Comments
Eco-freako t1_j3s2p1g wrote
Get your neighbors in on it too. 311 reports are more successful when there are numerous reports of an issue. Include as much information as you can and photographs (if you’re submitting online). If you can claim it’s a public safety issue, it might take priority over being just a nuisance.
If you and a few of your neighbors claim that this is an issue, then the city might do something about it. Whereas if it’s just you complaining, then they might claim that you are the only one with a problem.
Unable-Put-1823 t1_j3s6nxj wrote
Definitely report it to 311 but I fought they’ll do anything 311 sucks
burritoace t1_j3r8qui wrote
Angle grinder
pghhotfire t1_j3r90k9 wrote
Yes. Saw my dad do that many years ago.
itsacoup t1_j3rskn7 wrote
My wife's tire got popped by one of these once. We submitted a 311 that it had blown a tire and it was fixed in a day or two.
g_h_o_s_t_ t1_j3r1nvb wrote
you could try submitting a 311 report. i've gotten abandoned cars towed in days using that.
MaybeADumbass t1_j3svybn wrote
> i've gotten abandoned cars towed in days using that.
People should know that cars that are legally parked on city streets can not be towed if they have valid inspection and registration, but cars without license plates generally get towed within a few hours of reporting them.
OcelotWolf t1_j3ufnfi wrote
So… you’re telling me to grab a screwdriver, right?
MaybeADumbass t1_j3ufw5q wrote
They are only held on by two screws...
pburgh2517 t1_j3r512y wrote
I’ve had them come pick some of the ones that completely fell off the sidewalks, but technically the curb is the property owners responsibility. The city may not want to mess with the owners sidewalk/curb as then the owner could come back at the city for the condition of whatever is underneath saying they jacked it up. A 311 request about the condition of the sidewalk may work if the owner gets cited.
Strong-Lawfulness805 OP t1_j3r9ii4 wrote
That’s been one of my thoughts that they are gonna say it’s the owners responsibility
ArgyllFire t1_j3rcyun wrote
That's weird. Legally I was always told the curb is a part of the roadway, and therefore should be the responsibility of the municipality. I see there's PA documents that speak about curb/sidewalk as interchangeable and homeowners responsibility. Our concrete guy would NOT touch our curb in Pittsburgh when he repaired the sidewalk. So.. Now I'm lost.
tesla3by3 t1_j3rna35 wrote
Here's the Pittsburgh Code.
​
§ 417.02 - SIDEWALK AND CURB MAINTENANCE.
(a) It shall be the duty of the property owner abutting or adjoining the public right-of-way to provide for the continuing care, maintenance, repair, and replacement of all sidewalk pavements and curbing installed in the right-of-way abutting or adjoining their property.
(b) All sidewalks and curbs shall be kept in a proper state of repair, be free from hazardous conditions, and maintained in accordance with applicable laws, rules, guidelines, and policies.
(c) All sidewalks and curbs shall be constructed in accordance with specifications and regulations as established by the Department of Mobility and Infrastructure.
(d) The property owner must obtain a permit for any sidewalk repairs or construction as required by Section 413.02.
(Ord. No. 35-2021, § 1, eff. 10-11-21)
Excelius t1_j3s516s wrote
My understanding is that PA has some stupid laws that make it difficult to impossible for municipalities to build and maintain sidewalks, forcing most of the expense onto the adjacent property owner.
And local governments often seem pretty reluctant to force local property owners to bear potentially thousands of dollars in expense to repave sidewalks.
GottaWanna t1_j3ru19z wrote
I’ve always wondered about this because my property line stops before the sidewalk, yet if you live on a corner lot, you bet your butt they’re going to do the bumpy pads there for you. I feel like the reality is that this is a mega grey area and largely unenforced.
dfiler t1_j3sazh0 wrote
Are you sure your property line stops before the sidewalk? I was under the impression that Pittsburgh property extends to the street center line. Of course, there is a public right of way and easements involving streets, sidewalks, street trees, etc.
GottaWanna t1_j3td1zv wrote
I believe that’s how my parents’ house is in rural PA, but I had mine surveyed during a neighborly dispute and it ends at my retaining wall, behind the sidewalk. So everywhere is probably different. Possibly even within the city.
Side note, I used to talk shit about people who walk on the road when there’s a perfectly good sidewalk along the street, until I started going for walks in my neighborhood. You don’t know street to street if you’re going to get a walkable sidewalk, or any sidewalk at all. Then you get a random post-war street in places like Marshall-Shadeland (Ridgeland and Newhampshire drives , and Ingram to note) with random to no sidewalk at all like it’s Pleasant Hills. So now, I have an understanding of the street walking in certain situations. But that also had me wondering about the ownership of sidewalks. I bet the streets I mentioned own at least out to the road. So who made it okay to have no sidewalk when planning these?
Overall, I bet it’s an old oversight. They were probably officially part of city infrastructure at one time, until they realized they wouldn’t be able to legitimately maintain them.
burritoace t1_j3tigub wrote
I think it varies, no consistent standard
pburgh2517 t1_j3rlxkj wrote
And here I am in Pittsburgh and I paid to replace my own curb (on a cobblestone street too). There was metal on mine so I was glad to pay for their replacement.
JAK3CAL t1_j3rwzje wrote
Draw a giant penis with spray paint
IClight69 t1_j3tbmi7 wrote
I did just now. My couch looks pretty spicy.
rod1403 t1_j3rrgqe wrote
My tires have definitely been a victim to those.
mckills t1_j3rsou5 wrote
I’ve always wondered what these were for. Anyone know?
NSlocal t1_j3s1338 wrote
I think they were to preserve the sidewalk edges from parking cars.
MrSchenleyMD t1_j40qzfv wrote
And now the sidewalks are taking their revenge.
barcinal t1_j3tk2xl wrote
I was always told it was to prevent damage from steel wagon wheels, back in the day. I think they just get gradually replaced as needed
cjc323 t1_j3rvf5c wrote
Draw a giant dick around it.
bambi_beth t1_j3rygcv wrote
311!!
cmyk412 t1_j3tc0tw wrote
Wonder if the head of Public Works’ brother still owns that tire company?
ThatOneDude9991 t1_j3tgzv7 wrote
There are way too many of these all around the city just waiting for their next victim.
rolmdl t1_j3rvylt wrote
Pry it off with a hammer or even easier with a digging bar.
1DirtyMurn t1_j3sedh1 wrote
Spray paint a big fat dick on it.
Strong-Lawfulness805 OP t1_j3sf2pu wrote
Lol is this a thing? I’ve seen a few people comment that already
blondiebell t1_j3sj4fn wrote
It is and it isnt.
It would bring attention to it, and possibly lead to more 311 complaints for vulgar images in public spaces and there go the city might get to fixing it faster. But you run the risk of 1) no one reports the penis so no attention is brought 2) the city just removes the paint and doesn't fix the curb 3) you get caught for defacing public/private property and face a fine. Not much reward for the risk with an issue this small.
[deleted] t1_j3skjyz wrote
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[deleted] t1_j3t9pvn wrote
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KentuckYSnow t1_j3ua8pc wrote
Try learning how to park.
Strong-Lawfulness805 OP t1_j3uf38k wrote
Are you available to teach me?
susinpgh t1_j3s2a8c wrote
It really shouldn't be a problem if you're not parking on the curb. Also, sidewalk maintenance is the responsibility of the property owner.
Strong-Lawfulness805 OP t1_j3s3mus wrote
You do realize that even with not parking on the curb it could be an issue?
susinpgh t1_j3s6o92 wrote
I don't know, from the picture it looks like you'd have to park on top of it.
Strong-Lawfulness805 OP t1_j3s89pb wrote
Sometimes you unintentionally get on the curb when parallel parking. There are also other that stick out towards the street.
susinpgh t1_j3sdsge wrote
Unintentionally breaking the law is still breaking the law. It's against vehicle code to park on sidewalks. Maybe be more careful, if you already know this will be an issue.
Strong-Lawfulness805 OP t1_j3seax9 wrote
My God have you ever driven a car? We all know it’s there and we try to park as far as we can but it’s also a risk cause your car can get hit. People unintentionally hit the curb when parking and is usually not a big deal if your curb doesn’t have that. Do not comprare breaking the law to parking 🤦🏽♂️
susinpgh t1_j3sfexm wrote
Nope never driven.
But why would you move into a street that your vehicle is too big for? Like it or not, you aren't entitled to just break vehicle code.
blondiebell t1_j3skdgx wrote
Omg stop while you're behind...
If you've never driven that's fine, but it means you have no room to talk about how hard/easy it is to park. These people arent suggesting they are parking ON the curb, but it's pretty often that when parallel parking your tire BUMPS the curb while its angled to pull in. If you bump the edge of this metal, while still fully on the road and not violating "vehicle code", it could pop your tire. That is the complaint and your comments are way off base...
susinpgh t1_j3skxej wrote
Why should I stop? I really don't care if you think you are more entitled to public spaces than I am.
Do you think that illegally parked cars don't effect me? They impede foot traffic on the sidewalks and in crosswalks. They destroy private property. Motorists move into a city with outsized vehicles and expect everyone to move over for them.
blondiebell t1_j3slh6n wrote
You just dont understand the difference between on a curb and bumping a curb.....
susinpgh t1_j3smg7i wrote
And you don't seem to understand the idea of personal responsibility. You can't park on the curb. The curb is in bad shape. Don't park too close to the curb. If your vehicle is too big to park an inch away from the sidewalk, then it's on you for bringing a vehicle too large into the environment. Maybe find a place to park that is safe for your vehicle.
blondiebell t1_j3snov9 wrote
In order to park an inch from the curb you have to angle your tires.. angling them often means you bump the curb in the process, then straighten out to be perfectly in the spot. You would know that if you have ever driven a car.
The vehicle doesn't have to be oversized to do that, it just naturally happens when you parallel park, especially if you are trying to do the actual public service of parking as close to the curb as possible.
Again, bumping a curb while parking is normal. It is common, even expected most places and does no harm to anyone. Bumping a curb does NOT equal parking on it, and OP has perfect reason to complain that doing the normal act of parking is risking their tires due to someone else's negligence.
susinpgh t1_j3spiti wrote
How is that anyone's problem but the motorist? Is just other motorists you're concerned about, along with your own vehicle? If you know this is a possibility in this area, then it;'s your responsibility. Maybe find some place else to park. Or report it to 311, and have the property owner repair it. I don't see why this is so hard for you to understand.
blondiebell t1_j3sqgig wrote
Are you serious....
This entire thread is about options to address the problem. The only person who said otherwise and to not understand is you.
susinpgh t1_j3st0se wrote
What do you mean? I suggested not parking on top of the curb and parking somewhere else. Those are both actions that would solve the problem.
Zenith2017 t1_j3wo3ef wrote
Okay, since you've never driven. It's a common experience to bump a curb when you're backing into a spot (since you can't see right where your rear passenger-side tire is in relation to the curb). But you feel it when you bump it, so what you do is use that as a sign to adjust. You're not aiming to park your vehicle ON the curb (illegal, a nuisance, damaging to the sidewalk and to your vehicle). But you might bump the curb in the process of parking legally and safely on the street. And in this instance, this rusty piece of metal could very well puncture your tire despite not ending with your vehicle parked on the curb.
susinpgh t1_j3wtvox wrote
If you know this is an issue in parking in that area, then why would you park there? Why wouldn't you report it?
Zenith2017 t1_j3wv9nl wrote
If I encountered something like this in the areas I commonly park, I would report it. As for parking there, well, if this were on the streets surrounding my home I don't really have any choice. It's street park or no park. Thankfully there's usually room on the cross street when needed, but our infrastructure is only going to continue to degrade until we do something about it.
I hope my prior comment highlighted that you don't have to break the law, have an inappropriately sized vehicle, or park like a jag in order to be impacted by rusty metal protrusions like this. Not to mention incidental risk of injury, tetanus etc for pedestrians and passers-by
WikusVanDerMerwe t1_j3s3deb wrote
We have these on our street and I’ve heard the same about people popping tires on them. They’re supposedly old street car track rails.
blondiebell t1_j3sjjho wrote
That is certainly a good guess, but no they were never track rails. They were put where they are to give longevity to curbs that were expected to get bumped alot because metal is stronger than the corner of stone/concrete. Now that they are so old, they no longer really serve that purpose, but thats what they were for.
skfoto t1_j3r2tuq wrote
Report to 311, but I'd start with only reporting the sections that are actually in danger of puncturing tires (broken and sticking out). Reporting every inch of steel curb edging would give the impression of crying wolf.