As parent of a teenager, I can affirm that she's not taking mess transit unsupervised - it's a dangerous place.

Just because teenagers have committed crimes doesn't mean all teenagers are criminals; surely you see the logical fallacy in your statement.

If we do treat all teens like they're criminals, though, I wouldn't be surprised if more of them lived up to that expectation.

poor old Tom must be spaced-out again and isn't
paying attention to the news! Wow! I don't think
Adams will be this bad, do you?

I think it's great if you have the income to live close in to everything, or the flexible schedule to work around transporting children, or the gas money to do so. I dare say many if not most Portland parents aren't that fortunate.

So what should poorer families do? Public transit should be safer for kids and the public at large.

And as I've alluded to before poor or latino or black does not equal criminal. So giving free passes doesn't mean more crime.

And people don't really pay to ride the MAX from what I hear, so the passes won't affect the level of crime on the MAX. Oh, there's a idea. . . . actual enforcement of fares. My kid tells me that she's never been asked for proof of payment on the MAX. And that's the transit security have no interaction with the passengers anytime she's seen them.

Whereas Salem has cut their bus service as a result of a failed ballot measure and the neighborhoods have enjoyed a reduction of prowlers and bands of roving teens as a result.

Seems they avoid executing their dastardly deeds where they can't make a fast get-a-way. Not about to wait an hour for the next bus.

Pity is they now congregate in specific areas such as Malls and the city core which makes it tough on the retailers, but better they than helpless homeowners.

Is it legal for a permit holder to carry on Tri-Met's stuff? I mean, that might make for a level playing field?

"Logical fallacy"?. An oxymoron! I say again, this blog needs an editor so some of these arguments make sense!

Brothers: with a CCW permit you can carry a weapon in any public place with the exception of a courthouse or federal building. Even if trimet had a policy against weapons they would have no legal authority to enforce it (but be prepared to battle in the courts over the matter, especially if end up in a situation where you must draw your weapon or fire it).

Its not a pro or a con transit issue. Anone who allwos their child to ride Max or the bus unsupervised is nuts.

Your spawn is more likely to bite it while being driven around in the proverbial subaru. And what exactly is an "inner city" youth? Are they youths who reside in posh close-in neighborhoods?

If trimet actually had more than half a dozen transit police this would not be a problem. Its just another example of how the poor get short shrift in our "progressive" ecoparadise.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

"Is it legal for a permit holder to carry on Tri-Met's stuff?"
I'm far more afraid of individuals who want to "level the playing field" with concealed weapons than a whole TRIBE of "inner city" youths.

"Inner city" is a way of avoiding the charges of racism that are always just around the corner.

"Is it legal for a permit holder to carry on Tri-Met's stuff?"

That's an interesting legal question. I don't see anything in State law that prohibits TriMet from banning concealed carry permit guns from the system. Now State law clearly denies "city or county" governments from doing so but I can't find anything that applies to TriMet.

Now on the internet rumor range I have seen people saying that concealed carry on bus systems receiving Federal dollars are governed by Federal law and not State law anyway but I haven't been able to confirm that.

surely you see the logical fallacy in your statement.

Hard to see what "statement" you mean. "Wouldn't more teens mean more crime?" is a question. And since the crimes here are being committed by teenagers, yes is not an illogical answer. Quite the contrary.

I'm far more afraid of individuals who want to "level the playing field" with concealed weapons than a whole TRIBE of "inner city" youths.

What would you estimate that the number of violent crimes committed per year by the 100,000 or so people with carry permits in Oregon is, compared to the general population, or "TRIBES" of "inner city" youths ?

"Squeezed" hit it right on the button when commenting about the lack of transit police numbers. They often do only have a half dozen or so on duty at any given time for the entire system. PDX or just a need for service often causes Tri-met to focus those scant resources downtown, leaving the other locations un-guarded. Tri-met is a business, and unless ridership delines sharply because of crime, there is no reason to spend more for security. I would propose that 40 more tri-met police, with a very focused plan of enforcement could make city transportation very safe for everyone. That will be difficulr to fund however if they are giving out free passes to the users. Youngsters who pay to ride will respect the ride.

Gibby

According to Federal crime statistics:

1. People 13 to 25 commit twice as many violent crimes as people aged 26 to 40.

2. People 13 to 25 are victims of violent crime at twice the rate of people over age 25.

3. In the last ten years the rate of violent crime in this country has dropped in half.

So I guess more teenagers means more crime especially against other teenagers. (But only half as many as in the good old days.)

I dont see how Trimet can stop you from carrying. What are they gonna do? Frisk people? They dont even check for paid fares as it is.

wouldn't it seem logical to use peer pressure to change behavior?
Why not make it ABUNDANTLY clear to teenagers (and parents) that, in fact, a few did screw it for the rest.
Portland is a clever marketing town - get Weiden-Kennedy to do a PSA campaign. Manipulate the little bastards (and their parents) into some more positive behavior.
Why not use the resources we have?

I was on the Max two weeks ago when a fair inspector came on and checked everyone's tickets. Of the forty or so people on the car, the number who had not paid for a ticket was zero. You conservatives are pulling your information that no one pays to ride the Max out of your own source.

People have figured out that this is a collection spot for people who love to hate Portlanders, but the Paul Kersey fantasies are best left in your imagination. Whipping up the hysteria among the gun nuts to go out and "do some good" is pretty slimy.

a collection spot for people who love to hate Portlanders

I think it's more people who love to hate Portland-area government, which quite frankly is a bit of a joke.

"Whipping up the hysteria among the gun nuts to go out and "do some good" is pretty slimy."

Who's suggesting that?

It'll be awesome. Some yahoo gets on the Max and shoots the first "inner city" youth to look at him or her cross-eyed because they felt "threatened". That'll absolutely make things safer.

A lot of people carry guns that aren't CHL holders. CHL applicants are required to take a class that warns against brandishing weapons in large uncontrolled groups of people.

See, and I even used the code word "inner city". I'm learning.

And the reason for free passes for school kids to ride trimet is ?????? With all the cell phones and the ipods these kids use, i hardly find them underprivledged. Talk about blood pressure rising so will my taxes.. Not fare !!!!! No pun intended

As someone who rides Max one or more times a week (and if I'm being really green and disciplined, four or five times a week) I can attest to the utter absence of fare inspectors. I've probably seen them, in total, three or four times in the past two years - and maybe even longer. That includes regular commuting hours, plus weekends and evenings, from the east side to downtown or the Zoo. I also see people try to pay and the machines are broken - downtown and every other stop as well. Seems a pretty logical process - fix the machines, get more money, hire security and fare inspectors.

Today I caught the bus for the first time since the fare increases. What idiot settled on the $2.05 fare rate? $2.00 would be so much easier to deal with. In fact, that's what I expected when I prepared to step on the bus with $2.00 in my hand and no change in my pocket. Fortunately the fare box on the bus was broken so nobody had to pay a fare at all. Saved by Tri-Met's failing infrastructure! I had more time to mull the new rates as I waited over an hour in St. Johns for a bus that was supposed to run every half an hour . . . after visiting the automatic teller to make sure I had the damned 5 cents extra.