BIKEPGH MESSAGE BOARD ARCHIVE

That and all the extra weight they carry... I kid.

Actually they were both quite svelte!

Sure, hot in the sun, but we won't be seeing it again for about 8 months anyway. Also - it's not like they're climbing the Tourmalet in 90º heat in all black... they're just rolling through s'liberty. They'll be fine.

The last pair of bike cops I saw were having dinner at Emiliano's and looked like they could have skipped the refried beans.

I was coming northbound on Aiken and turning left onto Ellsworth Avenue when I crossed paths with a bicycle officer, southbound on Aiken towards Shadyside. He waved as he got a jump start on the green light, and I dinged my bell as we passed each other.

I know there are bicycle officers out there, and I'm surprised I don't see them more often. The Pitt police force also has a couple, which I rarely see.

i see a few bike officers hanging out in the park across the street from allegheny general on the north side. they are usually talking to the guy selling food at his little hot dog(?) stand

They make a lot of sense for campus security. I don't understand why there aren't more.

all the extra weight

Body armor adds some bulk. Many years ago, I had a landlord who was a cop. He lived downstairs with his family. The vest, the gun-belt, the uniform etc. made him seem twice as large as when we saw him in jeans and a t-shirt.

those damn bikers wearing dark clothing and running red lights!

When I was at Allderdice, towards the end of my stint there (late 90's), there was a Pgh Police bicycle cop literally assigned to the school - he spent his day riding around the school parkinglots, walkways, and a little bit in the blocks around the school. It looked like the same guy all the time, I can't imagine a more boring ride, but given he spent it exclusively chasing truants and priveledged brats buying weed, I guess it might have been an ok assignment. He seemed like a nice enough guy, though I admit I spent more time avoiding him than I spent talking to him (he was kind enough to have a predictable route complicated enough that the thugs and druggies couldn't figure out)

A few weeks ago I saw 2 bike officers riding into performance bike and head to the service counter. I wanted to check out their bikes, but even when Im nt doing anything wrong, police in uniform still make me nervous...but I guess thats the way they want it.

There is almost always a bike cop bicycle parked outside the Pitt-Oakland substation on Forbes, under the ped skyway bridge. Some days I see him/her inside watching a TV or listening to a radio maybe? I am going to assume it is CCTV and police radio.