East Liberty is still old East Liberty I guess (Pittsburgh: live, move)

[eccotecc]

Has anyone ever seen trunk monkey on youtube. It's well worth watching. One of the funniest things I've ever seen in my life.


Trunk Monkey Compilation - YouTube

[gg]

Originally Posted by Evergrey

My bike was stolen in State College, PA.

Yeah bikes get stolen in college towns a lot. That has always been the case. A bunch of kids get drunk and steal a bike to ride it into the river or whatever. Then they don't remember it the next day.

[gg]

FWIW, I was at the place today and a manager told me someone grabbed a bike quickly to see if they could use it as a lever and pull it free from the lock. He failed and casually walked off. Someone got a taste of this success and no doubt the word has gotten out. They got a taste of money and they are going to get them some. Beef up the locks if you are in East Liberty on a cycle. Maybe carry pepper spray or a gun because the money that can be mad is pretty good in those lowlife circles. It is only going to get worse anyway. We are always just a few years behind NYC and the crime wave cometh.

[pman]

Originally Posted by h_curtis

We are always just a few years behind NYC and the crime wave cometh.

what are you talking about?

[wpipkins]

I'm starting to feel sorry for h_curtis. Is it really that serious? Really?

[LIRefugee]

Originally Posted by h_curtis

We are always just a few years behind NYC

NYC's crime rate is slightly more than a third of what it was in the late 80s, and that ain't a bad thing. Interesting you would wish for the opposite.

[gg]

Originally Posted by LIRefugee

NYC's crime rate is slightly more than a third of what it was in the late 80s, and that ain't a bad thing. Interesting you would wish for the opposite.

Transportation Alternatives estimated that more than 230,000 people road their bikes daily in New York City last year, up 28 percent from 2008. The organization believes that it has contributed to the increase by expanding, increasing and improving the quality of bike lanes in the New York City. The downside? New York City police records estimate a 35 percent increase in the number of reported bike thefts compared to this time last year, according to the New York Times.

[LIRefugee]

Originally Posted by h_curtis

Transportation Alternatives estimated that more than 230,000 people road their bikes daily in New York City last year, up 28 percent from 2008. The organization believes that it has contributed to the increase by expanding, increasing and improving the quality of bike lanes in the New York City. The downside? New York City police records estimate a 35 percent increase in the number of reported bike thefts compared to this time last year, according to the New York Times.

I didn't realize that bike theft rates are the most important component in determining crime rates or the relative safety of a neighborhood. I stand corrected.

[gg]

Originally Posted by wpipkins

I'm starting to feel sorry for h_curtis. Is it really that serious? Really?

You know, I have thought about this a bit and I will tell you when things changed for me. I spent a lot of time in Helsinki, which is a nice big city with all the wonderful amenities of a city. Why did that change me in a negative manner?

1. It made me realize US cities are really turds in comparison to a place like Helsinki. Do you know what they lock their bikes up with over there? I tiny little bar that goes through the wheel and isn't even connected to a pole or anything.

2. Crime is nothing like what we deal with. The contrast is shocking.

3. People are much quieter and not yelling and screaming, saying look at me, look at me!!!

4. Bus service is amazingly great. Super clean new busses with very civilized people on them. You can hear a pin drop on a bus over there.

5. Bike lanes everywhere and people use them. The bike lanes for much of Helsinki are totally separate from car traffic.

6. Train service and boat service to all over the place.

7. Everything is so much cleaner. NO poverty at all. The worst neighborhood would be one of our nicer ones.

I know this won't be popular. It will have people saying, move there and whatever. Maybe someday I will, but not now. I guess what I am saying, I have seen much better cities than we have to offer in the US. They don't need to have 2 or three locks on their bikes. They don't need to worry about purse snatching or the constant shootings and stabbings daily like here. It is totally different in every way. That is what changed me. Sad, unpopular and but true.

[BrianTH]

Right, as an article I linked above explained, increased bike usage in cities likely leads to increased bike theft in those cities.

So obviously, we should stop encouraging bike usage in Pittsburgh.