4/25: Hello readers and friends. I'm still recovering from a surgery I had on 4/11, so I'm unable to attend events and do typical coverage. See this post for the latest update. I'll work as I can and I'm improving every day! Thanks for all your support 🙏. - Jonathan Maus, BikePortland Publisher and Editor
How safe is it for bicycle riders to share a “transit only” lane with bus and streetcar operators?
“As our population booms and we have smaller and smaller right-of-way to share, biking really needs to have a lot more direct focus from the Commissioner.”
— Jamey Duhamel, policy director for Commissioner Chloe Eudaly
A big thing happened at last night’s Portland Bicycle Advisory Committee meeting: A current City Commissioner (via a staff person) expressed a direct interest in bicycling and said they want to make it a bigger part of their portfolio.
If so, a reader witnessed the crash, snapped a photo of the driver’s license plate, and wants to help you get justice.
Another piece of Portland’s vaunted local cycling industry is soon to be gone: High-end cycling apparel and lifestyle brand Rapha Racing LLC is moving its North American operations from Portland to Bentonville Arkansas.
According to North America Marketing Director Jake Rosenbloum, the move will be finalized by March 1st. “Portland has been an incredible home for the Rapha brand over the last 10-plus years,” he said in an email today. “Throughout our time here, the Portland-based team have helped to inform and define what Rapha is and means not just to the US, but around the world.”
Rapha made Portland for its U.S. headquarters in February 2008. Back then I asked company co-founder Luke Scheybeler why the London-based apparel brand chose Portland, he said, “Portland is so obviously a center of cycling, there’s an amazing bike culture here and a real appreciation for it. It just feels right.”
The message below came to us from a reader via Facebook. I’m sharing it here with permission from the victim.
Today, Feb 8, 2020, my spouse and I were returning from a ride along the esplanade. I’m a bit slow because I’m recovering from a full hysterectomy and appendectomy. My husband was waiting for me along the curb headed north on N. Williams just after Broadway.
As I was crossing N. Broadway (during green light in bike lane), a Dodge Ram 2500 began to approach me with driver revving the engine billowing black smoke and squealing the wheels. At one point his truck stopped next to me and the white male driver stepped on the gas pedal with his brakes on and started fish-tailing until the backend of his truck almost hit me. It was terrifying.
“I chose safety and my burrito.”
I was sitting outside a taqueria, waiting for my to-go order as we do, and I saw, or rather mostly heard, a kerfuffle over bike locks. I wasn’t quite close enough to see exactly what the scenario was for myself, and as it was two people getting a bit heated, I wasn’t about to physically insert myself to get details, but the scene was:
Guy One comes out. Goes to get his bike, and finds another bike is locked to it. Stands confused.
Guy Two comes out, says something about Guy One being a jackass and not leaving any space on the rack for anyone else, so he locked his bike to Guy One’s bike.
Guy One says things.
Guy Two says things back.
They part ways grumbling.
I apologize. Somehow, three years have passed since I did a proper People on Bikes.
Bike Mechanic/Shop Staff
Everybody’s Bike Rentals & Tours
Everybody’s Bike Rentals is looking for friendly shop staff for this coming season starting March 1. $15/hr to start plus health insurance and bonus. 7.5 hour days, 3-4 days a week, until Nov 1!
Meet lots of nice cool people from all over the world and work in a fun, non-corporate, lower-stress environment with a positive culture. Must be outgoing and good with people, be competent with computers, organized, and have 2+ years shop mechanic experience.
We are a small company and there is opportunity for growth in this position.
Please explore our website (pdxbikerentals.com) and then send us a resume along with a cover letter explaining why you want to work with us to pdxbikerentals@gmail.com
Full Time Bike Share Position
Holy Spokes
Holy Spokes operates a 400 bike campus bike share system on a corporate campus in Beaverton. We are seeking a reliable, self-motivated individual to help with day to day operation of the system.
Duties include basic maintenance, rebalancing / relocating bikes, and more intensive repairs. Driver’s license and clean driving history required.
Bike mechanic experience preferred but not required – we can train the right person.
Full time position has fairly flexible hours.
Starting rate is $17-19 per hour.
Email resume and a brief introduction to info@holyspokespdx.com
This week’s Monday Roundup is sponsored by Green Zebra Grocery, who invites you to the Grand Opening Party for their new SE Division store on February 15th.
Here are the most noteworthy items we came across in the past seven days…