Coliseum during a ride in 2006.
(Photo © J. Maus)
Volunteers working on Barack Obama’s event in Portland tomorrow at the Memorial Coliseum are scrambling to make sure they’ve got enough bike parking capacity.
They’re well aware of what happened back in February when cyclists didn’t find enough parking at an event at the Oregon Convention Center. In that case, bolt-cutter wielding security guards (caught in action in this YouTube clip) impounded and removed bikes that were parked to railings and iron fences in front of the event.
According to an email I just got from local cyclist Steve Davee, his friend Corey Omey (an Obama volunteer) says they, “don’t yet have a complete plan for all of the bikes that are sure to show up.”
Omey says volunteers plan to be at the event as early as 5:30 am to, “Make sure people don’t park bikes where they will be impounded like during the NAHB [North American Handmade Bicycle] show.”
In an email to the Oregon Bicycle Racing Association email list, Davee wrote:
“I’m posting this for him because he’s out there right now running around trying to find extra bike parking to help avoid a big parking snafu tomorrow.”
He then added,
“If you are going, please don’t park bikes next to the entrances! And please also consider parking bikes elsewhere and taking the Max the rest of the way.”
Event organizers are in dire need of portable bike racks for the event. If anyone has ideas or advice, leave a comment with your email address or contact me at jonathan [at] bikeportland [dot] org and I will give you Omey’s cell phone number.
Thanks for reading.
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And do not forget the 1000s of bikes at Nadar\’s event at the Rose Qtr.
you\’d think they would have learned by now
Thanks for any last minute help. I spoke with the manager in charge of parking and they said that someone was in charge of bike parking, but he wasn\’t around. I hopeing that they have learned, and look forward to tomorrow morning. Please vote!
Don\’t forget about the Lloyd Center bike parking map, for other nearby racks:
http://www.lloydtma.com/bikemap.htm
Obama for President.
Why don\’t they just do like what the BTA is doing. Have Valet Bike Parking inside the automobile parking garage. It\’s covered and sound like a fantastic idea!
http://www.bta4bikes.org/btablog/2008/03/21/weve-got-you-covered/
Why isn\’t The Oregon Convention Center scrambling for bike parking?
Why is it that the responsibility falls to their clients?
Why isn\’t The Oregon Convention Center scrambling for bike parking?
Why is it that the responsibility falls to their clients?
It\’s a good question. That neighborhood isn\’t very bike or pedestrian friendly just in general.
Obama and bikes- a winning combination!
Let\’s get a photo op with him on a locally made ride!
There was recently an article about a guy starting a bike rack rental business based on what happened at NAHB. If Omey hasn\’t already been in touch with him (Jeff something, if my memory serves), maybe Jonathan could facilitate the connection?
Ha ha. Bike parking a problem only in PDX. Nice going, guys. Ya think Obama might go for Lance as Veep? Naaaaaaaaaaah.
–Why isn\’t The Oregon Convention Center scrambling for bike parking?
Why is it that the responsibility falls to their clients?–
Because City Center Parking hasn\’t yet developed a business model to extort money from Cyclists, and they already own the concession for parking in this town.
I was a volunteer medic at the rally. My partner and I had the joy of getting there early and leaving late. When we went to get our bikes we discovered the bike rack empty. Our locks had been cut and placed on our bikes against a nearby tree. Apparently some of the police presence, or secret service, decided that they needed to move them. Luckily, no one took our bikes, but it was disturbing to find them sitting unattended. It was a bad end to a day in which we volunteered our time to help save the lives of thousands of people.