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freaked out about riding through E Liberty

Living in Sq Hill most of my long rides go out the 62nd st bridge into points yonder. The best way for me to get there is down Highland or Negley --> right through the E Lib corridor where many cyclists have been harassed.


Now I am scared of that area. I am trying not to be. It doesn't go with my big butch persona. But I am totally freaked out. I often ride alone. I'm female. And I work the spandex outfit on a road bike look.


Am I being unreasonably paranoid? It's effecting my riding. I find myself making excuses not to go. :(


-sarah


sarah_q
2011-05-06 17:26:38

if it freaks you out to go through slib, just go down washington blvd to butler. you can cross on hpb or 62sb from there.


cburch
2011-05-06 17:29:24

We hear reports from people who have problems, not those who don't, which can make the problems seem more common than they really are.


Compare the number of cyclists injured by thugs in that area to the number of cyclists injured by unseen potholes. I suspect the potholes have caused more injuries, but nobody freaks out about them.


Maybe carrying mace or an air horn would make you feel more confident? But being alert and fast is probably more useful, avoiding blocks where you see groups of kids and taking a parallel street.


(For me, the traffic on Washington Blvd on the climb approaching the Highland Park bridge from the east makes me prefer the One Wild Place route. Much tamer.)


steven
2011-05-06 18:01:47

I usually go highland to stanton to chislett on the way out and drop down behind the zoo parking lot. But I've been SO paranoid lately. :(


It's actually not a bad option for me to take Dallas to Frankstown to WA Blvd, but it can be a little hectic on the blvd and that intersection at the bottom sucks.


I hate the HP bridge when riding solo. I'll do it, but I'm not a fan.


Steven is right that bad news is highlighted since good is rarely reported. I tend to worry about stupid shit anyway. For example, sharks. Oh, and turkeys. And now this. Perhaps instead of the airhorn I need Paxil. ha.


sarah_q
2011-05-06 18:17:18

I ride down Frankstown to EEFC all the time, which is a little farther east than your typical route, but also hits on some of the "touchier" parts of EL and PH. I do it during the day, alone, and half the time laden with groceries, and have never had a problem. I also ride Washington BLVD from ARB in, and have been honked at (not always angrily) but mostly people just go around. Now that I've got better gears, I often chose the quieter streets that are a little more sketch rather than the busier streets, but it's totally mood dependent.


If it's daylight, I don't see any more issue with riding through there than riding anywhere else. If it's night, I'd stick to the busier streets, or go in town a little more, like cutting through oakland to Lawrenceville & take 40th st bridge. You seem like the type to handle Cabbage Hill to Etna just fine ;)


To totally bastardize yoda: Ride or ride not. There is no fear. :D


ejwme
2011-05-06 18:33:34

the traffic on Washington Blvd on the climb approaching the Highland Park bridge from the east makes me prefer the One Wild Place route.


I prefer hitting the bridge in the right lane, instead of arriving in the left lane and then having to merge across fast traffic on my right. Also, the HPB onramp from eastbound is too narrow to safely share, but too long to comfortably control the whole time. All things considered, I prefer the short uphill onramp to the HPB from westbound. The way to deal with it is, wait for a gap in traffic while approaching the bridge lane, then signal, jump out there in the middle of the lane and ride big for about thirty seconds, and then you can move back over to the right and allow motorized traffic to pass. When you get to the top of the "hill", repeat.


However, Wash Blvd inbound from Negley Run to Frankstown is pretty bad. High speeds and poor sightlines once you reach the bend. So coming inbound I take Wild Place, Stanton, jog over through Larimer to ELB. If I felt unsafe due to pedestrians in Slib, I *suppose* I might take Wash Blvd to the police station, go left up to the VA and come back thataway, though I don't know if that neighborhood will stay free of cyclist assaults this summer either.


lyle
2011-05-06 18:41:34

i personally find the thought of riding on the HP bridge solo (or maybe even at all) more terrifying than riding through any neighborhood containing rambling unsupervised teens.


that said, sticking to highland and stanton sounds safer to me.


unixd0rk
2011-05-06 18:42:21

You ride right past my house on Chislett :)


I ride through east liberty a lot. I am aware of my surroundings. At a Meeting last year, The police said you can go through red lights if it is clear if you feel unsafe. I am sure the warmer weather will bring out more loiterers, but I am not worried about it. Am not afraid to scream and yell and hit someone if I need to.


stefb
2011-05-06 21:48:32

I'm the dorky looking tri chick on a Trek with clip on aero bars and zebra print bar tape. :)


Riding down Negley the other day someone yelled "you better watch out" but I think it was more supportive than threatening.


sarah_q
2011-05-06 22:43:14

I would recommend Highland over Negley if you are concerned. I think someone suggested Highland to Stanton, which works. It lengthens your route, but it will be worthwhile if you are concerned about safety. Once on Stanton, you can just pop up any one of the side streets or go straight down to Negley.


greenbike
2011-05-06 22:59:04

I live in Highland Park/East Liberty on Stanton, and it's the people in cars I worry about more than the kids. The worst thing that ever happened was a kid who asked if he could ride my bike (although I presume by the way he said it that if I had said yes I would have done a great deal of walking in the future).


I don't generally ride at night, and I see LOTS of people on bikes around my house.


nochasingiguanas
2011-05-07 02:22:50

I live in Santon Heights and depending on the time of day I ride different routs home or to work Early in the morning I ride Negley in the evening and night I do Highland. I have only been riding two years but doing this rout I have no problem. In fact I find Highland Ave. a much more friendly and easier rout than Negley and I ride all times of the day and night.


marvelousm3
2011-05-07 02:37:08

It's me that goes Highland -> Stanton -> Morningside (Chislett, Jancey). That's my usual route.


Thanks for all of the helpful advice in this thread. I need to suck it up.


sarah_q
2011-05-07 02:48:24

That sounds like a good route.


@nochasingiguanas: I'm pretty sure I've been asked that same question by that same kid.


greenbike
2011-05-07 03:05:00

I go from Shadyside to Highland Park on a semi-regular basis, and between Stanton and East Liberty Boulevard on either Highland or Negley Avenues, I do try to be more vigilant, but have not had anything beyond the potholes and careless driving to worry about.


ieverhart
2011-05-07 20:11:50

Also I'm glad I'm not the only one here who sports spandex.


marvelousm3
2011-05-07 21:14:57

I live in E. Liberty and definitely think the worst you'll have to worry about during the day are cars! That and possibly peds walking out in front of you and maybe some spandex hecklers but that's true for any neighborhood in pittsburgh.


Where I would take caution is riding late at night (10pm-5am) by yourself during the summer, holiday or weekend. But, again, that really should be true for any neighborhood.


dmtroyer
2011-05-08 13:59:11

Thanks to this thread I rode up through morningside and then took stanton to highland to E Lib Blvd to Penn this morning. Didn't even worry about it. :)


sarah_q
2011-05-09 00:49:15

I'm glad your ride was peacful, and uneventful. The route you took works for me and I see more and more fellow bike riders on that route who all give a friendly nod or wave. (Thanks for the friendly nods and waves everyone) So I'm often not alone except around 5:00 am when I'm riding to work.


marvelousm3
2011-05-09 01:06:49

BTW I just road down highland ave today around 6:30 7:00 pm and It seems like all of bike pgh is riding that route in support of sarah_q. It was great riding with so many bike riders


marvelousm3
2011-05-09 23:38:08

yeah! I'm coming out to the tazza ride tomorrow. It's always fun to ride with a group. I'm bringing my kid (age 12) too. :)


sarah_q
2011-05-10 02:15:54

I never get off of work on time for the tuesday rides. I get off at 6:30 and the ride leaves at 6:00 I still dont have the skill to chase down the group lol


marvelousm3
2011-05-10 02:20:52

I should look into this ride sometime if I can ever get home from work in time.


stefb
2011-05-10 10:53:06

Decaf rides out of Tazza are great. Many different skill levels so it breaks into groups. Cue sheets provided. Plus if you are familiar with the city you can't get too lost. :)


sarah_q
2011-05-10 12:17:38

I just noticed another hazard of E liberty today. WHile biking in along Negley, right before Penn at that boarded up gas station there were three nice sized deer that looked like they were ready to bolt in front of me...


the-beast
2011-05-10 14:31:01

^ sounds like a scene from I Am Legend!


pseudacris
2011-05-10 14:33:56

I think they are opposed to the "gentrification" that is taking place in the East End and they are taking back the streets.


I have always seen deer around the reservoir but I noticed some waste in Shadyside last week; and I now have raccoons getting into my garbage.


morningsider
2011-05-10 14:37:47

The areas around Garfield, East Liberty and Highland Park are very wooded in certain patches. I often see deer munching on something in our garden or mozying along the streets. Sadly they are not particularly fazed by humans.


I've never had any real problems in this area, except for the slow walkers and one time a kid threw something in front of my wheel. WTF? I had just climbed my hill and didn't have the energy to really do anything. Somehow I almost think not reacting is the best thing to do...they are just punk kids who want to feel bigger and better than you. Don't give them the pleasure of seeing you get riled up. Or respond in a way that would totally take them off guard. I wish I had laughed at the kid's bad aim or something.


gimppac
2011-05-10 16:01:04

just smile and wave. I'm gonna start taking the kill em with kindness road whenever I can


rubberfactory
2011-05-10 16:13:05

I have almost hit deer twice while on my bike in the past 6-9 months. not once while in my car, luckily.


stefb
2011-05-10 16:50:19

FYI: Don't approach the deer. My brother lives in an area where bears, bobcats and cougars regularly pass through. He says more people get injured from deer than the other animals. When they're not looking all cute while grazing, they give each other kick boxing lessons in the woods. Their feet are sharp and strong.


pseudacris
2011-05-10 17:31:13

yes. scared or angry hoofstock don't fuck around. this was one of the first lessons they taught us when i worked at my local zoo. along with "never rake toward them"


cburch
2011-05-10 17:32:52

The angry hoofstock fighting technique is very similar to the boxing nun hand puppet technique, only more lethal.


pseudacris
2011-05-10 17:47:29

I live in Shadyside and work on Highland in East Liberty. I commute 6 days a week along the Highland and E Lib Blvd corridor. I have found that during the light hours the biggest problem is drivers not paying attention or the people crossing streets whenever they feel like it.


mkelly9
2011-06-06 20:37:10

I'm going to bump an old thread!


Cyclist harassment notwithstanding, E. Liberty is not a dangerous neighborhood. I've lived here for five years without any incidents, frequently walking or biking through the neighborhood.


The scariest aspect of riding in EL is the traffic. I stay off the EL Blvd bike lanes because people drive in them all the time. I also avoid Negley. Watch out for stopped traffic at Penn and Highland and around Target in the afternoons. My favorite street for riding north-south is Beatty, behind Peabody High School.


Also, there's a lot of horrible, horrible concrete pavement in the neighborhood that's needed replacement for twenty years or so.


andrew-smith
2011-09-21 07:06:23

I like to ride in the bike lane on ELB to show people that cyclists do use it and that it isn't a motorist's right turn lane for 100 feet


stefb
2011-09-21 08:27:51

you cant really avoid negley though, its like the only way in and out of east liberty for most of us!


+1 on using the bike lane so cars know its for bIKES


caitlin
2011-09-21 17:02:32

I don't think the disregard for bike lanes is neighborhood specific. I was passed by a motorcycle in the parking lane while I rode up liberty in the bike lane yesterday evening.


As for the concrete, report them as potholes and it'll probably get patched.


dmtroyer
2011-09-21 17:50:33

I was riding down Liberty Ave bike lane this morning...however I was following an Audi A8 who thought it was a special lane for just him.


lou-m
2011-09-21 18:30:15

Yes, leaving East Liberty/Morningside/Stanton Heights is not the most bike friendly of routes, particularly if trying to ride with kids.


I've never had any issues riding anywhere in the city for neigh on 15 years, although I admit to being a bit unnerved during last years spate of teens on cyclist beatdowns.


I try to use the ELB bike lanes as much as possible, but I'm not often riding in that direction.


eric
2011-09-21 19:15:20

I see pricks driving in the Beechwood lanes all the time too. And I disagree about staying away from the lanes on ELB or anywhere else.


salty
2011-09-22 06:27:04