[Jay Graves]

The Bike Gallery has been a fixture in the Portland community for over 30 years. Founded in 1974 by the Graves family, the family-owned business has expanded to six stores and has become one of the most respected bike shops in the country.

Jay Graves—a 48 year-old Portland native—has been at the helm of the Bike Gallery for 15 years. Besides being actively involved with the business, Graves is a tireless advocate for bicycles and livable communities. His dedication takes on many forms; from sitting on the board of several non-profits and sponsoring hundreds of events a year to tuning up bikes at Bridge Pedal.

As someone who has ridden a bicycle all over the Portland metro area since he was a kid, Jay has an interesting perspective on sharing the road. I chatted with him recently about how he rides, how he drives and how he feels about traffic safety.

Have you noticed an increase or decrease in hostility between motorists and cyclists in recent years?

I think people are much more friendly now. On my bike, I’m usually waved through intersections. I also noticed a marked improvement in driver’s attitudes about 6-8 years ago…I think it was directly after the BTA ran public service announcements on KGW (television).

Tell the truth Jay, do you personally obey traffic laws on your bike?

Yes, as a matter of fact about a year ago as I rode down Broadway, a women in a car pulled up next to me, rolled down her window and actually told me how much she appreciated that I had stopped at all the lights and stop signs!

[Jay at the ‘06 Bridge Pedal.]

Do you feel the influence of your bike riding when you drive your car?

Absolutely. I’m always looking over my shoulder when I drive. I even back into my driveway because I live on a popular bike route (near NE Knott and 26th) and I feel it’s much safer pulling out head-first than backing up.

What precautions do you take to stay safe in traffic?

I’m always paying attention to what’s going on. Probably three times in the last month I might have crashed if I wasn’t aware of my surroundings. I also have bells on all my bikes and I make loud noises to warn people of my presence. If I can’t get to my bell, I’ll yell “WOW” or something like that to get their attention.

Any final bits of advice?

I encourage everyone to report dangerous and reckless incidents to the police immediately. I call 911 when I feel someone is operating their vehicle in a threatening way because it not only puts out the word to any nearby officers but it helps build the case on the suspect down the road.

Thanks for the interview Jay…I’ll see you out on the streets.

[Editor’s note: This is the first interview on IShareTheRoad.com and I hope to do more in the future. If you know someone that has an interesting perspective to share, please contact us.]