BIKEPGH MESSAGE BOARD ARCHIVE

The interview has concluded. I think the two of them held their own. Given some more notice and having people who are supportive call in would be huge for the cause, though.

Probably not worth listening to, but here's a link to the radio podcast Mike Pintek: September 25, 2014 - Hour 2 http://pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/audio/mike-pintek/ Oh, and he REALLY believes in haunted houses too! What an ass.

Mike Pintek: September 25, 2014 - Hour 1 For the first half hour Mike hit Mayor Peduto and County Executive Rich Fitzgerald hard about the bike lanes and why if only 2 percent of the populations rides bikes were they needed. The two contested that the bicyclist population was on the rise and they were jumping ahead of the rise to improve their needs and increase others to join the bikers. Mike Pintek: September 25, 2014 - Hour 2 Mike continued the conversation of bicyclists and bike lanes in the city with his callers. Many seemed to feel that cyclists need their own insurance, registration and plates for their bikes. Yes, just reading those descriptions was more than enough. I think I got the gist of it, no need to waste 2 hours of my life.

I'll gladly get a registration and plate, if all automobile drivers are likewise required to pass a yearly exam with up-to-date questions and a driving portion. Probably should be a requirement that they can pass a cycling portion too... yeah, all drivers are required to ride for one hour with traffic so that they can appreciate what we put up with. I think that would be a fair tradeoff... and I drive more than I ride. But to the point... KDKA-talk-radio... yeah. Seems like a waste of time. These stations thrive on misinformed angry/drunk/stoned callers.

They thrive on creating a community of misinformed people who hate things. With specialized environment thus created, it makes it easier to direct advertising to them. This did not happen overnight and did not happen by accident. Unfortunately, they have to live on the same planet as the rest of us. Money not only talks, it teaches the language classes.

I'm guessing it is mostly "small government" types who think this stupid bike licensing bureaucracy is needed... and probably also too dumb to get the irony.

I am quite worried about the backlash that both Peduto and Fitzgerald are getting over bicycle infrastructure. If their efforts aren't politically viable then stuff won't get done no matter how much it makes sense or how little it costs. It might make sense for everyone pro-cycling to stay low for awhile. At the same time, I'm not as worried about Peduto. Most of the real backlash comes from surburbanites who drive in and they're not casting votes one way or the other. Fitzgerald on the other hand could have some issues. The other thing is does anyone know what type of data the City or the County is collecting with regards to the traffic and business impact before and after the installation of the bike lanes? That type of information is going to be critical going forward.

I'm not disputing your points about the bikelash, but I'm not clear on how the laying low part fits in. Elaborate?

Is there a backlash? I mean, if you are basing this on people that call into a KDKA radio show and/or comments on a web page... that's not a good representation of anything. Beyond that, no one likes driving on one-way streets, but again that's an issue with out-of-towners getting lost due to lack of familiarity and this isn't a new problem. Please elaborate. Also, would adding a bike lane require any sort of environmental impact statement? That's where the data regarding impact and all the other raw data tend to get reported.

I dunno. Just get on your bikes and ride, and take the lane, and ride in the suburbs, and at night, and in the rain, and in the snow, at every opportunity, like I'm doing. I'm not riding as a form of protest. I'm just going about my business. The educable citizenry will learn. The rest can go piss their pants about bicycles all they want, it's on them, not me.

I have expected for a long time that we would get a serious bikelash when bicyclists actually get some things at the expense of auto traffic. The Penn Ave lane is the first infrastructure I've seen that makes a difference to cars. HUGE difference for bikes, sure. But at least small negative consequences for a few drivers. I would expect a virulent response. Suburbans threatening to dis-elect Peduto? Laughable, bush-league stuff. (Pun unintended, but acknowledged gleefully.) Like being visciously attacked by a two year-old. Maybe I was pessimistic expecting virulence. Or maybe this is the calm before stuff happens. I have never volunteered for any political candidate, but I expect to for Peduto's re-election.

What I mean by laying low is just do all the stuff, but just publicize it a little less for a few months (which is going to probably happen anyway with winter coming up). The backlash to anything happens when a singular item gets what's perceived to be undue attention. As for data, forget environmental impact data. First that's fairly soft and second no one who is anti-bike cares about that anyway. Get data that shows that traffic flow has actually been improved or at least minimally impacted. Or that since implementation of the bike lanes that businesses have seen an uptick in sales. Or that tourism has increased. Some hard, verifiable data, for example, sales tax numbers along Penn Ave or transit time between downtown and 31st St. Show that there's a measurable return on investment. There's always going to be a set of people who you won't be able to convince but that type of data goes a long ways to supporting the cause.

I have an idea! Stay tuned! (and I don't mean tuned in the '70's sense of the term, Mick ;) )

"As for data, forget environmental impact data. First that’s fairly soft and second no one who is anti-bike cares about that anyway." I've read reports in the past that had a lot of data that had nothing to do with the environmental impact. Sometimes the other info gets included even if it isn't necessary for the environmental aspect.

I am one of surburbanites. :) I like to bike and do a lot riding beyond city limits. As far as Ohio & West Virginia (three state ride) to the West; Up to Erie to the North; up to Washington, PA to the South; Up to the Monroville to the East. And I like bike infrastructure! But I don't bike in rain. And I think that situation at Penn Ave got improved significantly. I specifically rode my bike and my car through it during regular hours and evening rush hours and was easier to get through it.