Last Saturday the Westside Critical Mass ride was pulled over by Hillsboro Police Department officers. The group of about 15-20 riders was headed westbound on East Main Street between NE 6th and 7th. Participants in the ride believe the stop was unnecessary and have filed a complaint with Hillsboro PD.
To learn more, I spoke with Washington County cycling advocate the Westside Critical Mass organizer Rob Lewis. Lewis volunteers with Ride Westside and he’s the founder of the Westside Bike Happy Hour. Lewis wasn’t on the ride, but as a leader in that community he’s spoken to a number of folks who were there.
“From what I hear, the police were a bit aggressive and came in kind of hotheaded,” Lewis shared with me Thursday. Thankfully, he added, the ride leaders handled the interaction well and were able to deescalate the situation. How? They were calm and prepared.
“The ride leaders politely explained that the group was riding lawfully. They referenced the legal rules, which they carry as a sticker on their bike just for quick reference,” Lewis explained. “They were able to pretty much flip the script on the cops and they actually collected the business cards of two officers involved and then filed a complaint with the Hillsboro PD.”
I also heard from a rider named Don, who was on the ride and interacted with the officers. He told me the officers behavior was, “Pretty condescending.” “I could tell his only motivation was to extract us from the roadway — he was very adamant that we pull off the road. He had the typical holier than thou attitude and told us we were not allowed to block traffic, which I told him was incorrect.” Don told the officers they had no right to stop the group.
Don told me he worried the officer might escalate the situation and could tell he “didn’t appreciate my attitude” so Don stayed quiet after the initial exchange and eventually the officer let them go.
Westside Critical Mass began this year and was on its fifth ride. Initial turnout was about 50 people, but the ride last Saturday was less than half that size. Lewis says the group was near the end of a 10-mile route from Beaverton to Hillsboro. E Main St, where they were pulled over, is a relatively small road with two general travel lanes and parking lanes on each side. There’s no bike lane, so there’s no other place where the riders could have gone. It’s a very clear-cut example of when it’s perfectly legal for bicycle riders to use the full lane.
Lewis believes the officers just wanted to harass the group. “As soon as the cops realized they were in over their head and the riders knew the law better than themselves, their tone changed,” he shared. “They were immediately like, ‘Oh, well we’re here to make sure you guys are riding safely and, you know, we’re looking out for you.'”
“We just want to show the show that the West Side community is full of cyclists and that we deserve safe infrastructure.”
– Rob Lewis, Ride Westside
Unlike the huge crowds and tense police interactions that characterized Portland’s Critical Mass back in its heyday, the Westside Critical Mass has always had more of a fun, party vibe (its official name is the Westside Critical Mass Party Ride). Lewis said a mix of folks show up: They’ve had high schoolers, folks in their 50s and 60s, and a wide range of bikes — from singlespeeds to family cargo bikes. The goal of the ride is as much about building community and spreading the joy of cycling as it is about pushing for political change. They usually meet at a bike shop where the owner hands out free coffee and donuts.
“We just want to show the show that the West Side community is full of cyclists and that we deserve safe infrastructure,” Lewis said.
As for the police, Don said he spoke to a HPD sergeant (who “seemed receptive”) and let them know more education of officers is needed.
Westside Critical Mass is about having a good time riding bikes. The ride follows a loud speaker playing music carried in a cargo trailer. Don is glad the encounter with police didn’t turn out worse. But, he added, “The whole encounter put a damper on the enjoyment that the group has felt up until that point.”
— Get plugged into all things cycling in Washington County at Westside Bike Happy. It meets at BG’s Food Cartel just steps from the Beaverton Central MAX stop every second and fourth Monday. Next gathering is October 13th. Find more details on the Shift Calendar listing.