eric aldinger

Los Angeles must have changed since I lived there. It was not a friendly
place to ride, more like a waste land strewn with the wreckage of dented
dentist bikes and flaming Huffies.

On Tue, Jan 19, 2010 at 8:47 AM, Mike Murray wrote:

> Miami!!?? Miami is an awful place to ride a bike. One of the worst.
> Detroit is better. Not that Detroit is a good place...for anything.
> Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: "Joe Cipale"
> Date: Tue, 19 Jan 2010 08:29:13
> To: Pink Panther
> Cc:
> Subject: Re: [OBRA Chat] I almost got arrested today while on a bike ride!
>
> Sorry folks,
>
> Everytime I hear that PDX is the 'friendliset bike city in America', I
> simply have to laugh. I have ridden in MANY cities that treay cyclists 10
> TIMES better than Portland does:
> SF
> LA,
> Seattle,
> Phoenix,
> San Diego,
> Miami,
> ...
>
> Tell me when to stop.
>
> Joe
>
> Pink Panther wrote:
>
> >
> > Not all but most. I had a Beaverton Motorcycle Officer threaten to taze
> me =
> > while still on my bike. He came up from behind with his siren on. I was
> sho=
> > cked to see him behind me, and managed to let my thought slip to
> verbalizat=
> > ion "You have got to be kiddin me?" His response was, "Im not. Pull over
> or=
> > ill taze you." Did i mention this was out on Bald Peak on some back
> countr=
> > y road, where there was no traffic or anything. It was for not putting my
> f=
> > oot down at a stop sign when i came to a halt(track stand) at an
> intersecti=
> > on; an intersection you can see a mile in each direction with little to
> no =
> > traffic. He was quite angry and was in my face yelling, close enough he
> was=
> > spitting on me, the entire time. I was polite at first, but he just kept
> y=
> > elling, so i quite talking and stood there silently, which seemed to make
> h=
> > im more and more angry. Unfortunately i got a 300 dollar ticket because
> he =
> > "had to teach me and us other dumb cyclist a lesson." Too bad i was too
> she=
> > lled from 4 hrs of a horrific interval and wet ride to think straight
> enoug=
> > h to get his badge number. Although the judge gave me much of the same
> "thi=
> > s will teach you a lesson" treatment as well. Got to love our justice
> syste=
> > m.
> >
> > From: barretfishner@hotmail.com
> > To: rabbitxcr@hotmail.com
> > Subject: FW: [OBRA Chat] I almost got arrested today while on a bike
> ride!
> > Date: Mon, 18 Jan 2010 16:41:33 -0800
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > Date: Mon, 18 Jan 2010 16:21:27 -0800
> > From: ewascent@gmail.com
> > To: rondot@spiritone.com
> > CC: obra@list.obra.org
> > Subject: Re: [OBRA Chat] I almost got arrested today while on a bike
> ride!
> >
> >
> > "Remember it was just that=20
> > one guy. Not all the officers."
> >
> > Since I race against at least one Portland PD racer I know for a fact
> that =
> > not all cops are biased against cyclists or citizens minding their own
> busi=
> > ness. I have been generally impressed with the demeanor of the cops that
> ha=
> > ve pulled me over for general vehicular chicanery.=20
> >
> >
> > On Mon, Jan 18, 2010 at 4:06 PM, Ron and Dorothy Strasser
> > .com> wrote:
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > Scott,
> > The interaction is finished at this point, but=20
> > my understanding with regard to Portland Police, is they are supposed=20
> > to give you their name or business card or some such ID requirement
> now.=20=
> > =20
> > Maybe it has not started yet. I am pretty sure I would not be trying
> to=20
> > take a photo of an officer while he/she is in control of the situation...
> w=
> > hich=20
> > even when this type of escalation takes place... the officer is the
> boss.=
> > =20=20
> > If what you describe about your interaction with this person is accurate,
> h=
> > e was=20
> > a bit off the charts in my opinion. Anybody stopping along that bluff=20
> > creates a potential hazard. Especially a motor vehicle. And you=20
> > would think a police officer would recognize this more than a Joe or
> Jane=
> > =20
> > Citizen. This officer knew that anyone coming along would need to go=20
> > around you guys (and thus into traffic).... probably causing much more
> dang=
> > er=20
> > than what he said you caused. I think this guys was on edge. Many=20
> > people ride this area and do what you describe.
> > I pass riders along that section of Willamette=20
> > Blvd. all the time in the same manner. This has never happened to=20
> > me. I have been passed there as well, but am less apt to pay much=20
> > attention to when the next motor vehicle also comes by from behind. I
> am=
> > =20
> > always on my guard in that area along the bluff because there is real
> dange=
> > r=20
> > there around the potential crashes from motor vehicles turning left and
> the=
> > ones=20
> > behind them either rear-ending them or skidding into bike lane /
> riders.=20=
> > =20
> > Keep your eyes on the skid marks on that section of roadway and you will
> se=
> > e=20
> > what I mean. A few years ago I stopped while riding that section (put
> my=
> > =20
> > bike over on a grass section) and cut blackberries back that were hanging
> i=
> > n the=20
> > bike lane. A patrol car went by while I was doing this (driver slowed
> and=
> > =20
> > looked at what I was doing) but did not stop. The next day a city crew
> was=
> > =20
> > out mowing and weed-eating. I do not know if my work had anything to=20
> > do with that, but I did it because I see a large number of riders along
> tha=
> > t=20
> > lane who are pretty intimidated by the fast moving traffic. They do=20
> > not need additional obstacles. Traffic safety in that bike=20
> > lane (in-bound toward the city center) is very much impacted by anything
> (p=
> > eople=20
> > on blades / skateboards, joggers, busses stopped at pick up areas, cars
> dri=
> > ving=20
> > or stopped in it, especially any of the above going the wrong=20
> > direction. To be honest, my most dangerous situations have been when=20
> > coming upon the UP cross country team out running / training. I even=20
> > talked to their coach about how dangerous it was to have 6-12 riders
> runnin=
> > g in=20
> > that lane. I told him I was not as concerned about riders that=20
> > were very competent on their bikes, but riders not as experienced and the
> f=
> > act=20
> > that one is never sure what auto drivers will do when those situations=20
> > arise. The posted speed there is 35, but I know for a fact that=20
> > 40-45+ is the norm especially for commuters in the morning and
> afternoon.=
> > =20=20
> > His response did not satisfy me (but I have to admit I have not seen
> groups=
> > (as=20
> > large) of his team running since) in that his solution was to have his
> runn=
> > ers=20
> > move into the lane of traffic to let riders go by. This can really
> confuse=
> > =20
> > "everybody". I say a heads up in that area almost all the=20
> > time.
> > Hope your blood pressure is good and the rest of=20
> > your day is much better. Since police officers are "people" as well,
> I=20
> > hope his BP is lower and he is having a better time about now. Maybe
> even=
> > =20
> > coming to grips with the fact he overreacted. Remember it was just
> that=20
> > one guy. Not all the officers. No I am not at all employed by the=20
> > police dept and do not have any family employed by them or other
> department=
> > s=20
> > (although my mom told my I had an uncle who was a Texas border patrol=20
> > officer).
> > take care out there.
> > ron
> > ps.......You probably handled it much better than I=20
> > would have. I might be sitting in a cell right now.=20=20=20=20
> >
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----=20
> > =20=20
> > From:=20
> > Scott=20
> > Fitzwater=20
> > To: obra@list.obra.org=20
> >
> > Sent: Monday, January 18, 2010 1:22=20
> > PM
> > Subject: [OBRA Chat] I almost got=20
> > arrested today while on a bike ride!
> > =20=20
> > This is simply unbelievable. I was on a 2 hr bike ride on an=20
> > unexpectedly pleasant day of sunshine. Riding on N Willamette Blvd just
> p=
> > ast U=20
> > of P on the bike path toward downtown. I was riding about 22 mph and=20
> > approached another bike rider in the bike lane who was riding
> significant=
> > ly=20
> > slower. I looked over my left shoulder, saw that I has safe distance
> from=
> > the=20
> > auto traffic behind me, signaled with my left hand/arm that I was
> coming =
> > out,=20
> > went around the other bike rider, merged back into the bike lane and
> cont=
> > inued=20
> > on at my 22 mph pace.=20
> >
> > Next thing I know, there is a vehicle behind me=20
> > siren blipping and lights flashing. Huh, is this guy pulling me over? I
> g=
> > uess=20
> > he is. I stop, the SUV size vehicle pulls over and the cop jumps out
> sayi=
> > ng I=20
> > failed to yield when I left the bike lane, entered his lane and passed
> th=
> > e=20
> > bike rider. His voice was raised and he's acting angry. I kid you not!!
> I=
> > =20
> > asked him to calm down and he gets madder. I told him that I felt I
> safel=
> > y=20
> > executed the pass by looking behind, saw the safe distance and
> signaled. =
> > He=20
> > disagreed again and threatened to ticket me. He asked for my ID.
> Luckily,=
> > I'd=20
> > forgotten to bring any and he yelled "god damnit" when I told him.
> The=20
> > "discussion" was devolving into "yes you did, no I didn't" and he
> was=20
> > obviously in control (at one point he said "you're not free to go") so
> I=
> > =20
> > finally said ok, you're right and just stared at him. He then called on
> h=
> > is=20
> > radio and asked if a car was nearby (presumably to arrest me??). I
> guess =
> > none=20
> > were since one didn't show up.
> >
> > The dude (who is a Sargent, by the way)=20
> > then takes down my name, address, phone number and goes back into his
> veh=
> > icle.=20
> > This whole time we're pulled over on the right, the cop vehicle is
> blocki=
> > ng=20
> > the bike lane and all bike riders are having to leave the bike lane,
> ente=
> > r the=20
> > traffic lane and ride around us. Finally, he returns and has written me
> a=
> > =20
> > warning. I ask what it meant and he said "nothing". I said I was sorry
> fo=
> > r the=20
> > hassle, he said nothing so I rode off. Weird experience.
> >
> > Portland's=20
> > finest? Oink oink.
> >
> > Scott
> >
> > =20=20
> > =20=20
> >
> >
> > =20=20
> > _______________________________________________
> > OBRA mailing=20
> > list
> > obra@list.obra.org
> > http://list.obra.org/mailman/listinfo/obra
> > Unsubscribe:=20
> > obra-unsubscribe@list.obra.org
> >
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> >
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> >
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> >
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> >
> >
> >
> >
> > --=20
> > Eric Aldinger
> > =20=09=09=20=09=20=20=20=09=09=20=20
> > _________________________________________________________________
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>
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--
Eric Aldinger