Please take a second to read this
 

I always thought Portland was a bike friendly town, and one of my very good friends thought so too. She was always riding her bike to go to her school of art, and just loved bike riding but she wasn't noticed. She was a great friend and a lovely young woman. Rest in peace Tracey.

http://www.statesmanjournal.com/apps...=2007710130314

Just a reminder to all of you who live in biking friendly communities, there's always a chance for error. So please, please be careful and even when you're just going straight always make sure the cars around you know that you are in fact there.

Don't let one bad apple ruin the bunch.

Stuff happens, it doesn't matter where we live.

im sorry :( that is really horrible

That is awful and she didn't deserve to die that way. I think at intersections it's really important to make sure the driver of the vehicle alongside you (a) knows you're there & (b) knows where you're intending to go when the light turns green. With big trucks I think it's always best to sit back behind them and let them go ahead even if there is a cycle lane. Here in NZ a red flag on the end of a long whippy yellow fibreglass pole was heavily promoted for use on commuting cycles at one time and I think they are a good idea.

A truly sad story. My deepest condolences to you as you grieve over the loss of your friend. The loss of a loved one is the worst emotional pain that one can experience, but you are better for having known her.



I think we that didn't know her personally can learn a little through this. I think as cyclists we must always assume that we are not seen. It is what I learned as a driver in defensive driving courses in the military, and I think it is a good practice whether driving or riding.

I don't wish to place any blame on Tracey, but in cases where it could be a factor, be especially careful when filtering along side other traffic, or avoid doing it completely. Drivers don't expect to see anyone on their right that wasn't there when they stopped. This may not have been the case with Tracey, but it is something we should consider and avoid so that another tragedy doesn't happen. From the article, I am sure that this is what Tracey would want.

Also, I applaud her work with spaying and neutering feral cats. I have a friend who does similar work, and I have three rescued cats I adopted from her, so I appreciate the tenderness of spirit exhibited by people with that calling in their life.

I'm so sorry.
We participate in a sport that is high risk, no matter how diligent we are to be careful, and ride safe.
I doubt there is anything she could have done to avoid the accident. On my daily commute, and on each ride, I try to appreciate the joy of riding, and at the same time realize that "today might be the day".
In spite of my earnest attempt to acknowledge the risks involved, I still choose to ride. I love riding, I'm sure your friend did too. It is the risk we share for the sport we love.

I am sorry to hear about your loss. I too experienced the loss of a friend who was cycling in Portland just last year : http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=228955

You will find that you will think about her on just about every ride. I know I haven't forgotten about Mike.

God Speed....and God Bless

that is so terrible and unfair, such a loss..
what a beautiful person all around they described her to be, and you see right away what they are referring to when they said she had a contagious smile.
Im so terribly sorry for your loss.
My prayers are with you and her family.

That's a very sad loss. My condolences to all her friends and family

Wow, what a shame. Too young, just too young.

Man, that' two friends of BFers in two years; and I was thinking about moving to Portland. Maybe I'll go somewhere safe, like Baghdad.

that's horrible!!!!! i'm so sorry for the loss felt by you, her other friends, and her family! the way she was described, she sounds like one of the good ones!

That is pretty horrific for all concerned at the scene. Sad story. I have always marvelled at how in our modern societies we put the most intellectually incapable in charge of the most dangerous vehicles on our roads...

All of you I'm not trying to deter you all from Portland it has a great biking community, and is a great town. Accidents happen, I'm just trying to send the message out that however great a biking community is that there are still dangers to riding and all safety and precaution should be used no matter how good or bad the biking community is. I thank you for your condolences and it's nice to hear, I just think that this sends a hard message to everyone related to Tracey, and I figured why let the message stop there that road biking although exhilarating and a great time, there are dangers as in everything.

Ricky, please let me extend my condolences. Randya, toddistic, Johnny Pockets, and I were all on Tracey's memorial ride last night. Her boyfriend and other friends were there and it was just heartbreaking to see them when I went up to her Ghost Bike to put flowers on it.

Portland is a bike friendly town, but that particular intersection really, really sucks. No one in the bike community has ever cared for it, but people are totally driven now to get the needed changes made. I know that's small comfort to you, but it's true all the same.

Here are some pictures from last night's memorial ride for Tracey.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2381/...996cc3d2_o.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2258/...5ab7b30d_o.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2375/...dc4852ef_o.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2188/...6ab6df17_b.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2276/...18f63e91_b.jpg

Tracey's Ghost Bike was placed the night she died. People in this community maintain them well and it will be up for at least a year and often longer.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2418/...593ae951_o.jpg

This is really really sad.

I have a close friend at college who was on a charity bike ride which went all through summer and a close friend of hers was hit by a car and is now paralyzed.

All I can say is that we need to be really careful about everything we do, regardless of where we are and how used to the area we are. All it takes is that one freak incident.

I offer my condolences to Tracey's family and friends, and I really do hope that changes are made all over the country to ensure that pointless deaths don't occur due to road rage and other things on the road that aren't even bike specific. I understand that this wasn't a rage incident, but I just learnt that delaware state troopers put really heavy fines on anyone they find guilty of road rage (defined as three acts or more) and they've seen road rage and casualties go down.

Again, everyone, please be careful out there. I always yell at my friends when they speed through an intersection or stop sign because I'm truly terrified of this reality. I love riding my bike, and I want to enjoy it until I'm too old to (read:never).

Ride safe everyone.

Hmmm that 'ghost bike' concept is quite emotive and powerful. Interesting.

prayers,
not to a specific god, but for her friends and family.

Yes it is, - hopefully it will help make car and truck drivers a little more aware that they're not the only ones on the road.

Many forum members likely will never see this because your thread title sounds like spam...

I'll second that.
I grew up in South Salem and graduated from SSHS.I still live here.Though I'm many years older I feel your pain.

I didn't hear of this happening but I'm not surprised.
I don't think downtown Portland is cyclist friendly.All the hit and runs and road rage involving cyclists in P'land on the local news is just incredible to me.That's is probably why they're talking about the cyclist box in P'land on the news.