Statesman Journal Editorial Blog: Cyclists and motorists: Take 2

The bikers-and-motorists editorial has been updated. Sheila Lyons of ODOT provided some helpful statistics that put Oregon’s this issue in perspective. (Did you realize that 11 bike riders died on Oregon highways in crashes with motor vehicles in one year? ) Here’s a new draft: The irresponsible actions of one hit-and-run driver marred this weekend’s Seattle-to-Portland bike ride. Bicyclist Gerald A. Marvin, 24, of Seattle, is recovering in a Portland hospital. Given the disparity between a Jeep Grand Cherokee and a human on a bicycle, the outcome could have been far worse. Daniel B. Whittlinger, 40, of Northeast Portland was arrested about eight miles from the scene of the accident on U.S. 30. He faces multiple charges that include felony hit-and-run, assault and driving under the influence of intoxicants.

This incident should remind motorists everywhere that bicyclists are not trespassers; they are fellow users with the same right to the road. Motorists have a legal responsibility to slow down and to give cyclists plenty of room as they pass. Bicyclists deserve the same respect that motorists would give a piece of farm equipment or a slower-moving truck. This issue comes up frequently because of biking’s great popularity in the Northwest. For example, the two-day Seattle-to-Portland ride maxed out at its limit of 9,000 participants nearly a month beforehand. Motorists gripe about cyclists’ ways, blaming them for getting in the way.

But in fact, motorist error has been responsible for Oregon’s recent bicycle-vehicle fatalities, according to Sheila Lyons, pedestrian and bicycle program manager for the Oregon Department of Transportation. Bicycling fatalities increased from six in 2002 to 11 in 2005, the most recent statistics available through ODOT. Injuries rose from 658 to 779 in the same period. To reverse that trend, motorists and bicyclists alike have a duty to understand the rules of the road — and to not hog the road. Motorists, for instance, may not stop to think that bicyclists ride on narrow tires that can easily be damaged. Drivers should be alert that bicyclists may need to swerve to avoid glass, debris or rough pavement, or to cross railroad tracks at a safe angle.

One of the most basic elements is to never drive faster than sight distance and road conditions allow. Mid-Valley residents sadly remember tragic crashes when drivers have rounded a curve or crested a hill too fast, ill-prepared to avoid cyclists on the road. Rear-view mirrors — especially large mirrors on RVs and trucks — represent a constant danger. Too many drivers, not realizing how far their mirrors extend, fail to give cyclists adequate room when passing them. Bicyclists have been badly injured or killed when struck by the mirrors of passing vehicles.

Just as every motorist should drive defensively — constantly watching out for the other guy — so cyclists should ride defensively. That includes being courteous to drivers, using bike lanes whenever possible, riding with good-quality lights at dusk and nighttime, heeding each traffic signal and stop sign, and using arm signals to indicate turns and stops. The same rules apply to everyone: Be alert. Be courteous. Share the road. Don’t become a statistic.

—- Link For the Oregon Department of Transportation’s Oregon Bicyclist Manual, available in English or Spanish, click: http://www.oregon.gov/ODOT/HWY/BIKEPED/ —–

Please send any comments or suggestions about this editorial to the lead writer, Opinion Editor Barbara Curtin at bcurtin@StatesmanJournal.com, or to the Editorial Board at salemed@StatesmanJournal.com. posted by SJ Editorial Board

joesix said…

According to Oregon law: “The desirable width for a one-way bike lane on the State Highway System or installed on local city streets or county roads under state contract or agreement is six feet. Where six feet is not practical to achieve because of physical or economic constraints, a minimum width of four feet may be designated as a bike lane.” On hi-ways with less than 4 ft between the surface intended for vehicular travel and a guardrail, bicycles should be prohibited.