2 August 2006 Archives

Dangerous intersection chosen for community action

[This Friday (8/4) from 7-9AM there will be a traffic safety education action at NW Lovejoy and 9th Ave.]

[Looking west on
Lovejoy approaching 9th.]

The intersection at NW 9th and Lovejoy (just west of the Broadway Bridge) is rife with traffic safety red flags; cyclists blowing the stop sign, cars turning without signaling, a senior home on the corner, cyclists going too fast on the sidewalk, and so on.

The City of Portland has received a steady stream of complaints about this intersection including several from a resident of the retirement home named Phil Staley. Phil was recently struck by a cyclist while in the crosswalk and to make matters worse, the cyclist didn’t even stop. Yep, a hit-and-run.

Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward

Several cyclists out on the streets in the last few days have relayed their concerns to me about what they perceive as increased police enforcement of fixed-gear riders.

Given the recent court decision and heightened awareness of this issue, I asked Traffic Division Lieutenant Mark Kruger for an official stance on how the Portland Police Bureau are enforcing this.

Here’s his response:

It was a red Trek 6000, purchaced in 1999, with a large (maybe XL) frame. It had bright yellow grips that sorta stuck out. There was a black “Planet Bike” fender on it. And it had an Iron Horse seat. The left hand shifter on the front was repaced and dosent match the right hand (factory) one. There is a sticker from “The Denver Spoke” on the frame by the crank. The serial # is WTU2292016R.
It was stolen August 1st, between noon and 12:30 from the bike rack outside the Belmont library. It was locked up with a cable lock, which was cut.

contact:
dylan

crazyfidel1 [at] yahoo [dot] com

PSU Engineer wants to understand why you ride

[PSU instructor
Brent Zenobia]

On a recent Sweet Summer Cycle Ride (photos) I met an interesting guy named Brent Zenobia. He was passing out a flyer about a research project he is undertaking as part of his Ph.D. candidacy in the Engineering and Technology management department at PSU.

What intrigued me about him was the nature of his research. He wants to use high-tech computer simulation models to analyze the how and why behind Portland’s success in encouraging alternative transportation choices.

My bike was stolen Saturday night from the waterfront while I was
attending the beer tasting. The bike is a late 90’s model Rocky Mountain,
white frame, canadian flag sticker. there is a small pouch attached to the
seat that reads “Ruby Tuesday”. The thieves left the front wheel. I am
amazed at how they removed the bike as the frame was locked. How do they do
this? Any help would be great. Thanks.

Brad Glenn
contact info if needed –
glenn_brad@hotmail.com or 865-963-6605

Cops carry out enforcement mission on morning commuters

I have had several phone calls and emails about the enforcement mission being carried out by the Portland Police Bureau on the east end of the Hawthorne Bridge this morning.

I have heard reports of up four cyclists being pulled over at one time.

This was a planned enforcement mission and I remember an email about it from Evan Manvel of the BTA on the Shift list about a week ago.

I called Lieutenant Kruger this morning and he confirmed that they were, “focusing on the downtown core area and citing all modes (cars, bikes, peds, etc…).”

[What a healthy street
looks like.]

“What about ambulances?” a friend who is visiting from New York asked recently as I was excitedly telling her about our bike community and recent car-free activism. I had no idea what she was referring to.

“And what about handicapped people?” she added by way of explanation. I was still confused. “Well, if you ban cars, not everybody can ride bicycles all the time!” she finally said.

Aha!

This is a pretty common narrative, actually, in some form or other, part of the cultural divide between the Portland bubble and what sometimes seems like the rest of the world.

My blue and black Trek Hybrid bike was stolen from a bike rack on
Saturday July 28th around 1:00 PM. It was locked with a cable chain to
my wife’s bike on NW 1st between Couch and Davis. The cable was cut.
It has a new seat and a Bell pannier rack.

Tom N
503-464-2581

Stolen: Fisher Tiburon

My bike was stolen from Lloyd Center last Sunday afternoon, July 31st. I had locked it to a ramp railing outside of the west (parking garage) entrance of Barnes & Noble close to the entrance/exit of the parking garage. I mistakenly thought that it would be safer there in plain sight with many people going by. Of course, leaving it there for two hours didn’t help matters. The thieves either had a key for or cut the cable lock. Anyway, here is the description:

2004 Gary Fisher Tiburon (hybrid)

Silver with white accent on a 22-1/2 inch frame (XL)
Silver/black Blackburn hand pump mounted on the vertical frame post near crankshaft
Bontrager 700x35c tires (on Matrix 750 rims)
Round rear view mirror on left handlebar end
Blue masking tape on top of right swing-arm
Bell bike seat
SN C24GQ552

Thanks for posting this ahead of time. I just saw a spot in Channel 12 news last night telling of a guy who got his stolen bike back through the aid of your site.

Mike C
2betterthan1 [at]
netscape [dot] com

Dangerous intersection chosen for community action

Police perspective on fixed-gear enforcement

Stolen: Trek 6000

PSU Engineer wants to understand why you ride

Stolen: Rocky Mountain MTB

Cops carry out enforcement mission on morning commuters

Going beyond Portland’s bike bubble

Stolen: Trek hybrid

Stolen: Fisher Tiburon

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