How many Oregonians knew this act on a bicycle was illegal?

Yeah, with the "astride" bit - that sounds more like you really just have to be on a bike with a seat. For instance, one of the guys I work with rides mountain bikes - one of his bikes has no seat.

That, or it simply means you can't be doing certain tricks on your bike. Which actually makes sense, from a safety POV, I'd say.

Every state has their stupid law...or two.

http://ijr.com/2014/12/222618-50-state-laws/

http://www.businessinsider.com/most-ridiculous-law-in-every-state-2014-2

As a 20-year police officer, I cannot imagine a circumstance where I would stop someone for standing on their pedals. Every vocation has its a-holes, obviously.

PO may be an a-hole, but he got his PC Terry stop. I hope and pray some harmless citizen was able to go home to his family that night.

glevinso wrote: »

pondee629 wrote: »

BrianSharpe wrote: »

Would one not be considered "astride" the seat while climbing? That could make for an interesting court case.....

Standing while pedaling a bicycle, which has a permanent and regular seat attached to the bicycle, would have that person "astride" said seat and would be legal. The law clearly does not outlaw standing while pedaling, it outlaws a bicycle that does not have a seat. Unless that person is standing "sidesaddle" or coasting while both legs were on the same side of the bike or, perhaps, some other unconventional mounting of a bike. That would be illegal in Oregon. Might be a good idea to outlaw that. You could sit sidesaddle as you then would be "upon" the seat.

This is a common method of dismounting a bike quickly in a triathlon or cyclocross race

I guess triathletes should be careful in Oregon ;-). Unless the State would make an exception for races.

fishgutzy wrote: »

As noted, a police officer claimed his reason for stopping someone was not sitting in the seat. So clearly someone is not getting the correct interpretation of the law to the LEO's.
But then, there are a lot of obscure laws passed simply to manufacture probable cause to generate revenue.

Would not be the first time a policed officer used a B.S. reason to stop someone. Or the "not sitting on the seat" was a little more reckless than was let on.

I live in Oregon and bicyclists rule the road in Portland. Not so much in more rural areas of the state where ranchers are still running their cattle through town on the way to the grazing lands.

I know this is bit off topic (bicycle laws), but thanks for the opportunity to vent.

Wanting to be more like Portland our state capitol, Salem, just took out an entire lane on one of the busiest streets downtown to make it a bicycle only lane. Ridiculous planning as traffic is now backed up for blocks and blocks during rush hours. It's been months now and I have yet to see ONE person riding in that bicycle lane. I know they want to be a bike friendly city, but they needed better traffic use studies before spending taxpayer dollars.