February 2008 Archives

Update: Ghost bike missing, returned by thief

Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward

*Read this story for the update.*
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Only flowers and mementos remain.
(Photo © J. Maus)

The ghost bike for Brett Jarolimek has gone missing, and the disappearance is most likely the work of pranksters or thieves who want to sell it for scrap.

The memorial, which was chained to a traffic pole on N. Interstate Ave. just north of Greeley, was not only a tragic reminder of Brett’s life and the community’s loss, but it served as a remembrance of Brett for his friends and the many commuters who pass by this location daily.

(Photo: Wabi Woolens)

Harth Huffman first fell in love with wool bike jerseys in the early 1990s.

Now, the 42 year-old middle school teacher from Southeast Portland has turned that love into a new business. A few weeks ago, he launched Wabi Woolens.

Huffman says the company sprung from his dissatisfaction with existing wool jerseys on the market. “Around the mid-to-late ’90s, all the companies switched to a super-soft, machine washable wool,” he said “I didn’t like it because it was thin, it pilled too easily, and it just didn’t feel substantial enough to me.”

So, in true entrepreneurial spirit, Huffman decided to do it himself.

(Photo © J. Maus)

“Signing any sidewalk as a bicycle path increases the likelihood of tort settlements even years later.”
–FHWA Course on Bicycle and Transportation Planning

The recent tragedy in Beaverton leaves many unanswered questions.

Among them is whether or not Washington County contributed to a dangerous situation by designating a sidewalk as the bike route — a practice that state and federal transportation agencies strongly discourage.
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Lance at the Oregon Convention
Center last Saturday.
(Photo © J. Maus)

The national bike movement might have just found its most important (and famous) ally: Lance Armstrong.

After just bumping into Lance at the North American Handmade Bicycle Show held in Portland last weekend, I noticed a story published in his hometown newspaper today about the new “commuting bike shop” he plans to open.

And get this; the shop will focus on commuter bikes, not on high-end, carbon-fiber race machines he so heroically pedaled to seven Tour de France victories.

Portland Police Bureau detectives say they’ve identified a suspect in the case of a road rage incident that took place in Northwest Portland just over two weeks ago.

The victim — who claims he was nearly run down, threatened with a baseball bat and then punched in the face by a man in a Hummer SUV — picked the suspect out of a photo line-up last week.

Traffic Division Captain Larry O’Dea
(Photo © J. Maus)

In an executive order issued on Monday (2/11), Portland Police Chief Rosie Sizer made official what I reported on one month ago — new language has been added to the list of crash investigation criteria that will have a major impact on bike-involved collisions.

At last night’s Portland Bicycle Advisory Committee meeting, new Traffic Division Captain Larry O’Dea handed me the order, and in addition to the new crash investigation threshold, he pointed out another new policy that will improve bike-related enforcement practices.

First, here’s the new language that changes when a crash investigation is triggered:

Bike safety advocates at a memorial gathering
earlier this evening for Austin Miller.
(Photos: Jim Parsons)

About 15-20 bike safety advocates held a brief rally tonight at the site of yesterday’s fatal bike/bus collision on SW Farmington Road just west of Murray Blvd.

Participants held signs and placed tea lights and flowers at a ghost bike that has been erected for 15 year-old Austin Miller.

At tonight’s meeting of the Portland Bicycle Advisory Committee, PDOT Project Manager Rich Newlands unveiled the marketing materials intended to educate Portlanders about the new bike boxes coming this spring.

Here is the centerpiece design of their “Get Behind It. The Bike Box: Portland’s new green space” campaign:

The Vancouver (WA) City Council unanimously approved an all-ages helmet ordinance at their meeting yesterday. The ordinance was initially drafted to only apply to kids under 18 and was then re-written as an all-ages law at the suggestion of a local bicycle club.

The Council has set a second reading and public hearing of the ordinance to take place on February 25th.

Vancouver is one of only a few jurisdictions on Washington to not have an all ages helmet law. If it passes in its current form, the law would also apply to other human-powered vehicles including; scooters, skateboards, roller skates, unicycles and roller blades. The ordinance also sets aside $5,000 for an educational campaign about the new law and for the purchase of helmets for low-income youth.

PDOT’s Transportation Options Division has announced that their “SmartTrips Southeast” program led to a 9.4% reduction in drive-alone trips in the target area.

The program — which uses individualized marketing techniques to encourage participants to walk, bike, and take transit — was focused on over 20,000 Southeast Portland (and Milwaukie) households.

Participating residents were subjected to an all-out blitz of outreach events, access to resources, and free gifts (including the wonky-yet-fashionable bicycle map bandanna!) to help inspire them to make more sensible transportation choices.

Update: Ghost bike missing, returned by thief

New company produces wool jerseys in Portland

Happy Velotine’s Day: A bike love guide

Bikes on sidewalks: Could Washington County be held liable in tragedy?

Lance wants his hometown to “evolve into a place like Portland”

Police identify a suspect in Hummer road rage case

Sizer issues executive order on crash investigations; unveils new code procedures

A ghost bike and a rally for Austin Miller

PDOT unveils bike box marketing slogan, graphics

Thanks for the party, and the support

Vancouver City Council approves all-ages helmet ordinance; hearing planned

‘SmartTrips’ leads to fewer car trips in Southeast

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From the Archives

With six kids and no car, this mom does it all by bike