A new group known as the PDX Bike Militia has launched a service that will look to improve safety for bike riders in the city by pairing them up with “bike escorts”.
In a message to the Shift email list announcing the new service, they described several examples of when the service might be used:
– You get out of work late and don’t feel comfortable biking home alone in the night when your powers of light are not bolstered by the beautiful sun.
– You know you will be out on the weekend and would like a friend to see you safely home and while casting protective silvery magicks on the way.
– You happen to bike in places where cars are also present and would like comrades to increase the collective visibility and strength of your convoy in the presence of such potentially malevolent contraptions.
– You like to hang out with people (generally quite silly people) who are actually quite serious in wanting to make our communities safer, friendlier and more (A)utonomous while eating cookies, riding bikes and occasionally painting pictures.
Here’s a flyer announcing the bike escort program (click to enlarge)…
The PDX Bike Militia first started meeting in November of last year and has kept a pretty low profile since then. Here’s how one of their members explained their mission:
“We are an anti-authoritarian community defense group based around colorful, non submissive forms of resistance, joy, and space reclamation while riding bicycles in Portland. Plans are in the works for neighborhood patrols, self defense (as well as street medic) trainings, free concerts and more.”
The group says they welcome comments and feedback from the community. One member wrote on the Shift list, “We are here not just because this is something we want to do but also because hopefully this is something the community wants us to do.”
For more information on the PDX Bike Militia, check out their email list or send a note to pdxbikemilitia(at)riseup(dot)net.
um…seriously?
if we want commuting to become more of a mainstream and accepted form of alternative transportation in this town…this is NOT the way to promote it.
just my opinion…their intentions seem good…their choice of logo and title do not.
don\’t know why my comment cut off like that.
However, this is why I love Portland so much.
ThaNK you Bike brave bike Paladins.
Great way to get your ride time up and give back to the community!
\”.their intentions seem good…their choice of logo and title do not.\”
I agree with you bahueh… the imagery and title might not be received the right way by those not of the two-wheeled persuasion.
I\’m sure they\’re open to suggestions, but then again this is their group and this is the way they have decided to advocate.
Far be it from me to shy away from Bike Militancy, but I\’d go for something more conservative/boring as well – on par with Campus Security services.
The need is still every bit as real, the supporters every bit sincere, but by softening the message they could appeal to a lot more people who could use the service.
Also including some sort of basic incident response training would be good (I think BTA should take a look at this), so when the stuff hits the grill on the street, everyone knows what information to record and who to call.
Wow, a wee-bit extreme dontcha think. If we (the cycling community) are not going to take ourselves seriously, why would we expect the general public to?
The trick is, we need to get these people and the Bike Farmers together. If they touch, they will explode in a bright burst of light.
Simple quantum mechanics.
I don\’t think they really carry swords. Lighten-up. Seriously.
hehe.. love it
What\’s in a name? Everything…
This is a terrible name, How about Bike Guardians or something more inviting like biking buddies? It\’s one thing to use humor, but this isn\’t the best marketing ploy. A wonder what the response will be for them?
Great idea though.
Total nerd here, but: is this for real? This is something I might actually avail myself of, being as I am an \’age-enhanced\’ (ahem) lady who doesn\’t like riding alone at night.
So, are they kidding, and if not, do they charge a fee? Anybody know?
Well It\’s not my style..but I\’m sure it could benefit many.
why do I have this picture in my head of a rider, rolling along with his aluminum frame pump held up like Excalibur…
and holy hand grenades strapped to a bandoleer.
cheers
This is an absurd, fringe execution of what could ultimately be an important and welcomed service. They state \”We are here not just because this is something we want to do but also because hopefully this is something the community wants us to do.\” What is the community they are reaching out to? I love the idea and look forward to the day when the vision speaks to the entire PDX bike community.
Gonna have to agree: lighten up
That such a service gets any traction speaks volumes about the society we live in. Still, Harry Callahan and Paul Kersey could be considered assets to their respective communities, and I don\’t see PDX Bike Militia as being much different–at least in concept. The more vulnerable members of the biking community will probably find the group\’s presence comforting as long as predators live among us.
accepted by the mainstream, really? why is it so hard for folks to have fun on their bike and with each other….oh yeah because we are still to damn concerned with impressing each other with our neon this and our freakin expensive that! safety and fun folks…lighten up, as a father i think this is rad!
I may need to volunteer for this, and bring my +2 U-Lock of Auto Smiting.
I believe that people are taking a negative view on this due to the current use of the word milita. these days, it conjures up ideas of hicks patrolling the mexican borders with semi-automatic weapons and a serious hard-on for power. don\’t forget that our country\’s battle for independence was fought by milita\’s, and with the proper leadership and organization, this could be a very awesome service. shit, some nights when I\’ve been at the bar for a bit too long, it\’d be nice to have an escort to prevent my stumbling ass from being targeted as easy prey.
I believe one of their goals is to eat cookies. This, I support!
Would love to see a crew out along the more desolate sections of the Springwater.
Bike Guardians, or Bike Buddies?
Laaaaaaayme.
There\’s an obvious cultural split between those of us who grew up both Pre and post A-team.
Bike Buddies = a bunch of dudez cosplaying riding around on bikes
Bike Guardians = those guys with the red berets that walk around their trailer parks drinking beer and calling the cops everytime someone has a domestic dispute.
PDX Bike Militia = Awesome radical bike forces of protection that every wants their children to grow up to be like.
Atleast, that\’s what I thought when I heard the name.
I for one welcome our new bike militia overlords.
jeez, some of you people are lame. i bet you are the same types that wear socks with sandals.
i think the bike militia sounds awesome.
Will they wear jerseys with that Bike/AK-47 – Fight Back! design on them?
WAAAAA wahhh please stop being so judgemental not everyone who rides a bike is as concerned with looking like everyone else. I think its great that there is a conservative bike movement in this town and I appreciate all of their efforts but come on guys Share The Road remember. I instantly related to bike militias style and believe they have a legitimate supportable meaning. Hey it sure beats sitting around and being nit picky on bikeportland.
You all rule!!
I wouldn\’t be caught dead in socks and sandals, but if we want to protect the masses, shouldn\’t we appeal to them?
WWJD?
Bike Buddies is very hipster, so not cool it\’s cool!
it sounds like a group of people that are doing something good for the community and having fun with it too. i\’m tired of everything that involves bikes being held to such stringent standards. i understand the motives behind it, but can\’t we all just lighten up and have fun? what better way to show everyone how bikes are better!
Jesus would cast +3 magic missiles and +2 shield of protection for all bike travelers.
Unfortunately none of us have enough mana to summon him, and we\’re going to have to rely on our human cohorts for protection.
Noone in a situation where they feel they need some kind of protection is going to want to rely on someone called the pink squirrel make out brigade.
PDX Bike militia is totally mad max, think of them as Paladins.
🙂
Honestly, once I realign my schedule and it gets a touch warmer out I\’d totally be down to go on these types of escort rides.
I think it\’s awesome.
btw, Pink Squirrel Makeout brigade is a registered trademark, and if you use it for your band name you have to give me 5% royalties.
If you don\’t earn anything, free beer will do.
That\’s just who I want escorting me on a ride home – Mel Gibson.
My next Rogue Elf will be called Mauve Squirrel.
I was just disappointed to learn it wasn\’t that kind of bike escort service.
Are we talking about Payback Mel Gibson, Braveheart Mel Gibson, or Conspiracy Theory Mel Gibson?
I\’m guessing late night Portland streets, I\’m just gonna go with drunk driving arrest Mel Gibson.
Either that or Conspiracy Theory Mel Gibson.
If you\’re riding your bike and see Jon Luc Picard on the side of the street, well I\’d avoid him.
I read their web site and most of their ideas are pretty cool. The idea of having trained first-aid personnel on the rides is very good, assuming (s)he\’s not the one that gets squished. I could do that, I had Combat First Aid when I was in the Army, and even delivered one of my kids when the ambulance didn\’t get there in time. It wouldn\’t take too much time to train someone to handle major trauma until transport arrives, my Army training was only 4 hours to handle major gunshot wounds, broken bones, and chemical poisoning.
cookie-wielding militants at riseup.net…
as terrible as the name is, it does seem to compliment the messaging style (you know, against those potentially malevolent contraptions), so i compliment them on their thoroughness.
I do understand how some feel irritated about the fact that there are people who try to paint cycling in Portland as all about being a part of \”keeping Portland weird.\” Bikes aren\’t weird (unless you fashion them that way; and if you want to be weird, there\’s nothing wrong with that).
What a day it will be for Portland when people of ALL walks of life, Liberals, Conservatives, young, old, and everything inbetween, flood the streets and ride side by side to go about their daily tasks! Of course there are those who would prefer that only people \”like them\” would take cycling seriously as a dominant source of transportation. For what reasons, who knows exactly? But it dose sound rather self absorbed to me.
I applaud their efforts, but I think when I am afraid to ride my bike alone at night, the bike militia is probably who I\’m afraid of! I don\’t get that warm fuzzy knight in shining armor feeling off of the poster, but who knows, maybe if I called dudley do-right would show up.
\’Colorful non submissive form of resistance\’? What the heck is that?? Resistance to what?? Not to mention a \’colorful non submissive form of joy\’. Hold on, that could be interesting, depending… can we get pics of the escorts in advance?
\’Space reclamation\’? They got rocketships or what?
Jeebus, weirdness shouldn\’t have an advertising budget, nevermind a website.
I put on my robe and wizard hat, and then hop on my bike.
And the best band name derived from this thread goes to…..
+2 U-Lock of Auto Smiting!
Congratulations to Chuck! Bonus points for using a D&D reference in combination with the word \”smiting\”.
\”Intentions seem good\”, all I see is a very thing veiner and behind it a bunch of wannabe activists still in their identity politics stage who want to exploit this unfortunate event for the gratification of their own white, middle class privileged angst, which they discovered after a couple of vomitous chapters from a Crimethink publication. While normally I revel in watching this type of treadmill frustration result in brief and un-needed beating by Portland Police, this display of vigilantism might actually dissuade more people from hopping on the two-wheels and rolling the streets of PDX. And I don\’t mean to mitigate the effects of the Ogre attack on the noble cyclist. I apologize in advance for the airing of my observations. I still love all of you.
1. i don\’t care if biking is mainstream
2. the imagery and messaging is deliberate, i choose x over king personally
3. resistance to what? well have you looked out your window lately? the world is ending. war, clearcuts, and designer shoes. we resist them all.
4. of course we have rocketships
5. we don\’t charge money and yes we are for real
6. i think the world has a few too many people who take themselves seriously
7. the bike militia has been meeting since november and the escort concept and poster design predate the recent hummer attack. that is the one comment that actually bothered me, we are not exploiting anything, it is actually a coincidence. and maybe you could meet us before you label us wannabe activists.
8. we are we. if you want something different why don\’t you go out and do it.
9. we may be wierd and we may turn a bunch of folks off. but we are polite and kind and well intentioned and the service remains open to all. freaks and squares alike.
10. sorry to get a little defensive there, it is just hard to put a bunch of energy into something you think people might like, and some folks always have a bunch of negative things to say. i won\’t focus on those anymore. thanks to all who have positive feedback for the project it warmed my heart to read the d&d/madmax references. i wish you all well out there. keep the light. stay safe.
Remember, the most extreme conservation group in the world goes by the mild name \”Sea Shepherds.\” Propaganda matters.
#36 \”…all I see is a very thing veiner…\”
Man I used to love those little Vienna sausages too. Proof reading aside, I am having trouble seeing your point. How is riding along with someone a vigilante activity?
Would meeting someone at New Seasons to help with grocery gettin\’ be out of the question? It would save me my weekend drive to fetch a couple bags that I can\’t back pack…and stopping at the store everyday for small loads is out of the question unfortunately.
I agree with #8. So you love the concept but hate the name? Organize your own group of Buddies or Guardians or what have you. If you want the streets to be a safer place to ride, do something besides complaining when a group of people is working together to do just that. Cyclists are a diverse group of people but we\’re all out there together.
I just can\’t wait. In a couple months we will have forgotten about this, as will the militia. What fun we will have then.
This is just such an exciting development. Just like the time I rallied my friends together to go and watch a movie. I made pamphlets and everything.
***The remainder of this comment has been deleted by the Editor because it was completely insulting. Come on steve, was that really necessary?***
#19 I resemble that remark.
Sorry Jonathon. It is just such a silly article. I will try and behave.
In my defense, it was pretty funny and the insults were quite ridiculous.
Coyote, first off cool name.
Second, thanks 4 the constructive input on my proof reading. I shuld reely take this website more seriously.
On the other note, I had talked to a \”member\” of this so called group and the way that it was explained to me was a proactive \”fight\” against cars, a kind of declaration of war on cars in defense of bicyclists. Something far beyond simply accompanying another bicyclist from point A to B.
monica #42,
Isn\’t that the point of a having a criticism about something that is actually a good idea. Riding in numbers is safer, riding with people more experienced helps you out, but calling a service that brings images of camouflage/confederate flags and weapons caches, in my opinion won\’t help them meet their supposed mission of getting people to utilize their service.
That\’s all I\’m driving at. But thanks for calling me to action, if I could ride a bike and bake cookies (not necessarily at the same time) I\’d be all for buddying it up on the road.
here\’s the thing though- portland is the most bike friendly city in the united states and all of you should be aware to the problems. take a look at the deaths earlier this year, and how unaccountable the killing parties are being held. or how about the cop-cyclist relationship here. how about how afraid a lot of people are to bike?
have you ever been ridden off the road by some asshole in a car, or had someone cut you off and make some snooty remark about the fact you\’re on a bike, or tried to bike up a certain street and someone leans on their horn, then cruises slowly in front of you while yelling at you that you need to \”go back to southeast, you fucking bitch!\” ???
if people can\’t see the need for cycling activists and a group that actually sounds like something you don\’t want to fuck with, well, i guess you can get a bike buddy somewhere else. if you don\’t want to ride with someone who will stand their ground on the road if you get heckled, cut off, disrespected… i just don\’t get it. is this really the most bike friendly city?
Bike Militia. I love it!
Lets see, milita,Ruby ridge,Waco,Oklahoma city,and oh yea Portland Oregon Lose the title unless you want the right wing storm trooping all over your parade. Great Idea bad name