BIKEPGH MESSAGE BOARD ARCHIVE

what!?! do you have pics?

Note: at the Bikefest party, someone attached a Zipcar card to my handlebars.

I agree that zipcar is a great idea, but there are problems with the execution.

They could be offering discounts for Bike-Pgh members instead of spamming our events and roads.

Mick

oh oh oh!!!! i want to paint my logo all over the city!!!!!!!!!!!!

No pictures at this point. As I said they were near Metaltech, under the overpass area. I suppose it cold have been chalk, but it looked like paint as I spun by. I'll look again when I bike home tonight.

MFONE

Haven't these people heard what happens to taggers around these parts?

that's 2-5 years in prison

i was going to be part of their low car diet thing this summer, but they told me i needed a car first to turn in keys to participate. oops. i thought i could move from no-car to low car, since they want cyclists to join them so badly.

I got photos. There are 65 logos painted on, between the east end of the parking lot on Second Avenue out to the Bates Street trailhead, where they apparently ran out of paint. I see on CL that they are recruiting their "street team" again. Probably just creative "guerrilla marketers, but still no excuse for defacing public property

call Danny Sullivan

anyone want to go out and paint BikePGH logos on route 28?

Maybe the Warhol paid them to put their logo up around the city.

It's chalk...

They were clearly made with a stencil, many of which had what looked a LOT like spilled paint along the edges. The ones I touched did NOT rub off the way I expected chalk to do. And, the images get dimmer as they head out of town. The last couple are very faint. Very much what you would expect if you were running low on paint.

It's definitely chalk

Mick, I assumed they had the blessing of bike-pgh to put those cards on the bikes, since they're listed as a partner. Also there was some kind of discount code, $75 credit...

Still kind of a crappy thing to paint their logo on the path, even if it's chalk. I like the idea of painting bike-pgh logos on the roads.

Caitlin, who said they had to be legitimate car keys? Run by Home Depot, you can hand them a key ring that looks like something from MTV "Cribs" for like $10.

Zipcar did not ask our permission before putting their marketing info on all the bikes at our party. I apologize for everyone who was annoyed by that.

Erok: dont tempt me.

I need to find some biodegradable spray paint.

"Hey check out my sweet tag before it rains."

Maybe they used this:

http://www.zimbio.com/Tour+de+France/articles/fjj2jhRQpOt/The+chalk+bot+what+s+that

Invented at CMU. Used on the Tour de France.

Terminator graffiti... haters.

robjdlc, just get some of the paint they use for the bike lanes

robjdlc, just get some of the paint they use for the bike lanes

ha ha post of the day

i am now going to patronize zipcar because they are so annoying and i need a truck... whats the best scam to get some zip car action for the cheapest.

It looked like paint to me, but I didn't stop to examine them as I rode home. If chalk, the rain will do it's work today. The Zipcar people have been all over downtown this summer pushing their service. It's a good idea but they ought not to have marked the jail trail like that. Poor show by Zipcar.

Anyone check out whether or not the rain washed these away?

From hot metal to downtown, nothing.

I never saw those logos, but then I haven't ridden down that way lately.

I actually just closed my account with Zipcar...I ideally wanted to use it for groceries or longer trips to see my folks, but couldn't justify paying for the time the car would be sitting in park on a weekend or day trip. I'm instead using my housemates' car...the TRUE car-share!

Good idea, they just need to re-tool their "occasional driver" program to make it cost-effective for non-car owners.

Most of them were still there this morning. Some a bit faded perhaps. If it was chalk, it's some kind of chalk based paint, meant to last for a bit. There were plenty between the Hot Metal Bridge and downtown. They are, however, fairly small so you might not see them if you were looking for something larger.

A week later with rain in the meantime and there are still plenty of logos painted on the trail. Definitely not chalk.

They aren't even cool looking. If your going to spam like this you have to at least make it art.

I wonder what Zipcar would think of someone stenciling some pro-bike slogans on their conveniently parked cars or the various Zipcar-parking-only signs around.

I wonder what Zipcar would think of someone stenciling some pro-bike slogans on their conveniently parked cars or the various Zipcar-parking-only signs around.

As long as it's only "chalk", I'm sure they'll be just fine with the idea.

Out of curiosity, I stopped to investigate the logos today during lunch. It may be some form of chalk, but it appears to be mixed with equal parts epoxy, 'cause I could barely even scratch a bit off with my fingernail.

I know a few folks at the Zipcar HQ in Chicago, I should forward this thread to them...

Any chance they actually paid the city to put their logos there? I assume not but we should probably find out for sure before we roast them.

Any chance they actually paid the city to put their logos there? I assume not but we should probably find out for sure before we roast them.

You'd think there would have been some PR if they had and that Bike Pittsburgh would have known.

maybe theyll offer a special discount to bikers who mention this to them?

at least when kfc did this, they also filled potholes

Ok, that's a cool PR stunt.

ok i admit it. i just emailed Zipcar Pittsburgh and National to find out if they paid for it, and if not, if they are planning to maintain the trail to gain the favour of bicyclists.

response already! more response forthcoming?

"Dear Caitlin,

Thanks for the email. I am forwarding this to our office in Pittsburgh. They will have more information on the situation and will be able to help you further.

Regards,

Chris

Zipcar Member Services

Zipcar, Inc."

I got a response from the Mayor's Office today in response to my 311 email. They said the logos had been removed. But, no response to my questions re: payment for defacement of public property or intended use of advertising fee (presumably charged to ZipCar.)

Apparently their definition of "removed" is "some of them have been smudged up a bit but otherwise they're still there"?

I'll confirm that "smudged up a bit but otherwise still there" situation. There's at least one under the Birmingham Bridge that is still as sharp as when it was set down. I see no evidence of any other them being actively removed through either scrubbing or, the city favorite, painting over.

yeah the pittsburgh office never replied to me either. i emailed the chicago office again and said thanks for responding, but no one in pgh ever got back to me.

what should we paint over them is the real question

mfone

mook

or my favorite from D.C. going waaaay back:

Cool

Disco

Dan

My two favorite bits of graffiti in Pittsburgh

1. On General Robinson 15 years ago, and it was evidently decades-old then: "Impeach Nixon". It was funny, Pittsburgh had so little activity that even the graffiti didn't get graffittio-ed over.

2. On the East Busway around the same time: "Unix Rules", followed by "Get A Mac Dude" Geek graffiti, imagine that.

what should we paint over them is the real question

How about Bike Pittsburgh logos?

there's a pittsburgh zoo/aquarium one in Frick now too. It's on the main path going from the baseball field towards the off leash area.

Don't paint over them with anything. It's a city issue. Report them using 311 or iBurgh and let them be.

Yeah, no need to vandalize vandalism. Just would make our organization and community look like bad hypocrites.

i don't think "our org" would be responsible for any graffiti graffiti unless someone writes "ride a bike, please visit bike-pgh.org for more details"

people are doing pro-bike, anti-car graffiti all the time... and all the other kinds too..

I was referring to Buzz's comment about bike-pgh logos

I meant with the permission of the city and trail council, not for anyone to go out there at their own will and cover one unauthorized advertising with another.

This could open up sponsorship abilities though, much like PennDot's "adopt-a-highway" program.