Another Safe Portland Year

[DIMS]

Portland celebrates another safe year for cyclists, Hambu...

[MetroMPG]

I thought this was going to turn out to be a sarcastic thread title!

Given the population of the city (603,106 in 2012) and the amount of cycling there, I'm genuinely surprised.

Bike Snob will be dis/pleased.

[redpoint5]

I'm happy to hear nobody was killed biking, but disappointed to learn that 20mph zones are being implemented.

The worst "pro bike" measure in the city is the speed bumps. People constantly speed up, and then brake hard when they approach speed bumps, only to accelerate again. How much fuel is being wasted on the series of speed bumps? How much damage is being done on suspension components? How many accidents were the result of drivers hitting the brakes hard and then getting rear-ended by someone not paying attention?

The reason biking is so popular in Portland is that the city attracts younger people, often with college degrees, and offers a high cost of living and low wage jobs. On top of that, parking is either expensive or impossible.

I like riding a bike in Portland as much as anyone else, but I've never had a complaint about my biking experience. It's the driving experience that needs major attention since it's gridlocked 2pm-7pm on the weekdays and all of the time on the weekends.

[king60]

What matters is where you're going, not how fast.

[Grant-53]

If you are a recreational cyclist out for a trip to enjoy the scenery, I agree. If you are a commuter then time is money. We have not had a bicyclist killed this year but some pedestrians have been struck and killed in areas I frequent. The main issue is that many people wear dark clothing after dark and become invisible when crossing the street. I found light colored shoes and pants show up best. On a bike the front forks and the seat stays are the parts that benefit from a bright contrasting color. Pedal reflectors help a great deal also. A bright headlamp and flashing red tail lamp is good to have on any time. My white Coroplast fairing is a real eye catcher too.