Photo of the Week: An overturned 4×4 in Forest Park – UPDATED

UPDATE: Several people in the comments below have shared that they feel this photo and my call for captions were inappropriate. I was very surprised at this reaction and had no intentions at all of making light of this crash. I appreciate the feedback and will take even more care with these decisions in the future. Thank you. — Jonathan Maus

PUMP's Forest Park mountain bike tour

Larger version below
(Photo © J. Maus)

Here’s something you don’t see everyday — a truck that managed to drive off a road above Forest Park and came to rest right near a popular trail.

This photo was taken in June 2007 during a group ride in Forest Park. You can view a larger version below or see it on Flickr.

I’d love to read some clever captions… feel free to share yours in the comments.

Just when you thought it was safe to ride in Forest Park!

Jonathan Maus (Publisher/Editor)

Jonathan Maus (Publisher/Editor)

Founder of BikePortland (in 2005). Father of three. North Portlander. Basketball lover. Car owner and driver. If you have questions or feedback about this site or my work, feel free to contact me at @jonathan_maus on Twitter, via email at maus.jonathan@gmail.com, or phone/text at 503-706-8804. Also, if you read and appreciate this site, please become a supporter.

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K'Tesh
K'Tesh
14 years ago

Let’s take this baby out for a spin…

Amos
14 years ago

Bicycle trips up, vehicles plummet.

Amos
14 years ago

Cyclist group looks to overturn motor vehicle decisions.

Ron
Ron
14 years ago

It’s raining cats and cars.

kgb
kgb
14 years ago

Bonus points if you know where the old Lincoln Continental rests.

Amos
14 years ago

okay, one more then I’m done 🙂 … 4 wheel advocates flip over forest park access restrictions.

Anonymous
Anonymous
14 years ago

Hopefully everyone was ok.

Ha! I crack myself up!

I really meant to say something like:
Good. One less SUV on the road -or-
Serves them right for driving a gas guzzler.

Jonathan- I really doubt you would put a picture of a bike accident up on your site and ask for funny captions.

Anonymous
Anonymous
14 years ago

Or would you?

Adams Carroll (News Intern)
Reply to  Anonymous

anonymous,

obviously I mean no disrespect for the person driving the truck. I do remember hearing that no one was hurt in the crash. But your point is well taken… perhaps my request for a “funny” caption is insensitive. I’ll erase that word. Thanks for pointing this out.

AaronF
AaronF
14 years ago

Any idea what sort of car that is?

It looks like a sedan to me, and gives me bad flashbacks of taking my 85 Volvo camping.

Here’s my shot:

Forest Park: because sometimes dumping stolen cars in Brightwood is just too far to drive!

Anonymous
Anonymous
14 years ago

Jonathan-
Nevermind. The point is clearly lost. I think you’d feel different if your wife and kids had been in that truck; injured or not.

Anonymous
Anonymous
14 years ago

Aaron-
It is an early 90’s 4runner. You can tell by the wheels.

Also anonymous
Also anonymous
14 years ago

I’m with anonymous; this seems off-tone for BP.

Adams Carroll (News Intern)
Reply to  Also anonymous

“Off tone?” For all we know the car could have forgotten to set its emergency brake.

AaronF
AaronF
14 years ago

Oh wow.

It flattened out some for sure.

That would be waaay terrifying.

People are always on my butt when I drive Germantown, but I’m not about to drive off the road by going faster than I am comfortable… so they can slow down for awhile.

Ron
Ron
14 years ago

“Off tone?” It’s a car for god’s sake. Lighten up and enjoy a little gallows humor and quit trying to control everything.

Anonymous
Anonymous
14 years ago

For all we know someone was in the truck and had the most terrifying experience of their life.
Let’s mock it!
Perhaps they are a follower of BP, let’s help them relive it!
Poor taste. Plain and simple. Any other blog, maybe, but if you are championing the cyclist way of life and as high visiblity as BP, you need to have higher standards.
I’m sure the Oregonian will like this.

Adams Carroll (News Intern)
Reply to  Anonymous

Anonymous,

This post isn’t about “mocking” what happened to the person in that vehicle. After you pointed it out, I acknowledged that my initial request to leave “funny” captions could be taken in the wrong way… so I changed it immediately.

I shared this photo because I thought it was an interesting juxtaposition and thought it might spur some equally interesting captions.

Just to clarify… I have never said this site is about “championing the cyclist way of life.” I’m not even really sure what that means. Also, you — like many others — assume that somehow I never drive and therefore have no regard for the feelings of someone who might have crashed a car. That’s not true at all. FWIW, my family and I often drive to Forest Park to enjoy a hike…. it just never occurred to me that someone would be offended by this photo and/or my framing of this post.

AaronF
AaronF
14 years ago

“Lighten up and enjoy a little gallows humor and quit trying to control everything.”

This is what I thought when Maus tried to get Facebook take down the “Cyclists need to get out of my way!” page.

I’m sure there are a bunch of reasons why that’s completely different though. 🙂

Dan_Miles
Dan_Miles
14 years ago

As a rule, I’m really impressed and grateful for the coverage on this site but I disapprove of this one. It looks to me like someone may have died in this crash. Shouldn’t we send our best wishes to the family?

Barney
Barney
14 years ago

Must be a slow news day, but hey, any chance you get to rip on an SUV must be taken advantage of right? Wait, what about all those SUV driving cyclists (like myself)? Now I’m conflicted.

a.O
a.O
14 years ago

The bicyclist-haters cannot win at any of the substantive arguments, so they feign outrage over stuff like this to distract from their ignorance.

AaronF
AaronF
14 years ago

This is more offensive than that car ride at Disneyland at least…

I think what happens is that people get used to that standard, and then when you have the nerve to kid about a car accident people go all “reverse discrimination” on you. I hope that makes sense…

It doesn’t bother me, but when I saw this I expected some complaints.

OregonJeff
OregonJeff
14 years ago

I think a whole bunch of you need to take a chill pill and cut the editor some slack. I mean seriously, it’s sunny outside. What the heck are you doing on a computer unless you’re *looking* to cause trouble…

bob
bob
14 years ago

I weep when I drive past junk yards.

Here ya go:
http://bikeportland.org/closecall/view_reports.php?
Fair and balanced.

Ron
Ron
14 years ago

anon:
“For all we know someone was in the truck and had the most terrifying experience of their life.
Let’s mock it!
Perhaps they are a follower of BP, let’s help them relive it!
Poor taste. Plain and simple. Any other blog, maybe, but if you are championing the cyclist way of life and as high visiblity as BP, you need to have higher standards.
I’m sure the Oregonian will like this.”

Oh goodness, get the smelling salts! Listen, I come hear because Jonathan is a consumate professional and he does this very well. If you can do it better, why not try? As for this specific post, Jonathan owned up to it so why don’t you quit rending your garments?

Brian E
14 years ago

FYI, circa 1980, there were about 15 stolen and abandoned cars near the top of FL3, just north and downhill from the Hotel California house.

SUV wheeeee!
SUV wheeeee!
14 years ago

As a 4 wheeler who has rolled(with a roll cage, mind you), low speed rollovers aren’t nearly as dangerous as high speed rollovers that occur at highway speeds. Those fatalities are usually a result of being ejected or having the roof crushed down from the immense energy dissipated during a high speed rollover. Even without a rollcage, a slow rollover such is likely from the photo, is unlikely to have caused the roof to collapse. A, B, and C pillars(the side sections of a car holding up the roof) are incredibly thick and designed to hold a vehicle’s overturned weight.

People laugh at bicycle crash videos on youtube. So what. Some people cry and some people laugh when they get hurt.

The picture is about an SUV(a hulking mass of gas guzzling metal) smack dab in the middle of Forest Park. Ever run across a Boeing 727 in the middle of a forest? I have.

Blah Blah Blah
Blah Blah Blah
14 years ago

I have a good caption…This web site is really beginning to suck!!!

Report the news…Don’t make the news.

Anonymous
Anonymous
14 years ago

Jonathan-
I did not imply, nor have I ever, that you do not own or drive a car. I know you do on both accounts.
Like I said, nevermind, the point was lost. I just look forward to the day when you post a bike that was destroyed in an accident and ask for “interesting” captions.

a.O. – Being disappointed at an attempt to make light of a car accident in no way distracts anyone from my ignorance. I am ignorant of many things, which is why I am still in school and plan to attend forever. I truly appreciate your opinion on many of the topics discussed on this sight; I feel you and I see eye to eye on many things (even though you have labeled me an ignorant bicyclist hater). However, if joking about a rollover makes one more worldly or knowledgeable, then I hope I never reach your level.

Michael R
Michael R
14 years ago

No, don’t worry, that one can’t run you over.

or

Aww, the SUV is trying to be cute and get its belly scratched.

Anonymous
Anonymous
14 years ago

Sight = site; just another example of my ignorance, or fast typing and lack of proofreading. You decide.

DanS
DanS
14 years ago

I’ll play:

“Who let Toonces drive home!!???”

kgb: if the Continental is white, it is downhill from Leif around the 6 mile mark, am I right? At the time, I was astounded but since then I learned that cars were allowed on Leif up until a few years ago.

Also anonymous
Also anonymous
14 years ago

JM-
By off-tone, I mean this is usually a pretty positive source for news, entertainment, and information related to bicycles. To open up a snapshot of what was likely someone’s worst day in a long time to a caption contest is insensitive, and does not help or inform the cycling community. Reverse the situation (bunch of drivers standing around looking at a mashed bike) and you’d be outraged. I’m not some kind of anti-bike nut, I don’t own or often use cars, but I think this sort of article is needlessly inflammatory. By all means, ignore me.

q`Tzal
q`Tzal
14 years ago

How did this guy get where this picture was taken? It looks like one of the fireroads that should be blocked off.
Perhaps the driver was so pickled as to not feel any pain when the vehicle rolled.
Regardless, any vehicle left like this id likely leaking any number of fluids and needs to be dealt with by the proper authorities. Would that be DEQ?

Caption: Abandoned Suburban Apocalypse Theme-park display piece circa 2150.

cyclist
cyclist
14 years ago

Jonathan,

This post is pretty damn inappropriate. It reminds me of the photo of the guy who hit a whole bunch of folks with his car wiith the “funny” caption that you’ll see on fark every once a while. A request for captions is basically a call for humorous posts, your removal of the word funny doesn’t really change the post’s intent.

Your site’s tagline is “to inform and inspire,” do you think this post measures up? This is old news, so there’s no journalistic value.

trail user
trail user
14 years ago

There’s a sign on this trail below Germantown Road that reads “Caution: falling debris overhead”…who would have expected a Toyota 4runner. Oh wait, Toyotas have sticky throttles.

matthew v
matthew v
14 years ago

without pointing fingers can i say some folks just need to get over themselves… i have.

finding humor where least expected is’t always a bad thing. i have no idea if someone was in the vehicle but i certainly can’t see and evidence of anyone, rescue personel, jaws of life use, etc.. absolutely nothing like a pic of a car mowing down cyclists.

if you can’t laugh at yourself it’ll be even rougher when folks laugh at you. suck it up cheery-o’s

cBomb
cBomb
14 years ago

I’m with cyclist #36. I immediately thought of that awful picture of a group of cyclist being hit.

I follow this site with a passion along with out of state friends and family. I tell people about this site, non-cyclists included and I hope this “news?” isn’t their first experience with bikeportland. This is the single greatest local cycling site around and although I can certainly appreciate the humor in this photo, I don’t think it belongs here.

I know this isn’t a news site, but it seems like it aspires to be one.

Jimmy
Jimmy
14 years ago

@ #5 KGB,

Bonus points if you know where the old Lincoln Continental rests.

It rests at the bottom of the gully at the intersection of FL5 and Leif.

I was riding FL5 the day this Toyota was flipped. It was kind of creepy especially since I was by myself.

If I remember correctly, the truck was stolen, flipped then abandoned on the trail. It serves the person right if they got banged up.

velo
14 years ago

I think the phono and challenge is amusing, Jonathan, don’t listen to the nay sayers.

Caption:
I never needed a tow truck to flip my bike back up after a roll over.

Northwest Girl
Northwest Girl
14 years ago

Jimmy @ 40:

FL 5? Was the Toyota on Saltzman and then flipped down onto FL 5?

Vance Longwell
14 years ago

What, I gotta come in here and defend BikePortland.org? Really? I have this trouble on ‘other’ local news sites all the time. When is it appropriate to take the ‘kid-gloves’ off after a community tragedy? We’re not at the wake, we’re not in some ones’ home, is this really an issue of social-responsibility? I don’t think so.

This is an issue as new as the net itself, and thus-far, I observe that society is basically just applying the same Judao-Christian inspired reverence for the dead and injured that it always has. But should it? It is such a stretch to state that certain comments at certain times represent a direct, intentional, threat to civility; and are insensitive.

For instance, I don’t know these folks, they don’t know me. I’m not happy for their demise, nor am I saddened by it. It really doesn’t have anything to do with me, why then do I owe some allegiance to the Church? Now, keep in mind I JUST got slaughtered in comments about M. Vilhauer’s accident for essentially the same lack of civility. So who am I to be offering input, right?

That’s an extraordinary picture. It documents an extraordinary event. It’s germane that it’s a 1989-1994 Toyota 4-Runner as that is an SUV model. It’s germane that it’s lying upside-down in a park near-and-dear to the two-wheel set. It’s germane because there’s man’s fantastic invention, topic of how many debates here, lying upside-down in the weeds.

I support Jonathan’s choosing to satire this situation. If there were folks injured in this accident, how could they not be, I’d be the first one with my hand up to help. Conversely, you’ll notice I’m also at the front of the line to laugh my a** off, ’cause that’s just a funny thing to see. So then, turns out I can care about these people’s demise, and poke fun at them too. Huh.

kgb
kgb
14 years ago

Correct and correct. The outrage being expressed here is outrageously hilarious.

This truck is down a firelane. This isn’t an ACCIDENT it’s called a joyride and it is a criminal act. Oh boo hoo somebody stole a car turned down Saltzman road drove around the gate did a ton of damage to the park and then rolled over trying to turn around in a some crazy bender. That is who and what your defending.

And you compare this to a picture showing a drunk driver plowing through a peloton, people flying in the air. I’m sorry but that is what I find offensive here.
That is just ridiculous.

Anonymous
Anonymous
14 years ago

Some of these commenters need a hobby.

Jonathan "J.R" Reed
14 years ago

I found humor in the advertisement that displays just below the photo on this page. It rotates so here is a screenshot what I am seeing:
http://www.quixotecycles.com/bikeportland/toyota_5th_generation.jpg

q'Ztal
q'Ztal
14 years ago

Some of these commentors need to turn down their self-righteousness down a notch.

AaronF
AaronF
14 years ago

Thanks for sharing J.R.

That is way funny. 🙂

oliver
oliver
14 years ago

Well, since no one else is going to…

“hold my beer and watch this”

Brad
Brad
14 years ago

Why do car owners and the larger public believe that cyclists are a self-righteous group of douchebags that hate any form of transportation other than their beloved bikes?

Let’s collectively grow up! We are at a critical juncture in the acceptance of bicycles as transportation. Let’s rise above being snarky children for our own self amusement.

Vance Longwell
14 years ago

Anonymous #45 – Some of us do. Commenting at BikePortland.org.

Wow!
Wow!
14 years ago

“I don’t know these folks, they don’t know me. I’m not happy for their demise, nor am I saddened by it. It really doesn’t have anything to do with me” … so he can joke about it.
Amazing statement. The defenders of the jokers are as immature and self-centered as the jokers themselves.

jocko
jocko
14 years ago

good one vance!