“Last weekend I was riding down NE Skidmore in broad sunlight, they walked out into the street as I passed and punched me…”-Gabriel Amadeus, in a comment on the Portland Mercury blog In the last few days I’ve heard of two more attacks on cyclists. Both of them happened in Northeast Portland. One near the … Read more
[All signs point to more bike boulevards] In case anyone gets the wrong impression after my post about Berkeley’s bicycle boulevard efforts, I thought an update on Portland’s progress was in order. Here are a few things I’ve come across just in the past week or so. SE Foster Bypass Bicycle Boulevard With strong leadership … Read more
[John Canda, head of the Mayor’s Office on Youth Crime Prevention] On Wednesday I met with John Canda to hear his perspectives on how bikes might play a larger role in community policing. John is the Mayor’s youth crime prevention czar. Prior to that, he led the Northeast Coalition of Neighborhoods, one of six coalitions … Read more
Since I proposed a neighborhood meeting last week (in response to community reaction to an attack on cyclists in North Portland), I’ve been thinking about the issues, reading comments, seeking advice, and trying to determine the best way forward. Some issues on the table — race, gentrification, youth violence — are vast and complex and … Read more
UPDATE: TriMet spokesperson Mary Fetsch says the driver did report the incident and that he did call 911. === One account from the incident last week alleges that a TriMet bus was on the scene as Ashley Gorman was being beaten yet did not stop to offer passengers as witnesses and the driver allegedly did … Read more
In light of recent events, I feel (and so do many others) that there is a great need for us to come together and discuss how to make our North Portland neighborhoods safer and more livable for everyone. I realize we cannot solve all the problems, but I know there is vast potential if we … Read more
[Click here for full story.Click here for the director’s cut interview.] Last night on the 11 o’clock news, KATU-TV (Portland’s ABC affiliate) ran a story titled, “Have cyclists become a target?” The KATU story aired as a direct result of the many comments received in response to the post about a pair of cyclists who … Read more
Since I realize some folks don’t always follow all the comments on every post, I thought I’d feature this one just left by Megan, who I assume to be a close friend of Ashley Gorman and Heather Moles, the cyclists who were attacked on their bikes near Legacy Hospital on January 10th. It reveals some … Read more
The recent incident involving a group of teens that attacked two cyclists in North Portland has sparked dialogue about the safety, race, and vulnerability of cyclists. In the over 70 comments listed so far, I was amazed at how many other people reported being attacked while on their bikes, and how the majority of them … Read more
This disturbing account of a car-bike collision on Swan Island was reported by the victim yesterday in the Portland Bike Forums: [Location of the crash.]Click for Google Map. “On January 2nd, I was riding home from work at 5:15p.m. and was was struck by a Jeep Wrangler pulling out from a stop sign. The driver … Read more
[Commissioner Adams led the meeting.] Last Thursday at the Kenton Firehouse in North Portland, I attended one of Commissioner Sam’s Budget Town Hall meetings to discuss the finances and issues around transportation (PDOT), environmental services (BES), and community art (RACC). This was one of seven similar meetings being held throughout Portland’s various neighborhood districts. Sam … Read more
Check out this story I just read from KATU-TV: Photo from KATU broadcast. “Two cyclists said they were attacked by three teenagers near a north Portland bus stop on Wednesday. The women, Ashley Gorman and her co-worker Heather Moles, were riding their bikes home from work when the attack occurred near Legacy Emanuel Hospital.