With the Steel Bridge closed and high gas prices, tons of people are taking to the sidewalks and walking or biking to get downtown. I’m one of them and am enjoying it. Over the past two weeks, I have enjoyed the little walk and love that so many Portlanders are joining in.
But the bikers gotta figure it out that they are not that special. I know, there is an anti-biker mentality in the city these days and I’m not anti-biker. I’m “anti-jackass-who-doesn’t-obey-signs-biker” When the bicyclists get into the Rose Quarter area going north on Interstate, there is a turn into where one would catch buses or MAX. There are rather large signs stating “walk your bike.” They have been there for a few years now. You know why? BECAUSE SOMEONE DIED ON A BIKE AFTER BEING HIT BY A BUS IN THE AREA!” This isn’t TriMet’s wet dream of making bicyclists get of their bikes. It isn’t a power play. It is a safety issue. I wouldn’t trust a TriMet driver to watch out for me and I’m a ped.
Yesterday, I watched 8 bicyclists speed onto that street. When they saw an actual officer, some quickly jumped off and walked to the sidewalk. Others, well, they obviously were in their own little world and proceeded on, only to be caught and ticketed on the spot.
Obey the signs. They are there for your safety.
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Damn straight. This truly is an issue worth discussing again. If you break the rules, and thereby break a law, then you should pay. I have no idea if the Tri-Met signs at the Rose Quarter constitute traffic code and thereby warrant a fine, but in my opinion, they should –for the safety reasons you pointed out.
Is there any way I can be deputized? I’d give out at least a dozen citations every day. Hell, I nearly got nailed by two people on bikes on my 3.5-mile bike commute to work this morning. All because the other people on bicycles failed to respect the traffic signs.
I am hard pressed to believe that the majority of law-breakers on bikes are running stop signs and disobeying other traffic signs because they’re simply ignorant of the rules. We see it every day with people in cars as well. The fact is, people disregard the rules of the road and roll through stop signs, and it’s against the law.
It doesn’t matter if a person is driving a submarine or car, or riding a manatee or a bike, law-breaking asses will be law-breaking asses independent of their mode of transport.
Where’s my badge? I’ve got an appointment with the Rose Quarter.
Word. I don’t want to get hit…I don’t own any expensive spandex cycling fashions….it’d be embarrassing.
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