Business blooms for gas-free gardener

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David Darby next to
his company vehicle.
(Photos/video © J. Maus)

Portlanders love their gardens, their bikes, and their Mother Earth, so it’s no wonder that David Darby’s new business has taken off.

Darby is the man behind Fossil Fuel Free Lawn and Garden Care, a bike-powered business based in Southeast Portland that he started just four months ago. Darby provides lawn care services using only hand tools and he gets to all his jobs by bike.

Last week, I met up with Darby and his co-worker Prentiss Darden at a warehouse space he rents in the Sellwood neighborhood (just south of Powell Blvd.).

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Customer Service Rep (Chris King Precision Components)

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Job Title
Customer Service Representative

Company/Organization
Chris King Precision Components

Job Description
Chris King Precision Components™, manufacturer of bicycle components, is seeking qualified applicants for a Customer Service Representative for dealer sales. Must have a proven track record of 2 years sales experience, order entry experience, strong computer skills, and basic math skills. Excellent verbal and written communication skills, and excellent telephone etiquette are required.

This is a telephone based job with little face to face customer interaction. The ability to effectively communicate with varying levels of consumers and co-workers is a must. You will get phone calls from kids wanting stickers and distributors looking for updates on shipment status.

Bicycle industry experience is not necessary but personal excitement, experience and passion about bicycles and bicycling is. Bike shop experience is helpful but not required.

The successful applicant will be team oriented, eager to learn, enthus iastic & have a strong commitment to community, the environment & excellence in general.

How to Apply

Please furnish letter of interest & resume by e-mail to people@chrisking.com (No attachments accepted). A drug free environment & EOE. Visit our website at www.chrisking.com.

Zoobombers, freak bikes try their hand at off-road racing

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And they’re off!
(Photos/video © J. Maus)

Last night, the Zoobombers were invited out to PIR to test their mettle on the course used by the Mountain Bike Short Track Race Series.

Race Organizer Kris Schamp said he wanted them to come out because he’s always envisioned the event as a “different type of race”.

“It’s not just for the full lycra and carbon racer crowd, the short track course is really a blast for anyone,” he says, “…it just seemed a natural to get the Zoobomb crowd out there to give it a shot and at the same time blend in another component of Portland’s unique bike culture.”

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Words of wisdom from the guy on the windshield

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For the third time in less than a week,
“Bikes vs. Cars” makes the front page.

The windshield-surfer from yesterday’s road rage incident has become something of a local celebrity.

The cell-phone video of his wild ride was replayed numerous times on the TV news last night and it was even played and discussed on NBC’s Today Show this morning. Also today, The Oregonian has put a still image from that video on the entire above-the-fold section of their newsstand edition (that makes three times in less than a week that “Bikes vs. Cars” has made the front page, yippee!).

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Essay: Road rage and the science of happiness

Graphic that accompanied the essay
in Momentum Magazine.
(Illustration by Chris Bentzen)

The always interesting Momentum Magazine (based in Vancouver, BC) has published a timely essay in their July/August issue.

Bike Rage by Charles Montgomery is a provocative look into the psychological, cultural and infrastructural origins of road rage.

Montgomery bases his insights on the research of “road rage guru” Dr. Leon James. James literally wrote the book on the subject and he says that rage on the roads is “quite predictable” due to several factors.

Here’s a snip from Montgomery’s essay,

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Open thread: What’s it like out there?

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Are you smiling or grimacing on the roads these days?
(Photo © J. Maus)

As Portland’s bike-friendly reputation gets dragged through the mud following two high-profile road rage incidents in a week, I would love to get a better sense of what it’s like out on the roads.

I frequently hear about hit-and-runs, near misses, fender-benders, and road rage, and I can’t say that I’ve noticed a big increase lately (although recent headlines would have most people thinking otherwise).

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Kidical Mass

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Kidical Mass Part 2 will be held Friday the 18th. We’ll start from the same location (the playground at the North Park Blocks) and we’ll wind through downtown (staying away from tracks this time) and end up, once again, at Ben & Jerry’s!!! Meet at 6pm for bike decorations, safety reminders and chit chat; we’ll leave at 6:30, arrive at Ben & Jerry’s by 7:15.

In light of recent events and media coverage weI believe it’s very important that we really focus on the fact that all road users are people with loved ones who want them to make it home safely each night. Our kids, especially, need to be protected but also reminded that they are part of a larger community that loves them. We want to show we’re all willing to work together to fill kids’ lives with valuable experiences, and one of those is being on a bike!

We’re feeling particularly compelled to make this ride a fun, safe, visible ride, with the emphasis on fun! We’ll bring some decorating items, but please feel free to bring your own – it’s a decorating pot luck!

Also, we challenge each of you to bring with you one other family. We want to double our ride numbers so we can really get some momentum behind the idea that kids are traffic too!

One final note, we’re planning on holding Kidical Mass in conjunction with Eugene Kidical Mass on the third Friday of each month. Look for more info as we get more organized.

Bike safe, have fun and go give your kids a big fat hug!

Arrest made in new road rage incident

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James F. Millican

A 21 year-old man has been arrested after a road rage altercation in Southeast Portland last night.

A Portland Police Bureau press release says that James F. Millican, who was driving a Ford Escort, chased down 37 year-old Jason Rehnberg after Rehnberg “yelled at Millican to slow down.”

Millican has been arrtested on one count each of Attempted Assault in the Second Degree (felony), DUII, Criminal Mischief in the Third Degree and Reckless Driving (all misdemeanors). He is being held by the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office on $11,000 bail.

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