Will more people each year commute on bicycles? (Pittsburgh, Etna: student loan, home)

[SteelCityRising]

Great thread idea, and thanks for sharing, Mr. Curtis!

I'd gladly ride a bike around the city instead of always walking everywhere, but, in reality, I grew up along a busy four-lane highway in sterile suburbia, never learned how to ride a bike, and don't know where I could learn now in my mid-20s without people pointing and laughing at my training wheels. (Part of the reason I hate suburbia so much).

Right now I DO see a ton of people cycling daily along Ellsworth Avenue in Shadyside; up and down South Neville Street into and out of Panther Hollow in Oakland; up and down Smallman Street in the Strip District; up and down Liberty Avenue in Bloomfield; up and down Friendship Avenue in Friendship; up and down North Negley Avenue in Highland Park; and even up and down my own steep Brereton Street in Polish Hill.

I really think we need to find a good balance of creating more protected bike lanes, though, WITHOUT compromising too much on-street parking in the process (unless the city plans to erect some new underground parking garages to offset the loss in on-street parking, which I don't foresee happening). Right now I see yinzers in pick-up trucks and old Buicks driving IN the bike lanes on Liberty Avenue in Bloomfield and on Wightman Street in Squirrel Hill, to name a few. I was nearly clipped by an elderly driver the other day as I was standing beside my driver's side car door along Wilkins Avenue in Squirrel Hill---IN a bike lane. Until enough gentrification occurs so that these people are forced out of the city the only way a bike lane will be "safe" for cyclists is it there are jersey barriers of some sort between the driving lanes and the bike lanes, although, as I said, that will pretty much eliminate ALL on-street parking.

Speaking from personal experience:

Car payment: $435/month
Insurance: $120/month
Gasoline: ~$400/month
Maintenance: ~$50/month

Grand Total: ~$1,000/month to Own a Vehicle

If I were to sell my car and bike everywhere, I'd be able to save/invest $12,000/year OR pay off my remaining ~$12,000 student loan balance over the course of one year. I'd also be able to buy my first home in a heartbeat instead of listening to the armchair quarterbacks on here making fun of me for being car-poor vs. house-poor. It's staggering. Truly staggering.

[FreightTrainRunning]

I have a lot of co-workers who bike to work at Bakery Square but they all live in the East End. I'm not quite up to a commute from the Northside via bike.

[AaronPGH]

Originally Posted by Buckeye Burgher

If you haven't noticed....our terrain does not make us the most bicycle-friendly city on the planet.

San Francisco has the same or worse terrain, and they are managing to be pretty bike-friendly. I agree that it's definitely an obstacle. But it's not an insurmountable (heh) one.

[SteelCityRising]

Originally Posted by AaronPGH

San Francisco has the same or worse terrain, and they are managing to be pretty bike-friendly. I agree that it's definitely an obstacle. But it's not an insurmountable (heh) one.

On the plus side a lot of the cyclist guys here have nicer calves than they would if they lived someplace flat. Grrroooowllll!

[erieguy]

Buy a moped. Pedal all you want with the help of a 49cc motor.

[ferraris]

Originally Posted by SteelCityRising

I'd gladly ride a bike around the city instead of always walking everywhere, but, in reality, I grew up along a busy four-lane highway in sterile suburbia, never learned how to ride a bike, and don't know where I could learn now in my mid-20s without people pointing and laughing at my training wheels. (Part of the reason I hate suburbia so much).

A lot of kids these days are skipping the training wheels. They start off on a bike with no pedals and just scoot along and lift their feet while they coast for a bit, which teaches them to balance (these bikes are actually called balance bikes). Supposedly it's better to learn how to balance before learning how to pedal.

If you're serious about it, I'd suggest getting a bike and adjusting it so it's a little small for you (so you can rest your feet flat on the ground). Then treating it like a balance bike until you get the hang of coasting without tipping over. The pedaling part is pretty straight forward after that -- and even if you fall it's not like it will be at high speed. Head down to Chateau's side streets on a weekend and you won't see a soul probably. And you could stop by the bike museum and Bicycle Heaven while you're at it.

[Kippy]

Originally Posted by SteelCityRising

Great thread idea, and thanks for sharing, Mr. Curtis!

I'd gladly ride a bike around the city instead of always walking everywhere, but, in reality, I grew up along a busy four-lane highway in sterile suburbia, never learned how to ride a bike, and don't know where I could learn now in my mid-20s without people pointing and laughing at my training wheels. (Part of the reason I hate suburbia so much).

Right now I DO see a ton of people cycling daily along Ellsworth Avenue in Shadyside; up and down South Neville Street into and out of Panther Hollow in Oakland; up and down Smallman Street in the Strip District; up and down Liberty Avenue in Bloomfield; up and down Friendship Avenue in Friendship; up and down North Negley Avenue in Highland Park; and even up and down my own steep Brereton Street in Polish Hill.

I really think we need to find a good balance of creating more protected bike lanes, though, WITHOUT compromising too much on-street parking in the process (unless the city plans to erect some new underground parking garages to offset the loss in on-street parking, which I don't foresee happening). Right now I see yinzers in pick-up trucks and old Buicks driving IN the bike lanes on Liberty Avenue in Bloomfield and on Wightman Street in Squirrel Hill, to name a few. I was nearly clipped by an elderly driver the other day as I was standing beside my driver's side car door along Wilkins Avenue in Squirrel Hill---IN a bike lane. Until enough gentrification occurs so that these people are forced out of the city the only way a bike lane will be "safe" for cyclists is it there are jersey barriers of some sort between the driving lanes and the bike lanes, although, as I said, that will pretty much eliminate ALL on-street parking.

Speaking from personal experience:

Car payment: $435/month
Insurance: $120/month
Gasoline: ~$400/month
Maintenance: ~$50/month

Grand Total: ~$1,000/month to Own a Vehicle

If I were to sell my car and bike everywhere, I'd be able to save/invest $12,000/year OR pay off my remaining ~$12,000 student loan balance over the course of one year. I'd also be able to buy my first home in a heartbeat instead of listening to the armchair quarterbacks on here making fun of me for being car-poor vs. house-poor. It's staggering. Truly staggering.

Of all the stupid reasons you cite for your hatred of suburbia, this is, without a doubt, the most asinine. You hate suburbia because you failed to learn how to ride a bike? You do realize that your experience is atypical of suburbia, right?

I grew up in suburbia, and lived on my bike from age five to twelve. I live in suburbia now, and there are constantly gaggles of children biking around enjoying life.

Your deep-seated hatred for suburbia, which you dress up like an academic argument, seems to be based on your own negative experience. An urban setting would not have necessarily negated all the woes of your childhood. I doubt growing up in a urban high rise would have made you the next Lance Armstrong.

In addition, I calculated the monthly cost of my 2013 vehicle, and came in at $480/month. Suburbia for the win!

[erieguy]

I'm betting many of those here who talk of suburban living have rarely ever left the city...and one can certainly learn to ride a bike in most any region...but even so, not everybody has the option of biking to work. Professionals who have certain wardrobes and supplies needed for work is just one example. Hygiene is another. There are many reasons its not feasible for many, however, riding around for pleasure is certainly feasible, but not so likely. As far as bike lanes go, its costs money. Everybody wants but few want to pay.

[Huckleberry3911948]

Originally Posted by h_curtis

Is commuting by bicycle in Pittsburghers' future? | Local News - WTAE Home

I think it is pretty clear that this is a direction most cities will eventually go. It is a pretty big, but simple puzzle if you think about it. Why will we see an increase in bicycle commuters?

1. College debt of young workers will play a factor with parking/driving expenses.
2. Young people seem to be more "green" minded.
3. Due to the Internet and people laying around a lot just watching a screen much of the time, people will want to get exercise in at some point and commuting is a way to do that.
4. Organizations like Bike Pgh and others are pushing for more safe ways to cycle around the city.
5. It is healthy and more fun than sitting in traffic.

I don't know the future, but whatever happens, I think it will be VERY slow and I will be dead before there is any real huge changes. I do hope people get more healthy and ride more. It is all positive and really nothing negative about it, other than some folks whining about cyclists on the roads.

Every year more than last year bek all that tried it here last year are dead

[Kippy]

The worst part of commuting via bike, which I have done in both urban and suburban settings, is inclement weather. There was nothing worse than sitting through a lecture drenched to the bone. When I biked to my summer jobs, I would make alternate arrangements if the weather was bad; in general, you can't show up to work soaking wet.