Pacific Northwest - Boise, ID - May I vent??

Since there isn't a local website to vent to locals to, this is probably as close as it comes. I would just like to vent at how pathetic the Boise Police are in even attempting to follow up on complaints about bad drivers. In the past 3 weeks, I have had 2 close calls with young drivers who "don't see me". I have taken down their license plate numbers and called them in. This latest incident yesterday resulted in an officer calling me and letting me know that it was a dead end because the car was registered to a different county! Well no duh! I knew that as soon as I wrote down the license plate. But you can't have me believe that just because they're from a different county that something can't be done. If I had been a police bike cop who'd almost gotten hit, they'd be spending our taxes looking for this chick. What a joke that the mayor wants to make this the most liveable city in the U.S.

You may now return to your regularly scheduled programming.

Boise sounds like the rest of the U.S. Seriously they rarely do anything unless you are actually hit.

You need to make friends with a police officer who is also a bicyclist and report these incidents directly to him or her. It's easy for them to track these motorists down and a simple phone call from an officer who's message is a friendly warning is often sufficient to make these motorists more aware.

Just out of curiosity, where were you at. I don't have to many problems around here (east end). The real bad spots for me are Fort St between Broadway and 8th, and further out around Hill Rd & 36th. I guess if I'm riding on Broadway, Vista, or anywhere near the mall it can get really gnarly.

Add these two spots to the bad-in-boise list: Federal Way & Bergeson and Federal Way & Amity. I've had close calls at both of these intersections - and I had the green light (and the walk signal). I'm usually heading West->East on the bike path. On Bergeson, drivers will come up the hill to turn right onto Federal, look to their left, turn and *then* realize that someone is there. I've had this happen as both a pedestrian and a bike. Sometimes I'm tempted to sit at that intersection and see how many drivers look to their right before they turn.

i only have had problems in meridian...around the mall area...oh, and **** fairview. from mer-ville to boise, franklin and overland are your best bets....but on franklin, you have to go by the mall area...and...oh, boise's hopeless. stick to downtown. and even there, lookout, cuz all the cube-rats down there are the residents and shoppers that make aforementioned places such bad places to ride a bike.

and as far as following up if you get hit...a lot of places won't even do that, cuz "bikes shouldn't be on the road in the first place".

Add these two spots to the bad-in-boise list: Federal Way & Bergeson and Federal Way & Amity.

I saw someone almost get wacked at Bergeson and FW last night. Exact same scenario you described. I live on Amity, just off FW and usually head towards Barber for commute and rides. Occasionally some moron will lay on their horn while passing me on Amity. No oncoming traffic and I'm full right of the white shoulder strip.

Boise has some great riding but also it's share of cell phone packing, latte chugging, self-absorbed motorists.

Hill road has been the bad one for me.
Especially in the 32nd street tail area and close by there where we go up to the jump trails off of Ussery.
Everything by BSU can get dangerous, although I do like going down there for stair gaps on the weekends.

Boise seems pretty good as far as drivers go.. except for the anti-cyclist hicks that like to see how close they can get their F350 mirror to your head..

...oh and yea, boise needs a cycling site..

Boise seems pretty good as far as drivers go.. except for the anti-cyclist hicks that like to see how close they can get their F350 mirror to your head..

...oh and yea, boise needs a cycling site..




EXACTLY!