david baker
Jess,
I am getting e-mails for the text.
so here it is
Police Chief Scott Whitehead-
>>>
>>> Your contact information has been now passed onto about 5000 local
>>> cyclists in the general Portland area via the OBRA website. These
>> are
>>> the folks most genuinely affected by
>>> local traffic enforcement policies in the general PDX area as we
> are
>>> those using the roads to ride and train on an almost daily basis.
>>>
>>> It was brought to our attention that a local officer or junior
>> officer
>>> in North Plains was recently ticketing cyclists in excess of $300
>> for
>>> failure to obey a traffic stop. I hope you are
>>> reminding your officers or junior officers of that FACT that
>> cyclists
>>> are not killed on your roadways 100% of the time due to their own
>>> failures to obey traffic signals. Yes, that is one of the reasons
>>> but typically it is the fault of a wreckless, careless,
inattentive
>>> driver that brings about these injuries and fatalities. I hope
>> you
>>> are considering the same monetary punishment and fine structures
>>> for vehicles targeted for the same offenses.
>>>
>>> The actions of one of your officers has huge implications towards
>> how
>>> your community is perceived and treated by those outside of the
>>> community. We all appreciate your efforts to reduce crime or the
>> fear
>>> of crime, but how is ticketing cyclists accomplishing the above
>> goal?
>>> Is vehicular homocide not more "fearful" to the eyes of the
average
>>> human than running a stop sign? Yet, the fee structure for both
>> crimes
>>> appears equal....I hope you have an inherent understanding of that
>>> logic or lack thereof.
>>>
>>> I don't live in your jurisdiction and I never will...I have spent
>> time
>>> and $$ in North Plains in the past, but will no longer be doing so
>> since
>>> the community at large apparently values my life
>>> when I ride/train less than a wreckless driver who can kill
someone
>>> with impunity.
>>>
>>> I understand that cyclists are responsible for obeying traffic
> signs
>> if
>>> they want to be treated at equally and legally protected under the
>> law.
>>> The transgression comes with the fact that
>>> people who cause vehicular manslaughter are apparently and
> obversely
>>> protected from greater punishment.
>>>
>>> If your plan is to rid North Plains of people who use the road for
>>> exercise and have a legal right to do so, you are well on your
way.
>
>> We
>>> all appreciate the efforts of every police force
>>> in the general PDX area, we truly do. But the community is
feeling
>>> VERY slighted lately due to the lack of punishment handed to
>> careless
>>> drivers after the kill another human being.
>
>
> Jess C. Mace
> Clinical Outcomes Research Coordinator
> for Timothy Smith, MD, MPH
> Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery
> Oregon Health & Science University
> 503.494.5886
----- Original Message -----
From: "david baker"
To: "Jess Mace" ; ;
;
Sent: Friday, July 06, 2007 4:37 PM
Subject: Re: [OBRA Chat] Hefty fines levied against cyclists in
WashingtonCounty
> Jess,
> I would like it if you e-mailed us a copy of the e-mail you sent to Mr.
> whitehead.
> I do not think public employees should be talking that way to the public
> but
> I need to know what he was replying to for me to understand this.
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Jess Mace"
> To: ; ;
> Sent: Friday, July 06, 2007 3:28 PM
> Subject: Re: [OBRA Chat] Hefty fines levied against cyclists in Washington
> County
>
>
>>I wrote Scott Whitehead, Chief of Police in North Plains, with my
>> concerns (kindly stated) about the subject while thanking him for his
>> service the community at large...
>>
>> this is his reply:
>>
>> Mr. Mace,
>>
>> Thanks for writing. As usual your email is consistent with all the
>> others I
>> receive. Maybe next time you could put some thought into it and make a
>> valid
>> point instead of all the blah blah blah crap.
>>
>> Scott Whitehead
>> Chief of Police
>> North Plains Police Department
>> Office: (503) 647.2604
>> Fax: (503) 647.2031
>>
>>
>>
>> I think the mentality speaks for itself...
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> Jess C. Mace
>> Clinical Outcomes Research Coordinator
>> for Timothy Smith, MD, MPH
>> Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery
>> Oregon Health & Science University
>> 503.494.5886
>>
>>>>> "J.Michael Manning" 7/6/2007 3:21 PM >>>
>> One of the most important facts of the road is... not that we have
>> almost equal access by law. It is the fact that we have to deal with the
>> perception of cyclists by uninformed motorists, even if it is flawed.
>> Defensive cycling is a must. I am personally a bit aggressive on the
>> road, establishing my presence in a way that does not break the law, but
>> probably pisses a few drivers off, because I may make them slow down and
>> go around me. I spent 10 years commuting in heavy traffic for 1.5 hours
>> a day in an area that had never heard of bike racing. In those cases you
>> learn how to defend yourself. Admittedly, there is no fail safe method,
>> as I was struck by a hit and run driver 6 years ago and feel fortunate
>> to have lived through the ordeal. In that case, I was riding with 2
>> others in a single pace line in the rain as the sun was setting and
>> visibility was questionable. So I was trying to stay close to the
>> shoulder. Possibly a mistake, but who can say. Anyway...I ramble. To
>> illustrate my point, 3 of my friends were cycling this weekend and were
>> nearly wiped out by an elderly woman who decided to pass them in a
>> residential area. As she accelerated by them, she blew a stop sign on
>> Bethany Blvd and was broadsided by a pickup. When she emerged from her
>> vehicle she tried to blame the cyclists for causing the accident. Her
>> perception caused her to break the law because she was not focused on
>> driving safely, but rather on getting by these annoying cyclists. That's
>> the reality I am talking about.Mike Manning> From: montyh@tvapdx.com>
>> To: obra@list.obra.org> Date: Fri, 6 Jul 2007 08:10:35 -0700> Subject:
>> Re: [OBRA Chat] Hefty fines levied against cyclists
>> in Washington County> > "You're a friggin' cyclist
>> man, it must be your fault."> > -----Original Message-----> From:
>> obra-bounces@list.obra.org [mailto:obra-bounces@list.obra.org] On Behalf
>> Of Steve Brown> Sent: Friday, July 06, 2007 7:52 AM> To: Greg Crane> Cc:
>> obra@list.obra.org> Subject: Re: [OBRA Chat] Hefty fines levied against
>> cyclists in Washington County> > Suggest the ride be moved to West Linn
>> were traffic laws are not> enforced. I was struck by a car last week
>> making a right turn while> I was in a bike lane. Police and Fire
>> responded to witness calls,> crash report written, no citation issued.>
>>> Steve Brown> On Jul 5, 2007, at 8:50 PM, Greg Crane wrote:> > > Boy do
>> I feel safer now that the cops are cracking> > down on cyclist. I was
>> almost killed just the other> > day in my Xtera by a cyclist not
>> following the rules> > of the road.> >> > Lucky for me I was doing 15
>> over the speed limit and> > was able to get out of the very dangerous
>> situation I> > was placed in by a thoughtless person on a bicycle.> >> >
>> Greg> > --- Mike Manning wrote:> >> >> Just
>> thought I should forward this message on to the> >> rest of you.> >>
>> Mike Manning> >>> >> Fellow Cyclists- FYI, on a note I received from a>
>>>> Tri-athlete who rolls in our neighborhood!> >>> >> Part of a group I
>> was riding with yesterday was> >> ticketed $335 apiece for rolling
>> though the stop> >> signs at the intersection of North Plains Rd and> >>
>> Glencoe. The officer indicated that the north plains> >> PD has stepped
>> up ticketing cyclists in the area> >> since the rider was killed a few
>> weeks ago. Beware.> >>> >> Lindsay Kandra> >> Portland TriClub> >>
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>>
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