A group of cyclists intends to put a TriMet twist on this Friday’s Breakfast on the Bridges. The event (which happens on the last Friday of every month) usually consists of volunteers handing out free coffee and pastries to early-morning bike commuters on the Hawthorne and Broadway Bridges. However, in light of recent events organizers have decided to fight fire with flour.
They plan to gather at the westbound Hawthorne Bridge bus stop (the one before the overpass) from 7:30-8:30 this Friday morning with bikes and signs. When a bus pulls up to the stop, the cyclists will board and hand the driver a donut with a label on it that says, “Thanks for sharing.” I can’t even imagine the look on the drivers’ faces when they realize what’s happening.
Here are more photos of Breakfast on the Bridges.
I think this is great. My helmet’s off to the people that came up with this idea and friendly gesture.
This is a great idea, but will the donuts be in bags so that the driver isn’t distracted while driving? I imagine that sticky/sugary donuts and steering wheels just don’t mix well. 😉
It seems like a good idea until one considers the timing. Is it really a friendly thing, or will it aggravate the situation? Is “Thanks for Sharing” sincere or sarcastic? Is that all the notes say? Too open for interpretation. The potential for confusion and chaos on Friday morning is high, IMO.
The bus drivers are trying to keep a schedule and get work-bound people over the bridge. Are the Breakfast on the Bridges people actually planning on paying fares and riding? Even if so, I doubt drivers will trust these donuts are not poisoned or spit on… shall I come to make sure no donuts are wasted?!
I get a weird sense about this. I hope it goes well!
good idea, and if my breakfasts on the bridges are any indicator, the folks doing this will be friendly rather than snarky. one hopes.
putting the donuts in bags would be a nice touch, as peter says — it’s probably hard to drive a bus one-handed.
I talked to one of the organizers and they will be put in baggies with the “Thanks for sharing” label.
Caroline, I don’t think you have much to worry about…but if you’re right and the drivers respond poortly than geez, god help us all.
This is fantastic and a great way to put salve on the recent wound (granted it is done in sincerity of course). TriMet and public transit in general is always and friend of bicyclists. Unruly drivers or not – 250 some cars are off the road per bus, no? TriMet is an ally of alternative transportation and needs our support. Way to go Shift.
Clever. Awesome. Go Team Diplomacy!
Imagine giving a cop an unsolicited donut in the name of diplomacy… I wish it could be muffins (or some other breakfast treat) insead of donuts. I assume the organizers mean well, but giving donuts to public employees with a bad reputation who drive big vehicles all day is an inescapably loaded gesture.
Breakfast on the Bridges is an expression of pure bike love. Breakfast on the Bridges commits random acts of pastry and unprovoked outpouring of caffeine. Breakfast on the Bridges has always been, and to the extent I have any influence, will always be unalloyed goofiness with the intent of Keeping Portland Quirky.
The day Breakfast on the Bridge assumes a cynical tone is the day that I pilot my bike-bride over the rail of the Broadway and bid adieu. Not to put too fine a point on it.
And if you don’t believe he’s “cap’n pastry”, just check out this photo!
Now this I gotta say is awesome!
All associated crew keep it up.
re: Allen – just a note – Cops usually take offense to a random person giving them a donut. 🙂 Hopefully they’ll see the context isn’t associated with a “fat cop”
hahaa.
I’m afraid that I am with Caroline on this one. I hope I am being overly negative & cynical, but I’m really afraid that this could come across in the wrong way, as in just another way to covertly block traffic and grandstand. If the first couple of bus drivers respond negatively, I hope that the ‘donut patrol’ decides to pull back and try again someother day.
I hope that it goes well.
I’d concur on that thought Dan… is there something besides donuts to hand out also… something that might be a bit more – healthy/positive/encouraging for the day ahead besides donuts? Either which way it’s probably a call it like it is when the effort is made.
If it is a sincere gesture and not a JESTure, then don’t worry about offending.
But I can’t help but wonder…why donuts?
Perhaps they are “pastries” like what is usually at the breakfast on the bridges?
OK, so which of you critics is signing up to bake coffee cake? 🙂
Nobody would want me to cooke coffee cake. 🙁
We will probably hand out whatever we have for BonB–which is currently looking to be a combination of delicious scones, muffins, and maybe the occasional cookie or jam biscuit, all from Grand Central Bakery and Redwing Cafe. And more coffee cake would certainly be welcome!
Maybe we will get our act together to get a $5 bucket of voodoo donuts like last time. If we do, I must say that donuts with cereal on top are silly enough to cancel out any negative implications.
Oh yeah, and we don’t get up at the crack of dawn every month to give pastries to unsuspecting commuters without getting good at it! Never fear, the BonB crew is very well trained in the skill of giving things away graciously (which can in fact as some of you suggest be harder than it seems).
But you’ll have to come on down and see for yourselves–that’s tomorrow, Friday the 27th, from 7am to 9am on the Hawthorne and Broadway bridge. Everyone’s welcome to hang out, pitch in, or both. You might just find that you too have the knack for spreading breakfast and love around.
Awesome work Shift/Breakfast on the Bridges Posse! I think this is another wonderful expression of what makes Portland great.
I saw it in action today.
I took the bus in to work this morning (my back is acting up). Our driver was given a muffin or donut on the Hawthorne Bridge and told “Thanks for sharing the road with bikes”.
I can tell you it completely blew the bus driver away and she thought it was a wonderful gesture.
Brilliant idea, whoever came up with it.
Jim, excellent to know of various results. Thanks for tossing that in!
I was so sorry to miss this! It was over by the time I got to BotB…if anyone wants to do this again, please let me know. I’d love to help.