Just FYI: the officer said it's been happening a fair amount. And my car wasn't the only one broken in to. Nothing taken -- nothing worth taking.
Oh yeah, we saw that on our ride today
Another one was broken a few weeks ago
A car was also broken into down by Commercial St/The Irish Center where the trail crosses down there earlier in the year (August, September, something like that not quite sure)
Just out of curiosity do you remember what time you rode by and noticed it? Thanks in advance.
My window was smashed in Frick Park last weekend. Next on the purchase list is cameras (and shotguns). With the frequency its been happening, I'm surprised the city hasn't put up any surveillance at all and instead just erected signs that say "hey, your shit might get broken into." That's not really deterring anybody...
@epkiley: we passed thru the EF lot somewhere around 1-130; I noticed a bunch of glass in a parking space on the greenfield side of the lot, maybe four spaces from the 2nd Ave end.
This has been happening for the last few years and I'm always hesitant to Park my car there,(Eliza Furnace lot).The only way it will stop is to put up cameras, which has been long overdue.How many car windows over a number of years does it take before cameras are installed??
Let's buy some Trail Cameras. Catch the thieves in action day or night.
This is not an answer to the Eliza Furnace-Swinburne Street issue, but an alternative - the Chateau Trail access area known as The Bastille, 2000 Westhall Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15233, has car parking, portapotty, and good bike trail access. It's also colocated with SCI-Pittsburgh (a/k/a Western Penitentiary), which puts the area under video surveillance and an armed guard drives through the area every two minutes.
The patrol is there to secure the prison, not the trailhead, but it does have a calming effect nevertheless. It's as close to secure parking as I've found at a trailhead.
As I said, it's not a solution to the broken window issue, but if the Bastille Trailhead isn't too inconvenient it may provide what you need. From there, you're 2.5 miles on the Chateau Trail to the Ft. Duquesne Bridge bike ramp. Cross the Ft. Duq Bridge and you're in Pt. State Park.
You guys all know this, but from there you cross the Ft Pitt bridge for the SouthSide Trail, or take the Strip District Bridge out to the Cork Factory, etc.
Just fwiw. Merry Christmas to all.
I suspect most of the cars in the Jail
trail lot are from points east, so driving all the way across town to park at the other end is out of the way. Also it's like telling people to just ride on the trails if the roads are too dangerous for them.
Vannevar, that's a lot I was completely unfamiliar with, which might prove useful for other purposes, thanks.
As Helen S suggests I'm coming from the east, and parking and riding to avoid Steelers traffic. That part of the whole thing works great!
I don't use the lot currently, but I hope to starting this spring as a launch point for some relaxed family riding. Can't do that while worry about whether the car will be ok.
It's not acceptable that we're talking about which lots are ok for trail access and which not.
I sent this thread along to friends of the riverfront asking for a surveillance camera.
There are a lot of interesting and expensive things that might help trail utilization, but making an existing lot a safer place for people to stow their car with a video camera is about the best bang for the buck I can imagine.
From the east the millvale riverfront park lot is also pretty safe on the north and there is always the waterfront or the southside works area.
