Random Bits and Bobs

Posted on April 6, 2011 by Dave Feucht

In bits of random news around Portland and beyond –

The SW Moody Avenue Project was a major feature of Ray LaHood’s recent visit to Portland. I just hope they didn’t show him on Moody Avenue, since it currently looks something like this:

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I am excited for what it will be like once it’s finished, but boy is it a mess in the meantime.

I met up with Shawn and April last weekend before the 3-speed Ride they were leading to shoot a few photos:

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A commenter on my last post about the crash linked to this lovely video of Dutch folks crashing on their bikes sliding on ice. Set to “Let the Bodies Hit The Floor” by Drowning Pool :)

Hope you all have a nice rest of the week!

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  • Will

    That's a fun video, but my whole body tensed up every time someone crashed because I know exactly what they're going through. It was cool to see the one guy 'drift' around the corner though!

  • Micheal Blue

    Dave, if this was shot by a person (rather than a security camera) this would show his lack of intelligence. An intelligent person would either post a sign there, or at least warn the riders of the danger (at least some of them). You can kinda see how people are by how they react to the video. I don't find it funny when others are getting hurt (even when it's a very minor injury).

  • Dave

    Yeah, I was pretty impressed about how some of them slipped, but pulled it out in the end!

  • Dave

    I think I found it more interesting than funny, but yeah, if it was some guy just watching everyone fall over, it definitely shows some lack of responsibility on his part.

  • ashley castillo

    It looks like it was shot through the window, but really I don't think it says anything about the person. I'm sure over there, where they deal with this all the time, falling off your bike sometimes when its icy is not a huge issue and is probably something to chuckle at when you get home. Judging by the finesse some of the riders had, they've had experience negotiating icy turns. But I guess its nice to know people like you exist out there Michael Blue, so when I fall you can come over and give a little pat and ask if I'm OK.

  • cycler

    This winter, Mikeal from Copenhagenize was poo-poo-ing the need for studded tires, because people in Denmark are just such great riders because they do it all the time.
    I think this pretty much proves that the physics of rubber and road are independent of the rider's experience.

  • R R

    Pretty clear an individual recorded that video, based on the room decor visible at the edge of the frame. To leave a camera set up instead of going out and salting that corner is @$$hole behaviour (yes, with a 'u' because I'm Canadian.) May karma bite that person several times over!

  • Dave

    A couple of thoughts regarding the video – it's entirely possible that the guy recording it was, for instance, trying to show the city he lives in that this corner was a problem in order to get them to do something about it. I think a number of people are assigning blame to him which may not be due, since we know absolutely none of the circumstances around why this was filmed.

    Regarding studded tires, I think probably more of the point to take from videos like this and from Mikael talking on Copenhagenize, is that falling a couple of times on your bike during the winter may not be worth changing your tires, particularly when the places you ride are all protected from automobile traffic, and you're riding an upright bicycle at a reasonable pace. Everyone's situation is different, but certainly, these people don't treat falling over as any big deal, they just get up and keep going. It's just part of the routine. They, I'm sure, have ridden through icy winters before, and have probably slipped and fallen before, but they didn't feel the need to put on studded tires.

  • Brooke

    It seemed that those who were able to keep upright, were of taller stature, but that could just be my short self projecting… at any rate, the video made me giggle. I know! It's terrible! But true. ;) Ouch!

  • Dave

    Well, just think – if you're right, then you have even less chance of falling off your bike :) There are advantages to being height-challenged :D

  • Spiderleggreen

    Having rode home after an ice storm last fall on a Dutch bike, I can say that those bikes having an amazing ability to stay upright. But this 90 degree corner is too much.