northern invasion
15.5.11
25.2.11
15.1.11
My Letter to Representative Greenlick.
"Representative Mitch Greenlick (D-Portland) says that his concern for the safety of children is behind House Bill 2228. The bill, which would make it illegal to carry a child of six years or younger on the back of a bike or in a trailer, has quickly caused an outcry among people throughout Oregon and the country."
-via bikeportland
Representative Greenlick, I am a constituent in your district that has happily voted for you since I was of voting age. I've never been the type to email my representatives directly about particular bills, knowing that they often are read by an intern or generally ignored, but this particular issue caused me enough concern that I felt necessary to respond.
As a resident of the Bethany area, I can certainly appreciate and understand your interest for legislation concerning the safety of people who choose a bicycle for their main means of transportation. I frequently choose a combination of bicycle and Trimet to get to my job, which is located on the central east side of Portland, and I certainly agree that our state legislators should be focused on finding ways to improve the safety of our transportation system for all intended road users. However, as I'm sure you heard from the many of responses to your proposed bill HB2888, attempting to condemn the activity of transporting children under the age of 6 on a bicycle, accuses those who choose to bicycle as the problem instead of the horribly unsafe conditions of our disastrously planned suburban roads.
The state house needs more advocates for safe transportation of all mode types, Representative Greenlick, and as your constituent I would love to see you pursue policy that encourages safe transportation options for all. I applaud your entrance into this discussion, and take you at your word that you had only the best intentions in introducing this bill and that you are interested in promoting bicycling to improve the state of our wallets, the state of our health, and the state of our planet. No doubt, Oregon state legislators have an important role in helping bicycles be a part of the future healthy communities we are attempting to create, but I urge you to get in contact with those interested in the issue. The Westside Transportation Alliance, for instance, is interested in promoting active transportation and transit in Beaverton and other areas near your district, and there's a bevy of bicycle activists located in Portland (the BTA, for example) that I'm sure you are aware of, pending your recent legislation. As a daily commuter, Representative Greenlick, I can tell you now that encouraging Washington County road sweepers to avoid dropping all of the gravel into the Barnes Rd. bike lane, for instance, would be a strong step in the right direction, before I or another commuter slip and fall into four lanes of high speed traffic. I know that you aren't directly responsible for Washington County road services, but the same OHSU report that you cited explained that gravel in the road is a grave danger to those on bicycles, and as you said, "If I thought a law would save one child's life, I would step in and do it. Wouldn't you?"
Thank you for reading my letter, and I hope that you not only kill HB 2888 but that you also use this opportunity to listen to your constituents and activists interested in promoting a safe transportation policy and infrastructure that meets the needs of all intended road users.
My Letter to Representative Greenlick.
Representative Mitch Greenlick (D-Portland) says that his concern for the safety of children is behind House Bill 2228. The bill, which would make it illegal to carry a child of six years or younger on the back of a bike or in a trailer, has quickly caused an outcry among people throughout Oregon and the country.
-via bikeportland
Representative Greenlick, I am a constituent in your district that has happily voted for you since I was of voting age. I've never been the type to email my representatives directly about particular bills, knowing that they often are read by an intern or generally ignored, but this particular issue caused me enough concern that I felt necessary to respond.
As a resident of the Bethany area, I can certainly appreciate and understand your interest for legislation concerning the safety of people who choose a bicycle for their main means of transportation. I frequently choose a combination of bicycle and Trimet to get to my job, which is located on the central east side of Portland, and I certainly agree that our state legislators should be focused on finding ways to improve the safety of our transportation system for all intended road users. However, as I'm sure you heard from the many of responses to your proposed bill HB2888, attempting to condemn the activity of transporting children under the age of 6 on a bicycle, accuses those who choose to bicycle as the problem instead of the horribly unsafe conditions of our disastrously planned suburban roads.
The state house needs more advocates for safe transportation of all mode types, Representative Greenlick, and as your constituent I would love to see you pursue policy that encourages safe transportation options for all. I applaud your entrance into this discussion, and take you at your word that you had only the best intentions in introducing this bill and that you are interested in promoting bicycling to improve the state of our wallets, the state of our health, and the state of our planet. No doubt, Oregon state legislators have an important role in helping bicycles be a part of the future healthy communities we are attempting to create, but I urge you to get in contact with those interested in the issue. The Westside Transportation Alliance, for instance, is interested in promoting active transportation and transit in Beaverton and other areas near your district, and there's a bevy of bicycle activists located in Portland (the BTA, for example) that I'm sure you are aware of, pending your recent legislation. As a daily commuter, Representative Greenlick, I can tell you now that encouraging Washington County road sweepers to avoid dropping all of the gravel into the Barnes Rd. bike lane, for instance, would be a strong step in the right direction, before I or another commuter slip and fall into four lanes of high speed traffic. I know that you aren't directly responsible for Washington County road services, but the same OHSU report that you cited explained that gravel in the road is a grave danger to those on bicycles, and as you said, "If I thought a law would save one child's life, I would step in and do it. Wouldn't you?"
Thank you for reading my letter, and I hope that you not only kill HB 2888 but that you also use this opportunity to listen to your constituents and activists interested in promoting a safe transportation policy and infrastructure that meets the needs of all intended road users.
--
1.1.11
mmx
Third year in a row I'd do a bit of a year-end recap. (2009) (2008)
Top Accomplishments!
1) Eating ten pounds of pho noodles and winning the pho-king challenge at Saigon Restaurant in Saint Paul.
2) Graduating college, I guess.
3) Completing my honors project.
4) Getting a job at Metro
5) Sending Kate the best birthday present ever
6) Completing/surviving the Minneapolis Stupor Bowl
7) Completing/surviving student government
8) Completing/surviving #deathbyburnside
9) Completing/surviving two cyclocross races here in Portland
10) Biking 1000+ miles this summer
2k10 playlist
January I Can See Your Tracks - Laura Veirs
February My Heart - Wildbirds and Peacedrums
March Swim Until You Can't See Land - Frightened Rabbit
April This Is What - Horse Feathers
May Sounds Familiar - The Weakerthans
June Bushwick Blues - Delta Spirit
July Mouthful of Diamonds - Phantogram
August Niagara Falls - Harlem Shakes
September Sprawl II (Mountains beyong Mountains) - Arcade Fire
October You've Got A Place Called Home - Hannah Georgas
November Love is All I Am - Dawes
December 10 Mile Stereo - Beach House
Top Albums
1) July Flame - Laura Veirs
2) The Suburbs - Arcade Fire
3) Mines - Menomena
4) High Violet - The National
5) Teen Dream - Beach House
6) History from Below - Delta Spirit
7) The Winter of Mixed Drinks - Frightened Rabbit
8) North Hills - Dawes
Top Books
1) Towards Cosmopolis: Planning for Multicultural Cities - Leonie Sandercock
2) Player One: What Will Become Of Us - Doug Coupland
3) The Fires: How a Computer Formula, Big Ideas, and the Best of Intentions Burned Down New York City-and Determined the Future of Cities - Joe Flood
4) Greater Portland: Urban Life and Landscape in the Pacific Northwest - Carl Abbott
5) FreeDarko Presents: The Macrophenomenal Pro Basketball Almanac: Styles, Stats, and Stars in Today's Game
Top Accomplishments!
1) Eating ten pounds of pho noodles and winning the pho-king challenge at Saigon Restaurant in Saint Paul.
2) Graduating college, I guess.
3) Completing my honors project.
4) Getting a job at Metro
5) Sending Kate the best birthday present ever
6) Completing/surviving the Minneapolis Stupor Bowl
7) Completing/surviving student government
8) Completing/surviving #deathbyburnside
9) Completing/surviving two cyclocross races here in Portland
10) Biking 1000+ miles this summer
2k10 playlist
January I Can See Your Tracks - Laura Veirs
February My Heart - Wildbirds and Peacedrums
March Swim Until You Can't See Land - Frightened Rabbit
April This Is What - Horse Feathers
May Sounds Familiar - The Weakerthans
June Bushwick Blues - Delta Spirit
July Mouthful of Diamonds - Phantogram
August Niagara Falls - Harlem Shakes
September Sprawl II (Mountains beyong Mountains) - Arcade Fire
October You've Got A Place Called Home - Hannah Georgas
November Love is All I Am - Dawes
December 10 Mile Stereo - Beach House
Top Albums
1) July Flame - Laura Veirs
2) The Suburbs - Arcade Fire
3) Mines - Menomena
4) High Violet - The National
5) Teen Dream - Beach House
6) History from Below - Delta Spirit
7) The Winter of Mixed Drinks - Frightened Rabbit
8) North Hills - Dawes
Top Books
1) Towards Cosmopolis: Planning for Multicultural Cities - Leonie Sandercock
2) Player One: What Will Become Of Us - Doug Coupland
3) The Fires: How a Computer Formula, Big Ideas, and the Best of Intentions Burned Down New York City-and Determined the Future of Cities - Joe Flood
4) Greater Portland: Urban Life and Landscape in the Pacific Northwest - Carl Abbott
5) FreeDarko Presents: The Macrophenomenal Pro Basketball Almanac: Styles, Stats, and Stars in Today's Game
1.10.10
1.8.10
Just another hot hot summer in my life
“When the spirits are low, when the day appears dark, when work becomes monotonous, when hope hardly seems worth having, just mount a bicycle and go out for a spin down the road, without thought on anything but the ride you are taking.”
-Arthur Conan Doyle
I'm back in Minneapolis for one last month. Let's go on a bike ride? I'm tired of studying for the GREs and writing cover letters that will never be read.
4.7.10
Happy Fourth Minneapolis
This photo is from last year, but it still captures many of the reasons that the Fourth of July is possibly my favorite holiday of the year.
Not much has been happening. Minneapolitan Summer is going pretty well, even if I've largely been pretty lethargic. I've actually been writing a lot lately, but I haven't finished editing it to post on this blog. I'm going back to Portland in two weeks, so hopefully, if you're reading this and haven't seen me in a while, you'll have an opportunity to see me sometime in the next few weeks.
yours,
Aaron
16.5.10
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