Please STOP COMPARING the Burgh to NYC!!!!! (Philadelphia, Pittsburgh: middle-class, loft)

[dirimini]

Originally Posted by jimmyev

I read somewhere that Western Pennsylvania has a far-higher five-year survival rate for new start-ups than any other part of the country.

This is encouraging to hear. Do you remember the source?

[Renaldo5000]

higher social status. . . .

Oh no! Chairman Mao is rolling over in his grave.

[jimmyev]

Originally Posted by dirimini

This is encouraging to hear. Do you remember the source?

I can't remember. I think it was the Post-Gazette. All I know is that it stuck in my head because it surprised me - I thought it would have been Texas - and I speculated that it had to do with the vast number of engineers and mill workers laid-off in the 1980s who stuck around and started their own businesses. The number of small, high-tech machinery manufacturing shops in these hills amazes me.

[Tiger Beer]

Also, to the spirit of this thread.

As a person who has lived in NYC and loved everything EXCEPT the costs. Through tons of research, Pittsburgh just comes up...not as a mini-NYC, as it certainly isn't by any means.

But just as a place that isn't 100% car-driven on nearly all aspects of living...which unfortunately the mass majority of American cities seem to be like. So, in that respect, there is some validity to how and why people end up with a NYC experience/perspective in a positive way...and end up becoming interested in Pittsburgh - despite on most other accounts, they are nothing alike

[dirimini]

Originally Posted by Tiger Beer

Also, to the spirit of this thread.

As a person who has lived in NYC and loved everything EXCEPT the costs. Through tons of research, Pittsburgh just comes up...not as a mini-NYC, as it certainly isn't by any means.

But just as a place that isn't 100% car-driven on nearly all aspects of living...which unfortunately the mass majority of American cities seem to be like. So, in that respect, there is some validity to how and why people end up with a NYC experience/perspective in a positive way...and end up becoming interested in Pittsburgh - despite on most other accounts, they are nothing alike

As a (hopefully soon to be ex-) NYC-er, I'm glad to know that Pittsburgh isn't entirely car-driven. Someone on another thread gave me some information about the EBA, West Busway, and light rail, but I'm wondering if most/a lot/not so many use public transport on a regular basis? I'm guessing that people who work "downtown" might do so, as parking is probably a bear. But do people actually use public transportation outside of the center? And do people who like "in the city" have cars, or depend on public transportation?

I'm planning on getting a car, but would hate to have to use it for everything. It'll be the first car I've owned since I was a teenager (and I'm far, far from my teenage years now).

[jimmyev]

Originally Posted by Tiger Beer

But just as a place that isn't 100% car-driven on nearly all aspects of living...which unfortunately the mass majority of American cities seem to be like. So, in that respect, there is some validity to how and why people end up with a NYC experience/perspective in a positive way...and end up becoming interested in Pittsburgh - despite on most other accounts, they are nothing alike

That's the aspect of Pittsburgh that's more like NYC than the western and southern megalopolises that are more comparative to NYC in size. I lived in Pittsburgh nicely for four years without a car. A month after moving to Houston I totaled my car. No problem, I thought, I can wait to buy another one. After about a month I had to swallow all pride and beg my parents to help me buy a car. I think the last straw was the abnormally-large bird from the abandoned (Houston) World Trade Center in Midtown that swept down and attacked me on my way to work day after day.

I've lasted weeks in Chicago without a car; weeks in Philadelphia; one week in DC; a few times in NYC; and a week in San Francisco. Attempted it in LA, but after a 4-mile trek on the Fourth of July from Marina del Rey back to the hotel when the bus didn't show-up, I rented one. It was also only one day in Phoenix before I had to rent a car.

And, remember, that good public transportation exists because of density. So that must be another thing that Pittsburgh has in common with NYC that some larger cities do not.

[BrianTH]

I think it is true a lot of people use public transit to commute to work, but not so much otherwise. On the other hand, Pittsburgh has lots of walkable neighborhoods, plus a growing bike culture, so often they may be walking or biking instead of driving.

[Impala26]

Originally Posted by BrianTH

I think it is true a lot of people use public transit to commute to work, but not so much otherwise. On the other hand, Pittsburgh has lots of walkable neighborhoods, plus a growing bike culture, so often they may be walking or biking instead of driving.

Pittsburgh does indeed have a growing bike culture and I only see the advantages of using a bike here growing as the years wear on. Bike Pittsburgh is a quickly growing organization, and helped convince the city to form a totally new position only about a year and a half ago, the bike/ped coordinator, which is held by Steve Patchan. I think as the city's bicycle infrastructure improves it will only entice more people to explore biking as a means of getting around. I also think that once the Port Authority has bike racks on 100% of their buses, this could really entice people to use transit, especially in some of the suburbs where bus stops might not be within practical walking distance. We would have to see about this, as I think suburban road infrastructure is fairly hostile towards biking, but at the very least, "completing the fleet" of buses with racks could go a long way for people who have considered biking, but have to deal with a major hill or two on their commute.

Whether or not this compares with NYC, I'm not sure. I always get the impression that biking in NYC is not even practical, at least in Lower Manhattan. It could be a lot more conducive elsewhere in the boroughs, and being much flatter than Pittsburgh would make it easier as well.

I think adding additional forms of hill-climbing transit (inclines, aerial trams) would further entice people to ride bikes in Pittsburgh. Though, I'm not sure how something like that could built, as much as I'd like to see more. I suppose all buses with bike racks could be the near-future solution to this issue.

[Renaldo5000]

Originally Posted by dirimini

I'm planning on getting a car, but would hate to have to use it for everything. It'll be the first car I've owned since I was a teenager (and I'm far, far from my teenage years now).

I'm all for the "green culture" and pretentious hipsters peddling about on their bicycles (no matter how idiotic they happen to be). There are biking possibilities here and public transporation in the Burgh is not as horrible as it is in other cities. You can rely upon the busses to get to your job (if it is in the city) within reason. But, you should be aware that some of the routes just plain suck. I have friends who are routinely forced to endure 30-60 minute waits/journeys to get from one neighborhood to another when a car would have done the trip in 5 minutes.

I refuse to take the bus system in this city unless it is a special circumstance (Pen's game, getting drunk in another neighborhood, going somewhere I don't want to park, etc..). Having a car is not necessary in Pittsburgh, but it makes things MUCH easier.

[Blackbeauty212]

I blame the transportations short coming in the burgh on PAT the agency is simply too Reactive instead of Proactive.

Even people here on Pittsburgh forum of CD, when someone ask about routes to work living here...They're almost never given the suggestion of PAT (LOL) even when the person is living in city and working in the city...Or innersuburb to downtown or city neighborhood they will almost alway be given the route for a Car..Hell I've even seen people admit in their OP "would like to use Public Transit" and Pittsburgh CD will still suggest a Car route....Suburb to suburb I can understand...

So make no mistake Pittsburghers love their cars too.