BikePortland

As talk show appearance looms, thoughts on the Emily Finch phenomenon

Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward

Emily Finch pedaling talk show host Ricki Lake
during a recent trip to L.A.
(Photo: The New Ricki Lake Show)

When I first saw Emily Finch with her six kids in tow at a local farmer’s market this past summer, I had no idea she would become a bona fide bike celebrity before the year was out. But that’s exactly what has happened.

This Friday night, Finch is hosting a viewing party at Velo Cult Bike Shop (1969 NE 42nd Ave) for her recent appearance on The New Ricki Lake Show. Where Emily will show up next is anyone’s guess; but there’s no guesswork about how far her story has traveled and how many people she has already inspired.

This little device plugs into you car’s diagnostic
port and then records mileage and other trip data.
(Photos © J. Maus/BikePortland)

MetroMile, which launched in Oregon today, is the first company in the nation to offer pay-per-mile auto insurance. The company is targeting its services at the growing number of Americans — particularly those under 40 — who are driving less.

While company CEO Steve Pretre hails from Redwood City, California, he and his partners have decided to base the company here in Portland.

Why Portland?

“What brought us here was here initially was the bike community,” Pretre shared when I met with him last week. During one of his many visits over the past several months he went on a run and got caught at a bridge lift on the Hawthorne Bridge. “While I was waiting there, there were probably close to 100 bikes waiting with me to get across. I realized right then that this was the right place for us to start.”

Brand: Schucks
Color:green
Stolen in Portland, OR 97232
Stolen:2012-11-28
Stolen From: 1517 NE 8th Ave.
Neighborhood: Lloyd center
Owner: Jessica Vorster
OwnerEmail: tia1616(replace with at sign)gmail.com
Description: Old green schucks with new breaks, a red iamsterdam bell, cup holder on the handlebars and a basket on the front. And a rack on the back.
Police record with: Portland PD
Police reference#: T12010387
This registrant does not have proof of ownership of this bike

blue Schwinn

Brand: Schwinn
Color:blue
Stolen in Portland, OR 97232
Stolen:2012-11-28
Stolen From: 1517 NE 8th AVe.
Neighborhood: Lloyd center
Owner: Jessica Vorster
OwnerEmail: tia1616(A T)gmail.com
Description: An adult tricycle with a baby seat mounted on the back and a big basket in front.
Police record with: Portland PD
Police reference#: T12010387
This registrant does not have proof of ownership of this bike

black Schwinn Madison 2004

Year: 2004
Brand: Schwinn
Model: Madison
Color:black
Size:23 in. ?
Serial:NIDT81000313
Stolen in Gresham, OR 97030
Stolen:2012-12-04
Stolen From: Mt Hood Community college
Owner: Sam Smith
OwnerEmail: racinman@juno.com
Reward: possible
Description: Black w/yellow accents,black fenders, white fizik seat w/black tape, black bar tape and cables. single speed w/flip flop, deep black front wheel, yellow alex rear
Police record with: Gresham P.D.
This registrant has documented proof of ownership of this bike

Parks’ proposal puts North Portland Greenway ‘Trail’ on surface streets – UPDATED

Portland Parks & Rec says they’ll move forward
with using this portion of N Interstate for the
Willamette Greenway Trail.
(Photos © J. Maus/BikePortland)

The dream for the North Portland Greenway trail project has always been to extend the Eastbank Esplanade to St. Johns along the river. It was envisioned as a path that would be separated from motor vehicle traffic, just like Esplanade and Springwater exist today through the Central City.

Unfortunately, design and engineering of the project is moving forward with the assumption that the “trail” will actually be routed away from river and along busy, narrow, and dangerous roads.

When the Portland Parks & Recreation (PP&R) bureau came out with plans back in September showing the preferred alignment up on N Greeley and Interstate Ave, there was widespread criticism and concern.

New bike lanes on Dearborn;
just in time for holiday shopping.
(Photo: Green Lane Project)

Like New York before them, Chicago has just taken a major step forward in becoming a city where biking is given equal respect to driving.

Advocates are buzzing today as the Chicago Department of Transportation has striped a new, two-way bikeway on N. Dearborn St between Polk and Kinzie. That’s a segment of over one mile on a high-profile downtown street in one of America’s largest cities.

“That’s huge and symbolic,” tweeted Portland Mercury News Editor Denis Theriault upon hearing the news, “[Would] Be like putting one here on Washington or Everett.”

Yeah. If only.

Carl Larson proves you don’t need a car
— or cargo bike — to pick up your tree.
(Photo: Carl Larson)

Portland not only has more people who use their bikes for transportation than any other major U.S. city, we are also the epicenter of cargo bike construction, sales, and appreciation. Given those two things, it’s not surprising that a lot of Portlanders pick up their Christmas trees by bike.

I’ve noticed several of you posting photos of your tree pick-ups to various social media sites with the hashtag #christmasfeats. To encourage more of this behavior, I figured I’d share some of those photos…

Here’s Travis Wittwer and his boys in front of their home in North Portland:

Photo from the scene.
(Photo: Chris Dorr)

On Thursday evening the unthinkable happened.

While waiting behind two cars at a red light on SE 60th at Division, a Portland man — with his four year-old son in a trailer behind him — was rear-ended by someone driving a car. The police haven’t released many details, but I’ve talked with him at length. At this point, he has asked to remain anonymous because he’s conflicted about having himself and his family thrust into a public debate about biking with children.

Here’s what happened…

The man was headed south from his child’s preschool near Mount Tabor, at 60th and Salmon, to their home just south of Division. He chose SE 60th because it’s the only traffic signal to get across Division. He was wearing a reflective yellow jacket and his trailer had a strobing rear tail-light. The last thing he recalls before impact was standing at the light, and an instinctive concern that the car sounds behind him were approaching too fast. Then he’s flying through the air after being thrust up onto the hood of the car behind him, breaking its windshield, eventually impacting the car in front of him. When he came to, he realized his son was still in the trailer, which had been crumpled by one of the car’s wheels.

Year: 2002
Brand: Bianchi
Model: Vigorelli
Color:yellow
Size:53cm
Serial: H2L12481
Stolen in Portland, OR 97229
Stolen:2012-12-2
Stolen From: garage in Rock Creek area near NW 185th and Parkview
Neighborhood: Rock creek
Owner: Jane Gustafson
OwnerEmail: janegus(at sign)frontier.com
Reward: yes
Description: Terry womens black saddle with pink stitching,saddle bag with tools and new air pump
Police record with: washington county PD
Police reference#: 12-518263
This registrant has documented proof of ownership of this bike

Hales’ chief of staff pick looks good for transportation reformers

Gail Shibley
(Photo: Hales campaign)

Mayor-elect Charlie Hales has chosen Gail Shibley to be his chief of staff. Shibley has a very impressive background of public service ranging from positions at the city, state, and federal levels. I have not met Shibley, but judging from buzz I’m hearing and from local media reaction to the news, it seems she’s well-respected and very qualified.

If you care about transportation reform in Portland — and the role bicycling should play in it — you have good reason to be excited about Hales’ pick. Shibley is a former staffer at the Portland Bureau of Transportation where she served under then Transportation Commissioner (now Congressman) Earl Blumenauer from 1991-1996. At PBOT, Shibley worked as spokesperson and program manager. In 2001, Shibley worked as director of external communications for the Federal Highway Administration. Since 2003, Shibley has held the title of Sr. Environmental Health Advisor & Public Health Administrator for the state-run Oregon Health Authority.

Brand: Specialized
Model: H.R. Sport
Color:Black
Size:21″
Serial: P6LF26433
Stolen in Portland, OR 97202
Stolen:2012-12-2
Stolen From: From front porch on SE Tibbetts St. between 22nd and 23rd. They cut the wooden railing it was attached to with a saw.
Neighborhood: Hosford-Abernathy
Owner: Don Crossley
OwnerEmail: don(replace with at sign)doncrossley.com
Description: All Black Mountain Bike, Apex fenders on front and back, 26″ hybrid tires has a small Gold Clackamas Cycle World sticker on frame right near main gears. Thumb shifters,side mounted U-lock, front and rear bike light mountings, no lights.
Police record with: Portland PD
Police reference#: 12105285
This registrant has documented proof of ownership of this bike

As talk show appearance looms, thoughts on the Emily Finch phenomenon

Pay-per-mile auto insurance company launches in Portland

green Schucks

blue Schwinn

black Schwinn Madison 2004

Parks’ proposal puts North Portland Greenway ‘Trail’ on surface streets – UPDATED

Talk in Portland, action in Chicago

Pick up your holiday tree by bike and join the #christmasfeats

Man rear-ended while biking with child in trailer speaks out

yellow Bianchi Vigorelli 2002

Hales’ chief of staff pick looks good for transportation reformers

Black Specialized H.R. Sport

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Protestor blocks bus and bike lanes on Division with his car