another cyclist hit and run (Pittsburgh, Butler: house, vs., safest)

[norcider]

I hate to be so noncholant but I am used to it after having it happen so many times. My wife on teh other hand was a little shaken. Once a guy in a little red Mazda Miata did that to me as he SWERVED into my path. I chased that SOB for 3 blocks in the strip and he knew I was chasing him because he was hauling ass.

[groar]

Originally Posted by greg42

They do? Some only have signs. In either case, do drivers obey the law there consistently?

Rather than draw this out too much more, you might notice where I'm going here: pedestrian crossings are a problem too, but we don't pretend that we should say pedestrians should never cross a road. But for some reason YOU pretend we should say bicycles shouldn't be on a road with cars for what is actually the same reason: drivers are incapable of obeying the law. That's the only argument you have.

some don't even have signs. they are just lines on the road and they are constantly ignored by motorists. damn lawless motorists.

[gortonator]

I ride everywhere around CMU/Shadyside/Squirrel Hill and am mostly impressed by the politeness of drivers. I obey traffic rules, and do my best to let traffic past whenever possible. Only been in town 3 months, but so far, so good. Hope it stays that way ....

[norcider]

In my short time on this Earth; I've learned that people who claim to never do whatever action are the people to trust the least.

[sealie]

Veering from the tclifton-vs-whoever argument thread for a moment, is it my imagination or have other cities managed to integrate motorist and cyclist traffic with less havoc and fewer hospitalizations? And when the City of Pittsburgh is addressing these issues, have they studied what other cities have done rather than just build more trail where it's convenient to build trail? I know the terrain and infrastructure here are an interesting challenge, but in the relatively flat East End there should be at least one good way to get from e.g. Oakland to Point Breeze.

[Aqua Teen Carl]

Originally Posted by sealie

is it my imagination or have other cities managed to integrate motorist and cyclist traffic with less havoc and fewer hospitalizations? e.

It's two reasons why other cities have integrated cyclists and motorists successfully:

- The transitional period of getting used to these two elements co-existing is over. Motorists are used to bicyclists and vice versa. The "confrontational motorists that think bicyclists should be off the road" and the "militant bicyclists who selectively choose what laws they think the world should obey" period is over for the most part.

- Our terrain and infrastructure blows. Pretty sure everyone knows about this one already.

[Huckleberry3911948]

we got it bad here. 5th highest pedestrian fatality in nation. i dont even skate or bike on the street anymore.
we got the angry young men in big trucks thing here too.

[norcider]

In Pittsburgh it's the infrastructure, old notions that bikes are toys, and hostile attitudes displayed by motorists. I don't know how many people have to die before an attitude change comes about.

[norcider]

"No, I was referring to blaring my horn."
You do realize that blaring your horn is counter productive, right? Not to mention that your horn is not for alerting somebody that they have done something you deem innapropriate. Seems like you have a real grasp of what it means to be a motorist.

[CaptainPittsburgh]

Originally Posted by norcider

I hate to be so noncholant but I am used to it after having it happen so many times.

Yup, the horn and buzz starts to get filtered out at some point. Other infractions tend to elicit blowing a kiss or doing the "get out of your car and come see me" gesture with my hand. Sadly, no one ever gets out of the car, most of them speed away, like you said. You can always tell when the "Oops, I f*ed up" realization or "I HATE BICYCLES" thought goes through somebody's head, though, because it's the exact moment they slam on the gas and speed away, haha.

I do like when the offending motorist hits a stoplight, and I get the chance to explain to them why they are crazy through their window.

Originally Posted by hnsq

I personally think it is a bit stupid to punish cyclists for drivers being dangerous. Instead of banning cyclists, let's make drivers re-take a driving test every four years and keep people who can't drive from being on the road.

As a driver, I really, really wish that driving tests were more difficult and more frequent. We have way too many people on the road who shouldn't be there.

Originally Posted by Aqua Teen Carl

It's two reasons why other cities have integrated cyclists and motorists successfully:

- The transitional period of getting used to these two elements co-existing is over. Motorists are used to bicyclists and vice versa. The "confrontational motorists that think bicyclists should be off the road" and the "militant bicyclists who selectively choose what laws they think the world should obey" period is over for the most part.

- Our terrain and infrastructure blows. Pretty sure everyone knows about this one already.

Once again, I agree, for the most part. I think that the terrain in the city limits is pretty good, and we have a lot more infrastructure these days than other small cities. The terrain/infrastructure outside the city limits, though...yeah, I'm not going out there with a bike. No way, haha.

We're definitely in the transitional period, and we're seeing those growing pains in a big bad way.