Climate legislation; more TriMet service cuts; SF gets new bike lanes again; removing highways; bikes on bridges; time travel on 5th Ave; carfree Fridays; road rage; bikewashing.
There has been a lot of good news in transportation in the past week. Here are some of the highlights:
– The US House has passed a new, big climate bill that will allow states to choose to spend a significant chunk of their carbon emissions allowances on green transportation, reports Streetsblog from Capital Hill.
– In Oregon we now have a new law creating a Greenhouse Gas Emissions Task Force that will look particularly at transportation and land use strategies.
Recently passed House Bill 3271 — a bill that addresses a number of types of harassment — includes language that establishes the new crime of “Aggravated Driving While Suspended or Revoked”.
The bill passed through the Oregon Legislature late Thursday and the language to address aggravated driving was added as an amendment pushed by Senator Floyd Prozanski at the behest of the Bicycle Transportation Alliance (BTA). Sen. Prozanski, an avid bike rider, is also the Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee.
The House version of this bill passed with no mention of this new crime, but Prozanski got the crime of vehicular homicide added into the Senate version. The Senate passed it with the Prozanski amendment, but then the House refused to concur with the amendments (7 Republican House members voted no).
Year: 1980’s Brand: schwinn Model: Cruiser Color:pink Serial: n/a Photo: http://cruizerbikes.com/images/schwinn_cruiser_pink.jpg Stolen in portland, OR 97214 Stolen:2009-06-26 Stolen From: 2623 SE Ankeny
parking lot of apt building Neighborhood: Buckman Owner: Kathleen Finn OwnerEmail: kfinny12@gmail.com Reward: 50$ Description: pink schwinn cruiser
reflectors broken
chipped paint areas This registrant does not have proof of ownership of this bike
Year: 2008 Brand: seven Model: tsunami Color:Black Size:58cm Serial: 5258DO9 Stolen in Portland, OR 97210 Stolen:2009-06-28 Stolen From: 1520 NW 17th Street Neighborhood: Pearl Owner: james selman OwnerEmail: james.selman@gmail.com Description: one-of-a-kind. singlespeed. silver wheels, phil wood hubs, all black conti tires. silver nitto stem/post. nitto mustache bars with blue/white tape. blue/white bands on seat/down tubes. white SLR saddle. atac peddles. Police record with: Portland Police Police reference#: 09-05700 This registrant has documented proof of ownership of this bike
Year: 2007 Brand: Iron Horse Mountain Bike Model: Maverick 3.0 Color:Silver/gray Size:17.5 in Serial: will find out from dealer by Monday hopefully Photo: http://www.rscycle.com/2007-Iron-Horse-Maverick-3-0-Floor-Model?sc=7&category=531 Stolen in Portland, OR 97217 Stolen:2009-06-28 Stolen From: lock was cut off of front porch on Williams Ave, south of Alberta Neighborhood: Alberta Owner: Kelly Lash OwnerEmail: kellylash@gmail.com Reward: 50 Description: silver/gray-not as shiny as photo
mid size road tires-not narrow but not wide mountain bike tires either-26×1.5?
green/yellow reflective stickers all over the frame
white light attached to handlebars, and a red light in the back below seat
silver chain with combination lock and a black kryptonite lock around frame
Black rear fender
silver disc brakes Police record with: Charles Duane ID#27545 Police reference#: 09056902 This registrant has documented proof of ownership of this bike
Year: 1990s Brand: Trek Model: 1220 Color:Blue/Purple Size:57 Stolen in Portland, OR 97214 Stolen:2009-06-28 Stolen From: Stolen from Doug Fir between 1am and 11am. Neighborhood: Burnside Owner: Daniel Hunt OwnerEmail: danielhunt11@gmail.com Description: Has a sticker on the frame that says “Burlingame Bike Shop” This registrant does not have proof of ownership of this bike
Year: 2007 Brand: Bachetta Model: short wheelbase recumbent Color:Blue Size:large Serial: don’t have Photo: Don’t have Stolen in Portland, OR 97212 Stolen:2009-06-28 Stolen From: Our garage, 2406 NE 19th Ave. Has a fairly flimsy lock but was chock full of furniture and lots of other stuff, none of which was taken Neighborhood: Irvington Owner: Peter Reagan OwnerEmail: reaganp@mac.com Reward: note: I can get purchase record at Coventry Cycles Description: blue Bachetta short wheelbase recumbent with a back rack, lights, back rack. Front wheel is 20″ with new tire Police record with: pending This registrant does not have proof of ownership of this bike
Year: 1999 Brand: GT Model: Rebound Color:Yellow Size:16″ Serial: M01914640 Stolen in Portland, OR 97202 Stolen:2009-06-26 Stolen From: Sellwood near Foster’s Market Neighborhood: Sellwood Owner: Ben Waldron OwnerEmail: ben_waldron@msn.com Reward: Yes Description: Bright Yelloq This registrant has documented proof of ownership of this bike
Year: 2008 Brand: Schwinn Model: World Avenue 1 SMU Color:Blue Serial: idc07c01578 Photo: http://images.buzzillions.com/images_products/04/00/1160587_raw.jpg Stolen in Portland, OR 97231 Stolen:2009-06-26 Stolen From: Stolen from Washington Park/Oregon Zoo. Owner: Jeremy Hundley OwnerEmail: jeremy.hundley@gmail.com Description: Rear rack, toe clips, fenders, bell, and chain guard. Rear Wheel is Forte Titan.
700x28c tires Police record with: Portland Police Police reference#: 0956394 This registrant has documented proof of ownership of this bike
The Epic Pizza Ride this year was in its fourth, and most extreme, incarnation, including over 100 dedicated pizza eaters, a vegan contingent, a trip up Highway 30 to St Johns, and a serendipitous convergence with the Bluesapalooza ride and its mobile sound system, blues dancers, and a roller-skating corker.
Nostalgic brainchild of the of New Haven exports Shawn Granton and myself, the Pizza Ride has historically made the rounds of some of the better Portland pizzerias, fruitlessly seeking the perfect thin-crust brick oven pie, but always finding satisfaction, good sized crowds, enormous hills, and lots of 1/16th slices.
This year we traveled over 20 miles, with some major wins and fails along the way. (As one rider put it, “Granton should come with a warning label.”) We were treated like kings at the Give Pizza a Chance cart downtown, where they had brewed up a batch of birch beer for us, as well as at Old Town Pizza downtown, Hot Lips by PGE Park, Signal Station in St Johns, and Pizza Fino in Kenton (which stayed open late for us). I left the ride at Stark Naked Pizza at 11:30pm — but about 30 folks continued on to Hammy’s for more late night pizza noshing.
My least favorite part of the ride was seeing two people crash hard after crossing West Burnside as the other riders around them looked down at them and just kept riding along (big thanks to the few who stopped). My favorite part by far was the excitement in the eyes of the two young guys who had just been riding aimlessly around downtown and followed us out of curiosity — they told us this was the most amazing experience and they couldn’t wait to get involved in more rides.
Also exciting was meeting up with the Blues riders, who had great spirit. The guy on roller blades was my hero, he was faster shooting up the hill to the St Johns bridge than many of us on bikes, and never stopped dancing, even while corking.
This ride was a Mercury pick of the week, and we had a ton of non-hardcore riders along. Another awesome moment was waiting at the top of the St Johns bridge for the last few folks to make it up and seeing a gal on a cruiser ride up the final distance, standing on the pedals, with a huge triumphant grin on her face.
I was bringing up the back of the ride, and didn’t get many photos — but here are a few in a slideshow below (or see them with captions on Flickr):
If there’s anything better than going on a bike ride on a gorgeous sunny day, it’s going on bike rides between parks to do yoga on a gorgeous sunny day with 60 other happy pracititioners. And if there’s anything better than that, it’s a convergence with a hundred proud Scandiniavians and their allies riding around in very short shorts.
Steve Upchurch shows off his mad yoga skills as sedate Scandinavians look on. (Photo by Elly Blue)
Comment of the Week: Legs of steel and the e-bike