Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward

Would you join a neighborhood bike patrol?

[At National Night Out in the Piedmont neighborhood, 8/2/05] OK everyone, here’s your chance to let the City of Portland know that volunteer, neighborhood bike patrols would be a new program worthy of their support. First, some background. I recently met with stakeholders from the Mayor’s Office, the Office of Neighborhood Involvement, the county District … Read more


Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward

Selling the city on "Bike Beats"

[Taken after our meeting at Northeast Precinct yesterday.] From L to R, Back row: Commander Jim Ferraris (North Precinct, PPB), Havilah Ferschweiler (N Portland Crime Prevention, ONI) , Commander Bret Smith (NE Precinct, PPB), John Canda (Mayor’s Office of Youth Crime Prevention); Front row: Mary Tompkins (NE Portland Crime Prevention, ONI), Stephanie Reynolds (Crime Prevention … Read more


Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward

More thoughts as attacks on cyclists continue

“Last weekend I was riding down NE Skidmore in broad sunlight, they walked out into the street as I passed and punched me…”-Gabriel Amadeus, in a comment on the Portland Mercury blog In the last few days I’ve heard of two more attacks on cyclists. Both of them happened in Northeast Portland. One near the … Read more


Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward

Oregonian columnist sings praises of pedal power

[From today’s Oregonian. Read the article.] For the second time in a row, Oregonian columnist Renee Mitchell has devoted her column (which appears on the front page of the Metro section) to the power of the pedal. Last Wednesday she wrote about how the community came together to recover Erin Greeson’s $2,000 stolen bike. Now, … Read more


Bikes in the community: My talk with John Canda

[John Canda, head of the Mayor’s Office on Youth Crime Prevention] On Wednesday I met with John Canda to hear his perspectives on how bikes might play a larger role in community policing. John is the Mayor’s youth crime prevention czar. Prior to that, he led the Northeast Coalition of Neighborhoods, one of six coalitions … Read more


Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward

Act locally; thoughts on North Portland

Since I proposed a neighborhood meeting last week (in response to community reaction to an attack on cyclists in North Portland), I’ve been thinking about the issues, reading comments, seeking advice, and trying to determine the best way forward. Some issues on the table — race, gentrification, youth violence — are vast and complex and … Read more


Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward

KATU-TV covers neighborhood safety issue

[Click here for full story.Click here for the director’s cut interview.] Last night on the 11 o’clock news, KATU-TV (Portland’s ABC affiliate) ran a story titled, “Have cyclists become a target?” The KATU story aired as a direct result of the many comments received in response to the post about a pair of cyclists who … Read more