Well known PSU professor Alon Raab was in a crash with a motor vehicle while riding his bicycle to class yesterday.
According to a spokesperson at the Department of Sociology, Raab suffered a broken collarbone and is expected to return to class tomorrow.
Ironically, Raab is a dedicated enthusiast of bicycle culture and the class he is currently teaching is called The Sociology of the Bicycle, a survey and discussion of Portland’s bike scene.
Yesterday’s class featured a discussion with bike lawyer Ray Thomas and Transportation Commissioner Sam Adams. Others that have joined class discussions include PDOT Bicycle Coordinator Roger Geller, veteran activists Timo Forsberg and Sara Stout and BTA founder Rex Burkholder.
In addition to his teaching, Raab is also the author of a zine called Under the Sign of the Bicycle (Gilgul Press 2003), a collection of musings on a variety of bicycle-related topics.
I spoke with Raab last week and he told me he recently accepted a teaching position in Davis California.
Get well soon Alon, and best wishes for a speedy recovery! On the bright side, your crash gives you a new perspective on the experience of cyclists in our society.
*Update: I spoke with Alon on the phone today and he informed me that he crashed on some metal gutters near a construction site. No motor vehicle was involved.
Get well soon, Alon, and keep up the good work! It’s sad to see such a dedicated cyclist and activist leave town, but we wish you luck in Davis.