At about 6:15 a.m. this morning, Portlander John Mayer was riding up on the intersection of SW 10th and Jefferson when he noticed a Portland Police Bureau patrol car parked in the bike lane.
When Mayer pulled around the patrol car, he says the officer driving the car pulled out into the lane and ran into him, “without signaling or looking”. The impact knocked Mayer down, but he did not sustain any serious injuries. Mayer posted a message to the Shift email list a few minutes ago seeking advice on how to handle the situation.
In the email, he wrote that the he and the car were not moving fast so the damage is minimal, then added, “but the principle is important”.
Not only did the police officer pull out and hit Mayer, but Mayer also alleges that the officer then “proceeded to threaten me with a ticket for not being in the bike lane!” Mayer refused to give the officer his identification and his name, immediately wrote down his badge and car number, then headed to the doctor to get his leg bruises examined.
According to Mayer, the officer then returned to his car, turned on his siren, and drove way, never inquiring about the extent of his injuries.
“I’d like to pursue something,” wrote Mayer, “What do I do?”
Mayer plans on filing a formal complaint with the police bureau later this afternoon. We’ll keep you posted on any developments.