At 5:51pm today, a cop in car 3423 drove down the path without lights, and did not appear to be going at any speed slow enough that would indicate that he was patrolling an area. I have video and a still image of it. Who should I tell about this? Doesn't seem legal. i did see him pull over and off the trail to allow the cyclist to pass, but this doesn't seem like the place for any vehicular traffic that isn't responding to an emergency or treating he trail in the winter. additionally, there are sometimes children and dogs that are in the soccer fields playing, surely not expecting a vehicle, let alone a police car, to drive through not sounding a siren or flashing any lights.
stefb
2015-04-02 21:05:34
I wish there were NO cars on the trails ever. They are too heavy and do damage to the pavement. The garbage collecting pickup trucks on the riverfront trail from Millvale destroy the pathway as well. Keep that crap off the bike trails period. We tread lightly, they don't!
gg
2015-04-03 09:07:51
The panther hollow trail segment has been seeing a LOT of automotive traffic over the last year. The trail is sagging where the tires run. You could see the tire tracks in the dirt & snow every morning before they started locking the gates. If the gates are open again, report it to 311.
mattjackets
2015-04-03 09:12:12
I have mixed feelings about the police cars. As long as they are going dead slow I wouldnt get too upset, but I'd prefer if they used the bike-cops or even a motorcycle cop - also going dead slow BTW.
Having the police patrol every once in a while is a good thing and might make others (newbies especially) feel safer using the trails.
marko82
2015-04-03 09:20:48
I don't think it is "illegal" since I believe authorized vehicles can use that road.
mjacobpgh
2015-04-03 15:56:33
Cars are going to destroy it. Guess someone will pay for the damage at some point. I see NO need for police on the paths. We certainly have enough fear mongering though and everyone is running around scared of their own shadow these days. Goodness!
gg
2015-04-03 23:29:05
DPW trucks drive on it to empty garbage cans and perform other park maintenance, so I would imagine police are allowed on the trail though it's perhaps unnecessary.
mjacobpgh
2015-04-04 12:05:27
Nonessential vehicles on a trial, though authorized, leads one on the outside to see it as laziness and borderline abuse of power. Of course, not a major abuse of power, but in the absence of a reason, an abuse of privilege. Just because you can do something doesn't mean that you should do it. I still find it dangerous for a motorized vehicle with no siren or lights to share a small pedestrian path, and I do believe it is also not helping to maintain the trail surface. In the past 10 years, the trails have developed more cracks. I am sure some of it is normal degeneration over time, but I can't help but wonder how much things like this accellerates the process.
stefb
2015-04-04 16:29:42
