you could try submitting a 311 report. i've gotten abandoned cars towed in days using that.

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.

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.

Angle grinder

Yes. Saw my dad do that many years ago.

That’s been one of my thoughts that they are gonna say it’s the owners responsibility

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.

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.

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)

My tires have definitely been a victim to those.

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.

I’ve always wondered what these were for. Anyone know?

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.

Draw a giant dick around it.

Pry it off with a hammer or even easier with a digging bar.

Draw a giant penis with spray paint

311!!

I think they were to preserve the sidewalk edges from parking cars.

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.

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.

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.

You do realize that even with not parking on the curb it could be an issue?

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.

https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/LI/uconsCheck.cfm?txtType=HTM&yr=1933&sessInd=0&smthLwInd=0&act=069&chpt=24

And local governments often seem pretty reluctant to force local property owners to bear potentially thousands of dollars in expense to repave sidewalks.

Definitely report it to 311 but I fought they’ll do anything 311 sucks

I don't know, from the picture it looks like you'd have to park on top of it.

Sometimes you unintentionally get on the curb when parallel parking. There are also other that stick out towards the street.

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.

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.

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 🤦🏽‍♂️

Spray paint a big fat dick on it.

Lol is this a thing? I’ve seen a few people comment that already

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.

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.

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.

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...

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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.

You just dont understand the difference between on a curb and bumping a curb.....

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

> 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.

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I did just now. My couch looks pretty spicy.

Wonder if the head of Public Works’ brother still owns that tire company?

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.

There are way too many of these all around the city just waiting for their next victim.

I think it varies, no consistent standard

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

Try learning how to park.

Are you available to teach me?

So… you’re telling me to grab a screwdriver, right?

They are only held on by two screws...

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.

If you know this is an issue in parking in that area, then why would you park there? Why wouldn't you report it?

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

And now the sidewalks are taking their revenge.