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Old 04-02-2012, 09:10 PM
gg
 
Location: Pittsburgh
26,137 posts, read 25,872,238 times
Reputation: 17378

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Well, seems already we have some dumb pickup truck driving smashing into a cyclist in Friendship. Wonder what will happen? Pickup truck driver goes home and has a steak dinner and the cyclist is in rehab for the next few years and has to sell his home to pay the medical bills. Oh well.

Pickup Truck Hits Bicyclist In Friendship « CBS Pittsburgh
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Old 04-02-2012, 09:14 PM
 
Location: Marshall-Shadeland, Pittsburgh, PA
32,613 posts, read 77,432,847 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by h_curtis View Post
Um, you can run over a cyclist and nothing happens at all. There was some pickup truck driver that hit and killed Donald Parker of Hampton and he didn't even have to do community service. His excuse for killing Parker? His flipflop got tangled with his brake pedal. No big deal. Parker was training to do the MS 150 for charity and was on his way to work on a residential street. He is dead and the killer is just living normally with no issues. I don't know if the killer would at least get community service or maybe something with the new law, but maybe not? Hard to say. Ah well, just another cyclist lost that was just trying to get in shape for a charity ride.
With all due respect with how outdated the infrastructure is in the North Hills with the general lack of shoulders, sidewalks, bike lanes, etc. (and the apparent apathy towards retrofitting existing neighborhood with such crucial amenities) I wouldn't feel safe biking in a place like Hampton Township to begin with.
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Old 04-02-2012, 09:18 PM
 
Location: Marshall-Shadeland, Pittsburgh, PA
32,613 posts, read 77,432,847 times
Reputation: 19101
Quote:
Originally Posted by h_curtis View Post
Well, seems already we have some dumb pickup truck driving smashing into a cyclist in Friendship. Wonder what will happen? Pickup truck driver goes home and has a steak dinner and the cyclist is in rehab for the next few years and has to sell his home to pay the medical bills. Oh well.

Pickup Truck Hits Bicyclist In Friendship « CBS Pittsburgh
You really hate pick-up drivers, don't you?
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Old 04-02-2012, 09:19 PM
 
Location: Marshall-Shadeland, Pittsburgh, PA
32,613 posts, read 77,432,847 times
Reputation: 19101
Quote:
Originally Posted by ditchdigger View Post
Not me, I've always tried to give cyclists a wide berth. Seriously. I don't trust any of you not to just fall over at the wrong time...
Same here. Then again I drive a hybrid, so according to h_curtis's logic I'm cyclist-friendly by default.
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Old 04-03-2012, 05:39 AM
gg
 
Location: Pittsburgh
26,137 posts, read 25,872,238 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SteelCityRising View Post
With all due respect with how outdated the infrastructure is in the North Hills with the general lack of shoulders, sidewalks, bike lanes, etc. (and the apparent apathy towards retrofitting existing neighborhood with such crucial amenities) I wouldn't feel safe biking in a place like Hampton Township to begin with.
It actually happened in Indiana Twp, very close to the Fox Chapel border. Also, it doesn't matter if YOU feel safe or not. It was a Hampton resident.
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Old 04-03-2012, 05:44 AM
 
733 posts, read 984,565 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ditchdigger View Post
Not me, I've always tried to give cyclists a wide berth. Seriously. I don't trust any of you not to just fall over at the wrong time...
Hahahahahahaha

Quote:
Originally Posted by h_curtis View Post
Pickup Truck Hits Bicyclist In Friendship « CBS Pittsburgh

"The driver of the truck told KDKA-TV that when he looked up, the bike was right in front of him"
These are the type of quotes you often see when a motorist hits a cyclist, and they generally mean "I wasn't paying attention until I ran that person over."

I mean, of course the bike was right in front of you, bro. That's where the road is.

Quote:
Originally Posted by SteelCityRising View Post
With all due respect with how outdated the infrastructure is in the North Hills with the general lack of shoulders, sidewalks, bike lanes, etc. (and the apparent apathy towards retrofitting existing neighborhood with such crucial amenities) I wouldn't feel safe biking in a place like Hampton Township to begin with.
Agreed. I'm not biking in the North Hills any time soon. It still doesn't excuse somebody getting hit, of course, but...agreed, haha. Thankfully, there's nothing I want to visit in the North Hills anyway.

In relation to the bill, a few folks in my building stopped by and mentioned that they heard about it in the PPG and on the radio yesterday, so it sounds like it has done at least a little to raise awareness already. That's a good thing.
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Old 04-03-2012, 05:46 AM
gg
 
Location: Pittsburgh
26,137 posts, read 25,872,238 times
Reputation: 17378
Quote:
Originally Posted by SteelCityRising View Post
You really hate pick-up drivers, don't you?
If you cycle long enough you know what to look for. The odds are if a pickup is approaching from behind, I know there is a greater possibility for them to pound their chest and come close to me to prove they are a big man. Almost all conflicts are men and most drive big SUV's or trucks. The occasional rice burner with a punk kid driving can be a problem sometimes. Other than that, most are okay. I am talking about percentages here from many many years of experience cycling on the road. What I say are facts from a long study. The guy from Hampton was struck by a pickup. Friendship? Pickup. Believe me, when I see one coming from behind I am ready to jump the curb. Just the way it is. Sure there are some that move over and give a little room, but as a percentage not many. The worst problem I had with a vehicle was a pickup in the Strip district. I was riding through that alley between Liberty and Penn because I needed a break from motorists. Sure enough some idiot in a diesel pickup gets behind me, revs his motor and is right on my tail. There is no way to pass, so I speed up to over 20 mph in an alley and running stop signs to get away, but he is wanting to keep up no matter the cost to anyone and runs the stop signs as well. I then stop and pull over and wave him by and he waves his hand back and parks. I called him an a-hole to his face and went on my way just thinking...typical.
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Old 04-03-2012, 06:30 AM
 
20,273 posts, read 32,942,390 times
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I always gave bikes a decent berth, but I am now giving them a bit wider to make sure I am complying with the law.

So that is one person who has changed their behavior.
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Old 04-03-2012, 07:08 AM
gg
 
Location: Pittsburgh
26,137 posts, read 25,872,238 times
Reputation: 17378
Quote:
Originally Posted by BrianTH View Post
I always gave bikes a decent berth, but I am now giving them a bit wider to make sure I am complying with the law.

So that is one person who has changed their behavior.
Thanks.

I will say, most people actually pass with a 4 foot buffer. I was riding yesterday and keeping an eye on how much room people leave. 4 feet isn't as much as you think when you are riding a bike. Believe me 3 feet is very close and noticeable. Sure when you are riding on Butler Street in Lawrenceville, you expect to be passed closer, but the East End in general, 4 feet would be pretty normal, IMHO. Sometimes even more.
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Old 04-03-2012, 07:26 AM
 
Location: Pittsburgh area
9,912 posts, read 24,595,378 times
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I passed one the other day on my own road near my house. Trying to remember how wide I go, but the road is not that wide, so I certainly need to have a clear lane on the other side to give any berth at all, so I'm sure I'm giving at least 4 feet. I also try to get around quickly which minimizes any chance of mishaps involving other cars that could affect the cyclist. So if I accelerate pretty strongly next to you, please don't take that as impatience. I believe that to be safer for all of us.

It's always been amazing to me how often people will pass a cyclist even though there is opposing traffic! On most roads it is just not possible to give a cyclist wide enough berth when there are oncoming cars. Waiting a few seconds until the opposing traffic clears has always been what I do. The law just basically clarifies this. I hope it makes people more aware.

Be careful out there.
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