BIKEPGH MESSAGE BOARD ARCHIVE

I saw the one on 5th @ Birmingham Bridge yesterday. No clue who the Steeler pictured was. haha

Here's the one at doughboy Sq. It's Antonio Brown, their wide receiver.

Seems to me that a BikePgh license plate could be used to spread a complementary message -- I'm a bike rider, respect bikes -- and could also raise money.

I always thought it would be a good idea to get the "look twice save a life, motorcycles are everywhere" to say bikes are everywhere instead. Seems to be like a win win but then again I get buzzed by a number of people with those stickers on the backs of their cars.

Really nice. +10

Thanks V. Here's some more info and other images: http://localhost/care/

^^^ Those are for bus shelters

"Drive like a grown-up." That. is. stellar.

RustyRed wrote:“Drive like a grown-up.” That. is. stellar.

+1 That is my new snappy comeback.

"take the high road" LMFAO!!!

+100 Really great!

Excellent! Thank you to Bike-PGH and others involved for this.

We're in full-on fund raising mode to do many more of these and buy up more shelters and billboards. If you would like to contribute please give a charitable donation here http://localhost/membership. If you're already a member then just click the large Bly button halfway down the page. Thank you! Sp glad this campaign is resonating with you.

Nice!

Straight out of the "I'm a Mormon." playbook.

These are fantastic. Thank you!!!!

Quirky thought. Can we pose for vanity bus shelter posters? In other words, just like people get pics taken with their bikes with the backdrop, can people get their pic taken, submit three or four words, and get an output suitable for foamboard? What a great fund raiser (maybe) and what a great Christmas gift for a pgh cyclist. Like i said, quirky.

Like, just as an example:

Like.

here's a bus shelter pic. there are the other people in the ads around town...

Here's what needs to happen; In the post-season, when the Island velodrome is finished, somebody needs to put Antonio Brown on a track bike and point him in the right direction. The thought gives me goosebumps. I bet he could rip the paint off the walls.

jonawebb wrote:Seems to me that a BikePgh license plate could be used to spread a complementary message — I’m a bike rider, respect bikes — and could also raise money.

I just moved here from Tennessee two months ago. Last week, I finalized my registration. I had to replace this aweseome plate with the lame PA plate.

Great to see these out there, well done. Gets the message across simply. It was cool to see them debut at the BikeFest party. Erok... who created the idea/theme/design?

So...much...awesome...

if anyone finds the kdka coverage online, please share. i think i was filmed going past on my way to pick up the tag during my lunch break!

idea was ours working in collaboration with wall to wall studios

Just caught the tail end of a report about this campaign on KDKA's 10 O'clock news on the CW. What I saw of it looked pretty good. They should rebroadcast it around 11:25ish on Ch2 tonight.

Here's the link: http://pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/2013/09/03/bicyclists-hope-to-share-the-road-with-motorists/

Nice coverage by KDKA, thanks.

Great publicity today on the campaign. Saw references on treehugger, surly's facebook, cyclelicio.us, urban velo, and the path less pedaled. Great job bike-pgh.

Found another similar program too. This is a great concept, I'm a bit biased, but I prefer bike-pgh's approach better. Still glad to see any effort to de-stigmatize cyclists. Hello, I'm a cyclist. http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1025447949/hello-im-a-cyclist

feels good to be on the winning end of a city comparison - nice job BP! https://twitter.com/lloydalter/status/390536911934066688

Not quite as good of a slogan...

how have i never seen that one before?

erok wrote:how have i never seen that one before?

We've been hiding it from you, Erok. We figured the time you would spend rolling on the floor might be better used advocating for our bike rights. Selfish of us.

This campaign is so passive that it makes me sad. I'm concerned on two fronts. Firstly the nuanced messaging won't connect with anyone that isn't already aware and sympathetic. Secondly, the content doesn't convey useful facts that could be captured in brief messages. I'll bet a nut that more people see these ads and think "Dere's why them dahn stillerzz suck" rather than contemplating on any of the following: 1) It's dangerous and illegal to ride on the sidewalk 2) You're legally allowed to cross the double centerline to pass safely 3) Posted speed limits don't apply in hazardous weather conditions 4) Dang, there's a $40 fine for passing within 4 feet. Hope I don't get caught. Can we please add any of this to the messaging. Aside from being surreal, simply humanizing potential victims is way too subtle. I have an unpleasant interaction with a bus or car every few days. I've had drivers take the time to circle back and tell me they buzzed me deliberately to scare me off the road (PA Plate JHX1378). I've had PAT bus drivers tell me the same thing. There is clearly a lack of awareness and empathy. I vote we need awareness more urgently than empathy.

devohelmetguy wrote:

There is clearly a lack of awareness and empathy. I vote we need awareness more urgently than empathy.

I agree in principle, but disagree in this specific case. I believe that the vast majority of motorists are perfectly aware that they are not supposed to speed, pass too closely, drive carelessly/recklessly, etc., etc. Those who do so anyway simply don't care, or have rationalized the idea that they are an exception to the rules, neither of which is a lack of awareness. Awareness would have greater value if it was paired with consequences for driving unsafely. Lacking probable consequences, the only option left is to try to increase empathy. Of course, best of all would be to actually ensure that there WERE probable consequences for operating a vehicle unsafely, in which case empathy is unnecessary and awareness would rapidly spread.

I don't think the last campaign was bad, but I agree that a content focus rather than fuzzy humanistic one might be better for round 2. I'd forget the bus shelters. Bus riders aren't the problem. I want a sequence of billboards on 376. Bi-directional and going both east/west of the city. BIG font (smaller for the motor vehicle code reference and smaller still for the website... still think you want that on there to be the voice of authority though). If anyone drove down 95 and remembers the south of the border signs, that's kind of what I'm driving for. Reading sequnce: Bicycles are vehicles and generally cyclists are granted all the same rights and duties as other vehicle operators PA Vehicle code 3501.a http://www.dmv.state.pa.us/vehicle_code/index.shtml Many safety related considerations trump the general rule about slower vehicles staying toward the right. PA Vehicle code 3301.a 1-6 http://www.dmv.state.pa.us/vehicle_code/index.shtml Riding a bicyle on the sidewalk in business districts is illegal PA Vehicle code 3508.b http://www.dmv.state.pa.us/vehicle_code/index.shtml When passing a cyclist you must do so at a prudent reduced speed, giving not less than 4 feet of clearance. PA Vehicle code 3303.a http://www.dmv.state.pa.us/vehicle_code/index.shtml Crossing the the center line to pass a cyclist is legal when it is safe to do so * having a little trouble, someone dig this up http://www.dmv.state.pa.us/vehicle_code/index.shtml

Reddan, just to be clear, I meant improving driver awareness of the road rules and not simply awareness of cyclists. Sure some drivers don't care. But I'm not convinced drivers actually know the rules (or aren't aware something they believe to be true isn't). I'm not saying the campaign is bad. Just that I'd like it to be a little educational.

devohelmetguy wrote:

Reddan, just to be clear, I meant improving driver awareness of the road rules and not simply awareness of cyclists. Sure some drivers don’t care. But I’m not convinced drivers actually know the rules (or aren’t aware something they believe to be true isn’t). I’m not saying the campaign is bad. Just that I’d like it to be a little educational.

Fair enough. I'd like to see more education as well; I just doubt it'll be effective, unless it's accompanied by a meaningful fine and a good tongue-lashing by a judge. Given the rhetoric I've personally witnessed or had related to me second-hand, the overwhelming theme is "I don't care what the law says, you [don't pay for the roads/run red lights/can't go the speed limit/dress funny]", not "Oh, I didn't know that! I'll change my ways." To be fair, that may just be due to the human tendency to get defensive when confronted; it's possible that most of the dangerous drivers really think their behavior is legal, but I suspect it's more along the lines of them simply following the herd.

@devo. Something like this? Wide receiver, Father, Rides a bike, Pass no closer than four feet. Wide receiver, Father, Rides a bike, Is allowed the full lane.

Damn Marko, simple, brilliant adjustment of the same theme.

Marko, yes that exactly. Thanks for making great examples.

The City of Pittsburgh is going to be producing an educational campaign that focuses more on actual laws. We wanted ours to be different from theirs.

devohelmetguy wrote:1) It’s dangerous and illegal to ride on the sidewalk 3) Posted speed limits don’t apply in hazardous weather conditions

1. In business districts only. And it's legal in most places outside of business districts in PA. 3. You are not allowed to exceed speed limits even in hazardous weather conditions. So I would chose another word.

" “I don’t care what the law says, you [don't pay for the roads/run red lights/can't go the speed limit/dress funny]“," This is why I never start a conversation by saying "the law says" If I'm having a good day, I try and explain why I'm doing what I'm doing in practical terms. So for example, I'm not riding in the middle of the road because rule x, y, z says I can, but because I'm avoiding pot holes, don't want people to pass me at this particular part of the road, don't want people to pull out in front of me, etc, etc Given that motorists already ignore like 95% of street signs that inform them what the law is, I don't see what adding to that is going to do.