“Public hearing” or not; not all bike lanes are “safe and reasonable” to ride on.(Photo © J. Maus/BikePortland) Earlier this month, police officers in the City of Roseburg tried to strengthen their authority to ticket people who do not ride in bike lanes. They thought they could sneak an agenda item through City Council and … Read more
Who says its “safe and reasonable” for bicycle use?(Photo © J. Maus/BikePortland) On August 13th, the City Council of Roseburg (about 170 miles south of Portland) will attempt to take a rare step toward strengthening the Oregon law mandating use of a bike lane (a.k.a. the mandatory sidepath law). That law, ORS 814.420, mandates that … Read more
“The bill ultimately looks and feels like what it is: A stopgap that is the last gasp of a spent 20th century program. It doesn’t begin to address the needs of a changing America in the 21st century.” — Transportation For America It’s over 1,000 days late; but instead of relief and smiles, active transportation … Read more
The BTA wants to make guards like these (installed on Water Bureau trucks in 2008 in response to a fatal collision) mandatory.(Photo © J. Maus/BikePortland With the death of Kathryn Rickson still fresh on the minds of many (the community will gather at the intersection tonight at 5:30 pm), there is already a strong chorus … Read more
New sticker campaign.(Photo: WeAreBikeFriendly.com) Here’s the news that caught our eyes this past week… – MAP-21, the Transportation Bill being moved through the Senate by Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA), is coming under fire from bike advocates around the country for its mandatory sidepath provision. A petition by the League of American Bicyclists to strip the … Read more
A sidepath in Beaverton. (Photo © J. Maus) Mandatory sidepath laws — which state that bikes must use a sidepath/bikeway when one is available — are the bane of bicycling advocates. They’re seen as a clear sign of disrespect and inequality on our roads. The fact that Oregon still has one was called out by … Read more
If it’s there, you should be too.(Photo © J. Maus) If you’re concerned about your personal safety mixing it up with motorized traffic, your fears are not without merit. American roads are made for something powerful, weighty and full of horsepower. Stepping foot or pushing pedal upon them can indeed be daunting. The tendency for … Read more
Just finished watching My Commuted Commute, a video that I think everyone should spend five minutes to check out. A woman from New York City, Rachel Brown, shot helmet cam footage and offers commentary about what it’s like to ride in one of the new, green-painted, curbside bike lanes. For all the positive buzz NYC … Read more
Bringing control of speed limits to the local level is one law the BTA is considering.(Photo © J. Maus) At their Member Forum last week, the Bicycle Transportation Alliance shared a list of nine proposals they’re evaluating for the 2011 legislative session. Here’s their draft list of topics currently under consideration: Vehicular Homicide Local control … Read more
“If I had $1000 dollars for every community that’s contacted me about their bike trails plan, I could fund an entire system.”— Sheila Lyons of ODOT Sheila Lyons, the bicycle and pedestrian program manager for the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) has responded to the League of American Bicyclist’s Bicycle Friendly State rankings that put … Read more
Now that the whole country thinks Oregon isn’t in the top-three best states to bike in, you might assume the Beaver State delegation here at Pro Walk/Pro Bike would be sulking and demanding a recount. Not exactly. When the League of American Bicyclist’s executive director Andy Clarke announced the rankings at a party at the … Read more
Education about bicycle laws is a major factor in keeping our roads safe for everyone. Increasing awareness and understanding of these laws is just as important as any bike safety infrastructure or policy changes. That’s why some cyclists are concerned that a quote attributed to a Portland Police Bureau employee and published by the Oregonian … Read more