🚨 Please note: BikePortland is currently on hiatus and only publishing guest articles. Learn more here. Thank you. - Jonathan 🙏

Highway group: Walkable communities, “aggressive pedestrians” to blame for road deaths

Actually, people in cars should stop and look
(not to mention, that’s the law).
Photo taken on Sunday in Portland’s Pearl District.
(Photo © J. Maus)

My friend (and Streetsblog founding editor) Aaron Naparstek sent along an unbelievable story that ran in the Washington Examiner today with the headline — Exercise, iPods could be causing pedestrian deaths.

The story is based on a new study by the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) that tries to make sense of an uptick in the amount of people killed while walking in 2010.

Here’s an excerpt from the story (emphasis mine):

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Job: Shipping Specialist (Velotech)

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Job Title: Shipping Specialist
Company/Organization: Velotech
Job Description: Our Shipping department is looking for motivated, high-energy individuals with excellent attention to detail and computer skills. We ship bicycle parts and accessories worldwide. Shipping and cycling knowledge are needed.

Position is full time Mon-Fri 8-4. Weekends maybe be needed during the summer.

DUTIES
Picking, packing, labeling orders
Restocking
Cycle counts

COMPENSATION
Wage $10 to start.
Health benefits
Paid vacations

*We will also be looking for customer service agents and receiving help down the road.

How to Apply:
Please e-mail resume to Dan(at)velotech(dot)com

silver with black&white lettering Kona Kikapu 2005

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Year: 2005
Brand: Kona
Model: Kikapu
Color:silver with black&white lettering
Size:17 inch (XS)
Stolen in Portland, OR 97215
Stolen:2011-01-01
Stolen From: My garage- 6122 SE yamhill st.
Neighborhood: Tabor
Owner: Sarah Horn
OwnerEmail: sarahelizabethhorn@gmail.com
Reward: 500
Description: disk brakes, fox seat with small tear on back, dual suspension.
Police record with: Portland PD
This registrant has documented proof of ownership of this bike

‘Crossbikes’: Crosswalks for bikes coming soon to Portland?

PBOT is considering new bicycle crosswalks,
like this one in concept stage for
SE 53rd and Stark.

Crosswalks are standard engineering treatments designed to help people get across streets with a bit more safety; now the City of Portland is looking to do something similar for bike traffic with bicycle crosswalk markings, a.k.a. the “cross-bike”.

The concept itself has been floating around PBOT since about 2007, but the idea has yet to gain real traction. The other night, while looking over plans for an upcoming road project, I was surprised to see them as prominent features. Turns out that PBOT hasn’t forgotten about them.

PBOT bicycle coordinator Roger Geller shared a bit more about bicycle crosswalks via email today. Check out the Q & A below for more…

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Black Giant Mountain Bike 2006

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Year: 2006
Brand: Giant
Model: Mountain Bike
Color:Black
Size:14 inch fram
Stolen in Portland, OR 97209
Stolen:2011-01-18
Stolen From: Alexandra Court Apts. Across from Fred Meyer on Burnside and NW 20th. Taken from biking area in front of building.
Neighborhood: Alphabet/NW
Owner: Ariana Lohf
OwnerEmail: emailariana@gmail.com
Description: Black Giant Womans Mountain Bike, 14 inch frame. Nearly brand new, some minor scratches on handle bars. 18 speed. Quick release tires and seat. Overstuffed seat. Front light that is black with 2 settings.
This registrant has documented proof of ownership of this bike

PBOT-backed legislation would change speed limit authority

A ride with the family-9

Portland hopes new law will lead to
20 mph limit on streets like these.
(Photo © J. Maus)

As we reported back in October, the City of Portland is working the legislature to gain more control over speed limits. Mayor Sam Adams is aware of the impact high speed motor vehicles have on our neighborhoods and has pushed for a new approach to speed limits for years.

PBOT, which Mayor Adams oversees, wants their own engineers to have the authority to decide what speed limits are appropriate for residential streets where they are currently building a network of interconnected “family friendly” bikeways. (Note: Currently, ODOT is in charge of setting speed limits — even on roads they themselves do not own and maintain.)

Now that the legislative session has begun, I thought it would be wise to track how the City of Portland is approaching this issue.

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River City Bicycles to open outlet store

This corner building at SE 6th and Belmont
will soon be the River City Bicycles Outlet store.

River City Bicycles has purchased a new, 5,000 square foot building that will soon become a new outlet store selling discounted bikes and clothing just a few blocks from their existing location. The River City Bicycles Outlet is set to open for business in the next few weeks at 534 SE Belmont (the southwest corner of 6th and Belmont).

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PSU talk will cover bike/transit integration

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TriMet’s lead bike planner, Colin Maher, is slated for an upcoming seminar at PSU’s Center for Transportation Studies. The topic is “Beyond the Bike Hook: Linking Bicycles and Transit.” Maher’s a smart guy so this should be quite informative. Details are below:

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Another look at HB 2602, which would prohibit biking with headphones on

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headphones-1

Should it be illegal?
(Photo © J. Maus)

Lost in last week’s kerfluffle about a potential ban on biking with kids, was another bill proposed in the current Oregon legislative session that deserves our attention.

House Bill 2602 (text), sponsored by Representative Michael Schaufler (D-Happy Valley), would create a new traffic violation for “unsafe operation of a bicycle” if a person “operates a bicycle on a highway while wearing a listening device that is capable of receiving telephonic communication, radio broadcasts or recorded sounds.” The offense would come with a maximum fine of $90.

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Event: Bicycle Film Festival (2/25/11-2/26/11)

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Event Name: Bicycle Film Festival
Event Dates: Feb. 25-26, 2011
Event Location: Clinton St. Theater – 2522 SE Clinton St. Portland, OR 97202 (see map below)
Event Description:
THE BICYCLE FILM FESTIVAL TURNS 10!
The BFF, touring 37 cities Worldwide, Celebrates 10 Years of Bicycle Art, Film, & Culture with Two Days of Events in Portland February 25-26!

After parties nightly! Free bicycle valet parking will be provided at the screenings.

Film highlights include:
BIRTH OF BIG AIR (Dir. Jeff Tremaine) A documentary on BMX legend Mat Hoffman, produced by Spike Jonze, Johnny Knoxville, Priya Swaminathan, Dickhouse Productions and local Portland Producer Mark Lewman.
RIDING THE LONG WHITE CLOUD (Dir. Alex Craig) Seven professional skateboarders attempt to cycle New Zealand’s North Island in this beautiful documentary. They experience the Heaven and Hell of cycling New Zealand while traversing the island in search of skate spots.
LUCAS BRUNELLE LINE OF SIGHT (Dir. Benny Zenga & Lucas Brunelle) His helmet-cam footage of unsanctioned street races around the globe gives us a unique perspective on the best urban riders in the world.
BMX AT BURNSIDE (Dir. Dean Dickinson) Local Portland filmmaker gives us an inside look into the history of Portland’s notorious Burnside Skate Park from a BMX bike rider’s point of view.
EMPIRE (Dir. Christian Thormann & Luke Stiles) The long-awaited urban cycling feature following some of the best riders in New York City.

To purchase tickets and see a full list of events, please visit www.bicyclefilmfestival.com.

About the Bicycle Film Festival
The Bicycle Film Festival is an arts and cultural event that celebrates the bicycle. The festival brings together many creative communities, including fashion, music and art, as well as various bicycling communities, road racing, cyclocross, fixed gear, BMX, and bike polo over a shared passion for bike riding. 300,000 people are expected to attend globally this year. “We’re thrilled to return to Portland during our 10th anniversary of the BFF. This city has such a rich love for cycling and we just want to celebrate that” says Brendt Barbur.

Press Inquires, image and interview requests may be directed to
Jen Whalen: jen(at)bicyclefilmfestival(dot)com, (212) 255 6102.


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