Month: October 2012

Ask BikePortland: Should I report road rage or should I just let it go?

Bike lane in action

When the going gets tough,
you should call the police.
(Photo © J. Maus/BikePortland)

Today’s installment of Ask BikePortland deals with a problem I wish wasn’t so common. More often than I’d like to report, I get emails from people who have been harassed by someone driving a car. And many of them wonder the same thing: “Should I report it?”

Reader Eugene G. said he was “just an average bike commuter going to work” yesterday morning when someone cut a curve too close and veered into the bike lane. When they met at a red light a few blocks later, things got ugly.

Here’s more from Eugene’s email:

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Black Crossroads Specialized 1997

Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward

Year: 1997
Brand: Crossroads
Model: Specialized
Color:Black
Size:20
Serial:M7BJ26296
Stolen in Portland, OR 97209
Stolen:2012-10-19
Stolen From: Metropolitan Apartments, 2081 NW Everett Street
Neighborhood: Alphabet District
Owner: Scott Soukup
OwnerEmail: ssoukup@uoregon.edu
Description: The bike has a round mirror attached to the left handlebar, and has hardware for attaching front and rear lights, and an attachment for holding a U-lock on the frame.
Police record with: Portland PD
Police reference#: 12-156563
This registrant has documented proof of ownership of this bike

BTA hears top project ideas for ‘Blueprint’ effort

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BTA Blueprint meeting at City Hall-3

Steve Hoyt-McBeth jots down his group’s ideas
at yesterday’s event in City Hall.
(Photos © J. Maus/BikePortland)

At City Hall during the lunch hour yesterday, the Bicycle Transportation Alliance (BTA) enlisted the help of Portland’s brightest biking minds to prioritize the “world-class bikeways” that will act as the organization’s ‘Blueprint‘ for the future.

The event was hosted by the City of Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) as part of their monthly “Bicycle Brown Bag” discussion series. Around 40 people showed up for the participatory discussion (10 of which were women, if you’re counting). BTA Executive Director Rob Sadowsky and Advocacy Director Gerik Kransky opened the event by offering some historical context.

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As more ‘street seats’ pop up, thoughts about access impacts

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20121019-IMG_4351-2

New ‘street seat’ on Mississippi Ave makes
a future bikeway hard(er) to envision.
(Photos © J. Maus/BikePortland)

Two new ‘street seats’ installations have popped up around Portland recently. The City of Portland program allows cafe owners to pay for a permit (along with other fees) and then install a patio seating structure in the street. Instead of car parking, businesses get more human parking, expand their dining footprint, and (potentially) expand their revenue.

The other day I noticed one on NW Everett between 10th and 11th (outside Oven & Shaker pizza joint) and on N Mississippi north of Fremont (in front of Mississippi Pizza Pub).

The Oven & Shaker installation is pretty minimal at this point, with just the wooden structure and side railings.

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purple/gray Koga Miyata World Traveler 2002

Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward

Year: 2002
Brand: Koga Miyata
Model: World Traveler
Color:purple/gray
Size:50cm
Serial: U010420
Stolen in Salem, OR 97305
Stolen:2012-09-6
Stolen From: Backyard, 4754 Ravine Ct. NE Salem, OR 97305
Neighborhood: NE Salem
Owner: Steven Esses
OwnerEmail: steveesses( atsign )gmail.com
Reward: $100
Description: Kryptonite locking wheel/seat skewers, Jannd Expedition F&R racks, L Jannd Mt. Expedition pack, SRAM 9 R derailleur and mtn. shifters/brake levers, asst. decals, Specialized saddle, SKS fenders
Police record with: Salem PD
Police reference#: 12035833
This registrant has documented proof of ownership of this bike

Red/Black/White Redline Conquest PRO 2011

Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward

Year: 2011
Brand: Redline
Model: Conquest PRO
Color:Red/Black/White
Size:54 cm
Stolen in Portland, OR
Stolen:2012-10-19
Stolen From: House near SE 72nd and SE Duke.
Owner: Robert Grunau
OwnerEmail: robertgrunau(at sign)gmail.com
Description: 54cm Redline conquest PRO. Black/White/Red. Sram rival front and rear derailleurs. Sram Red levers/shifters. Zipp Bar (traditional bend) and stem. Thomson seat post, Fizik Aliante saddle, Candy pedals. Wheels are A23s (32spoke) with Ultegra hubs. FSA cranks
This registrant does not have proof of ownership of this bike

Red Trek 2006

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Year: 2006
Brand: Trek
Color:Red
Size:big!
Stolen in Portland, OR 97232
Stolen:2012-10-17
Stolen From: Stolen from 28th and Glisan, in front of Dove Vivi pizza and across the street from Plaid Pantry.
Neighborhood: Kerns
Owner: Memry Hamik
OwnerEmail: memryhamik(A T)gmail.com
Reward: yes!
Description: it’s a large red Trek with road wheels, metal baskets, and black fenders.
This registrant has documented proof of ownership of this bike

Citizens chase down thief to recover stolen cargo trike

Stolen, then re-united with its owner.
(Photo: Tanya Barham)

A distinctive trike that was stolen on Tuesday is now back in hands of its owner.

Buckman neighborhood resident Tanya Barham imported the Christiania trike from Denmark in 2006. When it was stolen from outside of a building at East Burnside and 8th, thieves not only got an expensive and rare cargo bike, they also took her only form of transportation. Tanya doesn’t own a car and she uses the bike to get to work and to take her daughter to school. Hoping to get it back, she quickly posted the information to Craigslist and listed it on BikePortland. Her many friends in Portland also spread the word through social networks.

Just before noon today, Tanya shared that the bike had been recovered. “Several people who saw my postings on Craigslist, saw a man riding the bike down 39th near Woodstock. Two men chased the perp and others phoned in the sighting. The police apprehended the man and the bike is back.”

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New documentary shows mayoral candidate Hales as Critical Mass supporter

Hales being interviewed in 2010 for
a documentary about Critical Mass.

Charlie Hales, the leading candidate for Portland mayor, rode undercover on Critical Mass during his previous tenure as a city council member. People who were on the 2001 ride say his presence — and his testimony about it that ran counter to the version being told by the Portland Police Bureau — had a major impact on how participants were treated. The story of Hales’ involvement with the ride is part of a forthcoming documentary called Aftermass by local filmmaker Joe Biel.

Hales served as Transportation Commissioner during his stint on Portland City Council from 1993 to 2002.

Biel released an unfinished clip today that features an interview with Hales from August 2010 (when Hales was already considering a mayoral run) where he speaks about his decision to join the Critical Mass ride. “I wanted to see how people were being treated,” he said.

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Parks yet to begin repairs of eroded Springwater Corridor path

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Damage to Springwater path-3

Still not fixed.
(Photo © J. Maus/BikePortland)

As we enter the rainy season, a 100-foot section of the Springwater Corridor Trail that eroded away back in March, remains closed. So far, Portland Parks & Recreation has not begun work to shore up the Willamette riverbank below or repair the path; but yesterday, spokesman Mark Ross said we can expect a fix by the end of the year.

The impacted section of the path is a very busy section about one mile south of OMSI. The path is only about 10-12 feet wide in that section and the damage (referred to as a “trail failure”) has resulted in about half of it being closed. That leaves only one, relatively narrow lane that serves a significant amount of two-way walking and bicycling traffic.

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Local builder roundup: A carbon ‘cross collaboration and a new builder

Bike maker Joshua Bryant.
(Self portrait)

Welcome to the latest edition of our local builder roundup. With such a thriving crop of bike makers here in Portland, there’s always news to share about what they’re up to. Today we’ll share more on the continuing carbon influx and a new, emerging builder.

——

Introducing Joshua Bryant of Cycles J Bryant
In the last roundup we said goodbye to Mitch Pryor and his classicly-styled randonneuring bikes.

Today we introduce you to a new builder in a similar vein, Joshua Bryant (in a recent interview, Joshua actually named Pryor as one of his influences).

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Latest Headlines

Building tenants cry foul at planned bike lanes that would replace car parking

Bill moves forward despite concerns over Safe Routes and rail program funding

Sarah Iannarone steps down as leader of The Street Trust

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From the Archives

With six kids and no car, this mom does it all by bike