Thomas Hoffman
I called Officer Whitehead yesterday and did call me back. If you want me to
say what a jerk he was stop reading now. The Purpose of my call was to
inform him of the unrest in the cycling community towards N. Plains.
We had a very good call. Interpretation of his concerns and comments are:
1) The TWO officers in North Plains target that intersection and ticket all
vehicles that don't stop. Cars, Motorcycles, Trucks equally.
2) Cyclists have not been or have never been targeted as a group.
3) Although WE (The Cycling Community) think North plains is out to get us,
the police department will not cave into unreasonable demands of its
citizens towards bicyclists.
4) THE North Plains Department does not charge for the time it puts in on
charity rides, such as MS 150, Livestrong, etc. ( I really don't; know
which rides go through there, but the point is they do it for free and that
is good.)
THE PART YOU WANT TO READ:
5) You don't have to put your foot down, or even stop. Slow down to a near
crawl, Make an examination of the situation, and then roll on through when
it is safe. If you are in a group, EVERYONE should slow down and nearly
stop, then go through. (I guess it is up to the riders in the front of the
group to slow down till everyone is safely through the intersection, then
pick up the pace.
6) Officer Whitehead also made a point to say that everyone he has ticked
has been reasonable, professional and courteous, even when he is giving a
ticket.
7) He also commented on the number of emails he gets when ever they focus on
that intersection, and really thinks that many of them are pretty lame.
(That is not a challenge, just a comment.) He did suggest that people
should read what they write before they hit send. He did name names, which
I will keep in confidence, but I did get a good laugh. And Yes I am a
guilty party in the to fast to shoot off an email department. ( as this one
proves)
Overall I thought Officer Whitehead was a very nice guy. I hope you all have
a chance to meet him. With out the invitation to a court date of course.
Thomas Hoffman
RE/MAX equity group
503-495-5607 Direct
503-475-3417 Cell
www.tomshometeam.com
-----Original Message-----
From: Doug Hormann [mailto:djhormann@verizon.net]
Sent: Friday, July 06, 2007 10:47 PM
To: Thomas Hoffman; 'Ron and Dorothy Strasser'; 'david baker'; 'Jess Mace';
cycleone23@hotmail.com; obra@list.obra.org; montyh@tvapdx.com
Subject: RE: [OBRA Chat] Hefty fines levied against cyclists in
WashingtonCounty
Courtesy, integrity and professionalism will always be the lingua franca of
policing. When we lose sight of that we lose the basis from which our
authority as police officers extends.
Doug
-----Original Message-----
From: obra-bounces@list.obra.org [mailto:obra-bounces@list.obra.org]On
Behalf Of Thomas Hoffman
Sent: Friday, July 06, 2007 10:24 PM
To: 'Ron and Dorothy Strasser'; 'david baker'; 'Jess Mace';
cycleone23@hotmail.com; obra@list.obra.org; montyh@tvapdx.com
Subject: Re: [OBRA Chat] Hefty fines levied against cyclists in
WashingtonCounty
" I can't believe this is a "chief" of other officers"
He is chief of THE OTHER officer
Thomas Hoffman
RE/MAX equity group
503-495-5607 Direct
503-475-3417 Cell
www.tomshometeam.com
-----Original Message-----
From: obra-bounces@list.obra.org [mailto:obra-bounces@list.obra.org] On
Behalf Of Ron and Dorothy Strasser
Sent: Friday, July 06, 2007 7:55 PM
To: david baker; Jess Mace; cycleone23@hotmail.com; obra@list.obra.org;
montyh@tvapdx.com
Subject: Re: [OBRA Chat] Hefty fines levied against cyclists in
WashingtonCounty
Even if Jess ranted and raved about this and that.... That officer needs to
be more in control than a response like that if in fact that is the exact
response. Officers know that they need to maintain control of their
emotions (Doug H. You could explain how this helps keep situations from
escalating etc) when dealing with "official business". This response is
180* from that type of professional behavior. If this is real... I can't
believe this is is a "chief" of other officers. Sounds like a real positive
work environment!
ron
----- 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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>> Don't get caught with egg on your face. Play Chicktionary!
>> http://club.live.com/chicktionary.aspx?icid=chick_wlmailtextlink
>>
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