Oregon has a new statewide plan for bicycling and walking

Cover of the new plan.

Oregon has a new statewide plan for bicycling and walking.

A two-year planning process culminated at a meeting of the Oregon Transportation Commission on May 19th when commissioners voted to adopt the Oregon Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan (PDF).

The 80-page plan is one of four modal plans that set policy and strategy for the Oregon Department of Transportation. The old plan was adopted in 1995 and it was only a staff-level document. Now the plan is on the same internal level within ODOT as the state’s plans for rail, highway, and freight. “This raises the prominence and importance of biking and walking travel options with other modes and topics,” read a statement from ODOT last week. “Requiring explicit consideration and integration of biking and walking needs into transportation decisions across Oregon.”

Just how “explicit” the plan is has been a major point of contention.

In February we reported on how many regional advocates, leaders, and even ODOT’s own staff thought the plan needed stronger words in order to be effective.

“The plan needs to be precise and explicit regarding the statutory and regulatory basis for statewide bicycle and pedestrian policy,” wrote ODOT’s Region 1 Planning Manager Jon Makler in a letter last December with comments on a draft of the plan.

How the Bike/Ped Plan sits relative to existing ODOT plans.

A list of the plan’s performance measures.

The adopted plan has made many changes to its policy language — moving from passive statements to more direct ones. In the Equity section for example, it used to read, “Seek opportunities to Integrate equity criteria into decision making,” and now it reads, “Integrate equity criteria…”. A small but important difference.

Another example of how the plan improved thanks to feedback is in Policy 3.3. An earlier draft of the plan cited a state statute (ORS 366.125) that says anything that reduces “vehicle-carrying capacity for freight trucks” must be discussed and approved before going forward. Former Oregon Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee member AJ Zelada said the inclusion of that statute was proof the plan had “no teeth“. Thankfully ODOT listened and the final plan has removed all references to ORS 366.125.

ODOT didn’t do everything advocates asked for. The Bicycle Transportation Alliance and other groups wanted specific corridors and streets to be named in the plan (similar to how ODOT has outlined specific trucking corridors in the Oregon Freight Plan). ODOT says they’ll define the network in a separate process.

ODOT also says they’re currently working on an Oregon Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan Implementation Work Program that will have more details on deliverables from the plan in the short, mid, and long-term.

“Several of the policies will immediately guide decision-making,” said ODOT’s Transportation Planning Unit Manager Amanda Pietz, “We will be taking the hard work people put into this plan and putting it into practice.”

— Jonathan Maus, (503) 706-8804 – jonathan@bikeportland.org

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Job: Mechanic/Bartender – Velo Cult

Job Title *
Mechanic/Bartender

Company/Organization *
Velo Cult

Job Description *
Mechanic:
We are looking to fill several long term positions. Must have extensive mechanic experience and must be willing to work weekends/nights.

Bartender:
We are looking for bike/beer nerds to run the bar and help with various things around the shop. Bar experience isn’t necessary but bike shop experience is a plus. We are open 10am to 10pm daily so you must be willing to work nights and weekends.

How to Apply *
Email your resume to velocultjobs@gmail.com

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Separation anxiety: Here’s why Portland isn’t building protected bikeways (yet)

Cross-section of one approach to protected bike
lanes on NE 47th Avenue.
(Image: City of Portland)

After almost 10 years of talking about building networks of physically separated bike lanes on busy streets, Portland seems more or less ready to move.

Theoretically, that is.

Various small projects are already in motion. A downtown network is funded and ready to start public planning. The next mayor won election making protected lanes part of his platform, especially for east Portland. Voters just ponied up enough money to start the work. This week, city staff were in Seattle talking nuts and bolts with peers there.

All of which means that a city memo about the various obstacles to protected bike lanes is revealing reading.

The 75-page “technical memo” by Portland Bicycle Planning Coordinator Roger Geller and colleagues, posted to the city’s website this spring, is at once a trove of good ideas — almost all of it consists of diagrams showing how to fit buffered and protected bike lanes on streets of various widths and uses — and a tally of the hoops Portland requires a comfortable bike lane to jump through.

For example, there’s the 26 feet of open space requested by the Fire Bureau on any street adjacent to a building of at least three stories. That’s enough room for a 10-foot-wide fire truck with an eight-foot outrigger on each side, needed to provide stability for a ladder.

Could one or both of the outriggers straddle a curb or other obstacle that separates bike and auto traffic? Maybe. But it can’t straddle a parked car, which has prevented parking-protected bike lanes on narrow streets like Stark and Oak downtown.

Barriers to protection

Some of the issues cited in the PBOT memo:

• Fire truck access
• Stormwater/runoff requirements
• Auto parking space buffer zone
• Truck and bus turning radius requirements

Download the memo here

Another obstacle: stormwater. Rain that runs off city streets warms rivers and kills habitats there, so the federal and state governments require cities to add drainage swales and other features to reduce runoff on “projects that develop or redevelop over 500 square feet of impervious surface.” That gets expensive fast.

But as Geller’s memo notes, the city’s storm bureau cuts slack for walking projects like new curb extensions — it waives the requirement for better storm drainage in part because the city doesn’t want to create an “undue burden” on a walking project.

There’s no such waiver practice for biking projects, the memo says.

Another issue: the “step out” area the city generally provides next to a new parking space, for people who move from a parked car to a mobility device such as a wheelchair. As the memo notes, federal standards don’t actually require those extra three feet next to every parking space, only next to spaces set aside for people with disabilities. But Portland’s preference is to provide it on all on-street spaces, potentially reducing the space available for a curb-separated bikeway.

There are many other issues embedded in the diagrams, like turning radiuses for trucks, lane widths for buses and adequate separation between biking and walking traffic.

The memo is a useful reminder of how unfamiliar these designs remain for most city employees — and also of the fact that meaningful changes to Portland’s streets will require a sense of purpose not only within the city’s transportation bureau but the other bureaus, too. That means that ultimately, it’s up to the elected city council to decide if these new designs are worthwhile — and if they are, to tell the public’s employees that they need to take the time to work these issues out.

— Michael Andersen, (503) 333-7824 – michael@bikeportland.org

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The Monday Roundup: Dutch distractions, China’s bus boondoggle & more

Gotta check.
(Photo: J.Maus/BikePortland)

Good morning! Starting today it’s summer vacation season on BikePortland, with first me and then Jonathan taking a little time to decoil. So expect slightly slower posting than usual for the next month or so — though you’ll usually be able to count on at least two posts almost every weekday.

(If you’ve been yearning for a chance to put together a guest post, this means it’s a golden opportunity. Get in touch!)

This week’s Monday Roundup is sponsored by Western Bikeworks. Check out their big 5-year anniversary sale going on now through June 5th.

Here are the bike-related links from around the world that caught our eyes this week:

Distracted biking: Even the Dutch are considering a mobile-phone ban.

Straddle bus: The thing about China’s new bus that drives over congestion is that you could achieve basically the same thing with a dedicated bus lane, says Canaan Merchant.

Sleeping driver: A camera caught a man dozing behind the wheel of an “autopiloted” Tesla Model S.

The enemy is us: “If there is a war on cars in Seattle, it’s a civil war,” writes Tom Fuculoro in a rebuttal to a Seattle Times editorial writer. “Your enemy is basic geometry.”

Transit retrench: The American Public Transit Association, in the midst of a leadership change, should dump its alliance with “asphalt salesmen” and join with “biking and walking advocacy groups,” argues TransitCenter.

Transportation equity: The U.S. Department of Transportation has a comprehensive whitepaper about biking, walking and justice.

Caltrans reborn: Under Gov. Jerry Brown, California’s DOT is pledging “no new highways” and pushing for transportation reform instead.

Illegalizing NYC: 40 percent of the buildings in Manhattan would be illegal to build today: they’re too tall, too dense or too commercial in their use.

Too tall? Portland has lost its way by keeping skyscrapers legal, a local development pro argues.

Opportunity projects: A bill sponsored by U.S. Rep. Maxine Waters would have the federal transportation department measure whether a given transportation project helps or harms “multimodal connections to economic opportunities.”

Autonomous cars: Following Google’s recent words of caution, Vox lists five reasons they might be 30 years away.

Davis guru: After 29 years running the bike program at the country’s bike-friendliest university, David Takemoto-Weerts is taking his extensive opinions about bike racks and going home.

Sidewalk assault: After a police officer stopped 19-year-old Jordan Lloyd for biking on a California sidewalk but refused to say what he’d done wrong, things escalated quickly.

“Garden bridge”: London is having a big argument over whether to build a tree-lined pedestrian bridge across the Thames.

Prepaid transit: A German program that bundles discount transit passes into university fees cut driving by 18 percent and saved most students money.

If you come across a noteworthy bicycle story, send it in via email, Tweet @bikeportland, or whatever else and we’ll consider adding it to next Monday’s roundup.

— Michael Andersen, (503) 333-7824 – michael@bikeportland.org

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Someone has died after being struck while bicycling on SW Multnomah

Looking east on 6300 block of SW Multnomah.

There was a fatal collision on SW Multnomah Blvd today that involved a person who was riding a bicycle.

According to the Portland Police Bureau the collision happened at 4:00 pm on the 6300 block of Multnomah — just a few tenths of a mile east of where it splits with Garden Home. Both the bicycle rider and the automobile driver were going east prior to the collision.

The police have not released many details, but they have said that, “Investigators believe that impairment may be a factor in this crash.” The police didn’t say which of the two parties in the collision is suspected of being impaired. However it appears to be the person driving because the police statement also says, “Drivers impaired by alcohol or drugs injure and kill thousands of people every year. People consuming alcohol or drugs are urged not to get behind the wheel and should have a sober driver or utilize taxis, rideshare companies, or transit so everyone is safe on our streets.”

This section of SW Multnomah is a key east-west connector in southwest Portland. Unfortunately it is also a well-known danger spot. People tend to drive relatively fast (speed limits are 35 and 40 in the area) for a road with just one standard lane and a bike lane in each direction. The road and the bike lanes are narrow and the bicycling space is not buffered in any way from the driving space.

I rode this exact spot on Multnomah back in Feruary 2015 during SW Portland Week. “This stretch between 69th and Capitol Hwy,” I wrote, “really needs a buffer and some sort of protection.”

This is second fatality involving a bicycle rider this year.

We’ll update this post as we learn more. Please contact us if you have any information.

— Jonathan Maus, (503) 706-8804 – jonathan@bikeportland.org

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36 hours in Rome

We’re stuck at London Heathrow airport–we missed our connecting flight so that gives me some hours to sit and blog while Ida does ballerina twirls around the airport and Jason figures out how we’re gonna get home.

On the way over here we spent 36 hours in Rome before heading up to the Cinqueterre for my Italian Fix workshop. Even though I lived in Italy for almost seven years I haven’t spent a ton of time in Rome — plus it’s always different going to a place you once visited alone, with children, and seeing it thought their eyes. 

Everything in Rome seems BIG and OLD, especially seeing it through Ida’s eyes. We really only had time to do one big touristy thing — we chose the Colosseum since Ida’s been really into “theaters” and “shows” and “stages” lately.

I was really excited about all the greeeeeen.

       

…and of course, we made the mandatory gelato stop. Above you can see the ‘before’ snap. Happiness reigns. Below, you’ll see what happened after Ida’s grandma had the last bite of her ‘strawberry part’. 

Major piazza meltdown–the photo was so funny I had to share.

And just a few of my other favorite snaps from around the city. I love all the rusty colors, the roofs dotted in palms and agaves, and the ivy spilling out over the the tops of buildings and the balconies.
Ok… looks like we’re gonna be heading to a hotel for the night and flying home tomorrow. Catch you guys on the flip side!!

xxJ

 

 

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How to Measure Customer Experience

There are a few tried and true tools in the industry that can give a pretty accurate measurement of customer experience. Learn which are right for your customer care program.

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Ways to Improve Customer Service

Customer service can make or break your bottom line. Customers expect an effortless experience when engaging with your brand for support, answers and issue resolution. Here are 8 important tactics you should implement for a killer customer service strategy.

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Comment of the Week: The car-free destiny of NW 13th Avenue

Northwest 13th Avenue during Sunday Parkways, 2011.
(Photo: J.Maus/BikePortland)

Curb-protected bike lanes are cool and all, but they’ve got nothing on building-protected bike lanes.

That’s roughly the position from BikePortland reader Andrew, who added the first comment to Tuesday’s post about possible downtown protected bike lanes with a very different vision for one of Portland’s most unique streets: Northwest 13th Avenue.

Here’s what Andrew had to say:

I’d love to see something done with NW 13th. It’s an awkward street to drive on, walk on, and cycle on. I use it frequently and have stopped to observe what happens on the street with the different modes tangled together. There are no sidewalks, parking for cars is a free for all, pedestrians are often times in the middle of the roadway, and it’s just generally a mess.

Closing 13th to cars entirely would be awesome, it would remove the primary part of what makes the street a mess. Removing some of the stop signs for bikes and peds on 13th would allow people to move through quicker if their destination isn’t on 13th. It connects with Johnson and Overton quite well, and it isn’t too tough to connect to the Broadway bridge either. Just my 2 cents.

This led to an excellent discussion about whether and how this might work. (In particular, check out the “yes” case from maccoinnich and the “no” case from Jason H.) But Jonathan and I were happy to see the issue come up at all. One of the posts we never got to from this spring’s NW Portland Week was Jonathan’s opus, years a-brewing, about how wonderful a pedestrianized (or partially pedestrianized) 13th Avenue could become.

If I know the boss, Jonathan’s full thoughts on this issue are likely to see the light someday. For the moment, the old industrial loading docks that (as reader Matti pointed out) once opened onto freight train tracks will continue to push people walking into the middle of the street, claiming the space that will, we’d be willing to bet, eventually become theirs.

Yes, we pay for good comments. This regular feature is sponsored by readers who’ve become BikePortland subscribers to keep our site and our community strong. We’ll be sending $5 and a little goodie bag to Andrew in thanks for this great addition. Watch your email!

— Michael Andersen, (503) 333-7824 – michael@bikeportland.org

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Ask BikePortland: Do I have to stop for red lights while riding on ‘Better Naito’?

The cones and wide bike lane are temporary, the legal requirement to stop at lights is not.
(Photo: J. Maus/BikePortland)

Ask BikePortland is a regular column. Browse the archives or drop us a line if you have a question you’d like us to answer.

Today’s question is about Better Naito, the temporary project that has created a 15-foot lane for biking and walking on Naito Parkway.

Reader Skip Winters lives in West Linn and commutes into northeast Portland (thanks to an electric bike he says). His favorite part of the ride is Naito Parkway, especially now with the generous amount of space and safety afforded by the new alignment. But he’s confused about the signals.

Here’s his question:

“I’m just a bit confused about the signage and the rules – and have in the past month seen all variations of how riders are handling it. Some folks cruise along ignoring the lights. Some full stop if they are red – causing a few near-collisions with bikes treating the intersection, red light or not, as ‘full-speed through traffic.’

Are we supposed to stop at red lights only if there are pedestrians? Is that why the “Stop for Peds” signs have been painted and placed on the cones?”

Adding to the confusion is there is at least one bike specific traffic light near the Morrison Street bridge. Should we infer that that’s the only light to pay attention to? In addition to watching for pedestrians?”

Thanks for asking this question Skip!

I’ve been riding this at least once a day and have seen (and felt) the confusion first-hand. As an aside, T-intersections where the bike lane continues have long been a pet-peeve of mine. Along with allowing “Idaho stops,” I think we should allow bicycle riders to carefully roll through T-intersections when it’s safe. But I digress, let’s get you some answers…

To get an expert opinion I asked the Portland Bureau of Transportation’s Signals, Street Lighting, & ITS (Intelligent Transportation Systems) Division Manager Peter Koonce.

To the chagrin of you “full-speed” types, Koonce said — surprise! — everyone needs to stop for the red lights. “Those people are doing the wrong sort of cruising. If you want to get technical about it,” he added, “by the definitions of the Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD), the people on bicycles are part of the intersection (<30 feet from the Naito traffic signal) and therefore they should stop at the red light." And what about the "Stop for Peds" signs? Should people infer that it's cool to roll through if nobody is walking across the street? Nope. "That's the wrong inference," Koonce said. "If the light is red, you should stop."

— Jonathan Maus, (503) 706-8804 – jonathan@bikeportland.org

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Two videos that will help you understand homelessness in Portland

Still from Hazelnut Grove, a short film by Kevin Neidorf.

I want to share two videos that I think will help broaden your understanding of the homelessness crisis and give you some new perspective on it. And here’s why I’m doing it:

Over the past few months I’ve gotten many emails from people who bike by homeless camps and then write in to say: “The homeless situation is out of hand and something needs to be done about it.” In part because of emails like that we’ve covered the topic several times recently.

This might make you wonder: Why are bicycle riders talking about the local homelessness crisis? Why am I reading about this on a bike blog?

Part of the answer is that when you experience a city by bike, you are physically and mentally much more a part of your surroundings than people who drive or use transit. Bicycle riders experience the street environment in a very direct way, so it’s no surprise that all this camping — much of it happening directly adjacent to multi-use paths — is on many people’s minds at the end of their commute.

On a personal note, I’ve learned a lot in the past year as I’ve watched the politics of this issue play out in city hall and tried (and not always succeeded) to lead a discussion about it here on BikePortland. As part of that learning process I’ve read up on the subject, added a lot of new voices to my social media feeds, and stay open to new information and perspectives. On that note, I’ve just come across two great videos that I felt were worth sharing.

The first is Hazelnut Grove, a short film by Kevin Neidorf. The Hazelnut Grove camp that has sprung up in North Portland’s Overlook Neighborhood has been on our radar since the beginning because it’s directly adjacent to the Greeley Avenue bike path connection (from Interstate). We started getting emails from readers about it almost as soon as the tents went up. Some people weren’t happy that the path was being “routinely blocked” by Hazelnut Grove residents. Neidorf’s film beautifully breaks down that wall between “us” and “them” by sharing first-person narratives from Grove residents.

The other video is a TedX talk given just last week by the Street Roots editor Israel Bayer. Street Roots is a local nonrofit newspaper that covers homelessness and gives voice to people who don’t usually have one in our local politics or media. Bayer’s talk was titled, Homelessness In America: The Journey Home.

Our housing crisis is far from over. While advocates and politicians work toward solutions, one thing the rest of us can do is work toward a greater understanding of the issue.

— Jonathan Maus, (503) 706-8804 – jonathan@bikeportland.org

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Why are all those people on the path drinking coffee and eating donuts?

The scene this morning on the Esplanade at the Steel Bridge.
(Photos: J. Maus/BikePortland)

If you’re new to biking in Portland you might notice something afoot on the last Friday of every month as you pedal into downtown: A bunch of happy-looking people standing around with coffee and donuts in their hands.

Next time you see this, consider stopping: It’s for you!

What you’re seeing is an old Portland tradition known as Breakfast on the Bridges. For the past 14 years (14!) a hardy bunch of volunteers affiliated with Shift have been serving food and drinks and smiles on downtown bridges from 7:00 to 9:00 am. It currently happens on the Hawthorne (west end), Steel (east end), and the Tillikum (east end). The selection of eats varies from month-to-month. I’ve seen everything from bagels and bacon to made-to-order pancakes. This morning on the Tillikum Lilian Karabaic and friends offered chocolate peanut butter oatmeal cookies and banana muffins.

If you’re wary of stopping because you think you’ll have to sign up for something or listen to someone’s political or product pitch, don’t worry. “B on B” (as the locals call it) has no agenda (although politicians have been known to show up). Like everything Shift makes happen (Pedalpalooza and the World Naked Bike Ride included), the goal is simply to have fun and meet people.

This morning I stopped by Steel Bridge on my way in. It was a bustling scene with people streaming by on bikes and on foot while several groups of people enjoyed coffee and conversation overlooking the Willamette and downtown skyline. It was a wonderful way to start the day.

Boaz Frankel (in the cargo box) and Phillip Ross from the Pedal Powered Talk Show where there passing out Bike More Challenge prizes.

During June the B on B crews will be out in force every Friday of the month. Next time you see them, pull over and stop for a spell. If you end running late they’ll even give you a tardy slip.

To learn more, read our recap of the 10-year Breakfast on the Bridges anniversary party, peruse our archives, and follow @bonbpdx on Twitter.

— Jonathan Maus, (503) 706-8804 – jonathan@bikeportland.org

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Jobs of the Week: BIKETOWN, Portland Design Works, B-line, Yakima, Go By Bike, First City Cycles

Looking for a new place to work? We’ve got six great job opportunities that just went up this week.

Learn more about each one via the links below…

–> Lead Bike Technician – BIKETOWN

–> Warehouse/Customer Service Coordinator – Portland Design Works

–> Rider / Brand Ambassador – B-line Sustainable Urban Delivery

–> Consumer Service Rep – Yakima Products

–> Go By Bike Morning Attendant – Go By Bike Shop

–> Bike Mechanic/Sales – First City Cycles

For a complete list of available jobs, click here. These are paid listings. If you’d like to post a job, you can purchase a listing online by visiting our Job Listings page.

You can sign up for all the latest listings via RSS, email, or by following us on Twitter.

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Field Trip: Silverlake Farms

Ranunculus flowers growing under shade cloth

Back in March, the ladies at Silverlake Farms, invited our team to come tour their flower fields- an offer we couldn’t pass up (duh)! Operating on less than an acre in Glassell Park, the fields are a magically colorful oasis tucked away in a residential LA neighborhood.

Another seasonal bloom during our visit- anemones

While touring the fields, founder Tara Koller and her staff gave us deeper insight into the benefits of the slow flower movement, and the practices Silverlake Farms has embraced which set their flowers apart. With their commitment to organic and sustainable farming, Silverlake Farms employs bio-organic methods that provide habitats for birds, bees, and other beneficial insects. Mindful of the environment, they use compost to enrich their soil, and never use chemicals on their flowers.

Strawflowers

If you’re in LA you’ll find Silverlake Farms’ flowers at a number of local shops and farmer’s markets, and you can even join their flower CSA! Even if you’re not in LA though, head over to their site to learn more about the slow flower movement, and see more photos of their beautiful farm!

We’re coming up on a long holiday weekend here in the U.S., so we’ll be taking Monday off from the blog, but we’ll see you on Tuesday (and Justina will be back from her European travels)! Happy Friday!

Photos by Danae Horst for The Jungalow

 

 

 

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Job: Bike Mechanic/Sales – First City Cycles

Job Title *
Bike Mechanic/Sales

Company/Organization *
First City Cycles

Job Description *
First City Cycles, located in downtown Oregon City, has an immediate opportunity for an experienced bicycle mechanic and sales consultant. We’re looking for a team player with at least 3 years of in-shop and hands-on bike maintenance experience. This person should also enjoy interacting with customers and participating in group rides. The right person will be able to handle inventory management and work with suppliers on parts orders. Small shop experience a must. Our shop is actively involved in the local community and works closely with the Oregon City Trail Alliance to help plan, build, and maintain local bike/ped trails in Clackamas County. Only qualified applicants will be contacted for an interview.

How to Apply *
If interested in joining our team, please send your resume and brief cover letter to: mark@fccycles.net. No phone calls please.

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Portland’s ‘Lawyer Ride,’ now 25 years old, is still pedaling strong

Lawyer Ride founder Ray Thomas in Pioneer Courthouse Square where friends and colleagues have been starting a weekly training ride for the past 25 years.
(Photos: J. Maus/BikePortland)

In 1991 two Portland lawyers, Jim Coon and Ray Thomas, started riding in the west hills above Portland twice a week during their lunch hour to stay in shape and let off a bit of steam. 25 years later both men are still doing those rides — every week, rain-or-shine. Today I finally joined them.

“The Lawyer Ride” as it’s become known is a legendary weekday group ride that meets at the southwest corner of Pioneer Courthouse Square at noon every Monday and Thursday. In summer the group swells to well over 40 riders. In winter, when it’s not uncommon for roads to get icy and it’s almost always wet and damp, the ride shrinks in size but grows in importance to the hearty souls who show up.

In the biking world there are few things as important as a fun and dependable weekly group ride to keep you motivated in the winter, maintain fitness and racing skills, and spend time with friends old and new.

Today we had a healthy group. Two dozen people amassed in the Square and we picked up another half-dozen or so as we made our way out of downtown and onto NW Cornell Road.

The route of The Lawyer Ride hasn’t changed for 25 years. On Mondays they head up to SW Fairmount (just under Council Crest) for few laps of fast-paced riding around the flat loop. And today (like every Thursday) it was “hill day” — or “hell day” if you’re not feeling fit. We rode up Cornell to Thompson (some took the super-steep NW 53rd option) and Skyline and then back downtown through Washington Park.

This ride is known for being fast. People show up to push themselves — but it’s also friendly and welcoming. On my way up Cornell I met a few lawyers and was introduced to two county judges. I overhead a few people talking about a $44 million dollar settlement that had just come down. The ride is a great place to network and hear the latest legal scuttlebut.

About half the pack heading up Cornell. It’s not easy to drive around a group this size on roads in the west hills, but people were patient. They’re probably used to it by now.

The ride is known for being very fast in the hills. The pace is calm up to the Portland Audubon Society, then it takes off.

Thankfully there are several regroup spots, like this one on NW Skyline and Thompson.

Thomas (left) and his friend, co-conspirator, riding partner, and business partner Jim Coon.

Jim Coon, 70, riding strong up on Skyline.

Frank Selker.

Ray and his son Chris have been doing this ride together for 19 years.

“For a lot of these guys,” Thomas said. “They come out here and hammer and then it’s right back to the bench.”

Thomas is a well-known lawyer in local biking circles for his legal expertise and advocacy. His books and blog posts here on BikePortland are invaluable resources and he’s helped push for many bike-specific law changes over the years. Jim Coon is both his riding partner and legal partner in their firm Swanson, Thomas, Coon & Newton. Another person on today’s ride with a close connection to Thomas was his 31-year-old son Chris Thomas. Chris started coming on the ride when he was just 12 — on a tandem behind his dad.

Thomas, now 64 and riding as smooth and fast as many men half his age, clearly takes a lot of pride in this ride. And he should. “The idea of lawyers getting together during noontime to ride bikes was sort of a novelty in 1991,” Thomas wrote recently on The Lawyer Ride’s Facebook page. Now of course it seems completely normal. That might be because for the past 25 years this same classified ad has been running in the Multnomah Bar Association’s newsletter:

“Join middle-aged MBA members for Monday & Thursday noon hour West Hills/Skyline bicycle rides; Mondays difficult, Thursdays absurd. Begin noon sharp, Pioneer Square. Great workout. Contact Ray Thomas or Jim Coon for details, 228-5222.”

Before everyone split off and rolled back to their respective offices and court appearances, Thomas wanted to make sure I mentioned one thing in my story. “Tell everyone we’re looking for more young and slow riders,” he said with a smile. “We need more people to beat.” Spoken like a true lawyer.

— Jonathan Maus, (503) 706-8804 – jonathan@bikeportland.org

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