing uphill. Each crossing between sidewalk and median (and opposite sidewalk) was a diagonal move, and required them to interact with at least one motor vehicle. Two midblock crossings, riding (and entering traffic from) the center median) and sidewalk riding on both sides of the street. Sort of a trifecta of bad moves.
swalfoort
2015-08-05 09:55:41
Here's what I see weekends in Squirrel Hill that bothers me: 1. Folks riding on sidewalks. You belong in the street, riding with traffic. For kids, I can understand it. But you're not a kid. 2. Folks riding against traffic. Ride with traffic. 3. Folks experimenting with other options than just riding with traffic. Such as on Forbes near Schenley Drive last week, some guy starts out on the right side, crosses to the left, then toodles along against the left hand curb. Yes, riding with traffic is scary. But don't make up your own rules. Basically, there are a lot a lot of inexperienced folks out there who are afraid to plunge in and run with the bulls, as Scott B. put it. But there's really no better way to ride. And we need more cycling classes, and publicity. Maybe some open-entry short informal classes on weekends in areas where people ride a lot?
jonawebb
2015-08-05 10:10:50
So I'm seeing some convergence here; My earlier concern about bicyclists possibly using the uphill bike lane on 40th as a (speedy) downhill, byogman's encounter with the doofuses going the wrong way on Darlington, and the 69 year old bicyclist dying from a collision going the wrong way, in the "Out of Town news" thread. There's a theme. I have thoughts to elaborate on Jonawebb's comment that I need to sort more effectively, as well.
edmonds59
2015-08-05 10:48:37
Well, that didn't take long. The first time I mount the camera after reviving this thread, I almost get taken out by a stupid cyclist, and got the whole thing on video. As I say in the video: Published on Aug 5, 2015 "6th Ave at Wood St, Pittsburgh. I'm on a bike and stop for a red, actually getting stuck in the crosswalk rather than run the red. I wait out the red while a bus and a truck turn on their green. I get the green, start to move, and almost get hit by cyclist crossing on the red from the sidewalk. He then turns to either salmon up the street into a bus, or jump on a different crowded sidewalk." We could also talk about the first cyclist, in the orange shirt, whose running the red caused the motorist in front of me to have to wait, which caused me to miss the light, and set up that interaction in the first place, but at least he was kindasorta doing the right thing by riding in the street in the proper direction. In other news, look closely at the bus. The headsign reads "Training bus" and the female driver has a white shirt on. That means student driver. So, they're hiring and training new drivers. That generally is a good thing.
stuinmccandless
2015-08-05 11:01:39
I was going up Atwood towards BAtes. The light was red and if i hurried, I would catch it when it turned gren.. Suddenly, silently a bike came out of Cable place. No stop or even slow for the sign. Looking at his misnamed "smart" phone. Just gliding along. I tried to pass him on his right, but he drifted right. I tried to pass him on the left and he drifted left. Suddenly he looked up and realized that if he didn't rush, he's wouldn't make the light. With a flick of the wrist -evidently he had an electric assist - he accellerated rapidly and made it through the light as it turned red. I was stuck at the light, cursing his sorry hipster ass. I'm not sure that I will like electric bikes. This happened last week.
mick
2015-08-05 11:46:07
So to complete my thought that was seeded by jonawebb's comment re: inexperienced bicyclists, It is my opinion that we do not need or want specialized classes for bicyclists, any more than we need specialized classes for pedestrians, and I need to explain that fully for it to make complete sense. The vast majority of bicyclists are also drivers, and all bicyclists and drivers are at some point pedestrians. We have bad cycling behavior because we have the shittiest possible, nearly nonexistent, approach to DRIVER education. Formal driver education isn't even a requirement to obtaining a license to operate a vehicle, at least in PA. You can read a pamphlet, if that, go take an absurdly inadequate test, and if you get lucky and get questions you happen to know, you are licensed to operate any 4,000 lb. 200 horsepower weapon of your choosing. If you happen to fail the test, you can re-take it as many times as you want at no detriment. The privilege of driving is assumed to be trivial and virtually automatic. Insane. You would think in a society as obsessed with movement and transportation as ours is, we would have a uniform, comprehensive, and mandatory TRANSPORTATION education system. Cyclists should know all the laws applicable to drivers, and vice versa, as pedestrians you get that knowledge for free. Rational countries with low vehicular death rates, and higher cycling rates, have far tougher licensing standards. The NL has cycling classes as part of ELEMENTARY school curriculum. Per the status quo, any rational alien observing from space would have to come to the conclusion that we are all actually encouraged to kill each other. http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/science/2015/08/car_crashes_kill_too_many_people_public_transit_walking_and_biking_could.html
edmonds59
2015-08-05 12:35:01
I disagree. I've been biking most of my life and learned things by reading Forester's "Effective Cycling" recently. There's a lot to know about how to deal with traffic, how you can to some extent control what happens around you, what to watch out for, etc., which can be taught in a class. And I'd really like people who haven't cycled since they were children to be told by someone they respect to ride on the right side of the street.
jonawebb
2015-08-05 12:44:37
In our current system, you are right. But I'm saying that moving through the public realm needs to be taught to every person from an early age, and as a continuum - you aren't taught to cycle as a child and then stop, then pick it up again when you reach driving age. It needs to be an escalating level of training as you operate more difficult and dangerous machinery, in relationship to the vehicle's threat to others. And before you move up a grade, you need to understand the characteristics of the levels prior to that. That's the hierarchical system the Dutch in particular have established.
edmonds59
2015-08-05 13:08:28
It would be nice if the news media would comment on the correct/incorrect actions involved in crashes instead of all the drivel that usually accompanies their stores. Case in point: the 16 year old that was hit earlier this week. Instead of running quotes from the kids friend who showed up after the accident, and therefore had minimal info to contribute; how about commenting that bikes are fully allowed to use the roadway, but that all vehicles (including bikes) are required to stop at stop signs and red lights. And then state that all vehicles are required to stop if involved in a crash (especially involving injury!) regardless of who is at fault. And state the possible legal consequences of not following said laws.
marko82
2015-08-05 13:12:17
If the media stated the actual legal consequences of hitting bicyclists, people would be a lot less fearful of hitting cyclists. (/snark/)
edmonds59
2015-08-05 13:22:23
this morning, just after i got done making a 'what the hell' gesture at a Family Dollar truck that very nearly rolled through the light at Butler & 46th without slowing, a Green Gears/La Prima delivery bike passed several drivers and rolled through going the other direction without a pause....
epanastrophe
2015-08-05 13:42:02
@buffalo, on Monday evening, I was stopped at a red light on Penn and 9th, and a pedicab came around me and blew through the red, merely slowing down to check if the coast was clear. It has been my experience that this is fairly habitual, so I usually assume that it's going to happen
chrishent
2015-08-05 15:31:06
I got one! Wanted to post it a while back but wasn't going to start a thread for it. About two weeks ago I am doing a after work ride on my city hybrid bike. I get on the jail trail and this douche on a road bike and head to toe in spandex is tailgating me by inches. I never been tailed that close. Dude would not pass. If I slowed down he just kept tailing. Don't know what his deal was. I don't do grand fondos cause I like to ride alone with space. Don't tailgate me with a car or a bike.
shooflypie
2015-08-05 18:39:21
"Instead of running quotes from the kids friend who showed up after the accident, and therefore had minimal info to contribute" Hey, thanks Marko82, that was me! It would be correct I wasn't an eyewitness, but I was on the scene before any of the paramedics and gathered statements from witnesses. I made it clear to all reporters that I talked to that I wasn't an eyewitness, so do not go on my statements alone. I was merely trying to catch the guy who did it.
jason-pgh
2015-08-06 12:00:41
@ShooFly, He was probably "drafting" you which I have had someone do to me on the EFT; the guy actually told me that was what he was doing when he saw my startled reaction to a person 2 inches behind me w/o warning. It is indeed stupid especially when the person you are doing it to is unaware.
mjacobpgh
2015-08-06 12:19:46
I had a guy drafting me pretty close maybe a year ago or so. Saw him when doing what I thought was a pro-forma check backward passing a couple joggers and was a bit irritated. When he stuck on I shouted back, hey, if you're going to draft me, you need to ask... and take a turn at the front at some point. He apologized and said he couldn't hold that pace into a headwind. That was enough of a compliment for me to say, ok, and let it, and him, slide the rest of the way along the EFT. He seemed appreciative. As with just about everything else, it's just about being considerate and clear about what you're doing.
byogman
2015-08-06 12:44:58
A couple years ago, a guy posted here who drafted people without asking on EFT. Sometimes they would shake him by stopping or something, but when they got going again, he'd be back. The drafter posted here because he thought the other riders were being silly trying to get rid of him - and he was utterly astonished that folks here suggested he might ask before drafting someone. "Why would I do that? People riding at that speed know what drafting is." Got my vote for clueless (and somewhat creepy) poster of the year.
mick
2015-08-06 13:22:57
@jason, no disrespect meant for you at all. I'm glad you were able to help out another human being in need, and to help ID the car. I was just pointing out the sorry state of journalism as it is practiced both in print and TV. Not only did they not comment on the illegality of the driver not stopping after the crash, there was no follow-up reporting on how the community identified the vehicle within hours, how the kid is doing, or what charges are pending against the driver for fleeing the crash with injury. So the casual viewer is left with the impression that the kid ran the light and got what he deserved; rather than that the kid made a bad decision (and paid dearly for it) but no such criticism of the driver. I hate the way they always lead their newscast with fire-porn too. Someone just experienced the most horrific experiences they are likely to, and they stick a camera and microphone in their face. It's shameful.
marko82
2015-08-06 13:49:22
@Marko82. Sorry, I thought it was meant as an offense. I think the news didn't cover the story correctly. They did try by interviewing Scott about the safety of the intersection, but, I agree with you, they didn't even make it clear that the driver violated a serious law and the community was able to find the car within hours.
jason-pgh
2015-08-06 15:16:03
No time at the moment, but making a note to myself to relate my Allen Costantini story later.
stuinmccandless
2015-08-06 16:42:31
Happened twice to me today, in the Penn Avenue bike lane, had two bikes going side by side head on with me and barely moved out of the way until it was almost late.
jason-pgh
2015-08-06 18:09:01
Oh. That's why group riders ride so damn close. Arodynamics like geese..... But why do it to a anti-social crabby stranger who likes riding alone. He provided danger when I had to pass other trail users and would yield as I waited to pass until other cyclist coming the other way passed. What if a squirrel ran out and I had to brake all of a sudden? Had to google this for etiquette involving this. http://www.theguardian.com/environment/bike-blog/2011/aug/25/cycling-commuter-drafting-etiquette "Look," he hissed, "we're individuals, we're not in this together. We're cycling alone. Don't you get that?" Even by London's famously misanthropic standards this was strong stuff. Exactly.
shooflypie
2015-08-06 20:05:41
I get on the jail trail and this douche on a road bike and head to toe in spandex is tailgating me by inches. I never been tailed that close.
This is normal if you are on someones wheel. 12' at most. 2 foot and you are losing a lot of "energy savings". But it's considered inpolite to get on someones wheel without a warning and you can drop one from your wheel by suddenly breaking a couple of times.
mikhail
2015-08-06 22:13:03
I have other opinions regarding Cat 6 riding on mixed use trails that I won't go into here, but aside from that, it is completely contrary to the point, not to mention boneheaded, to AVOID headwinds by drafting if you're "training".
edmonds59
2015-08-07 08:27:56
Embrace the wind. Embrace the hills.
jonawebb
2015-08-07 08:33:20
I encountered a doozy of an idiot cyclist in Millvale last night. I was driving (gasp!) the family & out-of-town company into Oakland, and had the green light at the corner of Klopfer St, when a young male, 16-24, on a 20"-wheeled bike, comes flying through the red at full speed, and proceeds to salmon against a constant flow of northbound traffic, which swerves into my path to avoid him. No headlight, no helmet, dark clothing at 9 p.m.. I'll grant that he did have a reflector. He continued this all the way up to the next light. It's difficult not to think that if he had gotten mashed immediately by a northbound car at that light, he had it coming. If he keeps this up, he will.
stuinmccandless
2015-08-30 03:33:51
Ha, I've been trying to figure out how to edit video to post the close-pass I had on my commute last week - I'm stopped at a stop sign in Point Breeze and a cyclist I never saw or heard blows by me within two feet ON MY RIGHT. Not cool, dude. Not cool.
erink
2015-08-30 22:11:16
On a Saturday morning, a woman riding a Healthy Ride bike going inbound at Penn and 11th. While holding and using her phone on one hand, she slows down at the intersection, kinda checks for cars and proceeds to blow the red light, all while continuing to look at her screen. My guess is that she probably does this when she drives, as well PS: If it was anything like last year, I'm sure there was plenty of idiot cyclist behavior during this weekend's Pedal Pittsburgh. I still have a vivid memory of a mom that ran a red light at PNC Park, and of her kid, who was a half block behind her, running the red light at full speed without looking in an effort to catch up with her
chrishent
2015-08-31 05:20:56
^Half the reason I ride Pedal Pittsburgh is so I can make complete stops at stop signs and stop at red lights. :)
edmonds59
2015-08-31 14:36:14
> I’m sure there was plenty of idiot cyclist behavior during this weekend’s Pedal Pittsburgh. my particular (least) favourite was the riding marshal cheerily waving folks through stop signs, though the folks who would blast past as my riding partner and I were stopping at stop signs were also highlights...
epanastrophe
2015-08-31 20:17:50
Pack of a dozen or so spandex guys coming from Hot Metal Bridge onto South Water Street: I'm not part of your group. Don't get so close. Got passed by 2 of them a week ago, both only inches away.
jamin
2015-09-01 09:11:03
Generally, I'm fairly tolerant of how others ride, but that passing on the right in the same lane as me stuff is bush league riding, for sure, especially when I'm stopped at a light/stop sign. Had a guy do that on Ft. Pitt Blvd when I was in the right lane, he threaded between the curb and I with no warning while wearing earbuds and blowing a red.
ka_jun
2015-09-01 09:34:04
Ha! I had that happen on PBP! I was at the bottom of a hill, in a group of cyclists, riding on the right, when all of a sudden another group shows up. I start to shift further to the right to accommodate when I hear, behind me, Watch your line! Somebody was catching up to me on the right and had decided to fit herself in between me and the right side of the road. Watch you own damn line. She had to go off the road a bit into the dirt, and lost speed. Serves her right. People have to stop riding like racers, or motorists, or whatever the hell they think they're doing, when they're around cyclists they don't know, and who don't know they're there. Back off, give us some space, and pass on the left. If you find yourself on the right, call out.
jonawebb
2015-09-01 09:43:38
Who the hell passes on the right anyway? I had that happen on Beechwood yesterday, where Reynolds comes off to the left (near Fifth and Mellon Park) this guy hovers in the bike lane. I'm turning left onto Reynolds so I stop and then veer left - he turns left next to me at the right side of the lane and cuts me off on Reynolds. It wasn't scary, just annoying. But seriously, guys. Don't turn left from the right lane and don't pass me on the right!
erink
2015-09-01 10:17:00
There have been a bunch lately, so I won't list descriptions. But I can't stand anyone doing their own personal time trial on the North Shore Trail before a baseball game, at lunchtime, or on a busy weekend. If it's you, I've told you to slow down. You've called me a bitch or flipped me off. Way to be mature. Just slow down before you kill a kid, a dog, or a goose.
pinky
2015-09-01 11:42:40
Dude riding the wrong way going west on Penn Ave between 6th and Stanwix. The man was also riding with his toddler, who was on a seat mounted on the top tube. Yup.
chrishent
2015-09-04 17:48:43
I'm pretty sure I've seen this guy - he is always weaving back and forth a lot, riding in the door the door zone, etc., and then I pass him and am always shocked that there's a child on the bike. To be fair in this instance, though, the end of of the Penn bike lane is a travesty, with no signage of any kind telling bikes what to do and no paint on the street indicating where the lanes are or what direction they go. If you don't already know that Penn is two-way there, I can see how it would be confusing. Hopefully the lane gets extended very soon.
willb
2015-09-08 08:15:02
@WillB at least one car passed him going the other (correct) while he was riding next to the curb. Assuming ignorance, he should have quickly realized his mistake and, at the very least, stopped and gotten on the sidewalk. Oh well, here's hoping he wises up And that extension to Stanwix will apparently happen soon. The remaining section is scheduled for repaving starting this week. I would assume that the cycle track would come in soon after
chrishent
2015-09-08 12:40:33
I think I've encountered that man with the toddler too. He worries me. I REALLY wanted to say something to him. Perhaps "You're much safer out here in the middle of the lane with me." would be the most tactful way of letting him know he's going to to get clipped by a sideview mirror if he keeps that up? This guy?
rustyred
2015-09-08 16:50:59
@rustyred, yep, that looks like him
chrishent
2015-09-08 20:20:23
Ok. Fair is fair. I am self-reporting as an Idiot Cyclist. I was returning home from a twilight ride in near-full darkness Friday around 8:30. I was merging onto the Highland Park Bridge from Butler Street, headed northbound. At the merge, two cars coming up from Washington Boulevard reached the merge point as I did. I had a 600-lumen headlight and a crazy bright rear blink, so I should have been fairly visible. I eased up a bit to motion the two cars ahead, as I'd rather not have to ride in front of a car if I can avoid it. The first car went on ahead. I kept motioning the second car, but by now I was rolling too slow, and the car seemed determined to go behind me. I am sure there was every reason from their perspective to do so. I am sure she was trying to do the safer thing. I am sure she had a better take on the circumstance than me in that moment. But my blood was up, I became frustrated, and I flipped her off emphatically before turning and hustling across the bridge. It was stupid, dangerous and un-called for. So, to the driver of the newish, blackish, little chevy on the Highland Park Bridge, please accept my sincere apologies for my profane gesture. It was inappropriate, and I was wrong. And to the other cyclists who cross the Highland Park Bridge, please also accept my apology for casting you in a bad light by my actions. It was definitely one of those "what the f_ _ k is MY problem" moments. So, mea, culpa.
atleastmykidsloveme
2015-09-15 09:09:15
Last night a bit after 6:00 pm I was rolling along Irvine St toward Hazelwood when I "passed" a fellow riding against traffic way over on the left (without a helmet for what it is worth). I hollered out "you should be over here, that is really dangerous". He said "I know". Yikes. A bit later a really big dump truck was making a right off Mobile. I sure hope he at least got himself up onto that nasty sidewalk before he encountered the truck. (It really would be nice to get some sort of bike lane on Irvine for the next few years - I hate the traverse from Greenfield to Hazelwood Avenues)
neilmd
2015-09-15 09:38:00
I get scared, seeing riders riding counterflow in the bike lane. Encountered one the other night when it was raining while driving at the intersection of Negley Run Blvd and East Liberty Blvd. Rider had no lights, was riding toward Larimer Ave counterflow. Very dangerous move.
ka_jun
2015-09-15 10:20:57
My number 1 pet peeve "cyclist" while I am cycling or even driving is the one who rides along the door zone slow as shit on a street that still does not allow enough room for the cars behind them to pass. So you end up with piddling around going 5 MPH and leaving a long line of frustrated cars following without room to pass. Just take the lane and pedal and do at least 12-15 MPH. Going up hill I understand, but this is mostly flat or even downhill surfaces. They pedal occasionally with enough speed to obtain upright without falling over while keeping inches from the car doors the same speed of the pedestrians on the sidewalk. They feel they need to be as far over as possible along the door zone even through being passed would still be detrimental. I see this on S. Highland a lot, Murray Ave (the flat part), and yesterday a girl going downhill on Penn from Children's to the Strip. The whole way downhill she is riding inches from a door zone at 5 MPH. Cars are just following as they can't pass with cars coming up. Doesn't it occur to these people to just get in the middle of the lane and pedal consistently? That is the whole point. My monthly vitriol rant. I am sure there will be another in November.
shooflypie
2015-10-02 09:44:56
Maybe they don't want to go that fast? Or can't?
jonawebb
2015-10-02 09:46:53
Going downhill? Unless you brakes are broke. If your brakes are broke then fix them if you are going to cycle on the city streets. What is slowing down most of these type of cyclists is the fear or their understanding that they must be over against the door zone as far as possible. While riding a door zone you are going to go much slower. This isn't a rant on slow cyclists. More so on the ones who ride dangerously in a door zone for no reason.
shooflypie
2015-10-02 09:49:31
It's just that the complaint reminds me so much of drivers complaining about waiting behind slow cyclists. The cyclist is probably aware that they're slow and is trying to create space to pass by riding to the right. I think they shouldn't do that, but it's common and drivers aggressively demand it. It's easy to get intimidated, especially when you don't know about the danger of getting doored. And someone may be slow even going downhill; they could be afraid of losing control of their bike at "high" speeds. Doesn't make them an idiot.
jonawebb
2015-10-02 10:27:17
I'm with SFP here. Learn the rules, own the damn road. It's for your own safety. There's *no point* trying to squeeze right to let cars pass you, since they have to do a straddle pass to get by you anyway, even if you are nearly clipping mirrors. This is how people get hurt. Cyclist squeezes right, trying to "get out of the way". Motorist tries to squeeze past in the lane. Meanwhile, something comes up on the left (on a four-lane) or approaches oncoming (on a two-lane), nudging the motorist right, and the cyclist gets caught in the middle with no wiggle room. Again and again and again, I want to scream out, take the goddamn lane. I don't even care if you're going 4 mph. Safe is more important than fast. If that car got stuck behind a school bus or a transit bus or a truck trying to make a turn, they wouldn't even question being stopped, so to hell with them. If they're laying on the horn, they can see you and are not killing you. It says they're impatient assholes, but that's their problem.
stuinmccandless
2015-10-02 10:41:43
Shout out to the cyclists who often ride down the Penn Avenue bike lane two abreast, coming head on. Just know that I'm not moving off the road to let you go past, crash into me if you want.
jason-pgh
2015-10-02 12:10:55
it's not a rule to take the lane. It's just the best way to ride in many circumstances. Some cyclists are comfortable doing that. Others aren't. And I think that from SFP's comments he'd be even more annoyed with cyclists taking the lane at 5 mph. Other motorists definitely would. One thing I find a bit annoying about cycling is how certain we are that our way to ride is the only way to ride. Sure, you're refined it over many years. Yes, you've thought about it quite a bit. And there are books to back you up. But that doesn't make it right for everybody in all circumstances. I can totally see a slow cyclist who doesn't want to get yelled at by motorists choosing to ride to the right. It's not as safe as they think, and definitely not what I would do. But it just doesn't make them an idiot. It's just not the best way to go.
jonawebb
2015-10-02 12:22:15
This afternoon, on Carson St. 1) Filtering through traffic by switching between riding the double yellow, passing on the right, and hopping on and off the sidewalk...not my cup of tea, but whatever, not the worst thing in the world. 2) Cruising through red lights, when there's active cross traffic...not a great idea. 3) Doing all this, while holding a camera in the air above head level and staring at the viewfinder, really not so bright. 4) Nearly hitting a pedestrian at the corner of 17th and Carson, who was crossing with the light, while you're running a red against cross traffic, BECAUSE YOU WERE STARING AT YOUR CAMERA: not effing cool.
reddan
2015-10-02 16:08:24
As I was riding in to work this morning around 8:20 - 8:30, I saw 2 other riders commuting in from the west, so that was plus. Except one was a lycroid with zero viz gear, no lights whatsoever, in poor overcast light conditions, who blew several red lights on Main Street in the West End, through heavy backed up auto traffic. So if that was you or you know this individual, kudos for commuting, but get some proper riding equipment and learn to fucking ride. I'm tired of defending people like you.
edmonds59
2015-10-07 09:07:25
"with zero viz gear, no lights whatsoever" 8:30am is nearly an hour past sunrise. Most of the cars I saw on the road didn't have their lights on because they weren't necessary to see. Get over yourself.
jaysherman5000
2015-10-07 09:33:52
So you rode Noblestown Road this morning and saw what I saw? Heavy cloud cover, twilight conditions at best, along with a heavy tree canopy. And yeah, it aggravates me when cars don't put their lights on as well. No excuse.
edmonds59
2015-10-07 09:45:34
I was surprised how dark it was at 8:30. Even without tree cover in Monroeville, still too dark for sunglasses.
jonawebb
2015-10-07 09:52:01
Even with the dingy grey lighting out right now I would put my blinkies on to add extra contrast and this is at 11:15 AM. For cyclists it isn't about being able to see for yourself as much as much as making sure you are noticed by even a drunk 80+ year old with cataracts texting.
shooflypie
2015-10-07 10:14:10
@ShooFlyPie making sure you are noticed by even a drunk 80+ year old with cataracts texting This. Because isn't that how all drivers are at heart?
mick
2015-10-07 11:54:35
If you cannot be glaringly obvious in a 10 millisecond glance, you will eventually get squashed. Assume nothing. I run a blinky and a solid, front and back, all the time, and try to avoid wearing anything dark. If I have to wear dark pants, I don the bright pant-cuff straps.
stuinmccandless
2015-10-07 17:33:33
One minor detail: 80-yr olds do not text. How is it possible to type into a telephone? And why would anyone want to do that anyway? Note: in the unlikely event I ever make it to 80, I know there will be some perfectly obvious technology that everyone is using that, despite my best efforts, I will not be capable of comprehending. And apologies to all the 80yr old bikers on the board who text, maybe even while riding; I didn't mean to offend, though it's something I do quite well (the offending).
ahlir
2015-10-07 18:38:09
I suspect 80 year olds are too smart to text and they certainly don't want to waste that much time when they could simply speak to someone. Enjoy.
gg
2015-10-07 21:02:18
Catching up on this thread and have a few comments; jonawebb has it right, regarding cyclists who may not realize the danger they face in the door zones and are afraid to go fast down a hill and/or take a lane. These hills can be intimidating and let's not forget the generally poor road surfaces with bumps, cracks, and holes can easily cause an inexperienced cyclists to be overly cautious. Regarding 80 year olds and even the much-maligned 60 year olds from the suburbs, I don't think they're your problem. As a 59 and a half year old from the suburbs (the next best thing) I can say a few things. When you get to be my age, most people you see out there are younger than you are. Most of the people who drive out there, buzzing cyclists, laying on their horns, and saying things are in a younger age bracket. Us old folks generally drive slow (which is annoying as hell to the young folks), we don't text very well or much at all, and we are generally a little less excitable than the younger set. So, please, stop blaming us for all the problems you experience on the roads, or else, we'll slow drive you to death !!
fultonco
2015-10-18 19:14:00
@fultonco, as a fellow-traveller (57.8 years, exurbia) I agree that most of the folks out there doing things are younger than we are. That's because there's more younger folks than us older folks; a greater portion of our cohort are no longer with us. There's just fewer geezers, although we make up for it with ear hair. Certainly, some of the truly foolish youngsters remove themselves (ala Darwin) from the driver pool by the time their cohort hit 30 or 35. But I don't think there's any driver virtue delivered by age. I will say that most of the aggro-stupid driving I see is young white men, and most of the ranting I see is middle-aged white men.
vannever
2015-10-18 21:07:41
Yesterday, crossing 65 from Brighton Heights onto the McKees Rocks Bridge. I saw the guy turn off California Ave, and followed him down the brick approach to the 65 corner. I was back about two cars; he had one car in front of him at the light. Initially he held back a bit, staying in traffic, but then filtered forward and dashed across 65 against the red when I guess he sensed that all four directions were red. Well, they were, but if he thought he was getting a jump on traffic, he was mistaken, as northbound 65's left turn arrow went green, and he rapidly got a string of cars on his butt anyway. Even a strong cyclist isn't going to get much above 30 mph, and motor traffic wants to go 45, not 35. I think he would have been fine if he'd just stayed in line. In my opinion, just get in the lane, toodle along at 22, and give zero fucks.
stuinmccandless
2015-10-19 07:13:15
This is getting off topic and away from idiot cyclists. However; I have had many run-ins with elder folk. Majority of these cases have been them trying to over run me while taking the lane downhill at the speed limit or breaking it. One case that made me furious was last year I was going down Forbes well past 25 MPH from S. Hill to Oakland. A old timer sees me and floors it in the opposite lane with cars coming up against him. He had the ideology that I was on a bike and I had no right on his roads built by Eisenhower just for him and his auto. His move was dangerous and completely had a lack of judgement. This happened yet again early this month in Highland park. Again riding downhill over the speed limit behind the zoo in Highland park. A old timer comes up behind me and floors it. Then he gets in front of me and slams on his breaks almost causing me to go head into his car. I have had many run-ins with older people who feel that I don't have any right on the roads and make a completely lack of judgement. This could be because of their age or the fact that stupidity runs rampant at all age brackets. However, this boomer generation definitely comes from an age where the auto trumps all and bikes are considered a kid's toy. Stupidity and lack of judgement runs in all generations, but old age will take our quick judgement. This is demonstrated in a lot of horrible tragedies. Some older men need to hand in their licence. When I hit that age cars will be autonomous anyways.
shooflypie
2015-10-19 08:22:44
It's really just a perception issue. You can decide old people are acting like assholes because they think the roads were built just for cars and they've never seen a bike on the road so why start now. And the young guys are acting like assholes because they're full of testosterone and like speeding and intimidating people. And people in the middle are acting like assholes because, I don't know, they're late for work and just don't think they should have to share the road with a bike.
jonawebb
2015-10-19 08:46:42
I think a lot of scary passes from drivers are because they're afraid they'll hit a cyclist, so they try to get away from them as quickly as possible and put as much space between them as possible. That of course winds up being a dangerous approach a lot of the time. But I choose not to see malice.
emma
2015-10-19 12:12:54
I barely know what I'm thinking half the time, and often I don't understand my own motivations. I have like 1% effectiveness at guessing what other people who I've never met or spoken with are thinking.
vannever
2015-10-19 12:59:03
V, I think I'm with you today. I rode the Panther Hollow sidewalk back toward squirrel hill today. I was never a big fan of the jug-handle maneuver required from the end to get to the left on Beacon. But in retrospect, that's less sketchy now with Greenfield Rd. a destination to nowhere. Anyways, passing the crest of the road, as it started easing down approaching the light I took advantage of the absence of opposing traffic and a gap in the waves coming from Oakland to cross from sidewalk to left lane. Perhaps 5 seconds or so later the first car from a subsequent wave zooms up behind me and lays on the horn and calls me a motherf&*(cker. Of course, I had the baby seat on the back of the bike so his assumption was really quite well justified, but one wonders why it would be so worthy of comment and why he felt the need to bring it to my attention in particular.
byogman
2015-10-19 14:46:05
Mr. Pie- Just to be clear, what ages qualify one to be an old-timer, older person, or being of old age? While we are at it, when is your birthday?
helen-s
2015-10-19 20:26:21
No longer about idiot cyclists, please take it elsewhere.
jason-pgh
2015-10-19 20:32:05
@ byogman said "Of course, I had the baby seat on the back of the bike so his assumption was really quite well justified". Ha!
paulheckbert
2015-10-19 21:36:48
OK, back on topic again, me! I've become used to seeing vehicles on the EFT and didn't take particular note of the one partially blocking the closest entrance this morning. I bike into work semi-unconscious by my instincts normally carry me in just fine. Not this morning, the gate was actually closed and I gored my handlebar tape and pushed my hood a bit sideways. No other damage done, to me or the bike. But be careful, especially if you're an idiot like me.
byogman
2015-10-20 07:24:21
Almost got into a collision in the Penn Avenue bike lane yesterday. Asian man, mid 20's, grey hoodie, black hat riding inbound on the Penn Avenue bike lane in front of the parking garage on 10th Street. I like to try and get moving out of downtown, so I push in the bike lanes to try and get my speed up to around 20mph. I noticed an oncoming bike in the lane, but on the right side of the lane. Then, all of the sudden, he swerves into my lane about 150 feet in front of me, and continues to keep riding down in my lane until we are about 5 feet away from each other. I got a good look at the guy, and it is without a doubt that he was stoned out of his mind. I understand swerving some of the manhole covers, but still.
jason-pgh
2015-10-26 06:23:59
So I was parking my bike in front of the Squirrel Hill liquor store last night, and a guy pulled up next to me, and as he was getting out of his car he told me, "You want to hear a funny story? I saw a guy getting a DUI on a bicycle the other night. I was at Soma, and this guy comes out, and he's twisted. He gets on a bike, starts pedaling off. There's two cops there, and they stop him and give him a DUI. For a bicycle! I laughed for two days."
jonawebb
2015-11-03 10:32:30
Shouldn't that be an RUI? And what's the equivalent of a license suspension? Do they take your chain away? Or just lock your bike, like for that whole too-many-parking-tickets thing? More seriously: A quick check reveals that it would probably be treated as "Public Drunkenness", which is "pose a danger: to themselves, others, to property, or of annoying others."
ahlir
2015-11-04 16:43:52
You can totally call operating a bicycle driving! Nothing about the definition of the verb to drive is specific to motor vehicles. Also, as far as i can tell Pennsylvania state law regarding drunk driving can be found here: http://www.legis.state.pa.us/WU01/LI/LI/CT/HTM/75/00.038..HTM and as it is written it applies to vehicles and does not specify motor vehicles. Bicycles, as we know are vehicles and as such are subject to the above laws. But who knows state statutes are hard to understand because they constantly refer to other statues, amend them, or fail to mention other relevant laws. Usually, cycling impaired just isn't a very good idea.
sixfist
2015-11-04 23:51:26
"it never ceases to amaze me when people ride with headphones"
FWIW, I wear a Bluetooth headset for hands-free phone calls (VERY infrequent use) and navigation (OSMAnd kicks butt, btw). So, if you see me in my grey helmet riding my old clunker from the late 80s, don't judge me too harshly for having headphones on. ;)
funkydung
2015-11-05 10:41:11
When Bates is backed up during rush hour to Blvd of the Allies, I get wanting to make it down to EFT/Jail Trail quickly, but to the rider I saw this morning, I think that "filtering" on the left side of traffic that is backed up, i.e. riding in the upstream path of traffic coming off of the parkway and Second Ave, is probably a bad idea. May want to rethink that.
ka_jun
2016-01-22 16:25:43
“filtering” on the left side of traffic that is backed up hm. I do that occasionally when traffic is at a complete standstill. But doing it on Bates seems a bit risky given the oncoming car speeds. I feel it's ok to pass stopped cars on the left as long as you do it safely. After all it's symmetrical to cars passing bikes on the left: you're allowed to pass it if you happen to have a vehicle that's significantly faster than the one in your lane in front of you. Usually you're in a car but sometimes you're on a bike. To forestall possible commentary: I'm actually very much observant of traffic rules: I will stop at signs and at lights, even when the cars around me don't.
ahlir
2016-01-22 18:55:08
Yesterday on the ride for Mike McDermott we were on the Eliza Furnace trail and I was riding a little left of the center of the trail when a rider came barreling down at really high speed, madly ringing his bell. Man, I looked up just in time, yelled "shit," and veered right. That would have been a serious accident. I know I should have been riding single file but this was in a group of 100 riders. Use a little sense. You are not going to get to set a Strava record when a bunch of people show up going the other way. Slow down.
jonawebb
2016-01-31 21:23:21
He was screaming something too.
mikhail
2016-02-01 10:13:54
He was probably yelling "you're awesome!" That, and "your sculpted calves make my knees weak" are the phrases I assume, when I can't actually make out what someone is screaming at me.
reddan
2016-02-01 11:00:33
“it never ceases to amaze me when people ride with headphones”. Please: I am that 'idiot' and I can hear fine. Since I started bike commuting circa 1996. If you (& you know who you are) open yer yap one more time to tell me I need to "not have my headphones in" Just.One.More.Time... you're gonna need a good dentist, all a'm sayin. Goes for the rest of yoins evangelicals. Now, lets talk about idiots that ride at night with no lights...while wearing all dark clothing. Discuss.
meaculpa
2016-02-07 23:26:06
Threatening physical violence is utterly unacceptable. This is a thread that is almost guaranteed to generate friction because we are talking about each other. I may even have indirectly caused it by posting on the dangerous drivers thread about a bicyclist who was riding the wrong way on Darlington in the dark without lights, reflectors, or a helmet near the JCC. Often, we are likely to post on this thread when we are angry. Please, try to keep the posts civil, but regardless, in my opinion threatening violence should result in being banished from the mb.
neilmd
2016-02-08 05:02:01
Now, what I really meant to post. Yesterday I was coming home at about 5:30 on the EFT under the Birmingham Bridge at a decent clip (20 mph). I only saw 2 other bicycles on the whole trip form Grant to the UPMC lot. They both came into play right then. Bike 1 was on a citybike or something like it and tooling along slowly toward the right, going outbound like me, not exactly straight but still to the right. Bike 2 was quite far ahead coming inbound, well to their right and proceeding straight and predictably. I moved leftward, giving what should have been most of the trail in clearance (10' I guess?) and called loudly "on your left", but Bike 1 proceeded to drift progressively left, not exactly turning but just drifting quickly. Bike 1 must have seen Bike 2, and regardless of me Bike 1 was now basically in Bike 2's lane -- I still had plenty of space (100 + feet) to pass and pull right under ordinary circumstances. As Bike 1 moved farther over and closer to me, I hollered ON YOUR LEFT a couple more times, and at the last second Bike 1 became aware of me, wobbled rightward, said something, and I got by on the last inch of the pavement. I would have gone over into the gravel and maybe should have, but I had not slowed and did not really want to hit gravel at that pace. Bike 2 had seen the CF up ahead and sensibly moved leftward, and I passed that person still hard left, now going 13 mph (adrenaline spikes look cool - +20 bpm instantly...), and moved on toward Bates. Soooooo. Why was the straight up idiot? Bike 2 was totally fine and would even have been conveniently placed to render aid had I collided at speed with Bike 1. Sorry Bike 2 whoever you are for contributing to a hazard in your path. Bike 1 managed to do two awful things at once: drift into my path without checking (after a standard and quite loud warning) and also drift into the path of an oncoming cyclist. I have absolutely no idea what that person was doing or thinking, and I did not see whether they had headphones in (non sequitur - "they" has I believe been formally accepted as a singular gender neutral pronoun by grammaticians, though 'singular_they' is close to the longest wikipedia page I have ever seen). Bike 1 clearly qualifies as an "idiot cyclist". Sorry @meaculpa, but if that was you, how long you have been riding is irrelevant. I've been riding since 1965. I thought I did everything right. Yes I was going fast. No, I wasn't being a stravasshole; I was stretching my legs after 9h of continuous meetings in a hotel conference room on a Sunday when all of my friends were doing centuries and the like (not that I am pissed off about that...). The trail was nearly vacant, I gave a wide berth, I called out clearly, and Bike 1 up to the point of near contact was behaving inexpertly but still keeping generally to the right. Bike 2 was far ahead and under normal circumstances I would have been back in my lane with plenty of space to spare. Should we *always* slow to a pace where we could more or less stop on a dime when encountering anybody doing anything remotely non-standard? Should there be a speed limit on EFT, and if so what should it be?
neilmd
2016-02-08 05:32:17
The speed limit is 15mph
aesiskind
2016-02-08 06:46:09
Two points: first, right, nobody should be threatening people with getting punched in the mouth here. Second, if you see somebody ahead of you who is blocking your path because of wobbly biking skills, slow down. Yelling "on your left" and expecting them to move over and keeping up the same speed isn't a good idea.
jonawebb
2016-02-08 08:10:26
I think it's basically ok, not to sprint, but sure, to crank away at a good pace. 9 you're fine, 10 you're mine... something like that. You just have to be careful not to get too attached to that speed or you'll create or contribute to dangerous situations. Go-fast cyclists are not the only, or even the majority trail users and if we treat it like it's ours we're uncomfortably similar to the motorists we bemoan in another thread here.
byogman
2016-02-08 08:51:44
My apologies. It was out of norm for me to vent anywhere on the internet, much less BikePgh. Just gobsmacked that the same guy told me the same thing twice like I was his project or something...
meaculpa
2016-02-08 20:33:41
Yesterday on the AM commute going down Stanton Ave hill toward Butler there was a line of cars about 5 cars long at the red light. Cyclist in front of me decides he doesn't want to wait, bikes in the middle of the opposite lane of traffic on Stanton all the way to the corner to hop the sidewalk. If anyone is familiar with this corner, there is a large wall from Allegheny Cemetery there blocking vision of drivers coming around that corner. This guy is very lucky he wasn't hit by a car all to save 15 seconds on his commute. As I was waiting, another cyclist decided to filter past traffic including me(waiting in line) and merge with traffic directly infront of a moving car as everyone was turning left on to Butler. Not as bad but still annoying.
mjacobpgh
2016-02-20 14:35:29
I was riding around town enjoying the weather today, but my good time was spoiled by seeing quite a few straight-up idiots with headphones in while biking. Hey, idiots, if you have headphones in, you can't hear what's happening around you! I think this is an opportunity for bikepgh to spread some awareness about how dangerous riding in sensory deprivation mode can have grave consequences. I'd love to see some "don't be an idiot, leave the headphones out" ads around town. Paging Scott Bricker!
jaysherman5000
2016-02-21 00:46:19
So you think deaf people shouldn't be allowed to ride bikes?
mayhew
2016-02-21 15:51:49
"So you think deaf people shouldn’t be allowed to ride bikes?" If you can't hear, you should do what you can to compensate. That being said, you should have at least one mirror if not two to help understand your surroundings for safe travel. I do think deaf people are at a disadvantage, BUT I also feel they can travel safely if they enhance their vision to compensate. Wearing earbuds and riding a bike could be okay I guess. I think they are trusting others too much, BUT I also think style could compensate. Enjoy.
gg
2016-02-21 21:56:11
Speaking of headphones, I was riding the highland park bridge home yesterday, and a guy was running the same direction I was riding. I approached him and yelled "do you mind if I pass on your left?" No response. He was wearing headphones. I got closer, yelled louder. No response. It took about 60 seconds of screaming until he finally heard me. And an FYI, you may not want to wear headphones while riding to avoid getting mowed down by a cop. I was riding home just past junction hollow on Boundary when I saw a police car heading toward the trail at full speed with just lights going. I know there were runners on the trail going to opposite way. I did not hear that cop turn on the sirens once as he flew up and through the trail.
stefb
2016-02-22 06:16:40
I was thinking next give away BikePgh does should involve bells (though I like the light giveaways). When it was nice out on Saturday, the family and I went out and rode the trail between HMB & Waterfront, man, there was some seriously poor decision making going on. Lot of unannounced passes in tight areas (i.e. next to Sandcastle) and nonsense like two long lines of cyclists coming towards one another, then someone deciding that would be a good time to pass. One pair of oncoming riders did this and the pass was so close one of our kids got hit in the face by the female rider's hair. Don't pass when it's not safe and there's no clearance, just don't do it, and let other trail users know that you're there and passing.
ka_jun
2016-02-22 12:51:41
I had a bell and used it a lot on Saturday! That is a good idea.
stefb
2016-02-22 15:12:41
When riding around manhattan a few years ago I had to buy a bell to get anywhere on congested bikeways. Everyone there has a bell and uses it. Upon returning home, I thought I might as well use it in the burgh too. In the summer, Frick park doubletrack is frequently congested with people walking side-by-side or by dog leashes stretched across the trail. It would be a perfect place for a bell to politely announce your presence from a distance. My tactic was to ding it about 6 or 7 seconds before passing people from behind. People could tell it was far enough away that they didn't feel the need to frantically jump out of the way. But I gave up and took it off my bike. Too many people becoming irate at it's use. They viewed it as bossy, like "get the hell out of my way now!" rather than "i'm here and don't want to startle you". Hopefully that changes, but right now there is a negative perception of people who use a bell.
dfiler
2016-02-22 16:32:58
I don't have a bell on most of my bikes, but I do have one of those bluetooth speakers on my bag and used it while on the trails on saturday/sunday. It helps get the attention of non-earbud wearing folks so that I don't accidentally sneak up on them. It made passing folks much easier, and they were much more receptive to my pardon me, on your left jazz...
benzo
2016-02-23 09:28:29
Not sure if you'll think this constitutes straight-up idiocy, but I kinda wanna share my double-take. This afternoon I saw what looked like an experienced male commuter/utility cyclist, puffing away at a honkin' big stogie while pumping his way down Forbes. It just seemed dichotomous to me, since I'm a fitness/endurance rider.
ornoth
2016-02-23 14:29:13
I wouldn't call it idiocy, just a questionable lifestyle choice. :-) When I started riding (yeesh...over ten years ago...OMG I'm old...anyway...ignore me...), I was still smoking a pack of Marlboros per day. And yeah, I did sometimes smoke when riding; not much, as holding onto used butts until I could find a trashcan was kinda gross, but occasionally. Cycling did help me quit, in that, when I set my quit date, I rode something like 200 miles over the first 3 days, as a way of coping with the physical withdrawal symptoms. (For context, my idea of a "long ride" then was 30 miles...I highly recommend unaccustomed exertion as a way to take your mind off nicotine pangs.)
reddan
2016-02-23 15:03:10
I know a lot of cyclists who smoke. Many of them are on this board. I try not to give them guff about it. They're big boys and girls now and can read. I hold my contempt for the tobacco companies and their minions, such as local politicians they've paid off (so that 14-year-olds can still walk into convenience stores and, wink wink, get that pack their mom sent them to the store for).
stuinmccandless
2016-02-23 15:30:14
I find it rude when other cyclists smoke on rides or when stopped on rides. Some people have asthma, and even if they don't, no one wants to breathe in second hand smoke while they're trying to exercise. Have some consideration for others. If people want to smoke, they're mostly hurting themselves, but they don't need to hurt other people.
stefb
2016-02-24 19:06:47
To NeilMd: re: "...Bike 1 clearly qualifies as an “idiot cyclist”. Sorry @meaculpa, but if that was you, how long you have been riding is irrelevant. I’ve been riding since 1965." This "Bike 1" wasn't me. Again, I'm sorry for my tone before. I was upset about an unnecessary comment that day from some stranger. I had some music on low, was alert to my surroundings and this guy decided to lecture me treating me like a jerk. What made me seethe also was that he looked familiar, like someone who had given me a look (and snort) of disgust when I passed by him (one bud in). To me, if I haven't endangered you, you shouldn't be snotty and rude.
meaculpa
2016-02-24 21:06:54
@meaculpa meaculpa accepted. I've done some pretty dumb things.
neilmd
2016-02-24 21:18:57
5:30 PM 3/8/2015 After passing through the Convention Center Waterway Walkway and I saw a cyclist sitting on a wall looking a little disheveled. I asked him if he was okay. He said he was a little sore. Then I noticed there wasn't a bike around him. I asked him where his bike was and he pointed to the river. I looked towards the river and said, 'huh?". He told me he was coming down the ramp, saw the steps, because didn't realize where the path was headed he had to bail from the bike and it went into the river. He told me his son was coming to pick him up. Somewhere at the bottom of the Allegheny is a Giant bicycle.
durishange
2016-03-09 13:14:39
I witnessed Giant Bike Guy's crash and the loss of his bike. I wouldn't categorize him as an 'Idiot' though. Just *very* unlucky that he fell near the water, went OTB and well, his bike went into the water. This was his first fall, I'm told.
rustyred
2016-03-09 16:12:10
Does anyone know specifically where the Giant went in? I read about another incident on the boards where River Rescue was able to recover the bike.
ka_jun
2016-03-09 18:30:03
That tunnel way that cuts through the Convention Center where water falls down the side walls. He pointed directly across the walkway towards the water. He was in pretty good spirits considering he lost his bike and he was a bit sore. This happened Tuesday around 5:30, when did the bike get recovered by River Rescue?
durishange
2016-03-10 09:16:35
I know where it went in, roughly how far downstream it drifted and so does the owner. I suggested he contact the city to see how he could get assistance to recover the bike. They may have already recovered it for him, for all I know. (ripples in the water where the bike had just started sinking) http://imgur.com/lfOGWDh
rustyred
2016-03-10 09:21:49
The guy who runs/ran the paddle boat concession at Bradys Run park once retrieved a bike (I think it was a bike) that his son accidently let roll into the river on the opposite side of the Allegheny. This was years ago, but I think he used a long pole to locate the object, and then a long pole with a hook to snare it and pull it up. A day or so had passed between the sinking and the retrieval, so timeframes are comparable.
swalfoort
2016-03-10 10:13:16
I've got an inquiry in with a friend and will report back.
ka_jun
2016-03-10 14:50:44
I think a fishing rod with a strong magnet would work well for this. I putzed around with a twenty foot long piece of string yesterday and just barely touched the bottom. So the bike may have drifted quite a bit down stream before stopping. you can then raise it with a heaver rope & hook once you locate it.
marko82
2016-03-10 17:45:24
Just wait a couple of months and take a dive in there. People swim in the river all the time. Just wear a mask/goggles so you can see. There is no snow to melt to the north, so this will be an easy spring probably.
gg
2016-03-10 20:27:17
You might ask Sarah Quesen to fetch it for you. (seriously)
vannever
2016-03-10 21:02:06
@gg Just wear a mask/goggles so you can see. This is fanciful, indeed. I've swum many times in the river. With goggles. You can't see more than 6 inches in front of your face - and that's kind of optimistic. It's very possible to recover a bike - but I think it would take more resources and effort than it is likely worth.
mick
2016-03-10 22:20:31
WTF? How is it that your guys are claiming this is a straight up list of idiot cyclist and I DO NOT SEE MY NAME ON EVERY PAGE? What is WRONG with you people?
mick
2016-03-10 22:22:22
Hey forum people, if anyone has the contact info for the individual who lost the bike in the river, PM me, or have them PM me. I have a contact they can talk to about possible recovery, maybe, no promises. Hope you're okay after going OTB, guy.
ka_jun
2016-03-11 09:13:15
I'm afraid I don't have his contact info. Maybe he's lurking and will contact you.
rustyred
2016-03-11 09:31:15
Mick, your post made me chuckle. I wonder how many of us have read through the posts, looking for some sort of mention ;-)
durishange
2016-03-11 10:55:08
Any better description of the bike, other than it's a Giant?
ka_jun
2016-03-11 15:26:42
"Any better description of the bike, other than it’s a Giant?" No, sorry. If someone takes the time to recover it, how would they ensure the owner is reunited with it?
rustyred
2016-03-11 15:36:23
If, for the sake of argument, not saying it's going to happen, but if someone takes the time to recover it, it would be "legit" people. Maybe bikepgh can help, in that regard. Still looking into it.
ka_jun
2016-03-11 15:43:17
Well it's in the water...
neilmd
2016-03-11 20:10:21
"I’ve swum many times in the river. With goggles. You can’t see more than 6 inches in front of your face – and that’s kind of optimistic." Depends on a lot of condition issues. If the water is low and slow, the Allegheny can be quite clear. It isn't as deep as people think in that area, so that is a plus.
gg
2016-03-12 19:17:45
Well, according to Marko -- 20 feet. It's deep enough to block almost 100% of sunlight under the best conditions in Allegheny. :) The best conditions I saw in Allegheny would be about of yard of clear vision. It's no match for see water where you can see sometimes 20-30 yards.
mikhail
2016-03-12 19:59:09
Sometimes when I ride up that side of the Allegheny from point state park I think, "what happens if I have to swerve/I hit ice/etc" and I go flying in the water...
edronline
2016-03-13 20:50:47
If he was on a fat bike, it would have floated.
stefb
2016-03-14 09:01:30
jonawebb
2016-03-14 09:15:44
"Any better description of the bike, other than it’s a Giant?" You find more than one in the river? If Marko is right and it's 20' deep, that's a bit of a dive for a novice I think, more so if you're down there trying to find a bike a yard at a time @JZ If a dive team gets this bike I will be highly amused and only mildly begrudge the tax dollars used to do it
sgtjonson
2016-03-14 12:09:03
Probably won't happen if I can't get the contact info for the owner.
ka_jun
2016-03-14 14:53:30
3/16/16 16H45 Downtown to Oakland. Blue jersey wearing cat 6 rider on a black road bike, seriously man, why the need to buzz within 5 inches of trail users while passing inaudibly? Guy buzzed me on the commute home with no oncoming trail users, and then I proceed to watch him intentionally buzz a runner in front of me (who was pissed as hell, btw, guy), more cyclists, and more runners, leaving a trail of pissed off people in his wake. Dick move, guy.
ka_jun
2016-03-16 22:46:00
Water should not be that deep at the convention center. The navigable channel is maintained to a depth of about 11 feet, but the natural level is much shallower. Tri Anglers at Venture Outdoors might know. I'll ask.
swalfoort
2016-03-17 12:58:40
@A FWIW the "suggested speed limit... ...for paved trails is 20mph" in Pittsburgh.
brother_rebus
2016-03-19 10:21:57
Today's missed connection: Location: Barriered portion of the West Carson St. sidewalk, just past the Ft. Pitt Bridge Me: pedestrian headed towards the Duquesne Incline You: Guy on black brake-less fixie. You clipped me while trying to go past me. Admittedly, I was wearing headphones so I didn't hear you coming, but you had plenty of room to pass. I barely felt you clipping me, but you lost control of the bike and hit the barrier. One of your feet got stuck in the velcro clips, so I loosened it up so you could get out. Upon getting the bike upright, I noticed that the front wheel was now perpendicular to the stem. I asked you if you had a wrench, and I promptly used it and straightened your wheel for ya. You were very apologetic throughout, but I wasn't upset about the whole thing. Then you mentioned that your bike was a "weird fixie". At this moment, I couldn't resist it anymore and immediately told you that your bike wasn't weird, it just needed a brake so you could stop properly. You said, "no brakes, man! Ever! Why would I put brakes on it?" (I'm paraphrasing now) I then told you that, in addition to helping you stop effectively, state law requires you to have brakes. You repeated your mantra, and at that point I simply patted you on the back, said "good luck, dude" and proceeded to continue my walk towards the incline. Moments later, you wobbly-y passed me again, repeated your moto, and continued to have poor control of your bike. It finally dawned on me that you were probably drunk or high. I gave up at that point. I hope I don't encounter you and your fixie and your messenger bag full of spray paint cans ever again
chrishent
2016-04-17 17:54:30
@chrishent: that was remarkable. You just encountered an authentic time-traveller! I never knew that we had a worm-hole in Pittsburgh. Much less expected that it would be somewhere near the Duquesne Incline. Could you at all tell what year he might have come from? I cannot image that he would be one of us.
ahlir
2016-04-17 19:34:04
The whole thing was odd but, again, not upsetting. Maybe it helped that he apologized profusely? Unrelated, saw plenty of idiotic riding today. The highlight was the woman riding a Healthy Ride bike on the Smithfield St. Bridge sidewalk while FaceTime-ing, barely in control of the bike because of what she was doing, and admitting so to the person she was talking to.
chrishent
2016-04-17 20:57:23
Pro-Con: Pro- lots of people in the Penn Avenue bike lane today when I rode by! Con- lots of people not looking where they are going and wavering into my lane, swerving back at the last second. Happened at least 2 times today, both under the Veteran's Bridge.
jason-pgh
2016-04-17 20:59:23
To the roadie in full Tinkoff-Saxo kit trying to set a Strava KOM on the Penn Ave cycle track between 10th and 9th, yesterday after 6 pm: this isn't the place for that.
chrishent
2016-04-21 07:34:25
Hey all, Now with the recreational and fair weather riders crawling back out onto two wheels once more, let us take this opportunity to educate those open to such. Obviously there will be those who stubbornly stick to their ways. ex: @chrishent's fixie dude encounter, but many are looking for any guidance and advice from experienced riders. Two bad cyclist stories from yesterday, both occurred in Downtown. 1) Larger dude with giant hair riding some old MTB. I've seen him around a lot, usually has a bluetooth speaker mounted and cranked. He was weaving in and out of pedestrians at the fountain in market square and traveling at a generally unacceptable rate of speed in that heavy foot traffic area. He then tried to cross 4th Ave while dodging some pedestrians using the ped walkway, misjudged the curb, clipped it, and went down. You need to be more careful dude. You were like 2 feet from taking two innocent people with you. If you want to show off, hit the track. 2) Dude riding sidewalk parallel to Penn Ave bike lane. I'm traveling towards the strip, around rush hour. Group of pedestrians jaywalking across penn, I slow down. This guy, in casual button up, jeans, headphones, riding some old BSO, near wipes out trying to jump off the curb into the bike lane and has to jack the brakes to avoid hitting me(i'm stopped waiting for peds) and the peds. We need to help spread the word that the sidewalks are nowhere to ride, except in very specific circumstances.
tenplusone
2016-04-21 10:37:26
Yeah, I see lots of folks on BSOs in bloomfield riding on the sidwalks on liberty ave. I'm like WTF? they have a bike lane right there!
benzo
2016-04-21 10:53:10
@Benzo, lol exactly. In my scenario, the guy was riding the sidewalk in the business district of Downtown literally parallel to the protected bike lane on Penn ave. Like dafuq?
tenplusone
2016-04-21 11:05:38
To the roadie in full Tinkoff-Saxo kit trying to set a Strava KOM on the Penn Ave cycle track between 10th and 9th, yesterday after 6 pm: this isn’t the place for that.
Wasn't me, but speed limit there is 25 mph. :P
mikhail
2016-04-21 11:11:17
@Mikhail, yeah, riding 25 mph in an area full of pedestrians and slower cyclists, all while dodging the various manholes that pepper this stretch of road totally sounds reasonable to me.
chrishent
2016-04-21 11:33:25
I think the Penn Ave bike lane segments get flagged as dangerous. I don't see any in a search today. http://imgur.com/qNQC8ok No KOMs for that guy.
rustyred
2016-04-21 11:48:27
Yesterday at about 5:10p, westbound Fifth Ave just beyond Market St, I'm stopped in the left lane behind a car stopped behind at least a truck and maybe another car at the light for Liberty. Middle-aged male comes flying up on my right, splitting the lanes. Got the light at Liberty green (lucky), then dodges to the right around another vehicle stuck in the intersection because Liberty is jammed up a bit, almost takes out a woman crossing the street. Now he's up against the curb, so wiggles over to start splitting the lane on Liberty, too. Thing is, he didn't get all that far ahead of me, getting stuck at Stanwix before heading into Point State Park. Once I cleared Stanwix myself, I was only about 150 yards behind him, but he took off across the Ft Duq Br like a rocket. Y'know, it's guys like this who get everyone else pissed off. What was the damned hurry? Did you just rob a bank or something?
stuinmccandless
2016-04-21 11:50:40
People, did you ever heard about Cat 6 racers?
mikhail
2016-04-21 11:55:29
I don't have a problem with recreational and fair weather riders. Just riders who make bad judgment calls that endanger me and other trail/road users (i.e. peds). None of those riders are busy hanging out on a msg board.
ka_jun
2016-04-21 11:56:06
@tenplusone I saw your first guy with the Bluetooth speaker probably right before you did. He was headed the wrong way down 4th, and blew through a stop sign at either Wood or Smithfield. I always feel a twinge of embarrassment and shame when I see people biking like that. Like his actions are mine, too.
doublestraps
2016-04-21 14:28:26
I always feel a twinge of embarrassment and shame when I see people biking like that. Like his actions are mine, too.
Yeah, I guess that's the same way motorists feel when they read about something like this: Oh, wait, motorists don't feel that way. They don't drive like that. And you don't ride like that. So you don't need to feel embarrassed.
jonawebb
2016-04-21 14:51:56
Butler was a mess, alternating between slow and stopped this morning due to gas line work down near the PNC (between Main & 40th).... Cheers to the guy in full kit alternating between riding up the parking lane and the sidewalk to get around the stopped traffic...
epanastrophe
2016-04-21 17:13:09
Well they need to get setup for Limp Bizkit tomorrow... so... yanno traffic is to be expected.
tenplusone
2016-04-21 17:27:09
One of the benefits of riding the wrong way on one-way streets is the complete absence of any stop signs or red lights at intersections. Why, you can fly right through! Really, nobody even bothers to look your way most of the time! It's great! Nothing at all to slow you down! [/snark]
stuinmccandless
2016-04-22 03:15:19
Well, this past weekend was trail day, and I rode on the GAP early saturday. As the day progressed, more people riding. Wasn't too bad. BUT, on Sunday, there were a lot of people riding. It seemed like a lot of them were not too experienced, because it was a mess riding that day. Riders crowded the trail so bad, I had to pull over and stop until they passed. Riding into Homestead, it was very crowded. I was behind two riders and I settled to stay behind them, because of oncoming traffic. No big deal. HA! The one rider was having trouble figuring out how to shift, I guess. They are all over the place. All of a sudden, they stop in the middle of the trail.(more like fall off, feet slipped off of pedals, because they were not in the right gear). okay, I was able to stop to avoid them.( I kept my distance) So then, the rider with that person, who is over in the wrong side of trail, comes to their aid. Parks their bike on the wrong side of the trail(many riders coming the other way) Just as they cross over, some idiot going the other way, wayyy too fast, mind you, and just misses hitting the person crossing over to help the other rider. Please note that the guy walking across the trail did not even look, or even know how close they came to getting nailed by the fast rider. The speeding biker was able to swerve out of the way just about inches away from this person. The rider who didn't know how to switch gears said "You almost got hit". then of course, there were the riders that seemed like they were racing for trophies, whizzing closely by to me, and other users of the trail. I was so glad to get back home, actually, get on the roadway, where it was much safer than the trail was..lol!
look-out
2016-04-22 07:15:15
jonawebb
2016-04-22 15:04:10
@lookout - I too can get annoyed on heavy rail trail traffic days. Pittsburgh cyclists do not behave in a manner that respects other users of the road or trail system. My theory is that we were so few in numbers for so long that it wasn't really necessary pay much attention to the subject. I see it all the time with both my mountain and road cyclists friends. They don't stay on the right side of the trail. Nor do the they pull off the trail before stopping. It isn't that they purposefully choose to be a jerk, but rather they don't even give any thought to the subject. It doesn't register as important at all. Over time, this will hopefully change. And I predict it will change as the number of cyclists goes up.
dfiler
2016-04-25 12:13:21
My theory is that we were so few in numbers for so long that it wasn’t really necessary pay much attention to the subject. Mine is that we ride much like we drive. Because It isn’t that they purposefully choose to be a jerk, but rather they don’t even give any thought to the subject. It doesn’t register as important at all. seems very much like the attitude of many motorists. Not malevolent, just oblivious.
reddan
2016-04-25 12:25:49
Over time, this will hopefully change. And I predict it will change as the number of cyclists goes up. If you've ever bicycled in Washington, D.C., you would doubt this. There are tons of cyclists and lots of bad behavior. And of course runners and walkers are using the same paths. It's to the point where you'd think about riding on the roads, but they are even worse, with everybody jockeying for position.
jonawebb
2016-04-25 12:29:19
Certainly in DC the problem is becoming significant enough that it will be subject to more and more scrutiny . My prediction is still that it will eventually change. Culture doesn't shift quickly. It's on more of a generational time scale.
dfiler
2016-04-25 13:16:31
I was riding Monday late morning (yesterday) and astounded by all of the bikers and joggers and lunch time office walkers using the north shore trail. A Monday during April. Just a reminder that it is busy out there.
edronline
2016-04-26 16:14:42
This little pin seemed appropriate for this topic: http://www.gagedesoto.com/collections/accessories/products/polite-cyclist-enamel-pin If it was cheaper, I'd buy a bunch of these and give them out to some of the cyclists we talk about on this board. Sure, a few of them are "straight-up" idiots and won't change their ways, but there's a lot a of them out there that ride idiotically out of ignorance. A friendly gesture may change that :-)
chrishent
2016-04-28 07:55:52
Setting the stage: Penn Ave at the 16th St end of the bike lane, Wednesday afternoon a bit after six. I have the red, with my arm out signaling a left. Traffic is backed up on 16th all the way back from Liberty, with a car halfway back into the Penn intersection, but northbound traffic on 16th is not impeded. Two cyclists come up behind me, both running the red, one on my right, one on my left. The one on the right squeezes between the stuck car and the one in front of it, while the other one sails across 16th into oncoming Penn Ave traffic. They then got on the Penn sidewalk and continued on with some speed. They were lucky; there was no northbound car for them to tangle with. Had there been one, they would have been creamed. But talk about stupid! Since when do you pass someone on the left when someone is signaling a left?
stuinmccandless
2016-04-28 08:43:58
I routinely see people jump between sidewalks in downtown and on Butler in Lawrenceville's business district. Most don't appear as though they are afraid to use the street but rather do it to avoid traffic.
mjacobpgh
2016-04-28 12:25:01
Some guy in high-vis & earbuds threaded my riding buddy and I the other day in the bike lane while we were waiting on the red at Clemente Bridge & Ft. Duquesne Blvd. Bush league, man. For sure, nevermind the complete disregard for the safety of other riders and oneself.
ka_jun
2016-04-28 15:28:01
Noon today, inbound Fifth past Grant. A bus was in the left lane, a bike was racing it across Grant on the bus's left (the bus's horn caught my attention), and continued down the outbound lane. The bus waited for the red light at Wm Penn/Cherry; the cyclist paused briefly -- not sure he could have stopped if he had to but was lucky -- and flew off toward Smithfield, still in the outbound lane. Also lucky that outbound Fifth remained empty for this whole encounter, though there was a vehicle waiting on Fifth to cross Smithfield.
stuinmccandless
2016-05-18 14:23:01
7/11/16 Rider who came up behind me silently and had to slam on the brakes to avoid mowing down a pedestrian, apparently with the intent to pass *right at the blind corner of the old XO Club going up the Bates sidewalk that also has that sign up restricting the sidewalk*
ka_jun
2016-07-13 08:55:20
Pretty sure I saw the aftermath of a cyclist vs plastic bollard collision at the Stanwix end of the Penn Ave bike lane, where those yellow bollards are in the middle. The guy had just hit the deck. Perhaps he got distracted looking for some Pokemon? Aside, that Pokemon game seems to be getting a lot of people out and about on their bikes looking for them things. The downside is that they are all looking at their phones...
chrishent
2016-07-14 07:44:49
Amazing that that game has only been on the streets for a week.
stuinmccandless
2016-07-14 10:30:44
I'm pretty relaxed about "idiot" cyclist behavior, due to the generally low level of potential harm. But this morning, 8:30 am+-, late 20's beardy hipster dude, street clothes, upright city bike, on the Blvd of the Allies, toodling along 8 inches from the curb, filtering on the curb alongside cars at lights, HOLDING HIS PHONE TO HIS EAR from Stanwix all the way to Grant Street. Nice work, giant douchy douchebag.
edmonds59
2016-07-19 11:06:04
Today's (or yesterday's in this case) darwin award of the year is a two way tie! Last night, I was inbound on 6th Street waiting at the light at Penn Ave. to turn left into the bike lane. The light is green on 6th street. About 4 seconds into the green, two guys, lets just call them the epitome of hipster (long hair/man bun style, single gear bikes, jeans, white tee shirt) come flying through the red light on penn and barely avoid traffic. I yelled something to the effect of, "you guys give us a bad name" and continued on my way. They almost died, just don't be stupid out there.
jason-pgh
2016-07-24 10:25:31
Dear Group cyclists in full body team spandex jerseys, The shoot is not a place for a KOM. I know when humans do things in groups they need to out do each other and group thinking starts to take place, but chill in the shoot. If one of you draft me in the shoot again I'm going to toss my bike lock back.
shooflypie
2016-07-26 05:45:15
ShooFlyPie, talk to people. And not here -- in real life. They will listen. If you feel uncomfortable that some one too close to you just ask to keep distance. Don't toss lock back or you would be kicked by carbon shoes many times. :) I've seen it happened.
mikhail
2016-07-26 07:13:57
Also, you'd lose the lock, or you'd have to go back and get it, which is embarrassing. And it's harder to hit something from your bike than you'd think. It's a bad idea all around.
jonawebb
2016-07-26 07:58:14
Not disagreeing with the last two posts, but as a general rule (and more to Shoo's point minus the spandex comment)- if you do not know the person riding the bike in front of you, please don't 'take their wheel'. Besides being somewhat rude, you don't know the skill level of the rider you are following --and they don't know your skill either!-- and thus it can be dangerous for both of you.
marko82
2016-07-26 09:11:55
Hey, road rage happens. That's pretty much what this thread is about. Nobody's throwing a lock. (I 95% believe that. ;) ) But yeah, never ride close to a cyclist you don't know well. It scares us and pisses us off.
erink
2016-07-26 09:22:09
chute, not shoot
paulheckbert
2016-07-26 13:07:56
Marko82 and ErinK, the problem with ‘take their wheel’ is that it is personal for everyone. Racers follow each other at 1 foot or less. 3 feet is almost useless. So 3 feet is not considered to be 'on the wheel'. 5 feet is completely off. And for some people 10 feet is too close. That is why I mentioned that you have to talk to people. People who rides in the groups (not only racers) will keep distance if you ask them. The same is true about passing distance. Racers come in inch or two of each other. You can watch it today at the Oval (there are 2 or 3 races today starting 6:15pm). But those people trust each other. And this one of the point that TdC had only few sections as a Grand Fondo. Racers do not trust usual riders in this sense (how to turn in a tight formation, how to slowdown when 1 feet away is another bike both in front of you and behind, etc).
mikhail
2016-07-26 13:41:04
BTW the same applies to large group rides. I've been in group rides (e.g., MS 150) where other riders suddenly show up on my wheel, then get mad at me ("watch your line!") when I move to the left or right. Sorry, dude, I didn't know you were there; we're not in the same riding group; there are lots of people here of different experience levels; YOU watch what YOU'RE doing.
jonawebb
2016-07-26 13:49:55
I generally don't mind if someone drafts off me, so having someone following me closely is fine (unless, due to my familiarity with their riding style, I don't trust them). However, if a stranger (ie. someone who is not riding with me) wants to draft, they better ask for permission. Two examples: - Once, while riding towards McKeesport on the GAP, I encountered a guy was riding to DC. He got on my wheel, and he quickly asked if it was OK for him to draft. No problem for me, since I only had a few more miles to get to Mckeesport and turn around. We talked a bit about where he was going, riding plan, etc. We got to my turnaround point, he thanked me, and I wished him good luck, and that was that. Camaraderie with a fellow cyclist. - While riding on the Jail Trail towards downtown, a guy who was ahead of me just past the Birmingham bridge saw me coming and started to coast to wait for me. Since he kept looking back, I knew he was going to jump on my wheel, and indeed he did. I kept going, but since he didn't bother to ask for permission, I became increasingly annoyed by his presence and had to resist the urge to brake-check him. In the end, he split around the Liberty bridge without mustering even a simple "thank you". I hope that the next time that happens, I will have a cool head and simply sit up and slow down to a crawl, so that he/she might get the point. I may or may not keep my mouth shut, though
chrishent
2016-07-26 14:08:37
Well, from what I know you should at least declare your presence by saying: "On your wheel." If not to ask permission. It servers two purposes: 1. The front bicyclist should avoid sudden breaking. 2. The front bicyclist should chose trajectory very carefully. There are some obligations for the follower too. Especially if there are more than one cyclists on the wheel.
mikhail
2016-07-26 15:34:32
But sometimes there are situations when you kind of on the wheel but not on the wheel, e.g. you don't have enough space to pass someone on the trail due to heavy traffic. I prefer to announce myself saying something like: "Hello! I am behind you."
mikhail
2016-07-26 15:36:57
This is interesting when compared to cars. My take is that there is a much wider range of cycling skill levels than driving skill levels. The difference in vehicle handling, for otherwise similar looking vehicles, is also much different. I try not to follow closely enough behind anyone that they'd get scared. Or similarly, not to pass too closely. But at times I have offended. I think this is because ethe other riders perceived a danger. While there was no danger, it made sense for them to think that there was. Many people have no clue how well modern hydraulics work and how quickly a skilled rider can stop. Or, if I am indeed a skilled rider on a dialed bike. The same is true when passing pedestrians. But I give them even wider birth than I fellow riders who look experienced. The sole purpose is to avoid unneeded angst. There's no way for the other person to know for sure that I pose no danger, or perhaps they don't have the experience to know. Common courtesy is to take that into account but it isn't 100% effective, particularly if someone is startled. A startled person will be confrontational once when their blood is boiling.
dfiler
2016-07-26 17:00:28
Penn Ave around 27th this morning around 9:15. I'm in the right lane, car passes me in the left lane, going much faster. Meh. But just after this, some guy rolls off the left sidewalk, veers first into the left lane, then into my lane, actually cutting me off, then proceeds to ride in the door zone on the right. What's worse, he appeared to look before he pulled that maneuver. I don't know how he didn't see me. If he had done that only a few seconds earlier and didn't see the passing car, he would have been moosh. I have this on video, but it's going to be a couple days before I can process it.
stuinmccandless
2016-07-28 11:51:11
Last night, around 8:30pm--about an hour after sundown--standing at the red light on inbound Centre at Morewood:  Twentysomething male rider rolls up huffing and yelling about a driver who almost flattened him pulling out of the Cancer Center, then was yelling at him for the block since.  He takes off before the light changes, yelling something exasperated about "Drivers!" Somewhere in the next block I realize, asshat is flying through red lights in the dark with no lights on.  No wonder he nearly got hit.
epanastrophe
2016-08-25 19:28:07
It's salmon spawning season in oakland again. SMDH
benzo
2016-08-26 05:09:45
I was on smallman, heading inbound. i approached a stop sign, and a car on the side street, which happened to be an Uber robot car, got to their stop sign first. I stopped, the Uber started to proceed like they should, then some dude on a bike behind me doesn't slow down, and blows the stop sign full speed giving a real live test to the Uber car. I was sure he was going to get hit, but surprisingly, the Uber stopped on a dime and the dude ended up fine. straight up idiot, but i'm kinda glad he did that so i could see a robot car do that in a real life situation
erok
2016-08-26 10:07:25
That's actually fascinating. I wonder what sort of bad behavior robot cars will inspire. For instance, I'm sure there is a subset of cyclist/pedestrian/driver that will see the robot car behave in the way you saw, and the next time they're in that situation think to themselves, "the robot car is programmed to stop for me, it HAS to stop for me, therefore I will make it stop for me", and proceed to run the stop sign/light.  
doublestraps
2016-08-26 10:45:10
I was on smallman, heading inbound. i approached a stop sign, and a car on the side street, which happened to be an Uber robot car, got to their stop sign first. I stopped, the Uber started to proceed like they should, then some dude on a bike behind me doesn’t slow down, and blows the stop sign full speed giving a real live test to the Uber car. I was sure he was going to get hit, but surprisingly, the Uber stopped on a dime and the dude ended up fine. straight up idiot, but i’m kinda glad he did that so i could see a robot car do that in a real life situation
I wish you had a dash cam to record that! It would be a great evidence to show that autonomous motor vehicles are safer and it is time to phase out human-operated motor vehicles. It is possible that more autonomous motor vehicles may encourage jay-walking or stop sign running, but it is better than getting pedestrians or cyclists killed. If such law-breaking behaviors become a cause of traffic jam, autonomous motor vehicle designers could install dash cam linked with facial recognition system to report the law breakers to the police. Such a facial recognition app had already been developed in Russia, which has a 70% success rate: https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2016/may/17/findface-face-recognition-app-end-public-anonymity-vkontakte
ninjaturtle0304
2016-08-26 13:06:01
Wow, very interesting.  I've been seeing that Uber autonomous vehicle downtown on Penn and have seen it enter that facility on Smallman Uber is using to store or stage it.  Fascinating to read about a "live fire" exercise where someone does something human (and unabashedly stupid) and hear about the cyclist coming out okay.
ka_jun
2016-08-26 14:58:25
Crap guys, I think I was actually passed by the auto car this morning. Oh man, I wish I would've payed more attention to it. I believe it was on 5th avenue. I was going from penn to Aiken. I was in the right lane and I think the uber car was in the left lane. So I'm not sure if it actually "passed" me or just was driving in the left lane.  I want to say it got into my lane after that but gosh darnit I can't remember Honestly at first I thought it was a google maps car but now I realize it's quite possible it was uber. Hmm.
italianblend
2016-08-26 16:42:58
You don't know if it was the car that braked or the override driver, though. The Uber cars all have those spinning radar arrays on the top. Look like MCP from the old Tron movie. The Google Street View car looks different, kind of a Zeiss projector-looking camera thing on top, covered in trash bags (plus they're white and have Google logos). In my last job I saw a lot of a Street View car (it parked a few blocks away from my office off Ellsworth) and the Uber cars were quite fond of cruising River Ave. by my current office before they got logos.
erink
2016-08-26 16:54:41
Yes it was a black car with the spinning radar at the top. Ugh I'm kind of mad I didn't realize what it was. I even saw people pointing to it.
italianblend
2016-08-26 17:00:04
The Uber cars are all black with radar stuffs on the roof, and 2-3 occupants all intently staring at their notebook screens. I make a point of steering clear... The Streetview car, in Shadyside (on College, I think): The Streetview cycle, in the Mountain View Computer Museum:  
ahlir
2016-08-26 18:59:11
I genuinely think this is the fatal flaw with robot cars. They are scaredy-cats. Won't be long before people figure that out, and start taking advantage.
jonawebb
2016-08-27 05:51:26
I was going to start a new thread for this, but this'll do: Pedal Pittsburgh sucks Watching the long line of cyclists coming down Aylesboro, crossing the intersection at Murray without stopping at the stop sign, many without even slowing down, while motorists patiently waited on Murray Avenue for a chance to proceed, I thought: what an awful display of bad cycling behavior. What a shame. What a lost opportunity to teach good cycling etiquette. People are given an opportunity to experience Pittsburgh on a bike, and instead it becomes an opportunity to teach people they don't have to follow traffic laws. I've been on group rides that ran stop signs; but we stuck together, someone would ride ahead and block the intersection, and thank the drivers for waiting. Not today. I've seen drivers run stop signs, but never one after another, not even slowing down. It's a great event for bringing cyclists together, but lousy for education, and terrible for our public image.
jonawebb
2016-08-28 14:45:44
^I rode the 25 mile PedalPgh loop Sunday as a sort of sweep carrying tubes and such looking for riders having mechanicals.  I yelled repeatedly  for people to "Please obey the traffic signals,"  which was basically a waste of breath on my behalf.  I saw both roadies and noobs running stops & lights - with the most disturbing offender being a father pulling two kids in a tag-a-long running a red on the North Side; he then mocked me as I passed him a half block later. OTOH, I didn't see a single aggressive driver the whole day.
marko82
2016-08-29 09:22:15
The aggressive drivers seemed to be mostly up on Troy Hill/Mount Troy--I had several people pass me on blind curves up there.  Not as many issues in town... Definitely agree on the number of idiots running lights and stop signs.  Wonder if it would help for the 'riders must stop at stop signs' postings to mention not just "it's the law" but "it makes our job more difficult when you don't".... it not only teaches new riders bad behaviour, but feeds non-drivers' "bike people are above the law" bullshit.   To come from watching some asshole blowing every red light in the mile from North Ave to Penn yesterday to being honked at this morning because I did stop at a traffic signal still dead after last night's storm...
epanastrophe
2016-08-29 09:34:32
Given that it's an organized event, with riders identified by number, it would be possible for Bike Pittsburgh to strongly encourage better cycling behavior. The literature for the ride could make it more clear that cyclists should obey the law. And, beyond that, monitors on the course could tell riders to stop at key intersections, and note riders who didn't obey. Repeat offenders could be banned from riding next year. I think it's important for Bike Pittsburgh to try to use this event to encourage better cycling behavior. It's one of the few places where riders might listen and learn. Right now, it seems to be working in the opposite direction.
jonawebb
2016-08-29 09:55:00
For the record, part of the reason I haven't rode PedalPgh in several years is my discomfort with some of the behavior described above. I specifically remember being asked by a fellow rider why I was stopping at lights Downtown as riders passed around me and responding, "I commute down here every day, that isn't how I would ride down here during the week."
ka_jun
2016-08-29 10:08:41
I agree that it was discouraging to see how many cyclists didn't bother to obey traffic signs. I was on the 62mi ride but I have to say that most of the bad behavior I saw was on the bits joint with the 25mi ride. And don't get me started on all the roadie and imitation roadie behaviors... It's a frickin' ride, people, not a race to the next stop light; you're not a car. But I would have to admit that I also went through some stop signs (though never lights) but typically these were at Ts or maybe intersections that were clearly low traffic, and not before checking for cross traffic. Simply charging through was wrong, even with people wizzing by. (Anyway, you got to pass them on the next climb). I did run across a scene at Aylesboro/Beechwood with a clumb of cyclists waiting at the intersection for their friends, and long lines of cars from either side of Beechwood waiting for something, anything, to happen. It was embarrassing. The clumpers should have know to wait beyond the intersection; the lead cars should have simply proceeded, but I guess their drivers were nice people. Opportunistically I just plowed through, taking advantage of the mess.  
ahlir
2016-08-29 20:17:33
I'd just like to know whose brilliant idea it was to route PedalPgh across Swineburn Bridge. It's narrow and windy, with no shoulder and poor line of sight. It strikes me as unsafe for cyclists, especially the inexperienced, and a major inconvenience for drivers.
funkydung
2016-08-30 13:12:31
@FunkyDung, the Swinburne routing is a consequence of the closure of the Greenfield Bridge, as the route traditionally goes through Schenley Park. The Greenfield Bridge is set to reopen next Spring, so this will hopefully be a one-time thing. Honestly though, I think Swinburne is fine.  It's a short climb with a decent gradient and was repaved last year. YMMV, but I usually ride it either after 6 pm on weekdays, or on weekends, and never have a problem. I suppose they could've cut out part of the route on Beechwood and sent the ride through Forward/Poccuset into Schenley, but I think the modified route worked out fine.
chrishent
2016-08-30 13:42:22
Well, my wife didn't think it was fine as a driver on that bridge. ;)
funkydung
2016-08-30 14:57:29
Am I right in believing that only the metric century riders took Swinburne? If so, then it would hopefully only be experienced, confident, traffic-aware riders taking that climb. That said, while I've done it before, even I generally don't choose the Swinburne ascent, for aforementioned reasons. But I take the Swinburne descent often. It would have made more sense to me to send riders up Junction Hollow and then down Swinburne, though that would have required sending all routes down its descent. I won't respond to the implication that cyclists should not inconvenience drivers.
ornoth
2016-08-30 15:14:10
For the record, I'm glad to read that most of you have the open mind to state when cyclists are in the wrong. Allow me to play devil advocate: if indeed many cyclists were breaking laws by not obeying traffic laws during pedal pgh, would you be in support of the police giving warnings and / or tickets if it was as out of hand as it has been stated in this thread?
italianblend
2016-08-30 19:18:28
Yes I would support a warning blitz. But if they are going to hand out tickets, I think it should target ALL road violations regardless of mode - so sit at an intersection and write up whatever violations occur car/bus/bike/ped.
marko82
2016-08-30 19:33:50
It's actually complicated, and I'm trying to limit my post lengths. But anyway:
  • In a large group ride, it's ok for a clump to go through. It's safer for the riders. And have a corker.
  • It's not ok, when there's a clump waiting at a light, for individuals to scamper across.
  • If cutting through a stop sign, always slow down and check for cars. Choose such intersections carefully; you should already know what to expect.
  • Sure, police should enforce traffic laws. But why can't we wait until they have the car drivers under control? People wielding 2-ton kinetic weapons are a much greater menace to society than unarmed cyclists foolishly taking their lives in their hands.
 
ahlir
2016-08-30 21:07:10
I think it's something Bike Pittsburgh can, and should, handle better than the police; monitors and attempts to educate.
jonawebb
2016-08-30 21:40:19
All of the cyclists I see riding at night with no lights and wearing dark clothing. This happens all over the east end. Don't they understand that they are basically invisible? They need to take responsibility for their own safety.
pedonly
2016-08-31 13:18:37
Ok.
edmonds59
2016-09-01 13:03:43
Can someone please explain to me how insisting that every cyclist following every law to the letter makes anybody any safer out on the streets? Every cyclist fatality so far this year seems as though the cyclists were following the law.  Two that I am aware of were people being mowed down from behind. Why is it that we rarely hear of a cyclist getting killed running a light, I wonder. I highly suggest that people who believe that laws or lines on a street prevent you from being struck by a vehicle take a moment to think about whether it gives you a false sense of security when you are out on the streets. ride safe everybody.
unixd0rk
2016-09-01 15:56:51
If you are in the east end with a bunch of lights all over you flashing don't be surprised when you attract the attention of some idiot teens who might do things like: throw bottles or other objects at you, shove you off of your bike at speed causing you injury, or possibly hold you up for your bike because you made yourself a "mark". I run a rear light only in "shady" areas where I have seen and/or heard of delinquent kids causing trouble.  If I were running no lights, I feel that I'd be hyper-aware of that fact and act accordingly.  Cars are usually easy to see at night as they are supposed to have lights on.  They also make a bit of noise, for the most part.  Easy to avoid them.
unixd0rk
2016-09-01 16:03:47
While biking home from work a few days ago, at about the meeting point between Bloomfield and Friendship, on South Aiken right before Friendship Ave, some douchebag on a bike was coming down the street (on the street, not the sidewalk) going the wrong direction on the one way street.  Myself and two cars were stopped at the light and at first I didn't exactly realize what seemed so wrong with the situation. Then some people in the back seat of the furthest car back yelled out the window "watch out! this is a one way street!", to which the douchebag cyclist turned around and flipped his middle finger at them.  Then I shouted at him as well "you're on a one way street and a car is about to hit you asshole!", he turned around to look forward at the last second, where  car coming around the slight bend almost hit him and had to swerve over almost hitting parked cars to avoid him. This is the kind of asshole who makes car drivers so antagonistic towards cyclists! I bike to work almost every day, and fortunately I can go down East Liberty most of the way where there is a dedicated bike lane. However, I can't count the number of times I have felt in danger because of asshole drivers.  I also cant count the number of times I have seen asshole cyclists doing stupid shit and making the rest of us look like jerks.  Running red lights, not even slowing down at stop signs, swerving in front of cars, etc.. Self-centered and obnoxiously selfish people are the problem, not necessarily cars, bikes or pedestrians.  However, bikes and pedestrians wont kill anyone by doing something stupid on the road (at least not very easily), but a car is a massive hunk of metal that is a very effective weapon. Car drivers being assholes is a much bigger problem than cyclists being assholes, but I think that pedestrians and cyclists being assholes makes more drivers act like assholes to cyclists and pedestrians. We all need to follow the rules and drive/ride/walk safely. Rant over... =)
joshious
2016-09-01 16:25:09
@unixd0rk I ride through some bad neighborhoods and have been doing so for years. There's been two times when I was confronted by delinquent kids at night. Two times during the day. Versus many times when I was riding along and somebody saw my lights and maybe didn't run into me as a result. I think there's no question at all having lights makes you safer. I don't think anybody here thinks cyclists should follow the law "to the letter." It's not possible, anyway; as cops know, follow anybody for two blocks and you'll see them commit a traffic violation. The law is written in a stupid, over-precise manner. Opinions differ, but I think most folks here think it's a really bad idea to run stop signs without at least slowing down to check for traffic (and stopping if there is), and stop at stop lights (even if they don't always wait for a green). Oh, and yield to pedestrians, always, even if they're not where they're supposed to be.
jonawebb
2016-09-01 16:40:20
I will suggest that the psychology of drivers vs cyclists are not as opposed as you might think. "Drivers" (as a loose category, not everyone of course), like to keep moving and get annoyed when a cyclist forces them to slow down. As in "oh crap, another cyclist.  Now I have to slow down." "cyclists" as a loose category like to keep their momentum. Especially at lights, stop signs. It is physically and psychologically a pain to come to an absolute stop at a stop sign. I rarely do it. I make sure it's safe and slow down, but I rarely come to a complete stop unless there are cars around. bottom line is we all like to "keep going" so, sort of unrelated: biking to work on Wednesday, I got into a line of cars at Forbes and shady near the dunkin donuts. I stopped at the light behind a car  and cyclist proceeds past us and used the walk signals to bike through the intersection.  Was that cyclist wrong? I'm not sure. I feel like I do the right thing stopping at the light.    
italianblend
2016-09-01 19:00:31
From a philosophical standpoint, you both did the right thing. You followed the rules designed for 4 wheeled motor vehicles. The other individual followed rules designed for an upright, slow moving human being. Bicycles are neither automobile nor pedestrian, and (as of now, here) there is no infrastructure designed specifically for their unique characteristics. We are forced (or able, depending on your POV) to choose between the 2 modes that have been made available to us, depending on which choice seems to be the most rational at the time. From the (rational) automobile viewpoint, if you would have used the pedestrian mode, you would have freed up space in that infrastructure for use by others, however, you followed the rules. From a (rational) pedestrian, that person did no harm by carefully utilizing that infrastructure along with them. Our society ideally should allow more situations where rationality dictates over written law. Our tendency to listen to our primitive lizard brains prevents that. Does that answer your question?
edmonds59
2016-09-02 07:21:30
There was a ticket issued to a cyclist last summer for doing the same thing- riding through that intersection on the pedestrian walk signal.  Indeed cyclist are vehicles (which we are while in the street) we need to fully act like them. My method of getting through those pedestrian walk signals is to hop off my bike, run across the intersection, then hop on to ride away on the other side.
helen-s
2016-09-02 09:43:05
what's funny is that when riding the wrong way down a one way street (most likely - "alley"), you are statistically less likely to be killed by a driver running you over from behind and would have less to worry about than on a two-way.  should you be aware that people might not expect traffic from that direction?  probably. i have yet to see any volumes of news reports of ninja cyclists in all black with no lights getting killed running red lights and stop signs.  the people getting killed seem to be a lot of experienced cyclists who seem to have been following all applicable laws. it's probably safe to say that people who antagonize cyclists are most likely antagonizing all sorts of other people around them throughout their daily lives.  to say that we should shame cyclists who don't feel safe playing "sitting duck" in intersections just because some road-rager might get mad and post a screwed up comment on a PG news story is to concede that getting steaming mad at seeing a cyclist run a light with no injury or ticket is a valid and sane reaction. i detect a severe logic disconnect in the argument that if all cyclists followed the law there wouldn't be more cyclist fatalities due to increased proximity to dangerous motorists in tight spaces and also it makes no sense whatsoever to presume that all of the anti-cyclist road-rager drivers would suddenly have a 'Grinch that Stole Christmas' change in heart and begin to respect other people on the road, including fellow motorists.
unixd0rk
2016-09-02 12:07:45
Thank you for the responses to my post. I agree with Italianblend's interpretation of the issue through this idea of keeping moving. Nobody enjoys being slowed down or blocked by the existence of others sharing the physical spaces we occupy. That said, while nobody enjoys being slowed down by others, and essentially inconvenienced by the existence of others, I think that it is important for people to cultivate a sense that everyone has just as much a right to be in that space as we do (as long as they actually do have such a right, i.e. not a bike riding on the freeway or something).  This is something that collectivist societies accomplish better purely through necessity. It has been my consistent observation, that as a more individualistic oriented society we have far too much of a sense of entitlement in these kinds of ways. I do not mean to imply that one way is better than the other. Collectivist societies definitively have their own shortcomings.  I nevertheless think that we have something to learn from the notion that these spaces we share with others are called "public" for a reason.  It is our obligation to share the space, but also not to hoard or crowd it unnecessarily. However, I will say that I think that edmonds59's point about rationality dictating over the letter of the law is problematic.  Most laws are first of all in place for a legitimate reason. Some are clearly not, and the large scale and open flaunting of such laws is usually a good thing and leads to changes in such laws.  Traffic laws are in large part not something that can be said to ever be excessive or unwarranted, because safety should always be seen as paramount over convenience or efficiency. Preventing one dead cyclist, pedestrian, or driver for that matter, is worth an infinite amount of laws being followed that slow down or inconvenience people on the roads. I am the kind of person that even as a pedestrian, will stop at a red light in the middle of the night when no cars are around for miles, and wait until the light turns green.   The rules are there for a reason, and even when they don't make sense in certain instances, it is still important to follow them.  This is not merely because of the immediate safety concerns that we may or may not always be aware of, but also because of the "broken window" phenomenon. When people see others breaking the rules it encourages more rule breaking and less order, thereby more danger. Also, when we ourselves break little rules that we clearly see as being ridiculous in certain instances, it causes us to have a more lax attitude towards rules in general, subconsciously thinking "well if that rule was dumb, this one that I don't like might be too".  This is what civilization is about, inconveniencing ourselves in agreed upon ways for the sake of a lot less inconvenience for everyone in the long run. When biking, walking or driving I will never stop at a red light and go before it turns green just because there is no immediate or obvious danger to do so. I also always slow down and nearly stop at stop signs on my bike, even when there are no cars coming in the other directions.  I think it is also very important as a pedestrian to never cross a road at a red light without the walk sign being on for them, even if we might feel that we can easily get across in time, or that we are somehow "entitled" to not follow the rules when they inconvenience us and when there will almost definitely be no repercussions for us. That is also an important point: just because we likely won't be punished in any way, we still should follow all applicable and not obviously absurd rules. These things ultimately boil down to a matter of civilization for me, and it makes me feel better to feel like I am not personally contributing to its downfall. Yes, perhaps a harsh comparison, not stopping at a stop sign being the downfall of civilization; but every little bit helps. Thanks again for everyone's responses =)
joshious
2016-09-02 12:16:00
unixd0rk:  I have never once seen an instance where not following the law was ever a safer option for a cyclist or a pedestrian. In fact it is always the opposite.  How is it being a "sitting duck" to not stop at a red light or a stop sign? I will concede that I agree with you on the point you made about people's anger towards cyclists being more complex than it stemming from simply seeing people on bikes break the rules.   I think it stems from a combination of guilt and anger at the person prompting them to feel such guilt. This all being subconscious of course. I think drivers see someone on a bike and deep down know that that person is being inherently more environmentally and socially responsible than they are in their current transportation situation.  They feel almost as if the biker by merely existing is somehow trying to tell them that they are morally inferior. Similar to how simply mentioning being vegetarian often makes meat eaters bewilderingly hostile, almost as if you are inherently implying by your decision not to eat meat that their decision to do so is wrong. I feel like that same dynamic is at work with bikers and drivers, and nobody likes being made to feel like they are morally inferior, even if no words are being spoken and it is all coming from within their own mind.
joshious
2016-09-02 12:29:56
i like the thoughts on our preference to "Keep going".  it reminds me that in the unfortunate event of my being any part of what the news will label an "Accident" and surely what throngs of trolls and trump types will victim blame me for having been on a bike, that it sure is nice to pretend that the odds that, I, the cyclist, can "Keep going" after the incident are the same as the person in the metal box built using engineering principles and safety features developed by manufacturers competitively racing cars at near 250MPH these days.
unixd0rk
2016-09-02 12:35:47
"unixd0rk: I have never once seen an instance where not following the law was ever a safer option for a cyclist or a pedestrian. In fact it is always the opposite. How is it being a “sitting duck” to not stop at a red light or a stop sign?" perhaps ask the friends and family of the young lady who was killed stopped at a light on forbes.
unixd0rk
2016-09-02 12:38:05
We don't like to discuss it here, because it seems like victim-blaming, but some of the recent cyclist deaths have included cyclists riding at night without lights, or running stop signs etc.
jonawebb
2016-09-02 12:53:44
i nowhere advocated "not stopping" at a light or stop sign.  that is just simply dangerous - and i propose that it rarely ever happens and if it were such a hazard we wouldn't be hearing about experienced cyclists getting run over from behind and put into comas, we'd be hearing about the piles of dead bike ninja scofflaws at intersections becoming a problem.  i have personally only seen people cross against lights while it was safe - which leads me to believe that not many are closing their eyes and barreling through without a care. but we don't...  so i contend that something does not follow in the logic being espoused by people who either don't feel any danger wedged between two chunks of steel at an intersection simply because they are following the law, or are not aware of the concept of inertia.  perhaps they are aware of this danger and yet defy their own sense of self-protection?  whatever it is, it makes absolutely no sense to me. if the goal is for everybody to respect others out there in the streets, how does shaming other cyclists who don't feel like putting their lives in the hands of an incomplete bike infrastructure or worse yet the dude behind the car behind them at the red light who is about to have a "medical incident" from the synthetic weed he's been smoking while driving fit into that?
unixd0rk
2016-09-02 12:56:39
Yes, people do love to blame the victim so that they don't ever have to feel an ounce of shame or remorse. I was responding to the idea of "keep going" presented by another poster.  I think while it explains peoples impatience, it is not an excuse for dangerous behavior. When an asshole driver does something reckless and nearly endangers me, I always think "can you not wait 5 more seconds and not risk my life, please?"  It should not be too much to ask that we respect each other more on the roads and not risk each others lives..   That said, the ones doing the actual life-risking are, as you mentioned with the big metal boxes, always motor vehicle drivers.  If drivers are being vigilant, even a reckless cyclist is never going to endanger anyone other than themselves.
joshious
2016-09-02 13:56:17
That poor lady was killed because a car hit the car behind her from behind and pushed them forward and squished her between two cars.  Such a horrible thing, but the situation in and of itself was not a dangerous one. It was probably exascerbated by the car behind her not leaving enough room between them and her.  If we want to be on the road with our bikes (and where else can we ride them if there arent bike paths, and even those don't have good intersection solutions usually), then we cannot get on and off the road without that being even more dangerous.  Also, since we can't ride on the sidewalk in those kinds of areas, what are you supposed to do if you want to get through that intersection? Get off the bike, walk it across lanes of traffic over to the side walk and then walk through the pedestrian crossing, then merge back onto the road with cars zooming by because they arent prepared for a bike to merge on there? I think that example you gave was not a good one to prove your point.  I remain in my belief that it is not in any instance more dangerous for a biker to follow the rules than to break them, or avoid them.
joshious
2016-09-02 14:01:22
Regarding adherence to traffic laws... I know this has been hashed and rehashed, but it's ironic that some of our bike infrastructure creates situations where a cyclist is plopped directly into a weird traffic gray area. I'm thinking particularly of the bike lane on Sixth Avenue where it intersects with Penn Ave. Unless you're turning right onto Penn... I don't really know what to do. Hopping off your bike to become a pedestrian seems like the best option.
doublestraps
2016-09-02 14:05:59
I will readily shame and curse at other cyclists who do blatantly stupid things while biking. It makes the road more dangerous for everyone, not just them, because it heightens already ridiculously high antagonism towards cyclists, and also can put other people at risk as well; such as in the incident I described with a douchebag riding his bike the wrong way down a one way street and almost causing a car to crash. That guy was not riding the wrong way down a one way street because it felt more safe, but because it felt more convenient and he felt entitled to do whatever the heck he wanted to. Just as a pedestrian should not walk at a red light, a cyclist should not either.  The same reasoning applies for cars, as even if you think the road is clear, so why not run the light, you never know and someone might be coming that you didnt see. That is why we have lights in the first place and not just a free for all where everyone can go when they please if they think its safe.  We can't count on people's good judgement or complete awareness, so we have rules and laws. If I see a cyclist stop at a red light and then cycle through, I am mortified, as everyone should be.  I would be so happy to see someone get a ticket for this, but sadly the cops arent about enough it seems.
joshious
2016-09-02 14:07:17
"Idaho Stop": https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Idaho_stop I support making "Idaho Stop" a law in PA, especially in Pittsburgh. According to the findings of several studies, Idaho Stop reduced crashes involving cyclists (see links in the Wiki link). I consider treating stop signs as yield signs is safer in hilly cities like Pittsburgh. Unless you are a good track cyclist who can do trackstand with ease, stopping at an uphill stop sign requires you to get into lower gear and put a foot down. Starting back up would most likely cause you to weave left and right a bit as you struggling to get enough momentum to remain upright, putting your life at risks as motor vehicles passing you. And if you are in the wrong gear, the weaving would probably be even greater and create a greater hazard for you. To make matters worse, if you shift too quickly under these conditions, you might cause a gear jam, forcing you to halt and block the traffic behind you.   Some opponents of  Idaho Stop said cyclists should not have softer regulations than motorists. I disagree. Cyclists should be treated as preferred road users as they have low probability of killing someone with their vehicles, create much less pollution, produce little of no damage to road surfaces.  
ninjaturtle0304
2016-09-02 14:11:02
  I will readily shame and curse at other cyclists who do blatantly stupid things while biking. Do you shame bicyclists who are sitting at lights in dangerous intersections when it clearly would be sagfer to just go through the light? Note:  If you are unaware of such situations, please, please, PLEASE do not ride a bike it the city.  You are a danger to yourself.
mick
2016-09-02 15:29:34
"the situation in and of itself was not a dangerous one" orly? you are welcome to keep telling yourself that, but if it wasn't dangerous at all - then we wouldn't have ever heard about another dead cyclist, would we?  i suggest that you have a very good false sense of security if you are not terrified of being crushed in between two cars in traffic or rolled over from behind.  your helmet, lights, and smug sense of self-satisfaction is not going to prevent your internal organs from being crushed or your spine severed.  i realize that some will say "that's just the risk you take" to which i will respond "no thanks, i'm not taking that risk.  have a nice day." once again, i would like to point out that "pretending" that you are a car while you are riding a bike and fooling yourself into believing that you are experiencing the same level of risk to your life and limb as a motorist, is quite foolish in my opinion. i fully support the idaho stop and any other solutions to the problem that don't require shaming those who may have a heightened sensitivity or awareness as to when their life is or isn't in danger.
unixd0rk
2016-09-02 16:02:51
"I would be so happy to see someone get a ticket for this, but sadly the cops arent about enough it seems." and yet, people have.  so you must be happy.
unixd0rk
2016-09-02 16:06:54
"Also, since we can’t ride on the sidewalk in those kinds of areas" is forbes between the cathedral of learning and dippy the dinosaur actually a bona-fide "business district"?  for one thing, i don't know of many "business districts" with a 4 lane "practically a highway" through it, so it sure doesn't *look* like one.  forbes between oh, halket and bigelow "kind of" looks like one despite the 3 lanes of death that continues to spuriously claim the lives of pedestrians trying to cross.  craig street between forbes and center looks like one.  walnut between aiken and negley looks like one.  most of downtown looks like one... even if that area IS legally (and I would say, erroneously) defined as a "business district" i will continue to ride through that area after bigelow heading toward CMU either carefully on the sidewalk at a sensible and courteous pace or cross-country through the cathedral cut by heinz chapel.
unixd0rk
2016-09-02 16:25:40
joshious, I don't care how you frame it for yourself, but Susan Hicks death was indeed directly influenced by the fact that she was following "rules" designed for automobiles. As far as negotiating that specific intersection, personally, I go straight thru past the museum, take the lane, and take the left on S. Dithridge instead. I will take whatever course of action that I believe carries the greatest possibility of keeping me alive. And I disagree that "rules are there for a reason". Rules exist because most people are more comfortable with rules than they are with rational, empathetic thought, they are a placebo. Based on the level of traffic injuries and deaths at present, the rules are not working. I don't give two whits what other pedestrians and cyclists do if it doesn't affect me, I don't get irritated, and I don't shame them, that's called minding my own business. And if you do indeed sit at red lights in the middle of nowhere where there is no other traffic and no one else around, that's just being pointlessly Puritanical. Literally no one cares if you run that light or not.
edmonds59
2016-09-03 11:05:26
Well, I do follow the rules and I do sit at empty intersections (those with lights) for the simple reason that it's the law. And I feel it's important that cyclists be seen to respect the law. Many times it feels silly. And I've even had other cyclists say "hey man, why you waiting? there's nobody coming." But I keep waiting. Unless I'm really, really late for something... Real life ends up with exceptions. One of the things I like about it.  
ahlir
2016-09-03 18:01:38
Thanks Gordon for the Idaho stop information. That is indeed an excellent law, and should be applied everywhere. Cyclists do in fact deserve "special" privilege on the road because A) we are more at risk for harm, B) we are not damaging the roads or taking up very much of the road, and C) we are not polluting the air and are doing something healthy in the process. Anyone who would complain about cyclists having different rules is just being a dick.   That said, as long as the rules are what they are, we must follow them. The rules exist so that others know what to expect and can maneuver accordingly. If some cyclists slow down at stop signs, some stop completely and others zoom through without even slightly breaking, then drivers, pedestrians and other cyclists don't know what to expect. That makes the road more dangerous.   As to the situation of stopping at a light at a dangerous intersection: First of all, I have never once seen a case where running a red light would have been safer. If it's an intersection with lots of traffic to begin with it is very unlikely that there will be a long enough lull in perpendicular traffic to zoom through the intersection safely. Furthermore, that kind of biking could cause a car to have to swerve and hit other cars or pedestrians to avoid the cyclist. If we want to be on the roads, we have to follow the rules as they currently exist. When people don't, they should get ticketed. Finally, I don't understand how it is inherently more unsafe to wait in line with the cars. Sure, fluke accidents happen, but that situation with the lady getting pinned between two cars was a very unlikely scenerio where multiple things lined up. I would venture a guess that it is in fact much more dangerous to walk across an intersection on foot with the walk sign on, because so many cars clearly ignore pedestrians right of way and don't even seem to look. I often feel way more unsafe on foot and crossing roads than I do on my bike.   I've lived in about 20 cities in 3 countries so far, and I must say that my new home of Pittsburgh is the place with the WORST drivers of any other place I've lived. The worse towards other cars, the worst towards cyclists and the worst towards pedestrians.   I understand everyone else's points, but I still believe that this is primarily an issue of law and order rather than preference or "ones own business". What other people do on public roads is not their own business, it is all of our problem. We need a system that works well and then we all need to follow it.   Considering how bad people drive here I'm appaled by the fact that there aren't red light cameras and that the city police aren't allowed to use radar detectors. It's really quite barbaric.
joshious
2016-09-04 02:10:54
Is this chicken and egg? are drivers worse because there is very little patrolling of intersections (i.e., very little risk of being caught driving poorly compared to other places)?  Or the other way around. In any case, the other factor that makes Pgh harder for everyone is that the grid was laid out over a century ago.  The streets are narrow.  They are winding.  They go up and down hills.  Some of them are one way.  And they weren't designed for the current load of traffic.
edronline
2016-09-04 12:21:25
A simple situation where running a red light might be considered safer: The usual thought process for many drivers at a red light queued up behind a cyclist goes something like this: "Shit, some guy on a bike! If I don't get past him by the time I get across this intersection, he's gonna block the lane. I'm gonna be stuck behind him and unable to pass, losing precious seconds of my time. As soon as the light changes, I've got to gun it and get ahead of that a-hole..." At the same time the driver races off the line, the cyclist is attempting to accelerate from a full stop, the precise moment when his bike is least stably balanced, due to lack of momentum. In this case, the cyclist might believe it is safer to cross before traffic, get up to speed and in better control of his vehicle before impatient motorists bear down upon him. Not that I'm arguing this either way; just providing one example of how someone might logically conclude running a light would be safer than waiting. For myself, I'm a believer and practitioner of Idaho. It's simple, straightforward, consistent, and (for many cyclists) common sense. IMO.
ornoth
2016-09-04 14:52:09
I think it's important to distinguish between traveling at speed through a light, vs stopping at a red light briefly before proceeding (classic Idaho), and a third situation, proceeding on the red after waiting for much but not all of the cycle.
stuinmccandless
2016-09-04 22:19:36
But Stu, all three of those assume some degree of negotiability in the observance of the law, which some would declare as non-negotiable. So, for those, no effective difference.
edmonds59
2016-09-06 09:36:03
Oh, my goodness. I was turning left onto Frankstown Road from Graham Blvd yesterday, around 6:00 pm, at the light there, and just as it turned green I saw a cyclist ride up the far lane of Frankstown (that is, on the right side of the street, against traffic) and cross in front of the cars that were waiting at the light, which had just gotten a green light. I couldn't think of what to do other than point straight at him, hoping they would notice a rider coming from an unexpected direction. He saw me, and I guess thought I was saying hi, so he waved back. Fortunately, he's lucky, and the cars waiting at the light didn't start right away and run over him. I doubt he will see this, but please: 1) Ride with traffic. Riding against traffic is something they teach little kids. Don't do that. It's not safe. 2) If you're on a multi-lane road, take the lane. 3) Stop at lights.
jonawebb
2016-09-15 15:19:16
Followed two cyclists through Squirrel Hill on Murray Ave last night around 8:30, fully dark. No helmets, no lights. I can sometimes see the point of the anti-cyclist rants on the news sites. Cyclists not taking responsibility for their own safety is a problem. On the plus side, they were otherwise riding safely, taking the lane more or less.
jonawebb
2016-10-07 09:38:56
I was in the Pitt campus general area yesterday around noon, which is rare for me. So much wrong-way riding on Bouquet and Thackeray, uphill from Fifth. Though I partly blame this on the street grid in the area
chrishent
2016-10-08 08:08:05
*top* Time to bring this topic up in 2017. I'm sure some of you have some stories to tell ;-)
chrishent
2017-05-02 10:15:32
was running on the north shore trail toward Millvale between 16th street and 31st street bridge a few weeks ago, far over to the right.  It was during the day and the trail was empty except for a biker coming toward me.  Straight toward me  When he was about 5 feet away I realized he wasn't going to move over to his side of the trail, so I had to jump onto the grass to avoid being knocked down. He kept going.  I stood there and scratched my head. Maybe he was from a country formally controlled by the British empire and thought I was on the wrong side of the road.  Or maybe he was stoned?
edronline
2017-05-02 13:06:32
I had the exact same experience a couple months ago heading west on the north shore trail just past the casino. Some cyclist was trying to overtake another cyclist and was occupying my lane heading towards me. Either he didn't notice me despite my headlight, or he wanted to play chicken. When collision seemed imminent I veered to the right off the trail and shouted "look out!". He didn't react at all; just kept trucking along with his head down.
altay
2017-05-02 21:35:11
I've slowed my roll because I'm approaching the Arts Festival and there's TONS of peds. This idiot comes up behind me screeching his bakes. (sorry buddy, you're going to have to go slow through here!) Apparently, that wasn't fast enough for him. He passes me with no warning while I'm trying to slowly pass a couple on our right and another ped oncoming.   Not cool. I told him so.   http://imgur.com/tDjf0wa
rustyred
2017-06-08 19:18:36
Need everyone's help on this one...   We heard from the crossing guard at North and Federal on the Northside that a cyclist riding south on Federal (downhill) blew the red light and hit a child in the crosswalk trying to board a bus.  Even worse, he did not stop.  This is legitimately a deadly act and cannot be tolerated.   Guy was riding a black bike with silver helmet, and the guard said she recognized him as a somewhat frequent rider.
nmr
2017-06-12 08:56:28
@NMR it might be one of the idiots that rides this Strava segment at full speed: https://www.strava.com/segments/8175117 Not the same street, obviously, but a quick perusal some of their Strava activities indicates that a few of them go down Federal on a regular basis.
chrishent
2017-06-12 09:07:29
The top speed on that Strava segment is 37 kmh is 23 mph is still less than the posted speed limit, let alone what a lot of cars are doing around there.  I'm not sure how relevant that is.
epanastrophe
2017-06-12 11:45:51
Look closer. Part of that segment is not on the street but on a walkway that connects Arch St and N/W Commons, and goes right by the elementary school. Seems pretty idiotic to me to ride through there that fast.
chrishent
2017-06-12 11:53:01
@chrishent It depends enormously on time of day and what's going on. And most of the people on those lists were going 30km/h or less (18 mi/h or less), which is an easy cruising speed to get up to just coasting down the hill through a green light. It's really not fair to insinuate that someone who once went 18-20 mi/h on Arch St (which is normally a pretty calm street, in my experience) is a reckless rider and a suspected child-hitter.   ETA: This event was obviously awful, and I really hope the kid is okay.
2017-06-12 11:58:50
it was suggested on facebook that the AGH satellite office across from the library and/or the parking garage may have video cameras.  The library, the Crazy Mocha, and, for that matter, the bus itself might also.
epanastrophe
2017-06-12 12:00:52
Like I said, it might be one of those riders, mainly because a few at the top of that segment leaderboard use Federal St to go downhill as well. That does not prove anything, but the goal here is to try and identify who was the cyclist that hit the child, so looking at a tracking service such as Strava is just one possible way to help clue in who is a regular on that particular side of town. Some people post pictures of themselves riding or their bikes on Strava, so that may help in the IDing process. Also, as far as I'm aware, most cyclists are not on Strava. @Buffalo's note on surveillance cameras around the area might provide a better lead.
chrishent
2017-06-12 13:33:05
Could we get a time of the incident from the crossing guard? If it's a semi-regular user of that route heading to work or class or a regular destination, the easiest thing might just be for people who are normally in that area around that time to keep an eye out and try and get a visual on the person. Do we have any idea if police were called? My own 2 c, going downhill fast is cool, not being in control of the bike is not cool, and not stopping if something DOES happen is a chickenshit move.
edmonds59
2017-06-12 13:52:15
Ran into a cyclist on Sarah St. this morning who was a) running stop signs, probably because b) he was riding the wrong way down a one way street. Probably didn't help that he was c) wearing headphones and d) checking his texts.
mrdestructicity
2017-06-14 08:32:21
After looking at my rear camera video, I'm thinking *I* was the idiot for calling out this Salmon Tweeker on a Healthy Ride. He promptly turned around and was coming back for me...   https://youtu.be/ziu2cXjY12I
rustyred
2017-07-14 20:24:51
Yeah, that's like death wish ride right there.
edronline
2017-07-14 21:54:40
A thread from Nextdoor Squirrel Hill South: https://squirrelhillsouth.nextdoor.com/news_feed/?comment=117874244&lc=31577&is=nce&mobile_deeplink_data=action%3Dview_post%26post%3D58157448&s=&link_source_user_id=2202978&post=58157448&ct=RhOBn48_kzaMD5SAZ77JhlK5EY-Y82J1HVv3pfYGSaMwD6bKP6rUw3vm8-QuqWij Lori Goldstein, Squirrel Hill South1 bicyclist I am all for sharing the road- however- shouldn't they be required to also follow the rules of the road and human decency? As I drove through Squirrel Hill with my family, including my 7 year old daughter, we were repeatedly cut off by a middle aged man on his bicycle (coming from Greenfield) running red lights and stop signs, weaving and speeding. When we honked our horn, reminding him we were there, he proceeded to give us the finger, for several blocks, hands waving in the air- with my daughter asking what that meant. To that man- please- follow the rules. Ride your bike, but stop at red lights, stop at stop signs, and think of the safety of others. Above all- please, stop waving your middle finger around; especially at young children. Thank you. New5h ago • 21 neighborhoods in Crime & Safety Thank Reply 9 Thanks • 7 Replies Aviva Gross, Squirrel Hill South•5h agoNew Can police issue tickets to bike riders? Thank 2 Thanks Ronna L, Squirrel Hill South•5h agoNew I think I've encountered this rude bicyclist also! Perhaps he has mental issues, and doesn't know the rules and never drove a car? Perhaps someone not as kind as you will show him the rules. Thanked! 2 Thanks David Korman, Squirrel Hill South•5h agoNew The police can- but rarely do. (The Motor Vehicle term is "pedalcycle.") https://www.dot.state.pa.us/public/PubsForms/Publications/PUB%20380.pdf Sorry this happened. Some bicyclists, like some drivers, are reckless, careless, and/or rude. Thank 4 Thanks Jason Hochreiter, Squirrel Hill South•5h agoNew Please don't let one misbehaving bicyclist create a stereotype and label those people riding bikes. Many many cyclists follow the rules of the road. All Pgh street users, regardless of the form of transportation, should be acting and behaving so they can get safety to their destination. Thank 2 Thanks Arie Presman, Squirrel Hill South•5h agoNew Sorry, men, but he is well known crazy of the neighborhood.. He already got in many accidents but nothing helps.. Try to avoid him (and the like), there is a famous aphorism :don't be Right on the road - Be Smart! Thanked! 3 Thanks Jenn Halahan, Greenfield•5h agoNew That's so uncalled for! Such rude behavior. Sorry that happened to you and your family. As far as I know, they are ALL supposed to follow the rules of the road, but I don't see that happen too often. It's unsafe for everyone on the road when rules are ignored, bikes or vehicles. I'm an advocate of bicyclists having to pay registration fees, insurance, and licensing just like motor vehicles, especially since more and more are on the road. If a bicyclist hits your car during traffic and leaves without exchanging information, how do you report the dent or scratch that person left on your vehicle? It's almost impossible because they're all basically anonymous. Thank 2 Thanks Peter Brusilovsky, Squirrel Hill South•4h agoNew This is unacceptable cyclist behavior. But on the top of that, dear neigbors, please, do not honk to cyclists unless it is absolutely necessary - there are cases when accidents follow honking since cyclists get surprised and fell. Thank 8 Thanks Avrum Harris, Squirrel Hill South·13m agoNew Most bicycle riders expect you to give them the road not share it. I've ran into some very rude ones in Squirrel hill. They are by law suppose to follow the same rules as cars but from what I've seen most do not.
yalecohen
2017-07-24 01:42:29
Monday evening, about 645pm, Oakland: A rider heads outbound in the far left of the four-lane section of Forbes Ave.  As he approaches the double left turn at Bellefield, a car pulls into the #2 lane.  The rider looks back over his shoulder at the car on what will be the outside of his turning movement....and continues straight. Fortunately the light changed and the car stopped for it.  Also fortunately, there was no inbound traffic at that moment---he continued outbound in the inbound lane for another block, finally jumping on the sidewalk just before Craig.
epanastrophe
2017-07-25 16:08:39
Don't use your phone while riding your bike unless you have some sort of hands-free set up. If you take your bike on the T, don't ride it on the platform. Even if it looks like there's no one in front of you. Normally I wouldn't bother but I have these behaviors every day for the last two weeks.
mrdestructicity
2017-07-28 14:15:33
Gonna qualify this one by first saying the guy isn't wholly wrong, as he did have the green light. But c'mon, really. During last night's Underwear Ride, as the throng proceeded down South Negley, a cyclist came speeding through the group perpendicularly, I think at the intersection with Friendship Ave. Didn't even try to slow down. As I said, he had the green, but:
  • A ride marshal had the corner corked
  • Two or three cars were lined up behind the cork
  • The crowd of 260 was impossible to not see, and there was a cork and waiting cars on the other side of the light.
Somehow he was lucky and managed to slide through the throng without clobbering anyone. A couple years ago, I was driving eastward on Reynolds, approaching Dallas. I saw I had the green. I also saw a car cross with the red, and immediately a second. Funeral procession. I stopped. Big group rides operate in a similar fashion, though PA law has not properly addressed this yet.    
stuinmccandless
2017-07-28 16:42:03
I turn right onto Smallman from that street that goes past Lotus, and almost got hit by a cyclist riding on the wrong side of the street.  I'm looking left to make sure no cars are coming, and trying to keep an eye on people backing out of spots on the right at the same time, so I had very little attention to dedicate to the possibility that someone on a bike would be coming the wrong way where I'm supposed to be going. Really that whole stretch of Smallman feels like riding through a giant parking lot.
neiltron
2017-07-28 23:45:41
Idiot of the day: Guy on a blue mountain bike that passed me in the bike lane on Bayard while I was stopped for elderly pedestrians who had been patiently waiting to cross at marked, but unsignaled crosswalk. I had used hand signals to indicate I was stopping. He blew by on my left. This is shitty and dangerous when cars or bikes do it.
benzo
2017-08-14 10:19:07
A colleague of mine was turning left from Schenley Drive onto Tech St today when a cyclist coming down Schenley (passing a car) took exception.  Evidently the cyclist felt at risk of being cut off.  I know that intersection all too well, as I fly down Schenley daily at over 30 mph (which I will remind everybody is well above the 25 mph speed limit), and then I get to execute the exciting right - left onto Frew, with a 50-50 chance that a car stopped at the Tech stop sign will actually wait for me. Further, Shay was creamed by someone pulling out from Tech onto Schenley a couple of years ago. So I get being tense there.  However, this cyclist chased my colleague down and proceeded to reach into his car and steal his sunglasses after screaming at him the whole way down Tech.
neilmd
2017-08-17 12:45:58
Young black girl, mid to late teens, takes her bike off the front of a 12 McKnight bus and rides away, leaving the rack down. The driver honked but she was clueless, never looked back. As I was getting on the bus with about 15 others, I took care of the matter by stepping out of line for five seconds to put it back up (I was bikeless today). The driver and I are well acquainted, so we just gave each other a mutual eye roll as I boarded.
stuinmccandless
2017-09-20 22:01:37
The first time I used a bus bike rack, I forgot to put it back up. Mistakes happen.
paulheckbert
2017-09-21 09:26:06
Liberty Tubes, yeah maybe. Wabash, I support and promote. Fort Pitt? Ya gotta be nuts.
stuinmccandless
2018-10-14 21:39:23