Ride will remember 1997 crash that killed Matt Schekel

Matt, what a sweet guy. I did not know him that well, but his enthusiasm was infectious. I took a couple of classes with him at the film center, where a couple of helpings of ego-centrism usually spoiled the personalities of those in classes. Not so with Matt, a truly humble yet loyal spirit. He understood what a collaborative art form was and took on any role as essential. In a world where there were no budgets and only people more interested in what they’d become than what they were doing, Matt’s keel was set and passion filled his sail.

The last time I saw him, that same passion he had for learning the craft of film-making had met its match in his passion for riding a bike. To think this positive force was squelched through a misapplied use of mechanized force is tragic.

I’ve never understood how Oregon cannot craft a simple law that removes the privilege of driving for 5 years automatically if you are found at fault in a fatal accident with a law-abiding bicyclist, 1-3 years in a non-fatal incident. In a community where the cops spend more time harassing bikers than enforcing the laws, at least create some laws with real consequences that would have people reconsider rolling stops or what is a safe distance for the bicyclist that they feel it’s ok to buzz on a pothole-ridden street during a high-pollen count sneeze-inducing day.

and while i’ve missed this and past opportunities to celebrate matt’s graceful contribution in his lifetime, i’ve got to say this town has learned little. sadly, in this civil-rights eroding bike-lane loving “bike-friendly” city of portland, the city that does not work cannot quite grasp the concept that if you are supposed to be allowed to drink at the water fountain, you should be allowed to drink at the water fountain. just enforce the rights that already exist vs. pretend there is subclass of nuisances deserving of any unintentional or negligent actions of others with a lethal imbalance of power.

sadly, i think this was embodied by the actions of portland motorcycle cops intimidating some emotional cyclists with their motorcycles trying to “prove” their crowd control efficacy after a critical mass turned into an emotional rally shortly after another drunk-driving death-giving accident that i believe involved multiple cyclists not far from matt’s collision with death.

way to go PPD! perhaps you could have spent a fraction of that over-time in putting one undercover bike cop on the street to start taking aggressive drivers off the road and perhaps begin a slow process of returning the roads to represent a reflection of the laws that exist. . . and if that means bicycles with insurance and licenses, bring it on, and i will swallow my libertarian streak.

to matt, to biking, to justice, to too much. . . sadly, the lesson of matt made me leave bicycling a long time ago. portland you depress me with a faux progressiveness packaged in capsule of sustainable righteousness that ignores the simplest tenets of equal rights that already exist. i better stop, i am clearly in need of some emotional traffic calming device that will bring some car in dangerous proximity to me the next time i get the courage to hop on a bike again.