Platinum bicycle city? Pfft (http://bikeportland.org/2008/06/11/man-on-a-bike-is-tackled-then-tasered-by-portland-police/).

Ironic - they stop him for a safety-related issue - not having a front light, then proceed to yank him off his bike, bounce him off a wall, then fill him with volts until his muscles ****z and he pisses himself. All in the name of public safety.

Unbelievable. Just unbelievable. I wouldn't have stopped either under those circumstances. The cops did not clearly identify themselves and then used force far in excess of any reason.

I hope they're not giving seminars to the Seattle cops.

The only part that's unbelievable is that they did it in plain view of others. A lot of cops love to rough people up for arbitrary reasons, but they usually do it away from bystanders and/or cameras. It's disgusting, I think my B/P went up 30 points as I read it. I'll be interested in hearing what comes from this.

WTF? Do they have field guillotines for the real crooks they catch, or is it just the raging bike menace they're after?

suddenly it's all starting to make sense:

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9A06E2DB143DF93AA3575AC0A96F958260

I guess I'd better remember my headlight for STP next month. I probably won't cross the finish line until it's close to dark.

"Congratulations on your double century. Feet at shoulder width, and hands on the hood... Don't make me tazer you."

Unbelievable. Just unbelievable. I wouldn't have stopped either under those circumstances. The cops did not clearly identify themselves and then used force far in excess of any reason.

I hope they're not giving seminars to the Seattle cops.

It sounds like they're learning from the King Co sheriffs!

suddenly it's all starting to make sense:

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9A06E2DB143DF93AA3575AC0A96F958260

wow!

One can only think that they picked the wrong victim here...

I guess I'd better remember my headlight for STP next month. I probably won't cross the finish line until it's close to dark.

"Congratulations on your double century. Feet at shoulder width, and hands on the hood... Don't make me tazer you."
Well, you could always email Chief Sizer expressing your concern about what might happen at the end of STP should you lose your bike light. In fact, it would be nice if anyone who visits or plans to visit Portland write the Mayor, Commissioners, and Police Chief expressing concern about spending tourism money in Portland... (We have a commission system of government in Portland, so sending email to all of them is a good idea.)

Mayor Potter (mayorpotter@ci.portland.or.us)
Commissioner Adams (and Mayor-elect) (commissionersam@ci.portland.or.us)
Commissioner Leonard (rleonard@ci.portland.or.us)
Commissioner Saltzman (dan@ci.portland.or.us)
Commissioner Fish (Nick@ci.portland.or.us)
Chief Sizer (chiefsizer@portlandpolice.org)

PPD must want to send a message just before Pedalpalooza and Naked Bike Ride. This incident is disturbing, I think my instinct would also be to flee when no identification of police was given by the chasing cop.

I loved the comment he made about how he was confused because police normally only tackle cyclists and taser them at Critical Mass.

Of course, you're all reading and believing this guy's side of the story. You might consider that he may, just possibly, be embellishing things to make him a more sympathetic "victim"....just maybe.

Of course, you're all reading and believing this guy's side of the story. You might consider that he may, just possibly, be embellishing things to make him a more sympathetic "victim"....just maybe.

Of course. I took that as a given. But how far over the line does a cyclist have to go before a taser becomes appropriate or necessary?

PPD must want to send a message just before Pedalpalooza and Naked Bike Ride. This incident is disturbing, I think my instinct would also be to flee when no identification of police was given by the chasing cop.
As his only girl-child, that's what my rather street-smart dad taught me to do.

Of course, you're all reading and believing this guy's side of the story. You might consider that he may, just possibly, be embellishing things to make him a more sympathetic "victim"....just maybe.
Quite possibly, but I'm also taking into account the observations of the rather credible witness who doesn't know Rev. Phil from Adam.

Portland cops used to shoot first then ask questions later. Now they use tasers, very frequently.

A witness there, who was also stopped on her bike said "...they ran after him, pulled him off his bike, threw him against a nearby wall and tased him multiple times."

I am not surprised as recently the police tased a person at a convenience store near me. A couple guys who saw it, said he was already on the ground when they tased him.