No paint, no (legal) protection?(Photo © J. Maus) When bike lane striping disappears through an intersection, does the legal standing of a person operating a bicycle in that lane also vanish? Last month, Multnomah County traffic court judge Michael Zusman ruled that it does and the decision has left many people confused and concerned. We … Read more
A Portland judge has ruled that when bike lane striping vanishes, like in the intersection of SE 10th and Hawthorne, so does a rider’s legal protection. When Portlander Rob Daray witnessed a right-hook collision on his commute home last summer he thought it was obvious who was at fault. So did the police officer who … Read more
The law isn’t always entirely clear when it comes to bikes on the road — are you required to be in a bike lane? What if you want to make a left turn? Do you need to put your foot down every time you stop? How would enforcement work if we had an Idaho-style stop … Read more
A DIY warning.(Photo © J. Maus) The Willamette Week’s “Juicy Suits” column reports a lawsuit filed by a woman who crashed into a car door while riding her bike in Southeast Portland. According to the WWeek, Kristin Ragnarsson alleges in the lawsuit that she was riding eastbound on SE Stark just past the intersection of … Read more
“Staff finds that the bike races are inconsistent with the code criteria and are not an activity that promotes the sale of farm crops.”— Multnomah County Multnomah County’s land use planning department has reached a decision in the permit application for Kruger’s Farm. As we reported back in June, the farm stand has hosted numerous … Read more
The block of SE Clinton wherethe road rage incident occurred.(Photo © J. Maus) Back in 2007, we covered the story of Johnny Eschweiler, the man who intentionally used his car to strike two men on bikes in a road rage incident on SE Clinton Street. Shortly after the incident, victim Ben Ramsdell told BikePortland that … Read more
Through those doors, the laws are made.(Photos © J. Maus) Tomorrow I’ll make my first trip down to Salem this session — and what a full day it’s shaping up to be. My day will start with a meeting of the Oregon Transportation Commission (OTC). The OTC is the five-person, governor-appointed cabinet that sets transportation … Read more
Rep. Jim Oberstar, speakingat the opening night dinner.(Photo © J. Maus) Representative Jim Oberstar (D-MN) — the man whose passion for Safe Routes to Schools helped establish it as a national priority in America — is now throwing his energy behind a new idea. And, as Chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee that … Read more
Phil Sano outside the courtroom(Photo: Elly Blue) It’s the third and final day of Phil Sano’s trial for resisting arrest. I’ve been in court all morning, taking notes — which are below — and now the jury is deliberating. There’s no telling when the decision will come. Some background: – Our coverage of the initial … Read more
Phil Sano and his lawyer John Gutbezahl faced Judge Youlee Yim You for day two of the trial. (Photo © Elly Blue) It’s day two of the Phil Sano Taser Trial and I’ve been in the courtroom since about 8:30am. Yesterday, I took notes using the email program on my phone and Jonathan was able … Read more
BikePortland managing editor Elly Blue is in the courtroom today for day one of the Phil Sano Trial. Sano and his lawyer John Gutbezahl are at the Multnomah County Courthouse to fight charges of criminal resisting arrest brought against Sano by the Multnomah County District Attorney’s office. The judge assigned to the case is Youlee … Read more
Ellee Thalheimer is a new contributing writer to BikePortland. Her most recent story was a product review of women’s bike shorts designed for utility and fashion. Ellee is a yoga instructor and travel writer living in Southeast Portland. Check out her author page here. We covered the beginnings of the Share the Road Safety Class; … Read more