🚨 Please note: BikePortland is currently on hiatus and only publishing guest articles. Learn more here. Thank you. - Jonathan 🙏
The blinking bike lights debate has taken a new turn in Portland.
Two readers have contacted us this week about a message painted in large red letters across roads in northwest Portland that reads: “Fuck you and your epileptic bike lights.”
Prepare to be depressed about the current state of civic relations here in America…
Remember our two recent reports about “rolling coal”? That’s when someone who owns a truck drives it close to another road user and then purposely spews a huge cloud of black exhaust fumes at them. We first reported about it after a man claimed he was a victim of it while riding near Mt. Tabor back in February. Rolling coal made our front page again last month when a truck driver did the same thing to a group of people riding bikes in Beaverton. In that case, one of the people on bikes turned out to be an off-duty Washington County Sheriff deputy who then pulled the driver over. (Note, we initially reported that it was a member of the Beaverton Bicycle Patrol Unit and have since learned that was incorrect.)
Fast-forward a few weeks and it seems “rolling coal” has broken through beyond YouTube videos and truck enthusiast forums and onto the major online news media. Stories this week on Talking Points Memo, Slate, Huffington Post, and other outlets have brought the behavior out of the shadows.
Few local nonprofits have changed more in the last few years than Oregon’s main walking advocacy group.
Since 2010, Oregon Walks has renamed itself, relocated its tiny office, passed most of its board seats to new volunteers and shifted its strategy away from direct oversight of local government and toward grant-funded partnerships with other community organizations.
When Executive Director Noel Mickelberry took the reins Monday morning, the group’s transition was complete. We caught up with Mickelberry, 26, as she prepared to start the 24-hour-a-week job to talk about the differences between walking and biking advocacy and the new vision she’s been hired to execute.
This evening out at Portland International Raceway, hundreds of people will converge for a special night of racing that marks the 10th anniversary of the Portland Short Track off-road racing series.
Sorry, this job has been filled. Browse more great jobs here.
Job Title
Full Time Bike Mechanic in Tigard, OR
Company/Organization
Santiam Bicycle
Job Description
Santiam Bicycle is hiring for our Tigard location a full time bike mechanic for the summer season (July-September) with potential to come back as permanent next spring or maybe sooner if your are that good.
We are a rider/trail builder owned shop, that sells and works on every type of bike with focus on mountain bikes because it’s what most of us love.
Qualifications:
• Ideal candidates should have 2-3 years experience as a bicycle mechanic or current certification, hydraulic brakes and suspensions knowledge a must, experience working on high end mountain bikes.
• Strong customer service skills.
• Basic computer literacy a must.
• Detailed component knowledge is required.
Duties will include but are not limited to:
Assisting customers by addressing and influencing their wants and needs.
Operating register and point of sale system.
Assisting with bike sales if need it.
Creating service repair special orders.
General cleaning.
Living the dream of working of bikes!
How to Apply
Please send resume and cover letter to:
Raul Atencio
raul@santiambicycle.com
Or bring a hard copy by the store: 9900 SW Hall Blvd, Tigard. OR
(Their will be NO walking in interviews, will call you if we like your resume)
This week’s news roundup is sponsored by Western Bikeworks who hopes to see you at the Seattle-to-Portland finish line on Saturday where you can pick up a souvenir t-shirt or score other deals.
Welcome back! We hope everyone enjoyed the long holiday weekend.
Check out the best bike links and news we came across this week:
Explaining bike brain: Portland Carl Alviani is making waves on the web this morning thanks to his thoughtful deconstruction of “why bikes make smart people say dumb things.”
Gas tax increase as our savior: As the federal transportation funding bill showdown gets more and more serious, there are hints that a gas tax increase might be on the table.
Build it and they ride: Speaking of running out of federal funding for transportation, a paltry $28 million in federal funds had a massive impact on bicycling conditions and mode share in Marin.
We hope you’re enjoying the long weekend. And how was the Fourth of July for everyone?
Interesting event happening next week down near Oakridge, Oregon. Our friends from the Central Oregon Trail Alliance are teaming with Sierra Club on trail access issues around Waldo Lake. This is notable because Sierra Club and mountain bike advocates have been on opposite sides of trail issues in the past. Also, I’ve got a reporting trip planned for Oakridge in August and the Waldo Lake loop is on my itinerary.
Check out the press release below for more details on Tuesday’s event…
TUESDAY, JULY 8: Sierra Club Executive Director, Central Oregon Trail Alliance Announce New Collaborative Effort to Protect the Ancient Forests at Waldo Lake.
As bike tourism matures throughout Oregon, its economic ripple effects are being felt in many interesting ways.
With more people seeking out the growing number of bike adventures being developed by both the public and private sector, transit providers are responding to meet a growing demand for car-free tourism. This demand is growing because for many people, having to drive a car to their riding destination is a major buzzkill, if not a deal-breaker altogether.
Fortunately, we’ve noticed a growing number of developments in bike/transit options that allow people to access destinations they could never (or don’t want to) reach by leg-power alone.
Back in October we shared an early look at the Oregon Department of Transportation’s plans to revamp several paths and roads just north of downtown Kenton. That project, what ODOT calls the OR 99W: N. Victory Boulevard to N. Argyle Street Improvement Project, is now fully designed and is set to begin construction this fall.
The Community Cycling Center’s commemoration if their 20th year just went to a whole new level. The beloved bike advocacy group announced today that Portland’s iconic Voodoo Doughnuts has created a special menu item in their honor: the bike doughnut.
Welcome to your menu of weekend rides and events, lovingly brought to you by our friends at Hopworks Urban Brewery.
What better way to celebrate America and freedom than riding bikes? And as luck would have it the weather is poised for perfection.
While many folks are still recovering from Pedalpalooza, there are some great organized rides on the schedule that will beckon you back out into the streets for more. Whether you just want to cruise with your American flag flying high or want to create some fireworks on the race course, check out the rides below before making your weekend plans…
‘Merica Portland Cruiser Ride — 7:00 pm at Apex (1216 SE Division)