through the crowd in one
of their bike cars.
-Slideshow below-
(Pho
I spent a few minutes checking out the scene outside the Oregon Convention Center this afternoon in advance of the arrival of President Obama. Obama is in town to pump up Democrats in a get out the vote effort for gubernatorial candidate John Kitzhaber.
In a funny twist, the temporary racks provided by the event planners sat about half empty, while railings, trees, and shrubs near the Convention Center had bikes locked all over them. I think people expected to not find any official parking, so they locked to whatever they could find. It also didn’t help that the temporary racks were behind two large lines and were not in plain sight to the arriving throngs.
Check out the bike parking, a cameo by Metro Council hopeful Bob Stacey, and a few other scenes from the event in the slideshow below…
If you attended the event, we’d love to hear about your experiences. Feel free to share them below!
What happened at the event? Are we going to have more CHANGE in our pockets?
“In a funny twist, the temporary racks provided by the event planners sat about half empty, while railings, trees, and shrubs near the Convention Center had bikes locked all over them. I think people expected to not find any official parking, so they locked to whatever they could find. It also didn’t help that the temporary racks were behind two large lines and were not in plain sight to the arriving throngs.”
Not a funny twist to me.
This is what happens when you don’t put bike parking in a visible place within 50 feet of the entrance. I call it the 50 feet rule.
http://www.stevevance.net/planning/bike-parking-phenomenon-a/
Thanks for noting the cameo of Metro President candidate Bob Stacey. Could you add some updated info on why cyclist and portlanders would want to support Bob this election?
It was my pleasure to see Bob, Karol Collymore, and John all sitting together at the Urban League Forum last month. Here’s hoping they all win.
#3 Steven: Even the entrances weren’t visible behind the throngs, let alone anything near them. I never saw the temporary bike parking. I walked down Oregon, was directed to the eastern/streetside line, and saw very little but backs for the next hour. (And ticket holders were to be able to get in starting at 3:30.) They actually wound the line for ticketed attendees around the building to the northernmost EXIT doors, and had us come through those. I’m not sure how they loaded the “RSVP”s, but they seemed to be moving in parallel. (And can someone tell me how a request to respond has become a noun?)
I think my soul is too wonkish to truly get into the (hoped for) spirit of a political rally. I don’t look at what they want us to look at (Did anyone else see several paramedics wheel a guy out on a stretcher? Right along the north side of the stage, but I think everyone was watching the screen), and I want more logic and less agenda. Do we need to be spurred into cheering for abortion rights? How about more support for preventing the need to make that choice with all that work we’re doing on health care? The practice of politics makes me grumpy. Occurs to me every time that to want to be a governor or president suggests a kind of personality that I hesitate to vote for. But the alternative is not voting, and then you’ve forfeited the right to complain.
God, this stuff makes me cranky.
I could not attend this rally, because I had a book bag full of gear that I normally cary on my bike commutes. I guess that’s the price one pays for being a cyclist.
I realize there were other factors at play in this situation (it being a convention center with a high profile visitor), but I wanted to point out the greater problem of bike parking and getting people to use the actual bike parking provided.
People who ride bikes are just as lazy as people who drive and walk, it seems, when it comes to “doing work.” Like water, we go (and do) where there’s the least resistance.
Check out what people who ride bikes to Whole Foods do:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jamesbondsv/4539955610/
As a bike commuter, it was impossible to not have my bike-bag with me so I couldn’t attend. I did ride by but never saw the blue bike racks.
i did not attend but was nearly right-hooked by someone who was obviously preoccupied with figuring out the detour they had to make. I hope the rest of it was more fun.
Dud’s a state hero. What’s Kitz claim to fame? Oh sure he’s a doctor, and really is a hero, but Dud can dunk. Obama should make some pledges for federal funds to buy our votes. Kitz doesn’t have a chance otherwise. I’m voting Przybilla or Oden(it’s not like he’s gonna be playing anytime soon). Przy’s cornered the bike voters.
I still would like someone to justify the carbon footprint of Air Force One stumping for state governors. Go ahead BikePortland.org, I know you’ll delete this comment. It’s hypocritical to tell me to turn down my thermostat, wear a sweater, and ride my bike, then fly a Boeing 747 around the country like a tour bus.
I wouldn’t say the temporary bike racks weren’t used. I got there at 3:30 and they were completely full (I had already locked my bike somewhere else though because I didn’t think to look for them). Perhaps as we have more large events like this with temporary bike parking folks will get used to it and look for it right away like we do at brew-fests and other typically bike-friendly events.