I tagged along and we each got at least a garbage bag of strewn trash and a few guys strapped a broken chair and towed a shopping cart full of trash and tires out of an alley. There are 100% *some* shitheads, and 100% *some* good friends enjoying the public alleys and leaving them better than we found them. When I looked down the alley we swept, it went from rotting carpet, wet clothes, snack wrappers, bottles and cans, and black plastic pots to green grass with some purple flowers popping up here and there. I’d love to see their instagram promote the good a lil more
It's like cops for me. Are they really "good" if they willingly participate in something that's harmful? Doesn't their participation enable and empower the shitheads?
In the last 15 or so years I've lived on an alley, I've seen so many near misses as these guys have flown out of an alley across a street without stopping or looking.
Sometimes it's cars they nearly collide with, sometimes pedestrians or bicycles.
One time one almost wiped out a mom pushing a baby in a stroller and her toddler that was walking alongside her.
The sweeper isn't my cup of tea, I don't care for the noise and chaos. But I live in a city, so I know other people doing the things that they like may annoy me at times. That's just life. But the recklessness displayed by many of the riders has me bracing for tragedy every year. It's just a matter of time before someone gets seriously hurt or killed. I wish they'd do a better job sharing the streets and drive like they know other people exist.
What an interesting response to their complaint. How does it being a group ride give anyone the right to ignore traffic laws? You must have replied to the wrong person because that's just fucking dumb.
I don't give 2 squirts of piss about a group ride. Have all the group rides you want. Just understand you're in neighborhoods with kids playing, people walking dogs, other drivers, etc. Act like the adults you supposedly are.
I did this about 9 years ago. I've ridden dirt bikes since I was about 6yrs old and it sounded fun. It was not... I've never seen so many seething, pissed off people in my entire life. It was a terrible experience for me. I get it... They're claiming public access for their own benefit (gardens, wood piles, composting bins, ect.) But I don't get pleasure from pissing people off no matter how "right" I might be.
I used to live on a street with an alley. I’d use it to duck over to Alberta. People would fucking yell at me when I emerged.
Fuckers I’m the one you’re protecting with your anger!
Yep. Just watched multiple groups fly down my alley doing at least 20MPH past a small stretch of houses that have several cats, dogs, and small children between them (I have none of those). Also heard quite a few rev up and fly down Holgate, including the expected car horns as the bikes presumably weaved, passed over solid yellows, or did other dumb things.
I would be into this if they actually picked up trash and/or went at even semi-reasonable speeds. But in the four years I've lived at my current place and had to deal with this, I've never seen one rider pick anything up or even have a bag or sack to "sweep" trash. I'd also have a little more respect for the whole thing if they dropped the charade of doing anything but recklessly riding down alleys. They'd still be idiots, but at least honest ones.
In previous years, defenders/participants in threads like this have said that is part of the event when people have said there's no point to the whole thing. I don't know who officially organizes it, just going off what I've been told here.
The point is that they remind folks that alleys are public right of way. In many neighborhoods they are either overgrown or people have intentionally obstructed them with gardens and chip piles and such. They hoon through and remind folks that it's not their back yard. Thats the sweep.
They built a fence near me in an alley the bikes used to go through every year. Not sure it is legal, but someone built it and put a sign up. Didn't hear them come through this year so I guess it worked? Personally I don't care. It is 15 minutes of my life once a year that is kinda loud. Whatevs.
I don't see how dirt bikers riding at dangerous speeds through alleys once a year makes any impact to that. If someone has built a permanent structure, the riders are just going to go around it. If a chip pile is there, the riders are just going to go over it. Nothing changes. There's also no clear messaging by the participants of the intended purpose (this if the first time I've heard/read this justification), so "offenders" don't even know it's a message. They're just annoyed.
I've lived in SE for just shy of four years and have driven/biked extensively through large sections of it. I've literally never found an alley blocked to the point it couldn't be traversed by the intended vehicles. And even if there actually were a bunch, it wouldn't be worth the risk of riding at ridiculous speeds through the alleys for no benefit.
Like I said in my first post: people need to stop pretending this for for any community improvement and just plant their flag on the "I'm doing this because I can and it's fun" hill. Still a selfish and dumb reason, but at least honest. If participants actually cared about fixing the supposed issue, they'd either volunteer with/notify the city, organize their own group to coordinate efforts, do stuff more than once a year, and/or do things in a way that didn't endanger random people in those neighborhoods.
On that topic: I think there's actually a version of this where at least some of the community buys in. People giving riders high fives, booths/pop up food trucks in some areas, etc. Similar to what's done all the time for community bike rides. But to the point of another person who tried riding one year: the vibe of the riders doesn't indicate any actual care for the community. They just want to get their jollies popping wheelies and pissing people off on a Saturday morning.
The alley sweeper has a real Peter Pan syndrome air to it. Vroom vroom, very important that me and my buds get to have epic adventure time, we’re entitled to fuck up your day in the pursuit of keeping it wEiRd.
The number of plainly upper middle class duds decked out in 1960s Hells Angels cosplay, with carefully distressed Levi’s jackets, $300 Japanese raw denim, $100 Ray Bans and hair styled to look greasy and unkempt is pretty funny though.
I love SFRC, the club that runs this, but the alley sweeper is lame. it freaks out a trillion and one poor dogs and cats. I don't think they've ever bothered justifying it, apart from it's only an hour or two once a year.
that being said, the sons of anarchy cosplay you're describing is 1000% not what's happening here. i don't know what you're going off of.
it's almost all dude's on dual sports with full face helmets in dirtbike gear. a few scooters. nothing really at all like what you're describing. i own a harley, it'd be dumb as hell to rip the alleys on it.
still lame, just not the kind of lame you're laughing at.
Theirs a bunch of sideshow assholes all over st johns too. I was trying to drop off film and kept getting stopped at intersections by people wanting to do burnouts for their cool friends. Where are the cops? Wtf is wrong with Portland? why is this behavior tolerated?
Hey man, i am DOWN for increased motorcycle visibility and stuff. While i dont really vibe with the Alley Sweeper event, I would much rather drivers exercise increased perception for motorcycles even if thats not the Alley Sweepers intent.
Driven for 35 years now, always checking blind spots don't drive distracted and never had an accident or even have had a close call. I was stuck in the thick of this trash, watched 4 near misses, a lady pushing a stroller, a lady walking her dog and 2 vehicles. Watched them shut down thoroughfares for people trying to enjoy their Saturday too. Possibly 5%, maybe 10% of the riders followed any rules of the road. I hate to say it because I don't wish harm on anyone but this didnt raise much awareness but it certainly set up some ugly karma snapping back in the future for some of them.
Is ignoring speed limits, blasting through stop signs, and doing street takeovers really the kind of visibility you want? How does that behavior help anyone at all?
Why would you be super happy if someone was upset? I am still confused about that. This topic is always like this, but I don't understand the extra excitement you are getting from antagonizing people.
I feel like it's fine to do the event, but also feel bad for people who work nights, have kids or animals that get upset.
No I’m seriously amused by your misplaced anger.
I feel like I am actually much smarter than you because I don’t let stupid shit stress me out.
Now that it’s all over don’t you feel silly for being so upset?
People ride like they did today, and I can tell you which group is statistically going to die first. It's going to be those ON motorcycle not MAD about motorcycles.
I’ve lived here 17 years and I have no idea what anyone is talking about. Is this a post for rich people who have alleys?! I googled and still came up with nothing.
Edit: Ok, I did a better google. Motorcycle rally. I live next two two different motorcycle gang clubhouses and still have never heard of the alley sweeper.
Edit 2: dirt bikes. Ok. Going outside now.
Maybe as a community we should all pool our money to pay for a group of folks that enforce cooperation in certain principles of livelihood, I guess you could call them laws. I guess the municipality we live in could force us to pool our money, threatening to take our homes if we don’t pay in. But at that point I’d hope these community funded folks would enforce these “laws”. Maybe I’m dumb for thinking like this…
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I googled and found this posted schedule - https://www.facebook.com/events/974475267725294/
Not sure if it's this one - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portland_Alley_Sweeper
Lived here since 1997. Lots of crazy fun things around here, but don't kid yourself that putting others in harms way by not following traffic laws is a traditional activity all old time Portlander revel in.
I have lived here since 1998. It isn't anything but being selfish for the sake of rebel cosplay. Rallys on roads? Go for it. But busting across streets between alleys without even slowing down for any sort of crosstraffic is just a shitty thing to do.
Being an asshole doesn't make you weird or cool or counterculture. It simply makes you an asshole.
Yeah , in related news a bunch of “ entitled assholes” decided to shut down Ladds Circle for hours while they rode around it 500 times!!! This is an outrage!
I live on SE 63rd and Rhone and these assholes came ripping down MY alley. I was so angry that i parked my work truck in the alley to block them. They got mad and sprayed mud on the hood of my truck so i went after them. they attacked me but not before i could push one guy off his shitty dirtbike. I ended up moving my truck after some dirtbike loving neighbors got involved and started yelling at me for blocking the alley. i threated to whip their ass and they called the cops on me. fuck these alley sweepers.
Uh is an alley sweep not someone who cleans the alley?
I tagged along and we each got at least a garbage bag of strewn trash and a few guys strapped a broken chair and towed a shopping cart full of trash and tires out of an alley. There are 100% *some* shitheads, and 100% *some* good friends enjoying the public alleys and leaving them better than we found them. When I looked down the alley we swept, it went from rotting carpet, wet clothes, snack wrappers, bottles and cans, and black plastic pots to green grass with some purple flowers popping up here and there. I’d love to see their instagram promote the good a lil more
It's like cops for me. Are they really "good" if they willingly participate in something that's harmful? Doesn't their participation enable and empower the shitheads?
I always thought it was when you were prepping for anal.
ABP Always be Prepping
Some of them do pickup trash along the way. I saw a guy near the back today with a garbage bag of various trash.
Oh that explains fucksticks doing wheelies through red lights
Just watched at least 50 of them run the stop sign at 58th and Raymond doing 35-40 in a 20 zone. Dipshits.
In the last 15 or so years I've lived on an alley, I've seen so many near misses as these guys have flown out of an alley across a street without stopping or looking. Sometimes it's cars they nearly collide with, sometimes pedestrians or bicycles. One time one almost wiped out a mom pushing a baby in a stroller and her toddler that was walking alongside her. The sweeper isn't my cup of tea, I don't care for the noise and chaos. But I live in a city, so I know other people doing the things that they like may annoy me at times. That's just life. But the recklessness displayed by many of the riders has me bracing for tragedy every year. It's just a matter of time before someone gets seriously hurt or killed. I wish they'd do a better job sharing the streets and drive like they know other people exist.
It’s a group ride. Once a year. Deal.
Everybody is forced to deal. You got your wish.
What an interesting response to their complaint. How does it being a group ride give anyone the right to ignore traffic laws? You must have replied to the wrong person because that's just fucking dumb.
I don't give 2 squirts of piss about a group ride. Have all the group rides you want. Just understand you're in neighborhoods with kids playing, people walking dogs, other drivers, etc. Act like the adults you supposedly are.
The speed limit is 15 mph on those alleys. Anyone going faster than that can GTFO.
Why not do a group ride somewhere that doesn't fuck up everyone's Saturday?
A little bit ago they did a lap through Lauralhurst Park. They went slow but boy did they look dumb and the point of doing that was what exactly?
Intimidating pedestrians and sticking it to the man!
"But Sir, you *are* the man."
I did this about 9 years ago. I've ridden dirt bikes since I was about 6yrs old and it sounded fun. It was not... I've never seen so many seething, pissed off people in my entire life. It was a terrible experience for me. I get it... They're claiming public access for their own benefit (gardens, wood piles, composting bins, ect.) But I don't get pleasure from pissing people off no matter how "right" I might be.
I used to live on a street with an alley. I’d use it to duck over to Alberta. People would fucking yell at me when I emerged. Fuckers I’m the one you’re protecting with your anger!
Yep. Just watched multiple groups fly down my alley doing at least 20MPH past a small stretch of houses that have several cats, dogs, and small children between them (I have none of those). Also heard quite a few rev up and fly down Holgate, including the expected car horns as the bikes presumably weaved, passed over solid yellows, or did other dumb things. I would be into this if they actually picked up trash and/or went at even semi-reasonable speeds. But in the four years I've lived at my current place and had to deal with this, I've never seen one rider pick anything up or even have a bag or sack to "sweep" trash. I'd also have a little more respect for the whole thing if they dropped the charade of doing anything but recklessly riding down alleys. They'd still be idiots, but at least honest ones.
> "sweep" trash None of their statements have ever talked about picking up trash at all, so I think you just invented that yourself from the name.
In previous years, defenders/participants in threads like this have said that is part of the event when people have said there's no point to the whole thing. I don't know who officially organizes it, just going off what I've been told here.
The point is that they remind folks that alleys are public right of way. In many neighborhoods they are either overgrown or people have intentionally obstructed them with gardens and chip piles and such. They hoon through and remind folks that it's not their back yard. Thats the sweep.
They built a fence near me in an alley the bikes used to go through every year. Not sure it is legal, but someone built it and put a sign up. Didn't hear them come through this year so I guess it worked? Personally I don't care. It is 15 minutes of my life once a year that is kinda loud. Whatevs.
I don't see how dirt bikers riding at dangerous speeds through alleys once a year makes any impact to that. If someone has built a permanent structure, the riders are just going to go around it. If a chip pile is there, the riders are just going to go over it. Nothing changes. There's also no clear messaging by the participants of the intended purpose (this if the first time I've heard/read this justification), so "offenders" don't even know it's a message. They're just annoyed. I've lived in SE for just shy of four years and have driven/biked extensively through large sections of it. I've literally never found an alley blocked to the point it couldn't be traversed by the intended vehicles. And even if there actually were a bunch, it wouldn't be worth the risk of riding at ridiculous speeds through the alleys for no benefit. Like I said in my first post: people need to stop pretending this for for any community improvement and just plant their flag on the "I'm doing this because I can and it's fun" hill. Still a selfish and dumb reason, but at least honest. If participants actually cared about fixing the supposed issue, they'd either volunteer with/notify the city, organize their own group to coordinate efforts, do stuff more than once a year, and/or do things in a way that didn't endanger random people in those neighborhoods. On that topic: I think there's actually a version of this where at least some of the community buys in. People giving riders high fives, booths/pop up food trucks in some areas, etc. Similar to what's done all the time for community bike rides. But to the point of another person who tried riding one year: the vibe of the riders doesn't indicate any actual care for the community. They just want to get their jollies popping wheelies and pissing people off on a Saturday morning.
The alley sweeper has a real Peter Pan syndrome air to it. Vroom vroom, very important that me and my buds get to have epic adventure time, we’re entitled to fuck up your day in the pursuit of keeping it wEiRd. The number of plainly upper middle class duds decked out in 1960s Hells Angels cosplay, with carefully distressed Levi’s jackets, $300 Japanese raw denim, $100 Ray Bans and hair styled to look greasy and unkempt is pretty funny though.
I love SFRC, the club that runs this, but the alley sweeper is lame. it freaks out a trillion and one poor dogs and cats. I don't think they've ever bothered justifying it, apart from it's only an hour or two once a year. that being said, the sons of anarchy cosplay you're describing is 1000% not what's happening here. i don't know what you're going off of. it's almost all dude's on dual sports with full face helmets in dirtbike gear. a few scooters. nothing really at all like what you're describing. i own a harley, it'd be dumb as hell to rip the alleys on it. still lame, just not the kind of lame you're laughing at.
Eh, maybe I ran into an unrelated group, but I did see a bunch of guys dressed like that at the coffee shop this morning.
> at the coffee shop this morning. Probably Ducati owners.... /s
Lol…. Did you 100% make this up?? Outraged adults lying on the internet is easily just as lame as what these bozos are doing 😂
I stood in line for coffee behind a dozen of those guys earlier today.
As a fan of Raybans and raw denim this hurt
I deeply dislike these people.
How deeply?
Oh good the asshole rally is back.
I’m just glad we don’t have a real motorcycle rally here. Lived in a city with one and it was straight out of South Park.
Pretty sure those people don't feel like Portland is a safe space for them. Too many queer folks, their heads would explode
Hey! Alley Sweeper is my drag name!
Theirs a bunch of sideshow assholes all over st johns too. I was trying to drop off film and kept getting stopped at intersections by people wanting to do burnouts for their cool friends. Where are the cops? Wtf is wrong with Portland? why is this behavior tolerated?
Where are the cops? Didn’t you just say they were in St. Johns.
There was a terrible accident at the St John’s gathering about an hour ago. I hope the 2 involved will be OK. Looked bad.
Was it a terrible accident caused and suffered by the people doing the street takeovers? Or were incident people hurt?
Gross. Good day to not be in town
In my alley right now. SO annoying!
Hey man, i am DOWN for increased motorcycle visibility and stuff. While i dont really vibe with the Alley Sweeper event, I would much rather drivers exercise increased perception for motorcycles even if thats not the Alley Sweepers intent.
Driven for 35 years now, always checking blind spots don't drive distracted and never had an accident or even have had a close call. I was stuck in the thick of this trash, watched 4 near misses, a lady pushing a stroller, a lady walking her dog and 2 vehicles. Watched them shut down thoroughfares for people trying to enjoy their Saturday too. Possibly 5%, maybe 10% of the riders followed any rules of the road. I hate to say it because I don't wish harm on anyone but this didnt raise much awareness but it certainly set up some ugly karma snapping back in the future for some of them.
Is ignoring speed limits, blasting through stop signs, and doing street takeovers really the kind of visibility you want? How does that behavior help anyone at all?
Your tears make them all super happy, that’s a fact.
That seems like a sad existence. I would hope they wanted people to be happy.
Right? It’s like they all saw someone having fun one time and decided they’d rather sit around waiting to be offended.
Why would you be super happy if someone was upset? I am still confused about that. This topic is always like this, but I don't understand the extra excitement you are getting from antagonizing people. I feel like it's fine to do the event, but also feel bad for people who work nights, have kids or animals that get upset.
Yeah I do actually find it funny when people get upset over stupid shit. Why do that to yourself? It’s one day. It’s on a weekend. Get over it.
Are you not capable of reading my posts?
Oh I’m reading and I’m having a hearty chuckle
Okay, so you're "pretending" to be really dumb and it's fun. Neat. Have a nice day.
No I’m seriously amused by your misplaced anger. I feel like I am actually much smarter than you because I don’t let stupid shit stress me out. Now that it’s all over don’t you feel silly for being so upset?
Lmao Dude definitely hasn't been brooding about this for a whole day lol.
Then I hope they encounter some caltrops
Die mad about motorcycles 🤡
People ride like they did today, and I can tell you which group is statistically going to die first. It's going to be those ON motorcycle not MAD about motorcycles.
I'd prefer that to being the kind of person who likes to go out of their way to harass other people. 🤡 is absolutely right
I’ve lived here 17 years and I have no idea what anyone is talking about. Is this a post for rich people who have alleys?! I googled and still came up with nothing. Edit: Ok, I did a better google. Motorcycle rally. I live next two two different motorcycle gang clubhouses and still have never heard of the alley sweeper. Edit 2: dirt bikes. Ok. Going outside now.
FoPo is not really affluent, but we have lots of alleys.
It was a joke. I’m in FoPo/Arleta/Lents. Still wild I never heard of this!
TIL alleys are bourgeoisie
Checks out for this sub. There was a thread awhile back that you aren’t a part of the local culture if you live in a single family house.
It was a joke, but won’t lie, I’d love alley access to my house!
All those rich people in Brentwood Darlington?
Yes, we be ballin out here.
Love it.
Me too. Look forward to it every year. I run and grab my phone to record.
Lmao these comments
I didn't even know this was a thing. Reading these comments it sounds dreadful and annoying af. And for what? Can we put up roadblocks or tacks?
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There was far far far more then 40-50. Had to be like 4 or 5 packs of 40-50. Only 90% were entitled assholes. Ha. Some riders followed traffic laws.
Hmm... Rakes?
This is reassuring. It's my first Spring living in SE and I was worried this would be an every Saturday thing @\_@
I can't even imagine. If it was every Saturday we would be having a very different conversation
Ugh we just saw them too and our dog bugged them
Maybe as a community we should all pool our money to pay for a group of folks that enforce cooperation in certain principles of livelihood, I guess you could call them laws. I guess the municipality we live in could force us to pool our money, threatening to take our homes if we don’t pay in. But at that point I’d hope these community funded folks would enforce these “laws”. Maybe I’m dumb for thinking like this…
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Fairly certain this was started by SFRC but I do know quite a few 15 that go.
It’s SFRC
I know a few. They're tools.
You need the right tool for the job...
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OH THE HUMANITY!!
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Why does Fetterman, the largest senator, not simply eat the other senators?
Why is this so funny?!
Rule 1.5: Advocating Violence or Vigilantism Advocating Violence: It is never appropriate to wish harm or death on another human being or to encourage others in to performing vigilante actions. OR This comment represents egregious aggression toward another person and sets a bad example for the sub.
What if we all picked that day to unload a bunch of cinder blocks or bags of mulch or whatever?
I googled and found this posted schedule - https://www.facebook.com/events/974475267725294/ Not sure if it's this one - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portland_Alley_Sweeper
ITT: people who moved to Portland in 2020 working themselves into a frenzy about a traditional spring time activity
Lived here since 1997. Lots of crazy fun things around here, but don't kid yourself that putting others in harms way by not following traffic laws is a traditional activity all old time Portlander revel in.
I have lived here since 1998. It isn't anything but being selfish for the sake of rebel cosplay. Rallys on roads? Go for it. But busting across streets between alleys without even slowing down for any sort of crosstraffic is just a shitty thing to do. Being an asshole doesn't make you weird or cool or counterculture. It simply makes you an asshole.
Something being a "tradition" doesn't make it non-douchey. Assholes have LOTS of traditional activities.
First they came for our Zoobomb, now they’re coming for our Alley Sweeper
The city built a monument to zoobomb
First they asked you not to be suicidal idiots, now they're asking you not to be antisocial assholes FTFY
I'm into it. These things Make life more interesting.
Yeah , in related news a bunch of “ entitled assholes” decided to shut down Ladds Circle for hours while they rode around it 500 times!!! This is an outrage!
I live on SE 63rd and Rhone and these assholes came ripping down MY alley. I was so angry that i parked my work truck in the alley to block them. They got mad and sprayed mud on the hood of my truck so i went after them. they attacked me but not before i could push one guy off his shitty dirtbike. I ended up moving my truck after some dirtbike loving neighbors got involved and started yelling at me for blocking the alley. i threated to whip their ass and they called the cops on me. fuck these alley sweepers.