Elly Blue Note: This article was written by BikePortland.org columnist Elly Blue. Elly is a dedicated activist who is busy in the local transportation scene. She spearheaded the “We are ALL Traffic” rally and press conference back in November and she is currently the point person for the upcoming International Towards Carfree Cities Conference coming … Read more
Please consider gathering before Saturday’s rally at one of the all-too-many sites around town where people have been killed while bicycling or walking, and then riding or walking with the group to Waterfront Park. All processions will be timed to arrive at Salmon Street Springs by 11:45am. The list below also includes sites that haven’t … Read more
[Updated: 11/9, 8:32am, 2:38pm – See update below about date/time change.] [This article is by BikePortland.org columnist Elly Blue] “The event will be a peaceful, legal, and highly visible statement that we all belong equally in our roads and public spaces and that we are all committed to working together…”–Elly Blue In response to last … Read more
[This article has been written by BikePortland.org columnist Elly Blue] Columnist Elly Blue says more education is needed.(Photos © Jonathan Maus)
The 2007 edition of the Towards Carfree Cities conference was held in Istanbul, Turkey this August/September. A delegation of four members of the Portland carfree conference planning team attended. An informal slideshow presentation about our experiences in Istanbul is planned for Saturday, October 13th, 7pm at 705 N Alberta St (at Albina). This will be … Read more
[Updated 4:09pm] From the McBrooklyn Blog in NYC (via Streetsblog) comes a photo of a new, “high-visibility bike lane” just installed in Brooklyn: Now that looks safe.(Photo from McBrooklyn)
Just a quick reminder about a great ride coming up tomorrow night. The annual Night Ride benefits the BTA and always offers up an enjoyable bill of fare, including disco-dancers, pajama clad riders, fire dancers, and of course, doughnuts. The ride leaves at 9pm from the Train Station downtown, and registration will be open before … Read more
[By Elly Blue] What does the word accident mean? A mistake, but not just any mistake — not an action, but an outcome both unintended and unavoidable, something no reasonable person could have predicted or prepared for. The word is commonly used to describe bad things happening to good people from natural causes — the … Read more
By Elly Blue Somewhere around 5% of trips in Portland are made by bicycle. And less than 1% of local transportation funding goes to bicycle infrastructure. Clearly bicycling is a mode of transportation that more than pays for itself. Meanwhile, cyclists’ taxes subsidize freeway and arterial projects that we don’t use much and that actually … Read more
[By Elly Blue] For a broader perspective on transportation, look closer to home. Discussions of bicycling and transportation revolve naturally around, well, transportation. But involved citizens might be better advised to focus less on mobility, and more on staying put and focusing on what’s right next door or down the street. Or, more to the … Read more
By Elly Blue As we debate stop signs, police enforcement, targeting of bicyclists (or not), and the definition of a brake, let’s clearly draw one distinction. On the one hand, there is the idea, often brought out at times like this, that some (or most) bicyclists think they are above the law. On the other … Read more
By Elly Blue About two years ago, I invested $3.50 on a bell for my bicycle. It was one of those “I heart my bike” ones. It has a tinny but audible double ring. And it is by far the best bicycle accessory or bit of gear I have ever had. I got the bell … Read more