Any chance we can nominate the guy who decked the douchebag cyclist for some kind of hero award?

McAtee is *exactly* the reason why I don't particularly like a number of cyclists. They repeatedly flout traffic laws, endangering themselves, other people, and animals (LiveJournal has the story of a cat run over by a cyclist...), then act all self-righteously when they're called on it.

And yes, I disapprove of bad motorists as well.

"a quintessentially portland thing"

yep. it is so portland. serious kudos the random punching guy. I have to say that I haven't seen as many bastard bicyclists as I would have feared.

I ride my bike to work most everyday so I can say that.

There have been bad drivers and will be bad drivers but hopefully riding a bike is "active" enough and fulfilling enough that the assholes will simply take up something really cool like ped culture. One Less Bike.

There's asshole cyclists and there's asshole drivers. And the biggest assholes of the lot are the ones who think all the other side are assholes and none of their own side are.

From the reporting on KGW last night, it seems like the driver (who was in the right) was initially surrounded and insulted by passers-by, who just assumed that he must have been in the wrong because he was in a car.

As someone who bikes to work every day and doesn't own a car, it infuriates me when other cyclists give us a bad name, because it makes my life more dangerous...

Getting hit repeatedly with a bicycle sounds like it would hurt.

Fuck the Oregonian for raping this story like a drake mallard.

IME, there are two kinds of bicyclists in this town. First, the kind that use appropriate safety equipment, obey the laws of the road, and are generally aware and courteous. The second don't wear helmets, ride on sidewalks, and are usually riding a bike because they lost their licenses in a DUI.

McAtee obviously falls into the latter camp. I just hope this drunk asstard doesn't tar responsible bicyclists with his jackassery.

TWSS can you provide a reference for this assumption?

Speaking of - could someone more familiar with bike law than I explain when, if ever, bikes are allowed to be ridden on sidewalks?

Yes, bicycles are allowed to ride on sidewalks. There are, however, additional responsibilities you have while riding there. See ORS 814.410 for what those rules are.

Also the downtown area in Portland has an area that bicycles are excluded from riding in, Portland Ordinance 16.70.320E. The area bounded by SW Jefferson, Front Ave, NW Hoyt, and 13th is a bicycle exclusion zone except for the Park Blocks. You can ride on the sidewalk in the Park Blocks.

The downtown exclusion zone is for riding on the sidewalks. Didn't write that clearly enough.

Matt, isn't the supposedly notable detail that the driver is a bicycle advocate, not the bicyclist (although me may be, too).

At any rate, except for the violence, this story is boooooring.

Oops, I didn't preview that sentence very well.

Thanks for bringing me up to speed, encephalopath.

Wait, it gets more complicated than "bike good, car bad"?!

"Wait, it gets more complicated than "bike good, car bad"?!"

Yes, it's all bike riders = self-righteous. Even when they're temporarily driving their Subaru Outbacks.

violence is unacceptable no matter how many wheels are under you. i bet that cyclist gets to spend a long time in a location where he can calm the fuck down.

Another Cyclist Driving A Car Story....

Driving up Belmont hauling supplies for my biz...

a bicyclist comes bombing down 27th from the north, without stopping, slowing, looking left or right... and to save his life I have to hit the brakes like HARD... and then the tard notices that I just missed him and he gives me the finger.

No car drivers get upset...

Hey, we here made this store to www.fark.com.

As to bicyclists who ride because they cannot drive due to DUI's - I have personally known several. And no, I cant give you a link.

that should read: 'no wonder car drivers get upset...

Every day I see cyclists violating traffic laws: the biggest violation seems to be that cyclists are under the impression that they don't have to stop for stop signs or red lights.

As a motorist, let me say this: cyclists want to be respected as "traffic." When they behave as "traffic", you'll get that respect.

And, no, it's not just people who "don't wear helmets, ride on sidewalks, and are usually riding a bike because they lost their licenses in a DUI." Every day I see people in "proper safety gear" and cycle clothing breaking a traffic law. If I, as a motorist, have to stop at a red light, stop sign, or yield to a pedestrian, guess what? You do too.

Neither cars nor bikes seem to obey the law at most stop signs - everyone does a 'California stop'. Of course, if the cyclist doesn't even slow down, sooner or later they're going to get hit, so we'll put that down to natural selection.

Some cyclists (from what I see on NE Multnomah every day, probably about half) will run a stop light when there's no road entering on the right; not legal, but safe (whereas for a car it wouldn't be legal or safe). A far far smaller proportion will run stop lights when there is a road on the right and/or a pedestrian present, and again, natural selection is coming to them. Cars do this occasionally but much less often.

Many pedestrians (again, I'd guess at around half) regularly cross roads away from intersections or without waiting for the crossing signal. Quite a few cyclists cross roads in the same manner. It's not legal; but so long as you've looked first, it's safe.

Many drivers (certainly more than half) regularly speed on major roads. A smaller proportion regularly speed through neighborhoods. This is far more dangerous than anything you can do on a bike, with the possible exception of hitting someone over the head with it. I hope natural selection will come and get those drivers too. Very occasionally on a downhill stretch a bike will go over the speed limit, but it's rare.

The conclusion? Like I said earlier, the biggest assholes out there are people (like certain commentators above) who think 'the other side' all break laws and none of 'their side' do. And indeed, anyone who thinks there is any such thing as 'the other side'. If you went over the speed limit while driving to work this morning, you have no right to complain when a cyclist goes through a stop light, and vice versa.

Hah, it's no better elsewhere, try living in Austin where people cycle on major roads.

You don't see cars driving through red lights every day. Every day I count at least ten cyclists who do not stop at the stop sign in front of my house (residential neighborhood), and while I do see cars do "rolling stops", they at least slow down to <5 MPH: the cyclists are going through at full speed, not even slowing.

Today on my commute home I saw EIGHT different cyclists RUN THE RED LIGHT on Killingsworth at NE 82nd, while the automobiles on Killingsworth patiently waited.

I do have the right to complain. Me going accidentally 5 miles over the speed limit on the freeway isn't the same as a cyclist SHOWING ABSOLUTELY NO RESPECT FOR BASIC TRAFFIC LAWS.

Never met a cyclist who does, in fact, obey the most basic of traffic laws: attempt to stop at all stop signs and red lights, and yield right-of-way to pedestrians.

That's all I'm asking for: that they obey the same rules of the road I do as a motorist, with the same zeal and sincerity.

Sounds like the monthly Critical Mass in San Francisco - except the Subaru wasn't a mini-van full of kids.

I am really sick of cyclists acting like they have some kind of magic shield that keeps them safe, they ride four abreast in the road, run stop signs and red lights, and blatantly violate the rules of the road - and what's worse is that during Critical Mass the police run interference for them! If I got a bunch of motorcyclists and did this once a month we would all land our asses in jail and have our bikes impounded.

Sounds like the monthly Critical Mass in San Francisco - except the Subaru wasn't a mini-van full of kids.

I am really sick of cyclists acting like they have some kind of magic shield that keeps them safe, they ride four abreast in the road, run stop signs and red lights, and blatantly violate the rules of the road - and what's worse is that during Critical Mass the police run interference for them! If I got a bunch of motorcyclists and did this once a month we would all land our asses in jail and have our bikes impounded.

I am willing to bet there are more cars not stopping at the stop line, rolling thru right turns and talking/texting on their cell phones that are far more dangerous that a bike rolling thru a stop light. The cars are the ones that are doing the most damage. And yes the bike should stop and follow the the same rules. but there are many more idiot drivers out there than bikers. EVERYONE NEED TO STOP AT THE LIGHTS, AND EVERYONE NEEDS TO BE ALOT MORE COURTEOUS ON THE ROAD. Too many people think that they are more important than the others on the road.
Can't we all just get along......what ever happend to being nice?

just putting it out there: consider how many of these bikers/car drivers you complain about are male. . . I'm guessing a high proportion, and I'm also guessing that the majority bitching here about each other are also male. . .

and yes, females can and do act with complete disregard for others while on the road - but it's highly doubtful that when confronted they pick up their bikes and "use them as a weapon" or punch someone out. . .

whether it's boys driving like they're in a video-game on the freeways, boys driving like a**h***s on the roads, boys on bikes giving you the finger as they cause you to brake sharply, boys with BOOMING stereos in their BIG ASS trucks/cars, boys on obscenely loud motorcycles. . . *deep breath*

public nuisance(s). . . yeah. . .

here we go again, now a dumb girl with the same holier than thou attitude, you are worse that those silly boys, and boy do you sound stupid saying you are better that everyone else.

then not that...sorry for the typo

It's funny to hear drivers whining about how bicyclists bend and break the traffic laws, when those very laws are necessitated by the incredible power and danger of the automobile. The first stop sign came out of Michigan in 1915, and widespread use of stoplights didn't catch on until well into the age of the car. The reason police officers tend to look the other way if a cyclist cautiously goes through a red light or rolls through a stop sign, it's truly not as much of a hazard.

In the past 80 years, almost everything in the built environment, from the direction of streets, timing of lights, or allocation of tax dollars has been for the benefit of drivers. The truth is that the car is a selfish machine, and it tends to blind those who use it with feelings of entitlement. Sure, cyclists will do reckless and selfish things on the road. But the transgressions of the culture of driving are orders of magnitude greater.

sprawlers....

But does that excuse the behaviour of the cyclist in this incident?

lets stay focused, 'kay?

The cyclist was drunk. The chump in the car was sober when he decided to catch up with, honk at, and then talk some Portland style, passive aggressive rant about proper cycling. Mind you, this man is sober and with his family!

What a dick! I say that this guy just got dealt with while messing with the wrong dude at the wrong drunk time. Yeah, the cyclist was wrong, but I've been laughing about this all day. It's so hard to believe how this whole thing just escalated this way.

Whilst I agree with both sides. I should point out the following.

If a cyclist blows a traffic light/stop sign, how much damage is he/she likely to do to the average two thousand pound automobile?

Compared to the damage they would inflict on themselves?

As someone who drives a five thousand pound American built SUV only when I must move large objects and rides a bike whenever I can. I do blow stop signs, I do blow red lights. I do take some chances, but I do so at my own risk.

Hell, I don't even wear a helmet!

-Chutz Ponderosa

Dramatic re-enactment!

http://blogtown.portlandmercury.com/portland/Blog?blog=41935&oid=839001

I would like to see cyclists held accountable the same as drivers. They should be treated the same as a motorcyclist in regards to liscensing, helmet laws, road safety and insurance. As more people turn away from motor vehicles and get on a bike it gets more dangerous for everyone on the road. I find it deplorable that a person over 16 does not have to wear a helmet if they are riding a bike. There have been a few, i wouldn't say many, times that I have come up to a stop sign and a cyclist has come up beside me and then got in front of me a once the light turned green continued to stay in front of me. HELLO??!! I was there first!! That's great they are trying to save the earth and money but hello please have some common courtesy. I think everyone, EVERYONE, needs to go back to the do unto others as you would want others to do unto you. Don't cut in line, don't speed up when your lane is ending to get one car ahead, don't flip someone off for getting in front of you causing you to slam on your breaks because you were going 20 miles over the speed limit, DO THE SPEED LIMIT, Obey traffic signs- if it says no turn on red, DON'T!! We all have to live here so why don't we all just try to get along and stop thinking we are better than our neighbor. Guess what!!?? Everyone's poo stinks regardless of how much you make or don't.

Dusty,

I said absolutely nothing, and intended to say absolutely nothing about this particular incident. I'm really sorry you had to hit your brakes so hard. Next time stay focused, 'kay?

why dont you losers just buy cars like normal people. seriously get out of the fucking street. it's only a matter of time before drivers can start running you down. i used to have a bike too when i was 10 yah know? thats the time to ride a bike. now u need to be adults and join a gym or something. get off the fucking street.