Bicyclists + Cell Phones = Bad Things Happening
I live over off of Clinton Street which is pretty much bike central. It’s a little hard in the mornings getting to work through the obstacle course of bikers with varying degrees of experience on the road, but I do my best. However I have noticed a really scary trend lately. Bicyclists riding and talking on their damn cell phones at the same time. Most of these people aren’t wearing helmets either. Just the other day I counted four people within a two block radius. It’s bad enough when drivers do this, but the bikers are even worse. They are riding with one hand, swerving in and out of traffic, and completely oblivious to stop signs, signals, cars, pedestrians, kids, animals, you name it. I so wanted to walk up and smack their phones out of their hands. If you want to try and improve the image of Portland being a bike friendly town, and prove to people that bikers are responsible on the road, this is not the way to do it. It’s just so stupid and incredibly arrogant at the same time. I know this is a small minority, but it seems like it’s getting worse as the weather warms up. If anyone has any suggestions about how to curtail this, let me know. I really don’t want to have to see ghost bikes covering the streets and sidewalks of Portland because people can’t leave their pacifiers, excuse me, cell phones, alone for a few minutes.
Related posts:
Free bluetooth headsets for all bikers?
At least they’ll be using both hands.
You know it is getting close to springtime when the old biker vs. driver argument heats up again.! Bring on the sun!
(I own neither a car or a bike, but I generally have observed that the bikers in Portland are pretty terrible at safety.)
Cell phones and wheels make bad Juju.
With a brother in law in an urn on the mantle piece due to a bicycle/school bus confrontation that didn’t go his way, I can’t urge people enough to pay attention.
I am a bicyclist and a biker, have been for longer than Britney (shaved and pantiless) Spears has been alive. I am also a father and require the use of a car as I refuse to toodle around town on my bike with one of those little suicide trailers I see people dragging behind them. People, those are for groceries, not kids.
I’m digressing a bit, forgive me. The points I was trying to make are these:
I am aware, as a two wheeler, of two wheelers.
I am aware that the law states that bicycles are allowed their own lane.
I am aware that my little Honda car weighs over a ton and your vegan ass is 130 with a roll of quarters in your pocket.
I am aware that one moments distraction can lead to almost anything.
I am aware that in that moment, my life could be ruined and yours could be lost.
Drive safely.
Sorry I went off there, but a death in the family does that.
Drive safely.
Gitmo,
I’m so sorry to hear about your brother-in-law. It sucks that you have had a personal experience with the two wheel vs. four wheel issue. I can only hope that people will wakeup on both sides.
Everything has an end. Well, except for beets. No matter how many times I go to the store, they have beets. I prefer the pickled, waffle cutted ones. You know what I mean, don’t you?
Joe, I think I get your point, but is it something that Oblio’s dad would be proud of? And would Harry Nilsson have written a soundtrack to explain it? Therein lies the question and hopefully the answers.