Tuesday, September 02, 2008
By Larry Walsh, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Homeward bound on the Boulevard of the Allies after working the night shift.
No cars ahead as I drove across the Charles Anderson Memorial Bridge into Schenley Park.
The boulevard curves to the left, back to the right and again to the left as it climbs a short hill.
High beams were on to spot any wildlife. But the wildlife they brought into view was the two-legged variety — seven youths on bicycles riding toward me in the outbound and inbound lanes.
Slammed on the brakes. Punched the horn. Punched it again. And again. The cyclists appeared to be as surprised to see me as I was to see them.
They’re not happy about the intrusion of a car on their ride. They flip a finger — their IQ number? — as they quickly pedal from the boulevard to a road leading to the Panther Hollow Bridge.
Where had they come from at 2:30 in the morning? Had they been partying at the park pavilion that overlooks the boulevard?
None of them was equipped for bicycling at night. No headlights. No taillights. No bright-colored clothing. And no helmets.
What were they thinking?
“They weren’t thinking; they’d shut down their brains,” said Jerry Kraynick after I related last summer’s experience.
NEWSLETTER