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Why Pittsburgh would be a better place if more people rode

About 7:30 this morning I was headed into Oakland from Shadyside on Ellsworth.


Now, here's how if would have happened if I was in my car: "Driving driving, don't hit pedestrian crossing in the middle of the road, driving driving..."


Instead, here is how my morning went: "Biking biking, guy crossing street going to his car, hm he tried the door and didn't get in, hm he's trying ALL the car doors, this is not so good, stop bike, call 911 to report"


Now, per further conversations with Pittsburgh Police they didn't catch the guy, but at least I was in a position to be observant and try to stop him. (Friendly reminder to lock your car).


If more people were outside, just in general, walking, riding, etc it would probably make the city a much better place.


nochasingiguanas
2010-04-06 01:37:53

So true. You make more eye contact as well so the people out become people and not obstacles.


rsprake
2010-04-06 14:04:55

Absolutely right, nci. That's one of the basic concepts of city planning that has slowly been changing over 3 decades, the street belongs to everyone as a society, and the more "eyes on the street" there are, the safer the city is.

Interesting experience, it's good that you took your own time to call and report the thing. One tv commercial I like, even though it's sappy as hell, is the insurance commercial about "responsibility", where some stranger does something for someone, then they do something, and so on. Hopefully this little message will creep into peoples heads that we all sort of need to watch out for each other, contrary to the opinion of the wingnut "Ayn Randers".


edmonds59
2010-04-06 14:06:46

Totally. when carmen robinson was running for mayor, she answered our questions and, surprisingly, state just that. surprisingly, because she was the only one who mentioned this as a benefit of more cyclists and peds. she's an ex-cop so it makes sense.


I do believe it is achievable and it works perfectly well with my plan to support small businesses in our most distressed neighborhoods. These distressed neighborhoods have residents who have been held hostage in their homes. I want to create hustle and bustle in these neighborhoods. Pedestrian traffic as well as cycle traffic would complement my plan. The reason violent crime has thrived, is because people are not communing by interacting with each other in their neighborhoods. I would like to bring the shopping districts back, within 2 miles, into our neighborhoods.


erok
2010-04-06 14:15:07

Exactly why having a grocery store in the Hill district is a bigger deal than it appears.


Also, it's about time Bike Pittsburgh had a "Won't you be my neighbor?" sticker.


asobi
2010-04-06 18:40:31

Also, it's about time Bike Pittsburgh had a "Won't you be my neighbor?" sticker.


+1


"It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood..."


greenbike
2010-04-06 20:55:28

Not sure anyone noticed, but there are 45 Port Authority buses with the words "Welcome to my neighborhood" written on the side, in the 15 languages most commonly spoken here. Most of them have bike racks.


stuinmccandless
2010-04-06 20:58:56

I was happy to see that the new 75 Ellsworth had bike racks--at least the one I went by last night did.


greenbike
2010-04-06 21:16:32

What are the 15 languages most commonly spoken here?


dwillen
2010-04-06 21:17:40

I long for the day when EVERY PAT bus has a bike rack on it...


Or figure out some way so that bikes can work with the T on peak hours. Not likely, but one can hope for SOMETHING right?


impala26
2010-04-06 21:21:08

What are the 15 languages most commonly spoken here?


Well, Pixburghese is one.


ieverhart
2010-04-06 21:21:19

What are the 15 languages most commonly spoken here?


Italian, Polish, German... probably Korean or Chinese and Spanish too. Russian, maybe?


greenbike
2010-04-06 22:23:06

don't forget American Sign Language. that's a biggie...


sloaps
2010-04-06 23:05:48

I was looking for the list but can't find it, so will work from memory: English, Chinese, Russian, Spanish, Polish, Italian, German, Arabic, Japanese, Korean, Hungarian, one of {Danish|Swedish|Norwegian}, I think Portuguese and a couple others.


And no, ASL isn't one of them. On the side of a bus, anyway. I don't know how they missed that one.


stuinmccandless
2010-04-07 13:41:59

I am surprised no devanagari-based languages made the cut. They are also absent from the UPMC "Welcome" signs that seem to have a couple dozen different languages.


dwillen
2010-04-07 14:04:54