really we should just ban bikes altogether...they are dangerous toys....like lawn darts....only worse

Really we should just ban cars altogether...they are dangerous toys...like lawn darts….only worse

And they're elitists,and bums

Last summer in Bend, a lovely woman was mowed down by Fornshell's twin-brother-from-a-different-mother. Take his license and vehicle away. Lock him up. There is no place on the road for this amount of aggression.

And they're elitists,and bums

As an elitist and a bum, I claim the right not to be assaulted by a person operating a car.

Cornell Road is stupid place to ride a bike. It's barely safe for cars.

Well we are all waiting Jack come on. He is a Portland cop. Let's hear it.

Good think he was white, otherwise he would have been shot in the back until dead.

Speaking of aggression, the cool biker move of whacking people's cars with your hand isn't too smart. It only makes a bad situation worse. You're vulnerable; they have a multi-ton bullet that can kill you. Deal with it.

And of all people, a police officer should know better.

That said, if the police account is true,* the clown behind the wheel should go down for assault with a deadly weapon.

* - Remember, this is Portland.

Cornell Road is stupid place to ride a bike. It's barely safe for cars.

That may be true of parts of Cornell (there are ways around them) but as it happens not at all of the part where this alleged assault happened.

If convicted his driving privileges should be revoked for life and the "deadly weapon" should be seized.

Bikes are elitists? I'm sorry John, that my bike exacerbates your inferiority complex. I'll be sure to give it a good scolding this morning before I ride it to work. "Bad bike! Bad! John Peterson is a man, with feelings! Have you no soul?" Hope that makes you feel a little better, big guy.

Maybe I'm missing something but it looks pretty clear to me that Fornshell had it in for Santos. One or twice could be an accident, three times -- backing up to engage with him -- is intentional. It's road rage, pure and simple. Road rage doesn't necessarily have to involve two cars.

I'd bet it went down like this: car comes close to biker, scaring him. Down the road, biker catches up where car traffic backs up at 25th& Lovejoy. Biker slaps car, setting off the angered response. It would be interesting to know if the first close pass was intentional menacing. (In 15 years of recreational cycling, this has happened to me twice. When it's intentional, you know it because the driver wants you to know.) it is hard to maintain an even temper when your life is threatened intentionally. On the other hand, that is part of what police officers are trained and paid to do, and something Portland police seem to have a hard time with.

Allan, are you conflicted?

How would you know whether the "first close pass" (already taking the biker's word for it) was intentional? Since you've apparently accepted this part of the tale, why doubt another part?

Ohhhh, it's a cop!

I understand, now.

PS: I know Fornshell, and he would NOT have done this. the fact that the bicyclist is a bicyclist should have no bearing on the veracity of his statements - less so if he's a cop.

Sounds like a "Westerman moment" to me.