Mandatory helmet laws say the little guy should wear one.(Photos © J. Maus)

After reading about the helmet survey launched by the Bicycle Transportation Alliance last week, I wanted to share a cautionary tale about helmet laws. I live in Vancouver, Washington where we've been living with a mandatory, all-ages helmet law since 2008.
If you're [...]

Famed filmmaker Casey Neistat's latest video creatively tackles the issue of riding in bike lanes in NYC (and getting ticketed for it). It's so well done that the video has exploded on the web. Watch it below...

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Where the bike lane ends.

Remember the disappearing bike lane case? I'm happy to report that it reached a positive conclusion — at least in the civil case of Carmen Piekarski.
First, let's go back to December 2009...
Piekarski was riding her bike eastbound on SE Hawthorne approaching SE 10th Ave. While in the intersection, the operator of [...]

E-bikes are popping up all over Portland these days.(Illustration: Mark Young/Portland Storyboard)

Whether you like them or not, electric bikes have arrived and it looks like they're here to stay. E-bikes can now be found in almost every local bike shop, major manufacturers are adding e-assist to a growing number of urban and cargo bikes, [...]

"What are a cyclist's options when another cyclist causes damage or injury?" -- Nick V.

[Ask BikePortland is a regular feature. See past questions and learn the answers via our esteemed commenters here.]
This week's Ask BikePortland comes from reader Nick V. Nick wants to know how to handle the aftermath of a bike-on-bike collision:
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Ken Southerland(Photos © J. Maus)

Ken Southerland, the man who got a $143 ticket back in February for carrying someone on the rear rack of his bicycle, earned a victory when the case went to traffic court this morning.
Southerland pleaded no contest to the charges and Portland Police Officer David Scott agreed to have the citation [...]

Ray Thomas(File photo from a news conference in 2008 © J. Maus)

"We have a mutant status on the roadway." That's one way lawyer Ray Thomas tried to describe the often confusing and misunderstood legal standing of people who walk and bike on the streets of Oregon.
His comment came during a special edition [...]

Fun, yes; but legal?(Photos @ J. Maus)

Back in February, Portlander Ken Southerland got a ticket for attempting to give a friend a ride on the back rack of his bicycle. In the summer of 2007, I saw two Portland Police officers issue a ticket to a man on Alberta Street for the same offense. [...]

"We've had positive responses from members of the press so far, which reinforces our hunch that a legal clinic for members of the press would be welcome as a resource." - Stephanie Routh, Willamette Pedestrian Coalition

On Tuesday (4/27), local non-profits the Willamette Pedestrian Coalition (WPC) and the Bicycle Transportation Alliance (BTA) will host a special [...]

Cell phones and bikes -- like riding blind!(Photo © J. Maus)

Since Oregon enacted their new cell phone law on January 1st, many people have asked me if it applies to people riding bicycles. My previous opinion was that it doesn't, but a closer look at the law now has me less certain -- and [...]

According to a story in The Oregonian, Joe and Hau Hagedorn have settled a lawsuit brought against them when a man on a bicycle crashed into a dirt pile left out in front of their house. The pile-up happened at around 2:00 am in July of 2007 on SE 20th just south of Division. [...]

(Photo © J. Maus)

[Note: Based on the large number of helpful responses to a reader's request for help back in December, I thought I'd make this a more regular feature. I'll try to do an "Ask BikePortland" post at least once a month. If you have a burning bike question -- whether it has [...]

Notice of Exclusion written to Matt Cleinman for trespassing in Waterfront Park. - Larger version (90kb jpg) -

At 4:30 am this morning, a Portland Police officer issued a Portland man a notice of exclusion and warning for trespassing because he was riding his bicycle through Waterfront Park while the park was closed.
Matt Cleinman, a [...]

No paint, no (legal) protection?(Photo © J. Maus)

When bike lane striping disappears through an intersection, does the legal standing of a person operating a bicycle in that lane also vanish?
Last month, Multnomah County traffic court judge Michael Zusman ruled that it does and the decision has left many people confused and concerned. [...]

A Portland judge has ruled that when bike lane striping vanishes, like in the intersection of SE 10th and Hawthorne, so does a rider's legal protection.

When Portlander Rob Daray witnessed a right-hook collision on his commute home last summer he thought it was obvious who was at fault. So did the police officer who [...]

The law isn't always entirely clear when it comes to bikes on the road -- are you required to be in a bike lane? What if you want to make a left turn? Do you need to put your foot down every time you stop? How would enforcement work if we had an Idaho-style stop [...]

A DIY warning.(Photo © J. Maus)

The Willamette Week's "Juicy Suits" column reports a lawsuit filed by a woman who crashed into a car door while riding her bike in Southeast Portland.
According to the WWeek, Kristin Ragnarsson alleges in the lawsuit that she was riding eastbound on SE Stark just past the intersection of SE [...]

"Staff finds that the bike races are inconsistent with the code criteria and are not an activity that promotes the sale of farm crops."-- Multnomah County

Multnomah County's land use planning department has reached a decision in the permit application for Kruger's Farm. As we reported back in June, the farm stand has hosted numerous [...]

The block of SE Clinton wherethe road rage incident occurred.(Photo © J. Maus)

Back in 2007, we covered the story of Johnny Eschweiler, the man who intentionally used his car to strike two men on bikes in a road rage incident on SE Clinton Street.
Shortly after the incident, victim Ben Ramsdell told BikePortland that he had [...]

Through those doors, the laws are made.(Photos © J. Maus)

Tomorrow I'll make my first trip down to Salem this session -- and what a full day it's shaping up to be.
My day will start with a meeting of the Oregon Transportation Commission (OTC). The OTC is the five-person, governor-appointed cabinet that sets transportation policy [...]