Uhh...at NO point is NE 15th a 45mph zone. At most, it's 30. In many areas, it's 25. Slow the fuck down.

Cyclists have a right to use a lane. When passing a cyclist in a vehicle, you're legally required to use the height of the rider to roughly measure enough space to allow so that if they fell over to the left onto the road, you would not run over them. That's quite a bit of space you'd have needed to allow if you were planning to pass. How about you learn to obey traffic laws as well?

If he needs to swerve to avoid an object in his path and he stays within the same lane, then there should be no problem even if a car about to pass if the driver is giving as wide a berth as the law requires, given the large passing distance guideline I mentioned. If the cyclist is swerving into another lane, then no of course that's not OK. You said "almost to the center lane," though, not into that lane.

Some of the rest of your rant sounds pretty ignorant and unfair: Whoever said that cyclists think whatever we do we're always right? Straw-man argument. Very few cyclists would think that. Rant-prone drivers tend to get angry even at law-abiding cyclists and use the actions of the law-breakers to rant about cyclists in general. And many of you feel entitled not to have cyclists on the road just because we're slower. Yes, we're allowed to be in a lane in a 45 mph speed LIMIT zone, and go 15 or 20 mph. Deal with it.

@5- Agreed. Safety is not a right, it is a responsibility. Now, as someone who usually walks instead of bikes or drives, I do not really have a dog in this fight. I will point out, however, that each day in the Oregonian there is a Fatality Report that announces the people who died in car wrecks in the metro area. That's right- EVERY DAY motorists lose their lives on our roads. Yet when the occasional cyclist dies the Mercury News Chopper is right there to cash in on the sensationalism. It's like when a skier dies on Mt. Hood and all the finger-pointing starts, but never in the direction of the person sliding down a glacier on a cheap piece of fiberglass.

Stop wearing headphones while bicycling! It is so unsafe!

Anon: At no point did you mention the cyclist running a red or a stop sign, yet you included it in your rant. Sounds like you just don't like cyclists in general, a common sentiment amongst bloat-faced drivers.

Why is this a bike vs car thing? Humans are dumb and the do dumb things when on a bike, in a car, on their feet, sitting in a chair, there is not a single place where humans are not stupid.

I once saw a guy riding down N. Lombard, wearing headphones and singing to himself. He was doing about 5 mph and causing A LOT of drivers to slam on their brakes. Is he going 5mph in a 40mph zone legal? I guess it is, but is it the smart thing to do? No, it isn't.
And yeah, I see cyclists ALL THE TIME run red lights and stop signs. Not too bright!
Legal don't make up for dumb.

But why are people so disproportionately angry about things cyclists do? I rarely see or hear people rant about drivers' speeding and driving under the influence of alcohol, which most people seem to just passively tolerate. But if a cyclist doesn't wear a helmet or takes up a lane where there's no bike lane to use or rides with headphones on, or slows down at a stop sign but doesn't completely stop, suddenly it's "YOU PEOPLE ARE FUCKING IDIOTS!" Speeding, not wearing a seat belt, and driving while intoxicated are two of the main things that are killing dozens of people in this country every single day, but I guess it's always easier for drivers to criticize someone else's behavior, including that of pedestrians. I think part of why it's so disproportionate is that many people still resent the presence of cyclists on the roads, period, and believe that the roads belong to cars. That attitude is even stronger in most other cities in the US.

I both bike and drive to work, and was almost hit by a guy in a truck awhile back.
On the other hand, I got into it with a cyclist in Chinatown who was running red lights. Idiot.
'Taking the lane' is for idiots though. I've biked through Europe and in Japan and never see any cyclists do that, even with skinnier roads.
Headphones and bikes do not mix well either.

Bullshit, cyclists commonly take control of the lane in cities the world over, especially where the lane is too narrow to share with cars.
I'm only bothering to say this because I've seen you make the same comments about "taking the lane" several times in the past and you never bother to explain yourself, just offer your own pushy, ignorant commands. "Taking the lane is for assholes. Move the fuck over." Bullshit, fuck you, and read this for starters:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vehicular_cyc…
You know what happens when a cyclist tries to travels to the extreme right at all times, so that cars can try to pass them too close, disobeying the law I mentioned @2, and the cyclist encounters a pothole or obstacle? They have to swerve over to the left to avoid it, and traveling in a non-straight line can be dangerous because it's harder for drivers to predict what you're going to do. Cyclists are legally entitled to use a lane.

The anon who backed on the tall guy bike is an asshole and should have his house egged by the police.

If you need to put your foot on someone's vehicle to stop at a stop light on a tall bike, don't ride a tall bike. Touching people's cars tends to get them angry. Riding a bike that's easy to stop at a stop sign or light seems like the best thing all around, to say the least.

"Bullshit, fuck you, and read this for starters" and a vague wikipedia entry? Please.

This is an old-ass discussion. Headphones and swerving into traffic ("taking a lane") could easily get you killed, after a long ICU stay with brain death on the County's tab if uninsured-- but may at least lead to organ donation to save another life.

With a large contingent of variably skilled cyclists, who may or may not have common sense, we can expect unique precedents in Portland in assigning automobile drivers' legal responsibility.

"Swerving into traffic" and "taking a lane" are not the same thing at all. You might want to read the vauge Wikipedia summary. For starters. What you you want me to link, a detailed manual on cycling safety?
How about this:
http://www.commutebybike.com/2008/03/18/to…
As for "bullshit, fuck you," just trying to speak to frankieb in the language he understands and uses to describe cyclists, as I quoted.

First, PAY THE FUCK ATTENTION! fucking great.

Second, I would suggest that cyclists research their routes and stay on bike-friendly streets as much as possible.

For example, I'll see people biking up Hawthorne, even though Harrison/Lincoln are a couple blocks over. Or out here in the 'Tron, I'll see folks going up BHH, even though 5th street is one block away! This is just silly. Do your homework, people!

The thing about bikes is that anyone can ride them. Yes there are laws about what a bike is legally allowed to do in this city. But unlike cars, bikes don't have to take any tests to ride on the road other than "can you stay upright for the whole trip" rule. That means cars have to be the responsible ones since they are the ones who have the license.

I understand IA's frustration because I live around Williams/Vancouver area and I occasionally happen to have a bike swerve out of the bike lane to pass another bicyclist or to avoid something and not really check to see what is around them.

Portland will just not enforce the rules of biking (other than lame stings in Ladd's Addition) because it is not worth it to them. Suck it up and just be on the look out for them space. assume a person on a bike is not going to stop at a four way stops or be a little erratic and give them the right a way. I just tell myself I'd rather wait an extra few seconds at a stop sign rather than hit someone one on a bike. Drivers in Portland are pussies also, they won't honk at you and they are used to driving 5 to 10 below the speed limit, so you don't have to worry about pissing the drivers off by driving slow unless you are out in eastern Portland.

Side note:It always makes me laugh when I see people complain about speeding in this city, they just need a week in the south to know what it is like to have some grandma ride your bumper in a residential area while you are going 10 over the speed limit.

"I wrote this IA, and you're both idiots. One, I didn't say that 15th was a 45... I'm talking about other experiences I've had with cyclists. Two, then it's ok for a cyclists to just SWERVE into traffic? What if I did that in my car? You people would have a fucking fit! No, he was an idiot cyclists, which there seems to be no lack of in this town. Just like idiot drivers, they are dangerous and they're fucking idiots. Yeah, i like to use the word idiot, so what? it seems to fit really well in forums such as these."



Maybe IDIOT *unregistered commentor ought to get an official account before submitting an IA, next time. Stop acting like such an aggro-crybaby and SLOW DOWN!

Besides leadfoot, even if you did run over and kill someone, the most you'd get [in this state] is 2 years. Pretty light for vehicular homicide, don't YOU think?

Meh. Another anti bike rant on IA. How original.
And as to the "don't wear headphones crowd" if I was deaf, should I not be allowed to ride?

@23: THIS is the Mimosa we all know and tolerate! Complaining about EVERY SINGLE comment and IA. EXCEPT for that Lascher guy, who you seem to have the hots for. Really man, why is he the ONLY person you've ever supported? I mean, it was really weird, you defending him and all. I could just see you, all googely-eyed, looking at his website, wondering what coffee shop he frequents so that you can "accidentally" run into him. I bet you even dreamt about him last night, didn't you? C'mon man, it's ok... we're all cool here, you can tell us.

Look at who's being obsessive, now?

geyser - your explanation: I lived abroad for 5 1/2 years in Germany and traveled throughout much of Europe - and alot of it on bike.
And I've biked in Japan too.
And I still stand by my own personal observations rather than your Wiki link.
'Taking the lane' - 99% of the time is complete bullshit.
Yeah, there are rare occasions where it is needed.
As for your other remarks about me and what language I need to be talked to in - fuck off and die asshole.

Lascher and Mimosa sittin' in a tree...
That's all I'm sayin'.

Maybe lascher will provide Damosa de posa the grammar and spelling skills he needs....

Good point, #24.

So you keep bringing in this other guy from a totally different IA post from two days ago that nobody is talking about but you, and you keep making all these "gay" insinuations... and again i say, who's obsessing now?

"Lascher and Mimosa sittin' in a tree..."

Are you a 14 year old boy?

@31: This from the guy who used the word 'fag' the other day? And the song was a representation of your love and admiration for that Lascher fella. You know, just kind of honoring your 'connection' with him... it was meant to be a tribute dude, don't have a hissy fit over it. I was just trying to a good wingman, Mimosa... gawd.

Wait, DamosA likes 14 yr old boys?

Clearly, my sarcasm went right over your empty head. Which would explain why you also keep harping on my "fag" comment FROM THE OTHER DAY. I'm guessing you're the only one who didn't get it.

And it's nice to see that people who don't have accounts here are cyber-stalking me, too - that goes for the cops monitoring this site. Not just Geo. Feels good man. My adoring fanbase.

@Mimosa: I only "harp" on it because you never addressed it. That word, as you might know, is a derogatory term. You said it in a childish fit, and I called you out. And just because I pointed out your INFATUATION with that typewriter guy, you're getting all worked up. Calm down, buddy. When people say something STUPID and then try to back out of it by claiming they were 'joking' or it was 'sarcasm', it don't fly with me, my man. Cyber-stalking: pshh, whateva.

frankieb: So you can dish it out but can't take it. And your personal experiences count but other cyclists' experiences and ideas aren't worth considering. Okay, have it your own way, you self-centered... I'm through with any kind of name-calling here.

Stalking? Yeah, If stalking is googling your name (Clifton brooks, Pdx) and then pressing the image button only to LAUGH out loud at the results. To me, that shit is comedy gold.

I mean, look at that crap! What the fuck are you wearing???

Aren't you in your mid thirties??

Listen, word around the commenter water cooler is you are a manboy who likes to play city of lost children.

Steampunks? There's no punk in that culture. Its a hoax. You're a poser and a chode. Next!

"You are a sick person Damosa."


Yeah, that doesn't count as a negative with me. What else you got? Copper.

I remember wearing t-shirts that said "i like being sick" or something when I was a teenager. Johnny The Homicidal Maniac and all that.

And I believe that illustrates what decade DamosA is stuck in.

Well i never got into that comic, but that aside go ahead - why don't YOU tell me what decade YOU think i'm stuck in?

It's more fun to make you spin around and guess because someone on the Internet thinks you remind them of a 16 year old.

Hey, who's spinning? I'm cool. But of course, i'm not the one who has something to prove.

lollll, oh damosa, you live in a world where you're a rebel.