Posted on 05/21/2010 10:58:56 AM PDT by Willie Green
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) ― Many Pittsburghers joined people all around the nation today by keeping their cars parked and taking their bicycles to work instead.
It's all a part of National Bike to Work Day.
"I bike from Friendship, and then I just usually head down Liberty, cross over to Penn Ave. when I get down into the Strip and I work at the Regional Enterprise Tower," said Jake Baechle, a bicyclist.
Baechle says biking is about more then just saving on gas money.
"It saves a lot of money, saves on gas, and it's good for the environment and it's a good time to get exercise in," he said. "It's just the way we need to start moving as a country as a whole and I'd like to see Pittsburgh leading the way in that."
He isn't alone in his opinion on the benefits of biking.
Baechle was joined by plenty of other bikers downtown today as they celebrated by getting their bikes maintained and spreading the word.
"Hopefully, it spurs them into commuting more days than just one a year, and hopefully they'll talk to their friends and colleagues at their places of business and just inspire other people to get out of their cars and experience Pittsburgh by bicycle," said Scott Bricker, of Bike Pittsburgh.
Everyday, 140,000 people come into downtown Pittsburgh for their jobs, and 3,000 of them ride their bikes.
That number could rise with a $20 a month federal tax credit to reimburse bicyclists for things such as bike repairs, storage and helmets.
Bike Pittsburgh is also encouraging companies to be more bike-friendly by providing bike racks, showers and lockers and allow employees to bring their bikes inside for safekeeping.
No joke --- one of these spandex idiots was riding his bike through the slush and ice on Freeport road last winter right at evening rush hour. Had traffic all backed up because drivers were afraid he would slip on the ice and down in front of them.
In Toronto in the middle of february you will see quite a few bike messengers going through traffic in -20C. With special tires, clothing and breaks it is not a big deal. Lots of companies pay premium to have deliveries made very fast in that weather (matter of minutes instead of hours)
“spandex idiots”
Nice, but in my neck of the woods, we prefer “shell heads”.
We prefer that they not screw up our road traffic on weekends, nor raise their neon spandex butts in the air, or ignore basic traffic signs and rules. We prefer that they just go away, but they never do.
GOOD TO HEAR FROM YOU !
You 'da man.
Them cyclists can be jagoffs. Plus, they don’t sell them spandex pants at “Pants ‘N ‘At”. And the little helmet messes up yer mullet, too. GO Stillers!
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Ouch!
My dog just hates those riding hats! He must think the riders are spacemen. lol
They put their XMart bikes back in the garage and hop in their SUVs like good little hypocrites.
I need to get my rear wheel trued soon. I was doing well on riding my bike to school, and then me and a Durango had a meeting, luckily at low speeds. Learned a very good lesson that day, always make eye contact.
It is a good thing to do when feasible.
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