Portland bike lane photo goes viral due to ‘breaking the law’
Whilst there are certain ways to break the law that can be quite deviant, the reality is that this photo is not one of them. Here, a Portland resident photographed a lone jogger using the cycling lane to run alongside the traffic. Although this may not seem like the most outrageous crime in the world, the photographer was clearly irate and it garnered a surprisingly big response from others. As seen below, the photo in question:
Here are a few comments from those who decided to chime in:
“If anyone sees him while driving ain’t no harm in a few polite words out the window too. This seems dangerously foolish all around.”
“I’ll take these guys over some e-bikes doing 45+ in the bike lane.”
“Respectfully disagree. There’s a sidewalk RIGHT THERE. That guy is putting people in danger because that person is not following the rules. The rules exist for a reason and they’re nearly all written in blood.”
So, it seems like a lot of people are not happy about this. Having said this, I’m sure we can agree that sadly, this isn’t close to being the most problematic thing in Portland!
The sidewalk ahead of the runner is completely blockaded with orange barrels. He probably moved into the bike lane to avoid the barrels! Common sense at play here , folks!
The complainants missed the cones. Good catch, I didn’t notice them either.
The problem with this is once you decide to put your feet in motion on the roadway or the bike lane if you’re on your feet you’re supposed to be going against traffic if you’re on a bicycle you are supposed to go with. Just start reading some of the books that teach us the rules of the roadway.
Oh so what? At least he is not in the middle of the road. Karen and Kevin’s just need to stop complaining about everything. Use your words such behind you or on your right or left and they will move. The bike lane is much more even than the side walks. So who cares?
It’s agaiant the law. I care. So do lots of bicyclists, something Portland has a lot of. The sidewalks right there. He’s the kevin for using the bike lane on foot and you saying “who cares” makes you sound like Karen. Who cares? The law cares. It’s there for a reason and poepl who think that the laws dont apply to the are the problem.
I think Judy Tobolski has the best appraisal of why his running the bike lane makes sense. He is about to hit a blockaded sidewalk and so running the bike lane makes sense. Is the “no runners in the bike lane” a city bylaw? An Oregon state law? A statute? How is that law worded? What does it say for runners who approach a closed sidewalk? I hear anger in a lot of the replies here, which is the current state of social media, but I don’t see anyone defining what the law is and how it accommodates for blocked sidewalks.
Is this an April Fools joke?
Who cares? Maybe the ones who follow the rules. They only people that don’t care are the ones who have no respect for anyone but themselves.
In society we have rules and laws. When you decide to ignore them you are showing disregard to everyone. Please do not think that you know better than everyone else, obey traffic laws and regulations they are for everyone’s safety.
So you wouldn’t have a problem with him running down the middle of the car lane if you were driving in it behind him even though there’s a pedestrian sidewalk right there? How bout a bike riding fast on the sidewalk? There’s a reason different types of traffic are separated for safety. Sometimes different traffic must share the same path/lane but when there is specific provisions for different types of traffic on the road they are supposed to stay in their own lane.
That lane with the dividers is not wide enough to pass unless the jogger gets completely out of the bike lane. Oh yes words are needed but the appropriate ones are far less polite than on your left.
Exactly!
This is absolutely asinine why can’t they jog in the bike path what do you want them to drive behind you or in front of you in traffic I mean come on give it a rest find something else to complain about quit being a baby
Because if they were jogging according to the laws of the road they would be running towards traffic he would always see a bicyclist coming at him rather than being a bunch of people with their heads in a bucket of mud. If you do what you’re supposed to there shouldn’t be a problem but all you’re seeing is the back side of a guy running the wrong direction on the street
That guy is not politically correct! He needs warning light and flashers if he’s gonna be in the bike lane!! Where’s his helmet and bike insurance!?!
I sadly have bee hit square between the shoulder blades by a cyclist.on the sidewalk.we need bike lanes for bikes
Well, I once got a citation for jaywalking while there was absolutely no traffic on either direction so this doesn’t surprise me. Portland is Portland and petty is petty.
It appears to me the sidewalk had cones in place ahead. He surely is doing the proper thing here. Wouldn’t you? He probably went back to the sidewalk!
I agree, so what! If you want to complain about something why are the construction barrels blocking the sidewalk?
As a runner, running on asphalt is a bit softer than the sidewalk. That being said, if it’s a busy bike lane, I will choose the sidewalk, in my opinion a safer choice than getting hit by a speeding bicyclist or motorist. If I can, I get to a place where neither bikes or cars are an issue.
Yep! When all the lifts in the sidewalks have been fixed and when everyone in the city has raked the wet leaves off of their sidewalks then, as a runner who also runs in the street, I will run exclusively on sidewalks behind the people walking 3 across who also have a dog on a 20 foot leash. Makes perfect sense to me.
Portland is the new EAST GERMANY. It’s always been a haven for the weak minded but the last few years have seen a great empowerment of the cowardly. The nasty bad running man is lucky that Karen didn’t follow him home or assault him.
With all the Portland loos locked up, it is safer to run in bike lane than sidewalks used as toilets. At least this jogger is moving unlike the tents Set up in bike lanes.
Runners use bike lanes to avoid catching a toe, tripping or turning an ankle on the poorly maintained jagged sidewalks. The bike lane is smoother.
So dumb to even mention.
I give up on humanity
Maybe it’s instinct to not be on the sidewalk to avoid the unsanctioned campers or outdoor sleepers, or houseless or homeless folks.
When it comes down to it all vehicles and persons have places for teavelling respectibely i.e. cars on roads, bikes in bike lanes (took years to get them installed in certain places) and persons on sidewalks. I remember people on sidewalks complaing about bikes on sidewalks, people in cars complaining about bikes in the roadway; both understable. So it’s only right that if cars and bicyclists alike have rules ans laws to follow; so should and DO pedesteians.
Okay really who cares about this talk about how Portland is now a giant port o potty
Thank you! Like if some guy jogging in a bike lane for a minute was the worse thing they could find to complain about in Portland that day, sounds like it was a pretty good day.
Only in Portland would a stupid argument like this exist.
Appears the sidewalk is partially closed ahead of this runner also.
He isn’t doing anything, I know a guy name Joe that is parked in the middle of th e road and yes he is awful he is residing on Hawthorne Blvd and I can’t tell you the rest of his business but he is begging to stay parked on Hawthorne. We don’t do that with people-let them run the roads.
Three people died out of 11 from overdosing of drugs on the first, more died from gunshots, homeless are crowding the sidewalks and neighborhoods, dumping trash and sewage wherever they want. Illegal street racing is terrorizing entire blocks. Vandalism is everywhere. Businesses are closing due to it, and the unchecked shoplifting. And we can’t replace the cops that left after we defunded them.
People, there are a lot more serious issues to whine about. He is less a danger than those power bikes as someone else mentioned. Not to mention the jaywalkers that cross in traffic. And I also see that he is an amputee, perhaps the road is smoother for him to run on.
Ah, if those irate bicycle folk would just follow the traffic laws before they lambast a jogger. Full stop at stop signs, anyone?
At least his Not sitting. In. Middle of Bike Lane,. With his. Coat over his Head, Shooting. Dope??
I’m a California long distance runner X urban commuter. He could totally use the sidewalk instead . Either he was avoiding something on the sidewalk… or he’s truly self centered and thinks he’s training for the Olympics
As a cyclist, I give the jogger the benefit of the doubt. They may be running in the bike lane briefly to avoid the obstruction/event up ahead on the sidewalk. There’s a table set up IN the sidewalk, where does the crime even begin?! Even without the obstruction that the runner may be avoiding, this is a 2/10 on my piss’n me off scale.
Two things, the sidewalk is clearly blocked ahead and even if it wasn’t, perhaps they identify as a bicycle!
Thank you! Like if some guy jogging in a bike lane for a minute was the worse thing they could find to complain about in Portland that day, sounds like it was a pretty good day.