Arrest made in new road rage incident
Posted by Jonathan Maus (Editor-in-Chief) on July 14th, 2008 at 12:45 pm
A 21 year-old man has been arrested after a road rage altercation in Southeast Portland last night.
A Portland Police Bureau press release says that James F. Millican, who was driving a Ford Escort, chased down 37 year-old Jason Rehnberg after Rehnberg “yelled at Millican to slow down.”
Millican has been arrtested on one count each of Attempted Assault in the Second Degree (felony), DUII, Criminal Mischief in the Third Degree and Reckless Driving (all misdemeanors). He is being held by the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office on $11,000 bail.
The incident occurred in the area of Southeast 58th Avenue and SE Washington Street. Here’s how it reportedly went down (emphasis mine):
“Rehnberg, who admitted that his remarks may have included profanity, stated that he rode his bicycle into the neighborhood in an effort to get away from the suspect.
When he thought Millican had driven away, the victim drove back out onto Southeast 58th Avenue. A short time later, the victim saw the suspect who was now back in his car and ahead of the victim. The victim stated that the suspect then backed up in an attempt to hit him with the car.
The victim jumped off the bike just before the suspect hit the bike, damaging it.
Rehnberg and two other witnesses then stood in front of Millican’s car stating that they wanted to get the number of his license plate.
As they did so, the suspect drove his car toward the three people. The two witnesses were able to get out of the way, but Rehnberg ended up on the hood of the suspect’s car.
With the victim hanging on to the suspect’s windshield wipers, the suspect drove northbound on 58th at a high rate of speed. When the suspect reached Southeast 60th Avenue, he slowed down enough for the victim to get off the car.”
The police say they’ve got a video of the incident that they are holding as evidence. (UPDATE: The Portland Mercury claims this is the video.)
This comes one week after another headline-grabbing road-rage incident in southeast Portland. Not surprisingly, the local media are sure to pay close attention to this case. In a post to their blog, the Willamette Week writes, “…last week’s battle between a motorist and a cyclist may turn into an all-out war.”
Despite what is sure to be another onslaught of “Car vs. Bike” coverage, let’s hope cooler heads prevail.
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July 14th, 2008 13:41
hey! maybe the Oregonian will put this on the front page too! w! t! F!
July 14th, 2008 13:41
Hm, hopefully the DA will up the charges a little bit here, but right now the MCSO inmate data is saying that this guy is only being held on one Felony - Attempted Assault II (Felony C). If you actually hit someone with anything isn't that no longer an attempt to assault?
July 14th, 2008 13:42
Come on Todd, how is trying to drive over someone with a Ford Escort any different than hitting them with a 30lb bicycle?
July 14th, 2008 13:42
Well my wife has a Ford Escort, good point.
July 14th, 2008 13:42
Damn holding on to the wipers while driving on the hood? Sounds like some hollywood stuff.
Russell makes a good point, it doesn't sound like he just attempted assault, it sounds like he succeeded?
July 14th, 2008 13:49
Yeah, this is going to be front page, above the fold in tomorrow's O, right?
July 14th, 2008 13:50
T.J. Hooker rides a bike?
July 14th, 2008 13:54
Gee, you drive your car at a group of pedestrians, you get a second degree attempted assault charge. You drive your car at a police officer, you get your head ventilated by bullets.
Don't you just love the consistency?
Don't get my wrong... I have a lot of respect for cops, but I just really hope that ATTEMPTED assault is not the best they can come up with to nail this guy.
July 14th, 2008 13:59
T.J. Hooker!
July 14th, 2008 14:02
Geez I just posted a comment on the "Oregonian Responds..." thread which is weirdly appropriate here as well:
"Imagine a drunk standing on a busy street corner waving a pointed stick at passerby.
"Now imagine a drunk on the same corner waving a loaded gun.
"These are not morally equivalent acts.
"And which one would be featured (with nearly 100% of the space) above the fold on at least two editions of the Oregonian?"
July 14th, 2008 14:10
Wow.
This reminds me of the moral of the Yates story:
If you attempt to police the general public by yelling at them, you could possibly provoke this type of reaction.
July 14th, 2008 14:12
I dare someone to try and run over my 50+ lb dutch work bike.
Especially in a ford escort.
July 14th, 2008 14:17
Yeah, while the actions of the guy in the escort are totally inexcusable, I have to say the blame in this case isn't *entirely* on his side. It's probably a good general rule to not shout profanity at strangers. Not that it's an excuse at all for someone to come after you with their car, but still... not the smartest move.
July 14th, 2008 14:22
Why does Mr. Maus always post mug shots of drunk car drivers but not drunk bicyclists? (ie. Steven McAtee)
July 14th, 2008 14:22
I believe it was Heinlein that said, "an armed society is a polite society."
July 14th, 2008 14:23
Machine @11: You are correct about the moral of the story.
The real question is: who will learn from this lesson?
There is no excuse for violence. We're all, presumably, adults and should be able to restrain our impulses better. Ha! Ha! Ha!
July 14th, 2008 14:27
"Why does Mr. Maus always post mug shots of drunk car drivers but not drunk bicyclists? (ie. Steven McAtee)"
there's no conspiracy Chris. it just so happens I never published McAtee's photo. there is no calculated effort to somehow paint people who drive in a bad light (or to protect the image of people who bike).
July 14th, 2008 14:29
I agree KT.
Yelling at someone is no excuse for a violent reaction. Not in this case and not in the Yates case.
The fact remains however that if both Yates and Rehnberg would have kept their vigilante nature in-check, neither of them would have been involved in a confrontation.
July 14th, 2008 14:29
Once again,
A perfect example of why it is best to just mind your own business and ride away, instead of bitching someone out for their actions...
By the way, a hit and run happened last night (Sunday) involving a car and one of our Polo Players, in the crosswalk outside the Polo Haus.
Luckily someone got the plate numbers off of the car. We will see what the PPB does with it...
July 14th, 2008 14:29
No, Japan is a polite society and no one is armed. You don't need a gun to enforce etiquette.
July 14th, 2008 14:30
All this crazy-bitter whining about The Oregonian is getting old, especially when I haven't seen one post about Steve Duin's Sunday column about the sea of bicyclists crossing the Hawthorne last week. (Apologies if I missed a mention.)
Not only should the sheer numbers make this city proud (Duin counted 1,028 morning commuters), but I really like how he captured the diverse range of cyclists.
July 14th, 2008 14:30
Yep.
"An armed society is a polite society. Manners are good when one may have to back up his acts with his life."
Robert A. Heinlein
July 14th, 2008 14:31
Dave, that's kind of like the "you were wearing a short skirt so no wonder you got raped" argument. Sure, you can do things to prevent getting run over by crazy drunk men like... not cussing at them or... not being on the roads... The legal blame is entirely on the side of the driver. So is the moral blame. Sure the biker might not have had as much of a problem if he hadn't cussed, but still...
July 14th, 2008 14:47
Intention or not, Jonathan (in response to #17)...disparity in amount of coverage is bias as well.
July 14th, 2008 14:49
Seems to me that 'cussing' at somebody who is endagering your life is apprapo.
"An armed society is a polite society." That is retarded. Gonna shoot me for saying that?
July 14th, 2008 14:50
@ Russell (#2)
Just FYI regarding the charges....
One of the elements of all crimes of Assault is the extent of the injury suffered by the victim. I don't know about this particular case, but if the victim didn't suffer a Physical Injury (and Physical Injury is a legal term that usually means something more severe than scrapes and scratches), then Attempted Assault might be the best that could be charged.
Also, charges can be added or dropped at a later times as well--something that sometimes happens as the District Attorney gets involved.
Here's a link to Oregon ORS for Assault, you will have to scroll down a bit to 163.175: http://www.leg.state.or.us/ors/163.html
July 14th, 2008 14:52
So wait, if someone swears at me, I'm supposed to kill them? I had no idea.
July 14th, 2008 14:52
"Intention or not, Jonathan (in response to #17)…disparity in amount of coverage is bias as well."
jordan,
i appreciate your feedback. can you further explain the "disparity in amount of coverage"? I agree with you in general, but I would like to know more specifically what examples from bikeportland.org you are writing about.
thanks.
July 14th, 2008 14:59
"Come on Todd, how is trying to drive over someone with a Ford Escort any different than hitting them with a 30lb bicycle?"
That's easy, one gets you a 9/11 sized headline in the Oregonian, one does not.
July 14th, 2008 14:59
PoPo - Thanks, it's been awhile since I read the Statutes, but I recalled something about the degree of injury. What I find interesting though is that INTENT is very much left out when it comes to cars. This guy INTENDED to a lot more harm, yet is getting a relatively minor charge (I know the charges are entirely up to the DA) at present. Let us look at another situation though:
A person points a gun at another person's head, pulls the trigger, but only grazes their ear with the bullet. I'd hazard a bet that the gunman would be up for a lot more than Attempted Assault. So this goes back to the debate raging on the Shift listserv - when does a car constitute a deadly weapon? Mr. Millican obviously intended to use his car as a weapon, but through fortuitous events failed to use it effectively in that manner. My hope would be that his intent would be considered and that the charges would reflect the intent (i.e. the gunman pointing the gun at someone's head obviously wanted to kill them, thus it's most likely attempted murder).
July 14th, 2008 15:01
"Seems to me that 'cussing' at somebody who is endagering your life is apprapo."
Where in the story did it say the driver was endangering the cyclists life?
The cyclist *perceived* that the guy was speeding and yelled at him to slow down. If you're going to yell at every driver who you think is speeding because you think that simply speeding is endangering your life, you're going to be doing a lot of yelling and not a lot of riding.
July 14th, 2008 15:02
and for the record Ethan, I know you were being snarky.
July 14th, 2008 15:04
Ironic that these two events take place that are such close reversals of each other. The lesson here is that it doesn't matter how you get from point A to point B, you can be a crazy psycho no matter what. Feel the barriers drop as we all unify over beating the crap out of each other. Share the violence!
July 14th, 2008 15:06
As long as PPB does not enforce traffic laws against motor vehicle operators (and wastes its time tickeing bicyclists) and as long as PDOT fails to provide safe bike routes (note how bike lanes end when you really need them), things will get worse.
And it should be noted that the bicyclists killed last year were both riding legally, so it should come as no surprise that many of us choose to ride illegally, when that option could save our life.
Not a day passes on my bike commute that I do not observe a motorist driving too fast, not paying attention (cell phone) or just being an idiot. Its hard to keep one's month shut, especially when its a car speeding down a so called "bikeway."
July 14th, 2008 15:08
Thank you, Tom #20 for pointing out Japan as a generally polite society which makes it more pleasing to visit. All without the "need" of a firearm...or for that matter, a katana. =)
July 14th, 2008 15:09
Not to sound too condescending, but when someone sees a cyclist (or driver) break a law on the road and decides to yell at them, does the yeller really think deep down that the recipient will really go "Wow, that guy is right, I AM supposed to stop at stop signs. "Hey, thanks yeller!"" Few people run a stop sign or a red light without knowing it is illegal. The shouter should know that, and should know that pointing it out (via yelling) is going to elicit a reaction.
Add to this, the folks who yell while adding curse words. Do they really think some sort of peaceful resolution will come from that?
Anyone who yells at someone on the road is, in my opinion, looking to agitate the recipient. No matter how right you may be, why yell? Why try to assert your authority over someone like that? Just let it go. Why is everyone so eager for confrontation? Are we that stressed out? Do we not have enough sex? Are we mentally unstable? Too much testosterone? Too much fear? Too much insecurity? Too many feelings of not being treated equally?
There are some truly crazy people out there. Why risk your life because you figured you were going to try to make an example of someone by ridiculing them for breaking the law?
Just let it go. Even if you're right and they're wrong. Just let it go. It could save you your life.
July 14th, 2008 15:11
Didn't see it here yet. The video!
http://blogtown.portlandmercury.com/portland/Blog?blog=41935&oid=841987
July 14th, 2008 15:18
Wow that driver was going fast. That's what they consider "attempted" assault? Rich.
July 14th, 2008 15:22
I'm just glad this ended without injury -- could have been much worse.
July 14th, 2008 15:39
Lyle-
What the police book someone on, and what the DA and grand jury decide on are two different things. Most of the time, the more serious charges, or the more accurate charges, are added later on. Just b/c he's booked on attempted assault, doesn't mean that's all he will be charged. It's always possible there will be more charges.
In all fairness, if mug shots are available, they should ALL be posted, so as not to show some sort of agenda. IMO.
July 14th, 2008 15:44
"An armed society is a polite society. Manners are good when one may have to back up his acts with his life."
Except this is empirically not true.
Why do people keep repeating this bullshit line?
yours in Christ,
Isamu
July 14th, 2008 15:55
Of course Lars Larson jumped on the previous incident.... even stating in a commercial that...and I am not quoting word for word........"that he would possibly shoot someone attacking him with a bike."
Will be interesting to see how he spins this uncanny timed turn of events. Lets see.... Concerned bicyclist yells at motorist to obey traffic laws..... Motorist decides to club cyclist with car....... Cyclist defends himself against "idiot" motorist...... If Lars was riding the bike....would he pull his weapon and shoot?????
As for my thoughts??? When I ride my bike, do I stop at every stop light??? Probably almost always.. Do I stop at every stop sign??? Not so much..... Is it right?? NO NO and NO! Do I want or need anyone on two wheels... or four.... lecturing me??? NO, NO and NO!!! Do I take responsibility for my actions??? YES, Yes and YES!! DO I pay taxes for roads?? YES, YES and YES! Do I have insurance??? YES, YES and YES! Do I care what other cyclists do when they ride??????? NO, NO and NO!!!!!!!!!!! They are no more a reflection of me anymore than all those motorists I see breaking laws every minute of the day are a reflection of me when I drive my gas sucking hog. When I drive, I stop at all lights and stop signs. I do what I do....and take full responsibility for it. I don't blame anyone or anything for any actions I am involved in. And I certainly don't want to be blamed for anything anyone else is doing.
One more comment.... the 9 months or so I spend commuting to work every year on bike is the best 9 or so months I have at work every year. Only those who commute by bike know what I am talking about. Those who exclusively commute by bike year round...hats off to you!!
July 14th, 2008 15:59
I have to say that I believe that when you see someone doing a dangerous act - not just something that annoys you - you may and should call out to the offender. One time may not make that much difference at the time, since people usually get a little defensive in such situations, but repeated exposure to verbal censure from passerby will eventually sink in. It's peer pressure, plain and simple, and it works. Now, don't put yourself in needless harm, but (respectfully) let people know when they f**k up, and down the road, that person may pay a little more attention to their driving, if only to not draw so much attention.
July 14th, 2008 16:07
[quote]"An armed society is a polite society. Manners are good when one may have to back up his acts with his life."
Robert A. Heinlein[end quote]
Ah... nothing like being a good'n drunk 'ol boy 'merikan!
RAH's line does nothing to explain Paris, Amsterdam, Victoria, or Copenhagen. Civilization appears to reside outside the US.
As for this latest road rage... [shacking my head]
July 14th, 2008 16:26
um, yes, the drunks are in fine form this week....
well done assholes.
July 14th, 2008 16:32
Yeah, I agree it's stupid to yell at people, cars or bikes. Sure, if they are really doing something very dangerous you may want to say something - but then you gotta be very smart about the way to do that because you want to gain the sympathy of the person and not simply antagonize them.
July 14th, 2008 16:34
Just be safe!
KGW is reporting an life threatening accident in NE.
http://www.kgw.com/news-local/stories/kgw_071408_news_bicyclist_hit_car_collision_.56747088.html
July 14th, 2008 16:38
http://www.mcso.us/PAID/BookingDetail.aspx?ID=03SJn2ZUmClHMvA3ZvZ1cw==
Why is he not charged with leaving the scene of an accident?
July 14th, 2008 16:38
peejay
It's peer pressure, plain and simple, and it works.
peejay....lets go the other direction...
I have a friend...one of the very, very, very few.... who at the age of 37 has never, ever, not once has ever.....took a sip of alcohol..took a hit of a joint, sniffed a line... Nothing..never....EVER!! I asked him how he made it all those years without ever getting caught up with "THE MOMENT" with his friends. He told me simply...."Peer Pressure" never meant nothing to me"!!
Just like he never let surrounding influences affect his way of thinking, Most FREE THINKING individuals don't either. Anyone in the military will tell you about blanket parties. That is peer pressure at its best!! ..so I hear..... That only works when you are in a controlled group, all under the same circumstances and all get punished no matter what anyone in the group does.
I wear a helmet, some of my friends don't... do they want to hear comments "Where's YOUR HELMUT????" No, not really.
If one feels they must comment on others discretion's about traffic laws...maybe those same folks need to lay out their personnel history so we can see if they ever broke a law before...any law.. Throw those stones!!!
By the way....my house is made of so much glass...........you won't see many rocks coming from my way....lol
Ride safe. Jimbo
July 14th, 2008 17:09
Wow, a lot of blame-the-victim here. Why are you people so uncomfortable with assigning fault to one side? Do you seriously believe that the biker deserved this T.J. Hooker treatment? Or that he somehow is partly to blame for the rage of a drunk driver? Jesus, people. Get a moral compass, for Christ's sake.
July 14th, 2008 17:12
Everybody wants their picture in the paper...
July 14th, 2008 17:29
Brett,
Who exactly are you calling the victim?? Which incident are you referring too?
Are you talking about the guy who hung on to the wipers??.....did I miss something?? It looked clear to me he was in a pure defence mode. I hope you did not confuse my comments as a defence of the operator of the vehicle. I meant that in no such way. The thought I was trying to convey was purely that we all be accountable for our own actions, not anyone else's. Little that I know of this situation, it seems the operator of the four wheels was clearly the aggressor of the operator of two wheels. And it seems at the time of assault...he was on two feet.
Who is blaming the victim??
rubber side down...unless in a 360, Jimbo
July 14th, 2008 17:35
WOW i had no idea this would go so far
so here is what happened as far as i can recall
im riding up 58th it is quite a steep hill im near the middle of the road
because im going around a large green oldsmobile parked on the road
when over the hill comes a car going very fast in a residential area
i yelled "slow down gashgole"
as he buzzed me by two feet
he locked up his breaks leaving 65 feet of skidmarks and fishtaleing as he stoped
i turned around and rode about half the distance between us
whitch put me close to 58 and washington
james "the driver " proceeded to run after me saying "im gonna kick your ass "and other profanities
i told him i would not fight him and i rode down washington
which happens to be a culdisac in that area
so i had to turn around and go back to 58th
i stoped on 58th to see if the driver had moved on
and noticed he was backing up very fast
i steped off the bike in time not to get hit but he did run over the front tire
destroying the tire and bending the fork
at that point me and several neighbors steped in front of the car to get the plate number we were directly infront of the car when james sped forward
i had nowhere to go but on the hood of the car
james sped down 58th skided thrue the intersection onto stark and sped up stark with me on the hood of his car almost to 60th where i was able to roll off to the side
yes i used some profane language
i was fucking pissed that this guy would endanger me or anyone else by driving so fast in a residential area
was my life in danger
YES
from his initial speeding my life was in danger or any pedestrian or child or pet
for that matter
after my intial comment of "slow down gashole" i said vrey little
but dude was just flying off the handle
he tried to run me down two more times
backing over my bike and then speeding off with me infront of the car then on the hood of the car for four blocks
so some say i should not have said anything and just rode off peacefully
well fuck that there could have been a kid in the road the next time
and silence equells death
and the reason i ride
is because i beleive in living every moment to the fullest
my peacefulness showes in that i ride everywhere i go and will not buy bood oil that i did not engage in a fist fight with james
every peddle is a prayer for peace
in this crazy world we live in
i want to thank all portland peddlers
for the support and concern over this issue
flow
July 14th, 2008 18:03
@Brett #50:
I don't see it as blaming the victim. Who said he deserved what happened?
I think some people are trying to point out that if you yell at a stranger, you might get an insane violent drunk who wants to throw hands (or cars, or bikes even).
Of course he's not to blame for some drunk's road rage, but he also never would have taken a ride on the hood of a car if he hadn't felt it was his civic duty to be an amateur traffic cop.
July 14th, 2008 18:11
"so some say i should not have said anything and just rode off peacefully
well fuck that there could have been a kid in the road the next time"
Yeah - it's a good thing you said something because I'm sure while he's in jail for two days he'll find Jebus and never drive drunk again.
What I mean is - you yelling at him didn't do anything to change his behavior, and in fact only made it worse (as you saw clearly from your view on the hood of his car).
July 14th, 2008 18:15
@ #53:
Wow, quite a story.
I have to say, FWIW, I would have done the same thing in the situation. I will not tolerate that kind of criminally reckless behavior in my neighborhood or anywhere in my City. And I thank you for standing up also! Glad you're OK.
And yes, I know anyone who says something to another person has to be prepared to deal with a homicidal sociopath. I am.
July 14th, 2008 18:31
#56:
"I will not tolerate...in my city"
Huh? Your city? You will not tolerate?
I can see it coming now - a Portland chapter of the Guardian Angels on bikes. Let's get Curtis Sliwa out here post haste!
July 14th, 2008 18:41
Me, too. Hearing from the source how close he came while going so fast, I'd have a really hard time not screaming something at him.
And that he's doing it while drunk, on a residential street, says so much about what this person's values are like... or lack thereof.
July 14th, 2008 19:20
Yeah, I would have screamed something too.
July 14th, 2008 19:28
These homicidal sociopaths need to learn that acting on their sociopathic impulses correlates to a strong probability of sipping their dinner through a straw for the next several months.
July 14th, 2008 19:31
Or, at the absolute minimum, the absolute certainty of s stretch in prison.
July 14th, 2008 19:40
"Huh? Your city? You will not tolerate?"
You heard me.
July 14th, 2008 20:06
It is our city. It is our community. And none of us should have to tolerate sociopaths running amok in our midst.
July 14th, 2008 21:22
Look what got added to his charges:
KIDNAP II (B Felony) $250,000
Ouch. THAT hurts.
http://www.mcso.us/PAID/BookingDetail.aspx?ID=03SJn2ZUmClHMvA3ZvZ1cw==
July 14th, 2008 21:30
Wow, kidnapping.
James Millican, congrats - your life will never be the same again. Live and learn.
Somehow this feels like appropriate closure to this story. Kidnapping in the 2nd degree is massive. It looks like this guy is going to really face the music and be made an example of, and rightfully so.
July 14th, 2008 22:11
"What I mean is - you yelling at him didn't do anything to change his behavior, and in fact only made it worse (as you saw clearly from your view on the hood of his car)." Roma #55
Yelling at him unfortunately didn't do anything to improve his behavior in this particular incident, but dealing with the consequences of his criminal actions towards the guy on the bike and the other two witnesses may eventually bring him around.
People operating a vehicle on the road should feel obliged to be in state of mind sufficient to allow themselves to respond and behave rationally when their actions and behavior on the road give cause for criticism. Anyone not able to do that should be finding another way to get around.
Apparently some people reading and commenting here seem to think road users shouldn't directly confront other road users that are out of line in the manner of their actions on the road. Or maybe it's that they simply think, when criticizing or scolding another person using the road and breaking the law, the scolding shouldn't be expressed in shock, anger, or profane language. In fact, in a perfect world, this may happen consistently, but is it realistic to expect Portland to turn into a perfect world where that will happen?
More effective means of getting out of control road users such as the drunk guy on the bike in last week's incident, Steven McAtee, and this week's drunk guy driving a car, James F. Millican, off the road really are in need of being developed.
July 14th, 2008 23:04
@Arem (35) -- The Japanese *are* very polite as a whole, it's true ... but there is a cultural reason behind that which simply isn't true here. (Look up the whole incident a few years back with Japanese protesters who got kidnapped while in Iraq. Specifically the reception they got when they got home. Hint: they got more emotional distress out of the angry shunning on their return for embarrassing Japan than they did during their kidnapping.) I'm not entirely convinced their situation is better in the long run ... just different.
July 14th, 2008 23:53
i must agree that in most cases yelling and using profanity are very INeffective
solutions in getting someone to change their behavior
i prefer to wave and blow kisses at the people who honk at me and call me a jerk or worse
for nothing more than slowing them down for a few seconds
however sometimes someone does somthing so extreem you just got to shout it out loud
james was going so fast down a residetial street with no regaurd for anyone else
he left a 65 foot skid mark
i felt it my civic duty to say something
and "slow down gashole " is what came out
not the slickest way to handle the situation
but hardly worth running a person down for such a comment
July 15th, 2008 00:34
As I stated previously (see post #133):
http://bikeportland.org/2007/11/13/i-got-flipped-off-by-a-cyclist-today/
I do not recommend that you chastise ANYONE in our society unless you are prepared to defend yourself. If you do not mind a confrontation, possibly involving violence, then go forth and chastise anyone you want. MANY people need chastising - maybe MOST people. If I were not afraid of being accused of taking the law into my own hands or of being charged with a crime, I would be chastising people constantly - and since many would respond inappropriately I'd be hosing them down with bear spray, mace, etc or breaking a bat over their heads. BUT I do not want to go to jail for doing what needed to be done - for doing what their parents SHOULD have done: teaching them some manners and teaching them to have respect for other people.
Having lived for nearly 50 years on the planet, I am constantly reminded that many people are alive ONLY because it is illegal to kill them.
July 15th, 2008 02:40
interesting this having a parallel concurrent thread. Please indulge my adding an observation: very few individual Japanese may be gun owners, but historically Japan is a highly armed and militarized society. Ditto of course all the polite European countries alluded to in another comment. But this brings one to pondering the meaning of "polite." A perfect fascist could also be unfailingly polite.
July 15th, 2008 03:24
At the risk of straying from the subject, historically, most Japanese were not highly armed. Arms-- particularly the Daisho, but also extending to any other weapins after 1586-- were reserved for the Bushi. For a commoner to even accidentally brush against the Daisho might be interpreted as an act of insolence, to be punished with instant death. So yes, Japan was highly militarized, but that militarization, and the carrying of arms associated with it, were highly regulated and limited to the Bushi.
Ok, bikes.
July 15th, 2008 07:58
Loved this quote from Millican in this AM's Oregonian...
At Millican's arraignment Monday, he appeared surprised that he'd have to spend more nights behind bars. "So I have to stay in jail now? For a whole week? " he asked the judge. At least until his next hearing, July 22, the judge said. Bail was set at $257,500.
Get used to the bars, jerk. I hope you're going to be behind them for awhile. And Jason, glad you're OK!!!
July 15th, 2008 08:02
Imagine that, Millican-- try to kill somebody, and they make you stay in jail-- FOR A WHOLE WEEK! WAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!
F-wit.
July 15th, 2008 08:26
Maybe the judge will let him keep his binky to pass the time!
July 15th, 2008 08:26
I live in the neighborhood of the incident and would like to thank the biker for confronting the driver. I daily see and hear people driving what seems like 60 mph and sometimes 80 mph down my residential street. Luckily all the kids on my street are very good at staying out of the road and the cars slow down when we are playing or biking in the street.
At the least I hope the guy can never drive again. If thats the case then you did change his behavior.
I yell at everyone who speeds down my street. Some of them slow down. My throat hurts. I am prepared to one day deal with a crazy person, but I would rather do that than talk to a parent of a dead kid and say I did nothing.
July 15th, 2008 08:33
Meanwhile, as Millican rots in his cell for a WHOLE WEEK, I am preparing to go for a ride on a fine summer morning. I trust you'll still be there in your cell when I get back, Millie.
(I wonder when his f-wit friends will start posting here about how we don't know him, what a great guy he is, how he screwed up but is a good person, etc.)
July 15th, 2008 09:10
A drunken felon at 21 - what a fine citizen we have in Baby Millie. His momma must be so proud.
July 15th, 2008 09:11
Why is he not being charged with attempted homicide or assault with a deadly weapon?
Excuse my ignorance, but can citizen initiated petitions reach this far?
July 15th, 2008 09:26
Thank goodness the bike rider yelled at the driver - hopefully the whole incident, while traumatic and dangerous for the victim (bike rider) will prevent the idiot driver from hurting/killing another person. Driving a car is not a right, it is a privilege that the driver in this case obviously does not deserve. Thank you bike rider -
July 15th, 2008 10:08
Peejay, I agree.
There's "peer pressure" and there's establishing social norms.
There are all kinds of behaviors that used to be commonplace (sexual harassment, smoking, drinking) in professional offices (anyone seen Mad Men?) Thankfully that has changed- by people commenting, using non-verbal disapproval, filing lawsuits and basically getting across the message that that kind of behavior isn't acceptable. A lot of those social disapprovals are hard to convey as someone whizzes by you. I however don't think it's wrong to express disapproval to people when their actions are in conflict with social norms and in these recent cases THE LAW.
While a lot of people argue that it's a matter of individual rights and responsibilities (my right to get myself killed by blowing stoplights), as a visible minority, unfortunately bicyclists are very subject to stereotyping. So many places where you read bike hating people spewing, it's "all bikers run lights blah blah blah". Yes, maybe cars are more dangerous, and yes they do stupid things, but they're the visible majority and that's accepted as normal. When a bike does something stupid, unfortunately it stands out in motorists minds and they extrapolate to all bikes and transfer that negative view of bikers to their next interaction with a bike. Which might be me.
So yes, I call people out. I try to be polite. I try to lead by example too. But no matter what, I hope that no one ever blames me or questions my judgement for speaking up when someone around me is behaving in a way that isn't acceptable.
July 15th, 2008 11:17
Heh. Looks like the DA dropped the Att. Assault and decided to go for Kidnapping II (a class B felony)!
Go team righteous vengeance!
July 15th, 2008 11:23
Lookin good, James!
http://b9.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/01055/98/23/1055113289_l.jpg
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=101925098
http://www.myspace.com/budlover4200
July 15th, 2008 12:27
Hey "flow",
Maybe instead of a new bike you could spend some money on a dictionary.
What young Millican did was certainly wrong and totally unjustified--but you should really can the righteous indignation & shout outs at drivers. That is, unless your willing to man up and stand yr ground when doing so--in true Death Wish fashion. None of this running away, passive-aggressive, "I don't want to fight" typically Portland crap.
July 15th, 2008 12:29
I love Ice Cube, Lil' John, and Snoop's bicycles on the video from James' Myspace. Too bad James wasn't on one.
Maybe they can get some of those panties for the ass shaking woman that say: "Ride a bike".
Speaking of, you'd think some jail time would give James some serious street cred. He should be thanking the judge instead of whining about it.
July 15th, 2008 12:34
-jake
I agree. If you aren't willing to get into a fist/knife/gun fight with a drunk, or "man up" as you call it, you shouldn't have a right to speak your mind.
July 15th, 2008 14:25
Russ baby,
That's not the point. I agree with what Mr Rehnberg did, except for the running away like a little girl part. If you're going to take it upon yourself to publicly chastise people, then at least stand your ground & deal with the consequences. I live on a residential street that's used at a shortcut street between Sandy and 82nd and we get lots of people speeding through here--and there are lots of kids around. I've shouted at drivers myself at times--but just didn't run into my house and hide if they stopped.
July 15th, 2008 14:56
But that is the point, Jake. And in fact, you just made it again.
July 15th, 2008 18:12
jake,
Dude was 6'3 and 230. You gonna stick around to get your face pushed in after that drunken monster hops up out of his car?
July 15th, 2008 18:12
Sorry, 6'3 and 195