(Photos: Jay Hamlin)
A nightmare came true for 69-year-old Jay Hamlin while he was riding on the Springwater Corridor path Thursday afternoon. It’s the latest incident that illustrates the lawlessness of the popular linear park and the vulnerability of people who use it.
According to his own account (posted to Facebook) and a KATU-TV report, Jay was biking on the path near SE 128th when two men pushed him off his bike, violently assaulted him, then stole his bicycle. He told KATU the suspects were two young men in their late teens, “clean cut, and well-dressed. He does not believe they were homeless.”
Here’s how Jay described the incident:
While riding my bike on the Springwater Corridor I was pushed from my bike while traveling around 16 mph and flew head first down an embankment into some blackberry bushes. The perpetrators then grabbed my rear wheel and started pulling. My foot was wedged in the frame so they pulled me and the bike out of the bushes and about twenty feet down the Corridor. They finally eased up and I got my foot out and off they ran with my bike. I was stunned and bloodied but managed to call 911. Police and fire came and I made a report. Kathy came and picked me up and we went to the hospital. I have a severely sprained ankle and a neck sprain. I would of course like to recover my bike as it was a once in a lifetime bike for me. But moreover I would like these two cowards to be apprehended. It bothers me to no end to know these two are out there. I am hurt pretty good but it could have been so much worse. I would be very surprised if this is the first violent crime for these two and I am sure it will not be their last if they are not apprehended.
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“Jay is a wonderful man and an inspiration to many.”
— Jake von Duering, Dialed Cycling Team
Fortunately Jay is recovering after this horrific assault. He’s well-known in our community and is an active racer. His “once in a lifetime bike” is a carbon Colnago (as seen in the tweet above).
Dialed Cycling Team Director Jake von Duering has organized a GoFundMe campaign to help pay for Jay’s medical treatment and help replace bike his bike and gear. “Jay is a wonderful man and an inspiration to many,” van Duering wrote on the campaign page. “He is still actively pinning on a number to race his bike at 69 years young and we want to ensure that he can keep at it for years to come.”
Unfortunately, this is not the first time a Springwater path user has been assaulted.
In May 2017, Vincent Rodarte suffered a similar fate when he too was pushed from his bike and then had it stolen while riding on the Springwater near SE Tacoma and 32nd. And in 2016 a woman was assaulted while biking on the path in Gresham near SW Highland Drive.
This incident will likely convince even more people that bicycling on the Springwater is simply too scary and dangerous to justify. Reader Leslie Carlson shared via Twitter over the weekend that her teenaged stepdaughter was also the victim of an attempted assault two years ago. “Two males tried to push her off her bike as she rode past. Luckily they weren’t able to topple her and she got away. We rarely ride there now and only in groups.”
— Jonathan Maus: (503) 706-8804, @jonathan_maus on Twitter and jonathan@bikeportland.org
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Been following this story all weekend. It seems someone is riding his bike around not far from the incident as people have captured pictures and video. This person likely purchased it from the suspects and may be ignorant of its background. It would be nice closure to recover the bike and apprehend the suspects.
The victim ID’d the guy riding the bike as one of the people who attacked him.
So what’s the best way to proceed now if someone spots the bike?
Fiancée was uncomfortable with me riding Springwater this weekend so I avoided it. So yeah, it’s definitely having an effect. Similar to how most people avoid the 205 path at all costs. Sad.
Mean streets. Good luck to Jay. Shouldn’t be too hard to find his bike. But why dress in those silly-looking bike outfits? They seem to invite attacks from the disgruntled who need someone to lash out at.
He totally had it coming, based upon how he dressed.
I know you’re making a reference to people who dislike people who dress like the victim, but notice that–unlike you–all of them have the decency to keep quiet when the article is about someone who got viciously attacked. Shame on you.
Oops, I take that back. I see you were commenting on the inappropriateness of the guy who actually did bring up his outfit.
No problem! I know I’ve interpreted things incorrectly time to time as well.
LoLz… I guess I read this as sarcasm. I will try harder to take umbrage immediately
Portland is descending into a hellhole.
Ah… good old victim-blaming. He should be able to wear whatever he wants and not have to worry about being assaulted.
HOW HE WAS DRESSED??? BULLSHIT!!!! Mr. Hamlin, I have a bike repair business in Vancouver and would be happy to supply any labor needed to rehab your Colnago or assemble it’s replacement at no charge.
Because he wanted to
Gross and uncalled for.
Mike, you are BP’s most consistent character actor. There’s no way you’re this ridiculous in real life. Well played, well played.
This really sucks. When I lived in Portland I rode the Springwater almost every day and enjoyed it. I’m going to be in the area all week and it looks like I’ll be avoiding it now. I’m wishing a speedy recovery for Jay, and the return of his bike quickly.
Also, it’d be great to see some coverage of this hit & run that happened after the World Naked Bike Ride: https://www.kptv.com/news/vancouver-cyclist-looking-for-hit-and-run-driver-following-portland/article_64e82062-a43c-11e9-8e7d-2b1cbbb81b76.html
victim-blaming is not okay here.
*anywhere
Also, fancy bike, huh? Right? And probably had no business being out there at his age!
sheesh.
Looks like Jay shaves his legs too…you forgot to trash him for that, Mike. /snark
I wish you all the best, Jay, both in returning to full health as well as in the recovery of your beautiful bike!
This comment should be deleted.
I dunno, Mike. Maybe because he’s a member of a team and it makes him feel warm and fuzzy.
Or maybe it just feels more efficient and comfortable.
The bigger question is why someone would feel it’s appropriate to judge and attack him for his choice of attire, particularly in the immediate wake of his suffering an actual physical attack.
(hint: here’s where you apologize, maybe?)
Never blame the victims. EVER.
Not for their cycling attire, not for riding alone, and/or not for choosing to avoid once-popular cycling route out of fear.
Folks riding their bikes along the Springwater and 205 bikeways aren’t breaking any laws.
Folks camping out in the bushes and/or lurking along the path looking for someone to rob ARE breaking the law. They should be pursued vigorously by law enforcement.
It wasn’t all that long ago that I rode these bikeways happily, often alone, and without fear.
In the last five years I’ve had three different incidents of harassment and/or someone trying to push me off my bike as I rode past. Last year, someone tried to grab my bike from me as I slowed to pull off and use the restroom at 47th. (I screamed at him, grabbed my bike from his reach and rushed into the restroom with it, locked the door and waitied while he banged on the door angrily. He stopped, and I didn’t come out for half an hour.)
Until law enforcement steps up their presence along these and other bikeways, I and many others simply won’t ride these bikeways alone. Because it’s not safe and because there doesn’t seem to be the political or fiscal will to make it so.
If it bugs you, write to City Hall and keep bugging them until you get a response.
Ad don’t tell us that we’re the ones who need to take more self-defense courses, carry a weapon or “man up,” because that’s not helpful to the most vulnerable road users.
What is needed is stepped-up law enforcement, which seems to be lacking.
Mr. Hamlin, I have a bike repair business in Vancouver and would be happy to rehab your Colnago if it’s recovered or assemble it’s replacement at no labor cost. And, what is it about some people that think it’s odd that people riding bicycles wear clothing that is designed for people riding bicycles? I have been putting on cycling-specific clothing since Jimmy Page was in a band called the Yardbirds and still don’t get why that’s so weird.
Don’t hold your breath waiting for the Portland Police Bureau to increase surveillance of the trail. There is no rule of law in Portland anymore. I rode the trail regularly and not once saw a bicycle cop on the trail or evidence of law enforcement of any kind around even though there was an abundant evidence of syringes, human defecation and illegal camping. Now that I have advanced beyond 70 years of age myself, it is just too risky to venture onto Springwater Corridor unless in a group of four or more. Lets face it, Portland is not a safe community in which to live or recreate. Very sad!
I am trying to convince my wife to let me mount a scabbard near the stoker’s seat on our tandem, where she can keep a Bokken ( wooden sword, as she trained in Kendo as a girl in Hawaii). I figure it could come in handy next time we ride the Springwater if some of these miscreants show up. This makes me think that life at the fringes of modern society is becoming more feudal all the time. It is like the days in old England where you were at risk of being set upon by bandits if you traveled alone through the woodland.
Rather than “feudal”, I’ve been thinking of Portland as more like the Wild West. You want roads (or at least, potholes filled)? You want law enforcement? You want anything else that in a well-ordered municipality would be managed / provided by the city? Well, you better figure out how you can do it for yourself, because this is the frontier!
I grew up here and would gladly go back to the dark days of the 80s and 90s when the Governor hotel was boarded up for 10+ years and the economy was stalled.
that is next to my house. I’ve never actually seen sketchy behavior in this spot. we use this segment every day. very sorry for Jay
There’s a reason my partner and I don’t ride the Springwater anymore, and this incident highlights exactly why.
It used to be something we’d go ride for a fun weekend ride, low-stress and easy. Not any more, it’s too dangerous.
I hate that Hood to Coast uses it, we structure our team so the guys are the ones running Springwater because even with a crowd, it still doesn’t feel safe at all. I’d rather run by myself out in the middle of nowhere in the middle of the night, than run on the Springwater in a crowd during the day.
I’m afraid the Salmonberry trail will turn into the same thing– only worse, because it’s out of most cities’ jursidictions.
I believe HtC has had more issues out in Columbia County at night with crime than they have had on the Springwater sections.
HtC re-routed the course around a section of the Springwater a few years ago when the camps were at their high water mark. So I think they are aware of the issues and risks.
This is just so sad. When I moved into outer SE I wrote on my nextdoor account that the things I loved most about my neighborhood were access to the multi-use paths (Springwater and 205) and affordable housing. Now they’re all gone! I’ve run (often with a stroller) and rolled on this section of path hundreds of times, and it’s just such a shame.
This is extremely disturbing. All the accounts of assaults along “bike paths” (ha!) are extremely disturbing. I use a similar path on my commute, and if it became overrun with bad actors lurking in wait to assault and rob folks—to the point I no longer felt safe using it—I would have no real viable route into town.
Bicyclists using roadways are subject to vehicular threats/menacing/assault, and the, ahem, “official” response usually seems to be “watchagonnado?” unless there is incontrovertible, crystal-clear video evidence or multiple witness statements that are all in agreement and have no way they can be twisted to blame the victim. Oftentimes, the response is generally along the lines of “you should really find a ‘quieter’ route; you know, there’s a ‘greenway’ just three blocks over…”
But now, on what should be highly useful non-motorized (“quieter”) pathways, there is an ever-increasing “presence” that puts bicyclists at risk of threats/menacing/assault by certain afflicted individuals, housed or not, such that those paths/routes are rendered unsafe/useless to those they were originally designed to serve. It also seems that the “official” response here is, “*sigh* (or *eyeroll*, if you prefer) whattayagonnado?!” There are quarterly or semi-annual “round-ups”, that make things safer for a few hours, but no ongoing presence to maintain a safe travel way.
Further compounding an already nearly unbearably frustrating situation is that such things only serve to provide more evidence that riding a bike is dangerous, and the only rational way to transport oneself is in an armored vehicle. It reinforces the notion that, hey, if you don’t have the good sense to protect yourself, don’t expect somebody else to do it—why’n’cha’ just drive a car like normal people?
It appears more and more as though the gravity of this rapidly-forming black hole will soon be inescapable—much to the delight of happy-motoring aficionados that already think those uppity bicyclists are nothing more then flies in the ointment, disrupting smooth travel and whining about “safety”.
I’m disappointed that it took literally nine years for BP to finally come around to what I was saying was already a big problem for people in marginalized communities over a decade ago. Better late than never.
Really feels like Portland hit 1999 and was like, “Well, this is the best we can do, and it can’t possibly get worse” and proceeded to coast for the next 20 years while other cities started doing some forward things like put sidewalks on cycleways and make the cycleways inviting for people to use instead of a minimum token effort and calling it fixed forever.
…but, you know; if you were important you’d be in a car…? /s
Just know that when you’re asked to vote for Mayor next year, Sarah Iannarone, has consistently made excuses for allowing gangs from the illegal camps along the trail to become entrenched and emboldened… Don’t take my word, just take a look at her own fb page and twitter (not her sanitized “Vote for Me for Portland Commissioner”)
“[Hamlin] told KATU the suspects were two young men in their late teens, “clean cut, and well-dressed. He does not believe they were homeless.”
I do not condone violence in any form. The roving bands of bad actors/criminals along the Springwater Corridor are as much a threat (if not more) to the health and safety of people experiencing homelessness as they are to housed people who also use the corridor. Lumping all homeless people into the category “criminal” does a disservice to us all; the fact is, we should be focused on arresting and prosecuting the people who are committing crimes (housed or unhoused) and protecting people who do not commit crimes (housed or unhoused). I have not wavered from this position, nor will I.
If you’re going to talk about me in the third person, I request that you please take care to accurately represent my views.
Ms. Iannarone, it’s great that you have time to monitor your social media reputation, but what are you planning to do about the actual problem? The fact that we can no longer use the Springwater or 205 paths for transportation or recreation needs to be taken seriously by local government. This isn’t just a bike thing – it’s a huge blow to Portland’s general liveability, not to mention civic pride.
It is easy to abhor violence but ignore other crimes. What about bike theft without assault? It is common knowledge that multitudes of homeless are bike thieves. What about graffiti? Wall on both public and private property all over town are increasingly vandalized by self styled Banksy’s (or just plain vandals who are camping beside their taggings) What about threats to public health such as washing one’s nethers in a Benson Bubbler? You can be against violence and still enable the squalid and criminal conditions that comprise current Portland.
Sarah… I would be happy if you could do something about the lovely piles of human feces and urine in the doorway when I arrive to work… every, freakin, day – even though there’s a public restroom two blocks up the street. I would love to be able to walk out the front door and not encounter someone violently yelling at a tree, shooting up, pissing into a garbage can, kneeling over the curb to leave a crap on the street, wielding a machete at people before cutting himself up, or have to see the woman who constantly sits on the fence with her knickers down while she pisses all over everything. I would be fine with you doing something about the garbage that is left in piles every day on the sidewalks, in the parks, in the streets. And the overwhelming amount of “street diamonds” from smashed car windows that litter the streets is really unfortunate. I would be thankful if you could take down the fencing that surrounds some of our parks. The fact that this is how you deal with homelessness says a lot. It’s like someone using duct tape to patch a hole in a boat. I would be thankful if you could turn our park fountains back on instead of letting homeless camps use them as places to live and pile up mounds of garbage that goes unchecked. Honestly, I could go on and on about the daily encounters and seeings I deal with living and working in this city. You’re right, not everyone who is homeless is a criminal, but there’s something happening that my local government is ignoring and it’s incredibly frustrating. Minimal police presence and little no consequences for criminal offenses all make for a tough environment to live in. In talking with several officers I know they are overwhelmed and understaffed, and have been told “hands off” when it comes to the homeless. Bottom line, all of this crap (no pun intended) needs to change or I see things and worse getting way, way out of hand, and then trying to get it under control will be near impossible.
The only way this is going to get better is if there’s massive involvement from the community, the problem is too big for government to solve alone. Protests, garbage clean ups, lobbying government, and voting in taxes that go to drug treatment and affordable housing — are some of the quick ways that I can think of that will put a dent in our tent problem. Right now, this is what happening: police are understaffed, DHS is overworked, housing is limited, mental health funding is lacking.
We can’t seem to get ahead of the problem.
We want to be compassionate but we don’t want to enable. We want affordable housing for people but we don’t want to pay for it. We want people to not camp, but the courts say they can if there’s no where to move along to. We don’t want people to litter, but we can’t prosecute people who litter wen they never leave their sites. We can’t tow cars that people never leave. We can’t put out porta potties because people will abuse them and attract others. Put up fencing and people cut through it, put boulders down and people build on them. Arrest someone and they get out the same days, drug charges have been dropped to misdemeanors, beer and soda cans have become fund tools, people access ER for healthcare, you can easily get food stamps.
I hope someone can show me a positive side of things…
And then there is this:
https://www.oregonlive.com/portland/2018/01/portland_activist_finds_himsel.html
@anubus, can you provide links?
I did take a look at @SarahIannarone on twitter. The tweets there are protected, so I can’t see them. The account message on the home page for the account on twitter says, “I’m migrating this account. You can follow me in the future at @sarahforpdx ”
I was able to find a facebook account for “Sarah Iannarone for Portland”
But I was not able to find a plain Sarah Iannarone account on Facebook.
I have been and will remain very outspoken with my views on social media and in the press. I migrated my personal twitter account in 2015 to @sarahforpdx and regularly engage in frank discussions about my policy positions there. It is far from sanitized and I plan to maintain a presence there throughout my campaign. You can find my campaign on IG and FB at @sarahforpdx, Twitter @sarah2020, and on the web at sarah2020.com. I am also happy to answer questions anytime via sarah@sarah2020.com— feel free to reach out with questions or concerns.
I’m glad, Sarah, that you plan to be outspoken about your views, but I echo other commenters who want to hear about your concrete plans. You will, for starters, put police on bikes to patrol the places people ride, like Springwater and the I-205 path? Will you give police the resources and the backing to enforce the laws against camping along the paths? When people set up camps on paths and actually block paths, will you back police to remove those camps? Or will you send us long screeds about the plight of the “houseless”? Those are the things I want to hear your specific plans for. Like most cyclists, I feel abandoned by law enforcement when I get on my bike and ride on paths that should be idyllic but now feel unsafe. And like many Portlanders, I’m growing weary of politicians who have lots of elevated rhetoric but can’t deliver basic services to taxpayers.
You have been asked a number of times for your plans or opinions on this issue..
Your defection speaks volumes…
I will look for another candidate.
Yup. She googled her name, came here to plug her campaign and request we not talk shit about her, and then peaced out with nary a constructive comment about the serious discussion at hand, nor even a word of sympathy for the victim. I wish I could say I’m disappointed, but this kind of behavior is sadly par for the course for politicians of all stripes these days.
The usual compassion-shaming strategy…
She’s sounds more and more like Wheeler 2.0 everyday. So…if you’re happy with the current death spiral of PDX, then by all means get on that Sarah2020 bandwagon.
She’s also an ANTIFA supporter. I did not think there was anyone who could make Wheeler look better by comparison.
You’d rather have a Proud Boys supporter?
Is is common to not support antifa AND proud boys–it is not a either or.
Sarah’s likely to get my vote because she’s got a good perspective on bikes/transportation, but isn’t single-issue and also has a good understanding of homelessness. These issues are difficult but I want a mayor who will be fair to all disadvantaged people.
Don’t forget the East Bank Esplanade as well. I carry pepper spray easily accessible on my commute.
The East Bank Esplanade, where tourists ride those 4-person surreys! Granted the city has washed its hands of the Springwater Corridor, I still can’t believe there’s no effort made to maintain safety on the waterfront.
This is exactly why I’ve all but quit riding the Springwater Corridor except in a group. I never thought I’d say this, but I’m starting to think that I need to acquire a gun to ride my bike in Portland.
No. Come on.
Would you have shot and killed these young men in this situation?
You do you, but I’ve been attacked a few times on a bike path near my home in Eugene and for me a gun would have just made things much worse. One assailant, currently doing seven years in state prison for two other armed robberies, including a candy store on Halloween, had a knife and jumped out of the bushes; I saw him enter them and thus was able to simply outrun (outride) him. A gun wouldn’t have helped since in the time it would have taken to get it out I would have lost the opportunity to use self-defense tool #1: run away.
The second attack came as a slight surprise as a very large man who was just walking down the path suddenly lunged at our tandem. We once again sprinted away and once again any delay caused by grabbing a gun would have lost us that opportunity to avoid damage. Other attacks were more minor or were aborted when the would-be assailants realized I wasn’t intimidated in the least.
Like I said, you do you, but please think this thing through before you resort to arming yourself. Will it really make you safer? Do you really trust your emotional state in all circumstances? There’s no putting the slug back in once it’s out.
An attack like this one a firearm would have only been stolen along with the bike. Being pushed over into blackberrys (I don’t underestimate the criminals may have chosen the location well) would leave you so dazed that a firearm on your body would not be quickly drawn, or worse, the firearm in a bag on the bike would put a firearm into the hands of violent criminals. Even pepper spray in this situation would have been difficult to effectively use. One more point about carrying a firearm: they require practice and thought of what situations to actually discharge the weapon. If I were head downhill, in blackberrys, firearm drawn, pointing uphill at my assailants, I would NOT shoot for consideration of missing and hitting others on the path or the bullet flying up and out in the wild blue yonder.
I was planning a lovely group bike ride next weekend on the Springwater, and will now be cancelling it for safety reasons. :/
What happened to Jay is certainly an upsetting incident. But thinking along the lines of risk mitigation, if you hear about a fatal car crash, are you also going to cancel your next drive?
More and more so, I do.
To be honest I avoid driving on Marine Drive whenever possible for exactly this reason, it like the Springwater is dangerous enough that I look for other safer routes.
This sucks, racing against Jay is fun and to see this happen to someone I compete with makes my blood boil. I don’t expect any facet of PDX govt to help, they don’t give a real crap about cycling but I guess that’s what we already know.
Here’s another incident along the Springwater that I encountered last August.
I was riding into Portland from Gresham when I met a guy from Estacada who was walking east. He told me he had just stopped to pee in the bushes by Powell Butte (right around SE 138th) and a homeless guy stole his bike. He knew the guy was homeless because the thief left his sleeping bag and clothes in order to make a clean escape with the bike. He told me that he had reported the theft with the police and was carrying a bag with the clothes and sleeping bag. I’m wondering if the police have some good statistics on similar incidents along the Springwater?
the picture of this poor unfortunate SENIOR CITIZEN bloody and battered infuriates and nauseates me,
I am literally on fire with rage on his behalf.
This indiscriminate Wild West mentality that is allowed to run roughshod over us all has got to be stopped!!
For the love of God, so horribly reprehensible, i simply cannot abide!
I rode the 205 path yesterday up to Gateway Green. I wasn’t ever afraid, but it is extremely depressing to see the conditions people are living in on that path and elsewhere around town. Like up by PIR the camps are pretty big.
Would folks support taking an underused and money losing golf course, owned by the city, and turn it into a safe place for camping?
Specifically the Colwood Golf Course, owned by the city, is loosing money. If we turned it over to housing agencies, or a non-profit, put in showers, laundry and security patrols we could have a place for people to camp that would be secure and more sanitary. It would also free up money to adequately maintain the city’s 4 other golf courses.
What say ye, my fellow cyclists?
So sad for this man, and sad for all of us who used to enjoy this great resource. But rest assured city “leaders” will continue to keep their head in the sand when it comes to vagrancy and our quality of life. As long as developers are lining pockets, all is well is Portlandia.
Toby, I don’t think vagrancy is the issue here as much as some may seemingly want it to be. The article specifically says he attackers most likely weren’t homeless.
Vagrancy is 100% the reason more and more people are reluctant to use MUPs like the Springwater and the I-205. Ok maybe this particular case is unrelated, but myself and many others have experienced violence or the threat of violence from individuals who were clearly calling the paths home.
If “this particular case is unrelated”, then it sounds like vagrancy is not “100% the reason more and more people are reluctant to use MUPs”.
I’m not trying to downplay the growing conflict between path users and encampments, but I think it’s important to be clear and accurate in our language. It makes me uncomfortable that every time I read about a property crime or assault these days – whether on bikeportland or elsewhere – it seems the conversation is immediately hijacked in favor of turning the spotlight on the homeless hordes who are apparently to blame for ruining everything in Portland.
You should expect clarity or accuracy from Toby.
Ah you’re so right dude. My apologies I sure didn’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings. Let’s call it 98%.
I’ll support a lot of things, including more taxes for housing and services if it’s accompanied by enforcement. Might be surprised how much support for housing and services will grow if it comes with visible progress on encampments.
We need designated camping zones with services provided. If an individual is found camping outside a zone, they can have the option to move to a nearby zone or go to jail. Either option should provide a plethora of social services.
Turn a golf course into a campground? Surely you’re suggesting one that you live next to. I’m not far from one and certainly don’t want the already waning liveability of the area to further deteriorate.
Welcome to Portland. Guess that’s what it takes for Portland Police to take a report instead of just telling you “don’t be gay then” or “nobody got hurt so it’s not really worth our time”.
This is so depressing. I feel horribly that Mr. Hamlin had to endure this.
After the woman was raped along the trail in 2017 I stopped riding it. As a woman myself, previously I felt mostly safe doing my 40 miles solo rides out to Boring and back and I really miss those rides. I keep thinking I’d like to give it a try again….but nope. I’m just going to put this out of my mind completely. It’s obvious that for the sake of my safety, this path is 100% useless to me. This city has done little to curtail the deviant behavior along this and many other paths, and I don’t see this changing. Even my short daily jaunt under the train tracks along Powell is oftentimes jarring. One Monday a few weeks back it was completely blocked by campsites, garbage, and a ton of broken glass. I called police non-emergency and they were unwilling to help. The rest of the week I took a longer route to work because I was afraid of what I might encounter on the path.
More and more I do not want to live in Portland. It’s not just because of this, this is just one of the many crappy things we seem to be stuck living with anymore. This is the new normal and I don’t like it.
I agree, it’s very depressing. We called it quits on pdx three years ago — one of our top 3 reasons was crime/feeling unsafe. IMO – It’s definitely the new normal for portland, unless the voters and politicians decide to 1) make it homeless-unfriendly (they won’t) and 2) allow cops and courts seriously crack down/punish for even petty crime (they won’t in a million years). After 1 & 2, housing the law-abiding/homeless-who-want-to-get-out-of-poverty homeless would be a great idea.
“make it homeless-unfriendly”
Once more a lot of vengefulness here in the comments. Hard to know what to make of that, how to respond. Do you really think that homeless folks exist in our midst for lack of homeless-unfriendliness?! That homeless-unfriendliness would cause them to disappear?
Spoiler alert: It doesn’t.
Taxing vacant residential properties exorbitantly and counting airbnb rentals as vacant would do more for the homeless than making the city more hostile than it already is.
This sad incident and just about about everything else involving the Springwater is fueled by drugs. I doubt these guys stole the bike to pay rent…
Oh come on Matt you should know by now everything wrong in Portland can be blamed on a “housing crisis”.
The vagrancy is contributing to a sense of lawlessness but so is an anomolous viwpoint of City workers: coming from a certain, call it “Portlandia” viewpoint. In a couple dealings I’ve had with city workers over the years discussing lawless and scary driving East of 82nd, where I was told “and maybe even enforcement” was on the table but posting lawn signs to drive slow was the main approach, I beleive the city thinks “education” is the solution. It works for those who feel invested in the community. But marginalized communities like homeless and young men of color are causing a huge increase in crime in East Portland. They don’t respond to the “Portland should” that motivates so many of our shame fearing Portlandia types. We need enforcement for people who don’t give a crap about the social compact, which breaks down anyway when things begin to feel lawless. I used to care about peeing in public l, now I don’t, if things keep up like this I may start emptying my trash onto the street like everyone else does too. Portland needs to wake up and realize it’s citizens aren’t all latte sipping do-gooders who self-police.
This assault and theft is terrible. So is the death toll on our streets.
Of course, police enforcement and any other appropriate should be used to make the Springwater safe and welcoming to all. But even after the news of this assault, I still feel safer riding on the Springwater than I do on city streets, where I regularly have to avoid careless or aggressive/malicious drivers.
It’d be wonderful to feel safe everywhere, all the time… but it’s unreasonable to demand perfection from our trails, while accepting daily, deadly mayhem on our streets.
“it’s unreasonable to demand perfection from our trails, while accepting daily, deadly mayhem on our streets.”
Imperfection = chaotic “shared use”, cracked pavement, gravel sections, etc.—not multiple cases of menacing, assault, and “bikejacking”.
I don’t think anyone is demanding “perfection”, just reasonable management of criminal elements (note that the last two high-profile cases of criminal violence—the 205 tripwire incident, and the one under discussion here—were apparently perpetrated by “criminal elements” that were not from the homeless population) that seem to concentrate around trails like this.
I was not up on the assault on the East Springwater trail that happened Monday. On Wednesday I decided to ride and choice the East trail. As I was coming back towards Portland, I was close lined next to the bridge near Johnson Creek. I crashed hard. Major head injury and major road rash. Two women were walking their dogs came to my rescue. They call 911 and off I went by ambulance to OHSU. My fault for now keeping up with whats going on in the news.
I ride a very expensive bike and I’m 72 years old, like him. Bad day on the bike. Be very care of the part of Portland. My photos are very much like his.
I ain’t buyin’ it! There are no other witnesses? What if this guy is lying? Why does he need money from people for medical stuff? Does he not have insurance?
Alternative narrative: Smart Alec runs his mouth at a couple of strangers, and gets his hat handed to him for his troubles.
Or: single vehicle accident and he’s just embarrassed.
Or: he needs a lot of attention.
Anyway, now I have to deal with, yet, more Pinkerton Men hired by the Oregon Democrat Progressive Liberal Church when I ride the corridor. Ya, thanks for that.
Vance!
Another crime committed by housed people and another bike portland thread full of hate directed at houseless folk.
In the past two city council elections candidate(s) who supported a crackdown on houseless folk were resoundingly defeated and candidates who support housing rights were elected.
Has it ever occurred to anti-houseless bike portland commenters that Portland voters disagree with your “sweep them up” and “lock them up” bigotry?
And to all the cycling advocates and enthusiasts who are silent in the face of this kind of prejudice in your spaces, I can assure you that many politically active individuals have taken notice.
The most vulnerable people in transit around Portland are women, do you not agree?
Since a lot of women have expressed that they do not feel comfortable riding or walking on public trails in this city because of homeless or houseless or whatever you want to call the campers, who exactly are you constantly trying to defend here?
I think we should be looking out for the most vulnerable citizens in our society.
You do not agree.
“You do not agree.”
According to city statistics:
30% of houseless folk are women.
39% of houseless folk are people of color
57% of houseless folk are disabled
10% of houseless folk are children under the age of 18
19% of houseless folk are older than 55
https://www.portlandoregon.gov/toolkit/article/562207
I fiercely disagree with the idea that we have to pit the safety of women against the safety of other vulnerable classes.
The fact that you are dismissive of the vulnerable status of most houseless folk and falsely claim that this means that I do not care about the safety of women speaks to your unwillingness to engage on this issue in good faith. (This kind of divisive rhetoric is reminiscent of that being used nationally.)
Very sad news. Many cyclists save their money for their “dream” bike. I hope he gets it back and in one piece.
It is terrible to hear how unsafe the Springwater Corridor has become. I stopped riding the corridor a few years ago when people were literally camped on the path (near 205) and it was difficult for me to get around them. I felt vulnerable and uneasy. It’s not worth the risk.
That path is for EVERYONE but in recent years portions of it have become unsafe and a place where criminal activity occurs. I am not sure what the solution is but I am fairly certain Portland’s City Council feels it’s not worth solving. Cyclists/Recreation-ists are very low on the list to receive protection….
Are you saying that out of ridiculous political-correctness? That was the sleazy THIEF himself! He didn’t have time to sell it when that video was taken.
***PORTION OF COMMENT DELETED BY MODERATORS BECAUSE IT WAS RACIALLY INSENSITIVE. User Jack C. has been placed on automatic moderation list***
I am moderated here, cannot post timely comments and Jack C gets this published?
BTW, Jack, this would be a timely comment in 1950’s Mississippi….Thanks for letting us know you all are still out there if anyone had any doubts.
Someone “liked” this?
Whether or not these particular crooks were housed, many people you call “houseless” are also people without a conscience, e.g. desperate druggies. We don’t have time to learn their sad histories before making a quick judgment about keeping a safe distance from them.
That bike rider should have trusted his basic instincts and never turned his back on them. I sure don’t, ***PORTION OF COMMENT DELETED BY MODERATORS BECAUSE IT WAS RACIALLY INSENSITIVE. User Jack C. has been placed on automatic moderation list*** You have to be in “code orange” mode on many stretches of the Springwater trail.
Jack C– guessing you are some kind of N. European-descended white person (something you share with almost all of the sketchy looking, possible drugged, possibly criminal people that might be seen on the Springwater.) Thanks for adding serious weight to the stereotype of white people being afraid of black people.
What am I? I’m the kind of person who doesn’t like being flashlighted when I’m minding my own business in a park. Guess that equals thug.
Maybe those guys didn’t see the sign that said Sellwood was white.
Hi Jonathan,
Any follow up on this? I ride it daily and believe I was followed today by a potential ner de well from Powell to Harold south on 131 then down to 128th, he was with me as I turned onto 128 then turned around and went back the way we came, weird.
I have seen no enforcement whatsoever that was promised.