Municipal Intervention

I’ve had it with Mr. Neglectful Abusive Bike Owner. I unearthed a doubled business card handed to me by someone manning a cycling promotion booth at the farmer’s market last summer. City of Portland Office of Transportation, said the card. Bicycing Resources. Bike lane need sweeping? Bike rack needed? Pothole needing repair? Bike lane suggestions? I called the number and talked to a man named Dan Bower. "Is it ok for someone to park their bike in the same spot forever and never EVER move it?" I asked, to which he answered,"No." Then I told him about the particular villain I was referring to and he said, "Maybe we could put up a rack out front, instead of clipping that guy's bike." He asked me some questions about the neighborhood, and when he determined that it was high density residential, mixed about 50-50 with commercial, he said he’d have someone come out and install a bike rack on the sidewalk in front of the building. He said this would probably happen within about a month. No charge.

Hmp. Too easy. We shall see.