Cyclist struck at 187th and Stark

Submitted by KATU Communitie... on Wed, 2009-11-04 15:54

Gresham police say when they arrived, they found a man down in the street with what appeared to be a serious head injury. He was conscious and breathing and was rushed to OHSU for treatment.

Police say the man was not wearing a helmet.

An investigation is under way. According to preliminary witness statements made to police, the man was riding his bicycle northbound within a marked crosswalk when he was struck (he was crossing Southeast Stark Street at 187th). A westbound vehicle in the left lane reportedly stopped at the crosswalk, but a westbound vehicle in the right lane did not.

Police do not yet know if speed or alcohol was involved.

Early Wednesday morning, another cyclist died after getting hit in North Portland.

Filed Under:

News

Comments

Submitted by RoseanneBarr (not verified) on Wed, 2009-11-04 16:18.

I hope this person is ok.

Submitted by Heidi (not verified) on Wed, 2009-11-04 20:46.

I've heard that Oregon law says if you are traveling on a road with (two? multiple?) lanes in each direction, and someone stops in the lane next to yours, you are required to stop. Perhaps the reporter could investigate and tell us if this is true.

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 2009-11-04 21:06.

Oregon law actually dictates that you treat bicycles just like another car... which is why I end up calling the police whenever I see them, as they have no regard for the law what-so-ever.

It sounds like the bicyclist was definetly at fault here.

Now, your thinking of pedestrian law, which have no clue on. Other than in oregon, the laws favor pedestrans in every aspect. Anywhere someone wants to cross the street becomes a sidewalk, whether its marked or not. If its not marked, you still get the ticket for failure to yield to a ped, but the ped gets a ticket for jaywalking. The one acception being intersections with traffic control devices.

I hope this helps, I tried to keep it as nuteral as possible.

Submitted by starkmojo (not verified) on Thu, 2009-11-05 01:50.

wrong. If a cyclist is in a crosswalk, and is traveling at pedestrian speeds then they are entitled to right of way.

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 2009-11-05 05:40.

ors 814.410 (2)

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 2009-11-05 09:50.

Why always with the helmet or seatbelt comment? Do they deserve it then?

Understands both bikes and cars's picture

Submitted by Understands both bikes and cars (not verified) on Thu, 2009-11-05 10:21.

If a person is riding a bike is he not a vehicle? Vehicles do not belong in crosswalks. If the person is walking the bike he then becomes a pedestrian. Seldom does a person riding a bike move as slow as a pedestrian. I don't like losing my right of way to a pedalist because he's in a crosswalk.

Understands bikes and cars better's picture

Submitted by Understands bikes and cars better (not verified) on Thu, 2009-11-05 19:52.

>> If a person is riding a bike is he not a vehicle?

According to Oregon Law, in a crosswalk, a bicyclist is equivalent to a pedestrian. See ORS §814.410:

(2) Except as otherwise specifically provided by law, a bicyclist on a sidewalk or in a crosswalk has the same rights and duties as a pedestrian on a sidewalk or in a crosswalk.

No mention of requirement to dismount. You may not like it, but...

Part (1) of that section does require bicycle operation at 'walking speeds' when in a crosswalk with vehicle (auto) traffic, which I'll agree tends to be violated frequently.

Partial credit...