What is the single kindest act you've committed on your bicycle?

[K'Tesh]

I recently started a thread on bikeforums.net called "What is the largest item you've carried on your bike?". To which a forum member (scroca) commented that the thread should have been "What is the single kindest act you've committed on your bicycle?"

That comment got me thinking. I'm an activist, I'm all about acts of kindness. I'd love to hear about your acts of kindness. So, what is the single kindest act you've committed on your bicycle?

Mine?

Last year, while riding on the Portland State University campus, I noticed that I couldn't use the sidewalk (legal here) at SW Harrison and Broadway because there was no curb cut. If I couldn't use it, how was a person in a wheelchair, or a person with mobility issues manage it?


I complained using email and photos to compel the city of Portland to install a curb cut at the intersection to allow wheelchair users, parents going to the child care facility, and other people unrestricted access to the sidewalk. This summer they installed it.

(I hope the images are visible, my flickr pro account expires in less than 20 minutes)

Before


Now

[q`Tzal]

What avenues of contact did you initially attempt to and which eventually worked?
My first thought is to sick the ADA on a problem like that but while it may have been equally effective in the long term I suspect that it would have been much slower.
How are you deciding which bureaucracies to work with and which to bypass?

[K'Tesh]

Actually, that email only went to the Portland Safety and Livability contact. They responded so quickly (basically... "You're right, we'll get on it") that I didn't need to shotgun a whole lot of agencies.

Here's the first two emails (mine, and their first response)

Hi K'Tesh,

Thanks for bringing this to our attention. I'm forwarding your e-mail & photo to Denver Igarta who works on ADA ramp installations.

Regards,
Eileen


Eileen Dent
Traffic Investigations
1120 SW 5th Avenue # 800
Portland OR 97204
(503) 823-7687
eileen.dent@portlandoregon.gov


“To help ensure equal access to City programs, services and activities, the City of Portland will reasonably modify policies/procedures and provide auxiliary aids/services to persons with disabilities. Call 503-823-5185, TDD 503-823-6868 with such requests or visit http://www.portlandonline.com/index.cfm?c=43193.”




From: K' Tesh
Sent: Tuesday, April 05, 2011 8:18 AM
To: PDOT Traffic Safety and Livability
Subject: Where's the ADA ramp?

I'm a transfer student at PSU, and I spotted something yesterday at SW Harrison and Broadway. Where's the ADA ramp?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ufobike...7626310026343/




In a few minutes, I spotted cyclists, wheelchairists and people with strollers not being able to make a smooth transition from the crosswalk to the sidewalk. PSU is a BIG campus, any improvements for ease of movement would be a great help.

Thanks
K'Tesh

[boneshaker]

What a nice job Eileen Dent did in helping get that resolved.

The nicest thing I remember is stopping to help someone fix their chain, which was lodged between their spokes and cassette. We got it out, but the chain was damaged. We took some links out of the chain and put it all back together. I gave them my chain tool and multi tool and we went our separate ways. I still need to replace that chain tool before the same trouble comes my way lol. Funny enough, someone gave me that tool after my friends derailleur busted and we had to turn his bike into a SS to finish the last 60 miles of STP. Passing it along is good I guess. I hope the person I gave it to passes it forward as well. That'd be cool.

I can't count the number of times I've helped or had someone help me on a ride or commute. It's a nice community we have in cycling.