BIKEPGH MESSAGE BOARD ARCHIVE

ha nice. what was going on? i heard some woman complaining about it this morning too.

The parkway east was closed outbound, right?

Also, I thought I saw contractors working under the birmingham bridge this morning. anyone know if the trail was impacted by that?

Some guys were shooting each other, then ramming their cars together on parkway east outbound. A 4 mile bit of it was closed most of the morning. The only open exit ramp in this area was at Bates in Oakland.

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09292/1006698-100.stm

I guess there were accidents on other freeways as well. Me and one other guy, who walks to work, were the only ones who got here on time this morning.

"At least three people were injured early today when drivers exchanged gunfire and one vehicle rammed another just outside the Squirrel Hill Tunnels on the Parkway East outbound."

http://www.postgazette.com/pg/09292/1006698-100.stm

Also, I thought I saw contractors working under the birmingham bridge this morning. anyone know if the trail was impacted by that?

No impact at 7:45 this morning. I didn't see anything at all in fact.

When I was riding in round about 6:30, I saw the vehicles on the Parkway East outbound under the bridge. I saw the "big flashing move over sign" truck and some flares. Didn't get a good enough look to see what else was going on. They were all in the right lane/berm of 376 so there was zero impact on the trail.

GEEZ!

that is ridiculous!

I'm never driving again.

It was such a beautiful day, I wonder how many people would have biked in had there been a safe, level way to bike from the EastPgh-Turlcrik-Braddock area to the Jail Trail, knew that they could, and had amenities in town (secure bike storage, showers) supporting bike commuting on a large scale.

The "missing links", as I've said in other threads recently, are a mechanism to get from the Duck Hollow path across the railroad tracks at the Glenwood Bridge, a safe and legal way to get from Irvine St to the Jail Trail, and a safe and legal way to get from that road along the old Carrie Furnace site to Duck Hollow.

With that in place, I would be interested in a 3-way race from Electric Ave & Dynamo Way in Turlcrik/EPgh to the Mellon Square parking garage: (a) automobile via Parkway East; (b) 68F bus; (c) bicycle. The race would start when the 68F pulls out at 7:26 a.m. Theoretically the bus rider would be there around 8:05.

I'd suggest trying it now, except for having to jump those very live, very fast tracks under the Glenwood Bridge. Second/Irvine from there is a pain, but no worse than a bunch of other streets at rush hour AFAIK.

I know that after the trails are finished throughout the county, along our rivers, there will be many more cyclists riding not only for recreation,but also for transportational purposes.A lot more cyclists would be able to bike to work.I'm one of those people.

Stu:

Why the Mellon Square parking garage when folks don't actually work there? How about a race, say, to Gateway Center instead, parking time included?

(I guess one could argue about cleanup time for the cyclist, but if you do it right you've knocked out shower time at home).

I was looking for a center-city spot. That spot is right on the 68F but not first stop (trying not to favor the bus), and does handle the other two modes.

And yes, I was thinking about parking time, but wasn't thinking about shower time. What we're really talking about is what I call "doorknob-to-desk" time, but I wouldn't worry the details. Let's just say, the question will always be raised, and the answer is, yeah, so you take 10 or so minutes to clean up once you get there.

The more important question is, what takes the least time to get Downtown? That, and cost-free parking and travel. And trouble-free travel, esp. on Let's Close The Parkway mornings.

I assume most have heard about the most recent modal challenge from São Paulo, a car-centric city where traffic is so bad that the bigwigs have taken to using helicopters to get from place to place. Well, in this challenge, the bike even beat the helicopter.

http://www.psfk.com/2009/09/bicycle-beats-helicopter.html

"Contrary to all forecasts, a biker won the challenge, with a total time of 22 minutes – more than 10 minutes faster than the person on the helicopter, who spent a total of 33 minutes and 30 seconds between going to the heliport, waiting for takeoff clearance, flying and landing.

The car came way behind, with a total time of 1:22– slower than the runner, who took 1:06, the bus (1:11) and just 10 minutes faster than the person who chose to walk the whole path (1:32)."

Contrary to all forecasts??? We could have predicted that outcome.

Bike beats a helicopter...

That's awesome.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okXJ25FmeNM

This was the episode of Top Gear where the bicycle beat an SUV, speedboat, and Public Transit in a race across London.

One of my favorite shows.

LOL at 2'20 - "I've got to wait at the light, I'm on the tele..." meanwhile he's passed by four other bikers.

I'd have to believe that the Stig is the fasts transit rider evar!!!

Hadn't seen that episode...the comments about the buses are hilarious b/c they're so true.

There is another episode where the guy who is on the bike in that clip is driving some sports car racing some kids on BMX bikes through some narrow streeted old european city and the BMXrs won (i think) LOL...

I had a meeting in Oakland yesterday morning. I rode my bike there and after the meeting hopped on the bike, zipped down Joncaire to the hollow and took the trail into town. Reached Smithfield

Street about 10 minutes ahead of my coworkers who had to walk to a bus stop and wait for a bus to get here. Nothing against the bus mind you, I ride frequently, but just another example bike efficiency. I have a place to park at work though, which speeds things up.