I have a HUGE pet peeve.

(HA! PET peeve. Wait. I’ll explain.)

I’m sure you’ve all seen trucks driving down the road with one or more dogs in the back. Now if you’re just tooling down the street with the pooch in the pickup bed, going pretty slow, that’s ok I guess. But going down the freeway hitting nearly 70 mph with your poor dog roaming around?

NOT COOL PEOPLE. NOT COOL.

What happens if you have to break or swerve suddenly? Or heaven forbid your dog should jump or fall out? I’ve seen dogs leaning off the side of the bed, both front feet on the edge, and all it would take is a little wiggle for that dog to be catapulted into traffic.

I SO hate seeing that.

Which is why I’m so confused by the image I saw this morning. I don’t know if it’s the coolest thing ever or if I should be worried.

Yeah, I'm bad. You got a problem wit dat?

I’m seeing a little doggy helmet and goggles. Badass, little pooch, so badass.

Oh! And don’t forget the Doggie Dash next Saturday, May 9th!

Related Posts

• March 9, 2009 -- Care and Feeding of Barkuums (1)
• October 28, 2008 -- The Oregonian’s horrible headlines (2)
• September 2, 2008 -- Motorcycles in PDX (2)
• August 16, 2008 -- Ruby, Don’t Take Your Love to Town (0)
• June 27, 2008 -- Canby Dog Owner Blames Victim For Attack (6)

I purchased a motorcycle this weekend, my first. It’s amazing how fast that makes one a member of a certain “club.” Motorcyclers seem to stick together and have a strong regard for compatriots.

I had a few nice conversations this weekend in which other motorcycle folks who asserted that they thought Portland was a fairly decent place to be on a bike. Drivers for the most part are attentive and courteous.

Do you think this is because of our preponderance of bicycles? Our generally friendly Portland nature? Are you a motorcycle person in Portland? What has been your experience?

As for my personal decision to buy a bike, it was something that filled a hole that a bicycle couldn’t quite fill for me. I wanted a more responsible replacement for my late Audi TT, something for mid-range trips around the city. My commute is still on foot, but I wanted an occasional non-car option that was still a kick in the pants. I expect this year will be a good one for motorcycle sales.

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• May 27, 2009 -- For Rapid Transit, they Gallop… (6)
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• May 1, 2009 -- Badass Biker Dawg (1)
• February 10, 2009 -- TriMet Question of the Day (2)

Coming back from the dog park this evening, I ran into flashing blue lights on SW Garden Home Rd. The entire street was blocked off by police, resulting in an impromptu, unofficial, and chaotic detour through the Thriftway parking lot. When I got a chance to see what had happened, it looked grim:

The accident must have happened not too much before 8:30 pm. I didn’t see an ambulance, which is a good sign, but I think it’s pretty clear that a couple of people were having a very unpleasant evening indeed.

Related Posts

• December 7, 2009 -- Portland Police: The Problem is Perception (3)
• June 3, 2009 -- Crosswalk Rage (1)
• May 1, 2009 -- Badass Biker Dawg (1)
• February 22, 2009 -- Police Patrols Parked in the Park (6)
• February 4, 2009 -- Sticking Out (6)