Joe Cipale
I tend to lump San Jose in with SF. I shouldnt but...
Monterey is nice too.
trispoke wrote:
> Joe,
> Having lived some of the same places, I'm frankly quite amazed. My
> list includes:
> KS
> Memphis
> W Massachusetts
> DC
> Boston
> S NJ coast
> SF
> Monterey
> San Jose
>
> I have the EXACT opposite experience. Nowhere else have I found the
> average level of respect and deference from drivers to be even close.
> It's rare to have a ride where someone screams obscenities, honks
> repeatedly, throws something at me or actively tries to intimidate me
> with their car. All of those other places I felt much more at risk on
> my bike.
>
> I have to wonder if we've been living on the same planet.
>
> Cheers,
> Ian Penner
>
> Sent from my iPhone
>
> On Jan 19, 2010, at 8:29 AM, "Joe Cipale" wrote:
>
> > 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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> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> --=20
> >> Eric Aldinger
> >> =20=09=09=20=09=20=20=20=09=09=20=20
> >> _________________________________________________________________
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