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Autumn is the deadliest time of year for pedestrians, according to the National Pedestrian Crash Report (pdf). Perhaps this is because it's beginning to get dark earlier and most accidents involving people on foot occur at night. Whatever the reason, recent accidents in Portland, Eugene and Salem show that Oregon is not exempt from this unfortunate trend.
Whether you drive, bike or take public transportation to get around, almost everyone travels by foot at some point in their day, but do you know all your rights as a pedestrian? For example, did you know that every corner is a legal crosswalk, whether or not it's marked with white lines? Maybe you knew that one. But were you aware that if you walk over railroad tracks in a place not marked for pedestrian crossing, you're not only endangering yourself, you could be tresspassing? Railroad tracks are technically private property.
Clearly, if you're walking, you're more vulnerable than someone in a car and it behooves motorists to watch out for people on foot. But that equation goes both ways. Oregonian transportation columnist Joseph Rose brought up the touchy subject of pedestrians' responsibility after two people were struck, and one was killed, on Foster Road last year .
Have you ever been involved in an accident — or a really close call — as a pedestrian? What's your relationship like with pedestrians when you're driving or biking?
GUESTS:
- Joseph Rose: Columnist, reporter and blogger for The Oregonian
- Ray Thomas: Bicycle and pedestrian attorney
- Marie Dodds: Director of governmental and public affairs for AAA Oregon/Idaho
Tagged as: pedestrian · traffic
Photo credit: Jason McHuff / Creative Commons
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penny >> i think libs should surrender their privlidge to drive >. for the good of mankind
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I agree wholeheartedly regarding Main Street. Springfield needs to provide many more crosswalk/signal opportunities.. As it is now, the pedestrians -- often children -- have to dash across the street and take their lives in their hands every time.
What's a lib?
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"What's a lib?"
A Libertarian Conservative.
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My observation of pedestrians is that as long as the light is in their direction they are generally oblivious to traffic (talking to friends, texting, OTP or into their music) and rely on motorists to obey the law for protection.
Having been a pedestrian in a number of foreign countries, where crossing the street can be a test of nerve, I've learned never to trust motorists and treat every crosswalk with the same level of alertness as if I were trying to cross a freeway. My safety is my responsibility, going up against a car I lose every time.
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I was once involved in an accident .. a bicyclist driving his bike on a sidewalk hit the side of my car .. thank goodness he wasnt injured >. but the self righteous biketard tried to sue me >>he lost
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I am a fifth generation Washingtonian (DC) and my mother was a fanatic about using crosswalks in DC. But if you think pedestrian traffic is risky in the US, you should see what it is like in India. The residents of Hyderabad had to teach me to cross a busy street: walk slowly and steadily but do not run. Drivers will move around you. And it does not help at what is coming at you.
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Quite often people on foot are thought less of than people attached to a vehicle. I'm sure the prevailing thought is"loser can't afford a car", but we were all designed to walk. Look down and those appendages operate more than the gas and brake.
I partially blame pedestrian /car encounters on poor throughfare design. Crosswalks inset too far, crosswalk and traffic lights activated together, ambiguous stop and crosswalk lines closely spaced, intersection distances too far, and escalating distances between crossings that invite shortcuts. I also blame societies "I'm in a hurry" attitude. Everybodys got somewhere to be and no ones getting there any faster.
When I walk I regularly battle cars for the striped crosswalks as they creep ahead to get a better view. I've also dodged cars turning into me on reds because they just didn't see me, the pedestrian, in the crosswalk. Sidewalks are no better when bicyclist want me to move because they are too afraid to ride in the bike lanes.
One person made a bad crossing choice which doesn't make all people that walk stupid, and to think so is an infintile response to a tragic incident. Driving an automobile is a privilege. When we drive we are responsible for a deadly weapon. Slow down and think about your actions before you are forced to defend them.
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I partially blame pedestrian /car encounters on poor throughfare design. Crosswalks inset too far, crosswalk and traffic lights activated together, ambiguous stop and crosswalk lines closely spaced, intersection distances too far, and escalating distances between crossings that invite shortcuts.
When I walk I regularly battle cars for the striped crosswalks as they creep ahead to get a better view. I've also dodged cars turning into me on reds because they just didn't see me, the pedestrian, in the crosswalk. Sidewalks are no better when bicyclist want me to move because they are too afraid to ride in the bike lanes. -- DanWalker — Fri Oct. 29th 12:25p.m.
Excellent points, Dan, particularly the ones about the green lights and the "Walk" lights activating together, as well as the point about drivers who wish to turn right creeping into the crosswalk, especially where the crosswalk is set too deep into the traffic lanes approaching the intersection. Traffic planners and engineers need to give pedestrians a head-start on the motor vehicle traffic. Think it'll happen? Naw, me either.
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Instead of talking about rights of people - let's talk about responsibilities.
Yes, the pedestrian has the legal right-of-way but also needs to watch out for themselves. Walk defensively.
Here's a few basics that don't seem to be taught in school:
* Walk facing traffic - not with your back to traffic
*Walk single file when vehicles are near
*Wear bright colors - not black - so that you are visible on these dreary days - especially at night
If everyone watches out for each other and themselves it'll be a safer world.
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Here's a few basics that don't seem to be taught in school:
* Walk facing traffic - not with your back to traffic
*Walk single file when vehicles are near
*Wear bright colors - not black - so that you are visible on these dreary days - especially at night -- ConnieinAloha — Sat Oct. 30th 9:22a.m.
Maybe they're no longer taught in school, but they sure were when I was in school and walking to and from on a daily basis (2nd grade thru 9th grade). I would amend these, however, the rule about walking toward on-coming traffic is suspended if you are on a sidewalk, and not on the shoulder of the road.
Most of the time when I find myself at the intersection at the same time as an impatient or uninformed driver, it is while walking in an area with sidewalks, which is the case with much of Eugene, including my neighbourhood.
I DO wish that (groups of) bicyclists I see would ride in single file, even in the bike lane.
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Some Portland pedestrians are a danger to themselves and others. Have you noticed that people lose their self-preservation instinct when they get trendy? Is this true in other cities?
Just try driving down NW 23rd in Portland without pedestrians jumping in front of your car!
Call me old fashioned, conservative even, but whatever happened to looking both ways before crossing a street?
It's now happening on Hawthorne Blvd, Mississippi, Alberta, and little on Belmont. However, for some reason, people in Sellwood don't have a death wish.
Maybe they are just not hip enough?
Of course the City of Portland imposes a new law that gives people loitering on sidewalks the right of way. I saw an accident on Belmont where the driver stopped suddenly because some woman and her baby are waiting on the curb. The car behind rear ended the car in front. Incredibly the woman didn't even look at the driver who now has a pending insurance claim. Of course its the driver in the rears fault. But I blame the stupid new law for interfering with the natural dynamic between driver and pedestrian. Just think of all greenhouse gases that are being dumped into the air from idling cars because of this unnatural law. -
thx1138 - which law specifically?
Had to laugh at your Sellwood comment, as I live there!
-Emily
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Emily:
There have been various tv news stories of police stings where a "bait" person stands on the sidewalk. When a car doesn't stop, a police officer cites the driver. It wasn't clear to me that the "bait person" signalled that she wanted to cross.
The news stories said that the new law stated that a car must stop even for someone just standing on the sidewalk. It didn't sound right and was confusing.
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Emily,
Well I guess that just proves Sellwood residents must be sane and hip.
I don't know if this is it below. It's a state statue. Nonetheless, something precipitated this unnatural stopping. I'd swear I heard a OPB radio news spot that mentioned something like this - without my hyperbole.
ORS 811.025 Failure to yield to pedestrian on sidewalk; penalty.
(1) The driver of a vehicle commits the offense of failure to yield to a pedestrian on a sidewalk if the driver does not yield the right of way to any pedestrian on a sidewalk.
(2) The offense described in this section, failure to yield to a pedestrian on a sidewalk, is a Class B traffic violation.
[1983 c.338 �547; 1995 c.383 �42]
Now that you got me reading this closely and thinking about it, this probably means when a car and a pedestrian both want to cross over the sidewalk, say on a a driveway, the pedestrian has the right of way. I am not an attorney so who knows what it really means.
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Our society is addicted to our cars. We feel that our lives are urgent and that there is not time to walk. It is sad.
This dependency on cars has added to our nation's health problem. I consider it patriotic to be less reliant on my car.
Generally I find drivers considerate of pedestrians in areas with crosswalks.
I feel that ODOT and Clackamas County Transportation gives lip service to pedestrians and bicyclists. We don't need bike maps - we need safe transporation routes for our daily travel.
When I have provided public comment on projects and ask for consideration of bikes and pedestrians in projects, have always gotten negative response from the ODOT manager. I live in a rural tourist community in Clackamas and am frustrated by the "need for speed" comments sited by road managers.
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Cell phones: I walk a lot in downtown Portland, and find the vast majority of close encounters are with drivers talking on their cell phones (with divided attention) turning onto the street I am crossing- They look to see if there is any oncoming traffic (eg. to their left), but they do not look (at all!) to see me walking across the intersection (eg. to their right). I have nearly been hit by bicyclists doing the same thing (though they are not on cell phones- thank god). People walking while texting are just as dangerous.
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Speaking of visibility, while walking around Portland, I have noticed cars parked right up to the edge of intersections. State Law forbids parking within 20 feet of a crosswalk, yet this law is rarely observed in Oregon. Another law many drivers do not know about is 'Every Corner is a Crosswalk', meaning that every crossing is a legal crosswalk, even if it is not striped.
I believe focusing on the color and reflectiveness of clothing is a distraction from Portland's responsibility to comply with and enforce existing parking and crosswalk law. By following through with education and enforcement campaigns, the city can help increase visibility at every crosswalk.
I understand police resources are tighter than ever, so it is incumbent upon Oregon to continue its record of innovation by designing roads that consider the safety of all road users. We should listen to US Secretary of Transportation Ray Lahood, who has advised state DOT's to "Treat walking and bicycling as equals with other transportation modes."
-Steve Bozzone
(pronounced 'bah-zone') -
On some streets, there is even signage restricting parking within THIRTY feet of the corner.
In addition, I agree with Secretary LaHood's assertion (made during his recent appearance on Talk of the Nation -- Tues., Oct 26) that there should be NO use of cell phones by drivers at any time under any circumstance when the vehicle is being driven. You need to use your cell phone? Pull over? Phone ringing? Ignore it until you get to your destination, or pull over and complete the call, then resume your trip. Better yet, put the cellphone in the glove box. And his advice applies equally to professional drivers, (read: truck drivers) as well. The only exception that Secretary LaHood would permit is for public safety personnel -- Police, Fire, and EMS.
Further, I agree that focussing on the colour and reflectivity of the clothing of pedestrians and bicyclists is a red herring, but at the same time, I will do my part to make sure that I am seen when trying to cross the street.
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Agree wholeheartedly with Steve. Of course everyone should take personal responsibility to ensure the safekeeping of themselves and others. However, when discussing how to provide the safest environment for everyone, we need to focus on actions that can have the greatest effect (the built environment) and actions that pose the greatest threat to others (inattentive driving and driving at unsafe speeds).
Visibility is a huge concern, be it from poor lighting, obstructed or bad sightlines, excessive speed, lack of personal lighting, or inattentiveness. Enforcement, engineering, and education are all tools that must be employed.
The Willamette Pedestrian Coalition appreciates a focus on pedestrian safety at this crucial time and hopes that a future Think Out Loud discussion will focus on our streetscape.
Steph Routh
Director, Willamette Pedestrian Coalition
www.wpcwalks.org
@WPCWalks
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Students in and around universities seem to have an aire of road entitlement and invulnerability. Students will just dart out in any road in front of cars, regardless of designated walking areas. At OSU, the university response seems to be put up more stop signs and crosswalks. Now there is a new crosswalk just 3 car lengths from another crosswalk.
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It all seems that we need to go back to kindergarten, and re-learn, and then live the lessons of sharing and good citizenship. Or if you want it put in philosophical terms: Streets and Sidewalks are the commons and we all need to use it fairly, like not crossing the street with 2 seconds or a flashing don't walk, and let the motorists make their turns. Cyclists going with the traffic, and generally not beliving that our texting and phone conversations keep us safe, and actually put us at risk!
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I’ve had a few close calls as both a pedestrian and as a driver. Regardless of my mode of transport, I now act as if the other vehicle/pedestrian may be either inattentive or emotional and thus could act unpredictably. The key to survival for both of us is my “mindfulness” of the situation; using a technique I’ve adopted from a motorcycle safety class which is “S.I.D.E.” (Scan ahead, Identify potential dangers, Decide how to avoid, and Execute if necessary). With practice you can do these mental scans in a second, and they are a real lifesaver.
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A widespread misunderstanding of the pedestrian safety law that was put into effect in Oregon sometime in the first half of this decade is drivers now view pedestrians standing on street corners as stop signs.
That is not what the law intended. The law intended that any car a half block or more from a pedestrian stepping into the street had better stop for that pedestrian! (And no pedestrian should step into the street if there are cars coming from less than a half block away.)
I have seen a car on a one-way, three lane street, stop for a pedestrian standing on a street corner who was just waiting for the lull that comes in traffic. This endangers the pedestrian who might just respond to that one car stopped in three lanes of oncoming traffic. I have seen pedestrians almost hit by cars in the other lanes who had no idea why a car was stopped in one of the other one-way lanes.
While the car in the rear of an accident is always to blame, I have seen more than one rear-ending due to a car, out of the blue, stopping for a pedestrian who was just waiting for the lull in traffic. The car behind all of a sudden has a car in front of them abruptly stopping.
There comes a lull. Many of us pedestrians are still willing to wait for it. Standing on a street corner, I am not a stop sign.
Jim Knutson
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When I'm waiting for a lull in the traffic, I step back, away from the curb, and make it look like I'm NOT wanting to cross, so that drivers won't take me as a stop sign.
And when a car does stop to let me cross, I wave them on. I don't like walking in front of cars; I'd rather just wait for an empty street.
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I run six mornings a week in Portland's Irvington and Alameda neighborhoods. I wear a reflective vest and blinking light. Yet I still feel vulnerable. I especially hate drivers not stopping for a pedestrian at unmarked crosswalks (ones without painted "zebra" stripes). I have a scheme: The city should "deputize" runners so they could issue citations for drivers who don't stop to let them cross the intersection. The money from the tickets would fund the schools and libraries. I figure I could issue at least 5 tickets every morning myself!
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Black is the New Black. And hipsters and the overweight and the homeless are all wearing black for the past generation. Personally a fat person wearing black still looks like a fat person wearing black. And even worse their figure is even more silhouetted and not thinned out. They are ridiculous. But so are runners and children wearing black.
I saw a hipster young couple crossing the street in cardigan knit sweaters, scarves and sunglasses. Both them and their three small children were all in black or variations of dark gray. Even the baby! And with shorter days, poor sunlight and dark streets. They looked like a pilgrim conservative family on the way to a wake not a wedding.
A hippie from the colorful psychydelic Sgt Pepper 1960s, would think a current hipster going to party on Saturday night is actually going to a funeral.
We need to incorporate bright and reflective colors on our outdoor clothing. And give up on the funeral colors. And perhaps hand out reflective stickers to put on our jeans, backpacks and jackets.
Wearing black is essentially putting a target on yourself and going for a a hike in deer season.
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The law says a pedestrian always has the right-of-way. But I almost always yield my right-of-way to cars.
It reminds me of a story told to me by a sailor:
He explained that a sailboat on starboard tack always has the right-of-way. "So, when the little sailboat was on a collision course with a barge, the sailor called out to the tugboat captain, 'STARBOARD TACK'. Not wanting to turn the barge, the captain called back, 'TEN THOUSAND TONS' ". -
Thank you for stating it is a myth that Pedestrians have the right away. In Beaverton on TV Hwy it took children being hit for city to FINALLY put a cross walk with lights for people to cross. Still to today I see people running across the street 10 feet outside of the cross walk!!! and still expect people to stop! The city finally gave them the tools for their safety and they still seem not to care... sadder when they have children with them!
Nicky
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I've placed numerous calls to the City about problem crossing areas near and around my house (Creston Neighborhood). The response every time is that the city does not have the funds to correct crosswalks with little lighting (36th and Powell), and excessive traffic on adjacent cross-streets.
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Like all Americans, I used to assume that pedestrians have the right of way, but my thinking changed while living and driving in Asia for several years. There, large flocks of pedestrians are almost constantly crossing the street, and a vehicle making a right turn has to slowly inch through the crowd until there's enough space to make the turn. Pedestrians there are aware that a car can kill them, but there's an understanding that the car coming through is going slowly enough to either walk around it or stand and wait for it to turn. When I returned to Portland, I still had this habit of very slowly inching through a right turn, expecting pedestrians to just walk around me if they needed to. I was shocked to have my car knocked on by angry pedestrians or fists shaken at me. I hadn't realized my presumptions about pedestrians had changed - I felt like American pedestrians were self-righteous and deluded about their power. I also thought I should have an apologetic sign in my car saying that I was new to American driving! I've since readjusted and stay clear away from marked crosswalks when a person is in them. :)
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As to maintenance, keeping trees and bushes clear, etc, how about having the roads dept set up a website to that anyone can email, twit, text, face, or just post a message about whatever needs attention? That would include broken bottles or slippery leaves in bike lanes. Let 'em even post photos of the problem.
Give the public an easy way to report problems, essentially a way to help themselves.
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Excellent suggestion, Tom!!!
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The number to call in Portland is 503-823-SAFE for all of your concerns like these. I encourage all Portlanders to use it, I've gotten a great response to my issues from the city, who addresses these issues on a complaint-driven basis.
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I never walk in front of a vehicle unless I make eye contact with the driver.
Jaywalking is okay if you don't obstruct traffic.
I only stop for pedestrians at cross walks, but not for jaywalkers. I have seen many jaywalkers almost get hit when one car stops but other drivers don't know why they have stopped so they try to go around.
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The problem, if there is a problem at all, is not transportation mode specific. Every group that is moving from A to B in America, via any form of transport, seems to have some kind of problem, every group claims to be a victimized minority and you begin to wonder where, and who, all the perpetrators are. The problem is not one group, but Americans approach to public life in general, there is an overwhelming sense of entitlement and smugness, not intellectual smugness, but more of a cowboy, bad-ass smugness. This doesn’t show itself necessarily in the way people would assume, like in fast aggressive driving, it also shows itself through opposite modes. The hippie approach where you think you can stop and confuse traffic to let one car turn, or to let a pedestrian jaywalk in middle of the street. Often these alleged niceties are some of the most dangerous manoeuvres, because they confuse people through a bending of the rules or a subversion of the normal flow of things.
The most appalling example of the average American’s entitlement is the passing, or fast-lane, on highways, many people rather then going too fast in this lane, go too slowly, they don’t actually pass cars, they merely travel in the lane hunky dory, and if someone comes up behind them, instead of getting over, they slow down---because no one is going to tell them what to do. That is exactly the problem with all our transportation issues, no one is going to be told what to do. Everyone wants to do everything on their own terms whether they are fast or slow, or nonsensical. This includes liberals and conservatives, and in some ways, contrary to what I would have assumed, liberals seem to be just as bad at all this. Because they also approach the road, while often with good intentions, but those good intentions turn into aggressive intentions---they want traffic to work the way they feel it should, rather then the way it actually does. When all groups are so on the defensive, and so ready to jump on every grievance, even if those grievance are allegedly motivated by safety concerns, it creates a war-like atmosphere.
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Yes, this bloated sense of entitlement is exactly what I noticed for the first time when I got back from driving overseas. It is unfortunately a very American feeling.
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That is so true... that is, "that every group thinks they are a victimized minority." No one wants to give an inch.
I lived and drove into Washington, D.C. for many years during rush hour. We have the famous Beltway that turns into a parking lot 3 hours in the morning, and 3 hours every evening. My father, who used to decry the "old man wearing a hat" in front of him when I was a child, now would get in the far left lane, and drive at 50mph, just to slow down the bastards, who were "out to kill him."
We need to treasure life itself. Trust me, when you are standing there waiting for the emergency vehicles to arrive, EVERYONE involved is wishing they had behaved differently.
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Why does Portland have intersections with no stop signs throughout its neighborhoods? As a driver and a cyclist I constantly see drivers cruz through these intersections as if they have the right of way, without any thought of who else may be approaching the same intersection with the same sense of entitlement.
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I live in SW Portland where only 15% of our streets have sidewalks. Many of our streets are narrow and carry a lot of traffic at speeds that are not safe. Oregon state law requires pedestrians to face traffic, and that is a suicide mission on many of our SW streets.
The law needs to be changed to allow pedestrians to legally walk with traffic where there is no continuous place to walk facing traffic. I say continuous because the crossing of streets is the cause of more pedestrian accidents than walking along the streets.
We also need to have Oregon law changed to clarify the relative rights of pedestrians and bicyclists both using an extended shoulder. Current law give the rights to bicyclists if the extended shoulder is marked as a bike lane.
Oregon Dept of Trans also needs to properly mark midblock crosswalks to assure they are legal. Currently, the midblock crossing at 4900 SW Barbur (Rassmussen Village Apartments) and others have warning lights and a center pedestrian island, yet ODOT has doubts this is a legal crosswalk and PBOT will not do traffic enforcement at this site due to the uncertainty of the legal status. This is WRONG!
ODOT needs to improve all these uncertain crosswalks to assure they are legal and no longer mislead pedestrians.
Don Baack, Chair SWTrails
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There is an epidemic of walkers who text while walking, colliding into objects like telephone poles, mailboxes and newspaper vending machines. We are becoming electronic ZOMBIES.
We know we should not text while driving. But texting can be dangerous while simultaneously biking, running and walking.
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Howdy--
Right clothes and wrong clothes? Please, I shouldn't have to dress like a clown to leave the house by foot or bicycle. A pedestrian's choice clothing is not a mitigating factor when a driver hits someone who is otherwise behaving legally. In fact, we shouldn't look for mitigating factors when drivers are in collisions with vulnerable users; we should accept that the driver has a greater responsibility as the pilot of a potential missile. We need more significant consequences for inattentive drivers.
By the way, while I don't drive much, I do have a car, and it is black. People don't seem to have any trouble seeing it. The problem is peoples' often arrogant belief that roads are for cars, and nothing else belongs. That clouds their perception.
We need to change attitudes toward driving, recognize it as a privilege, not a right, instead of changing the color of my jacket.
Happy Trails,
Ron Georg
Corvallis
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I second Ron Georg's comment!
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“The problem is peoples' often arrogant belief that roads are for cars, and nothing else belongs. That clouds their perception.” This statement shows an equal kind of arrogance. Roads exist primarily for cars, they were built for cars, there would not be roads across the country if cars did not exist, there would be walking trails or sidewalks. Yes, pedestrians and cyclists also use portions of the road, but the primary function is for cars. Bicycles are as much missiles as cars, sure cars are more powerful missiles, but this is all relative. Everyone has an equal responsibility to act responsibly. Proposing that drivers are somehow more arrogant then cyclists and pedestrians is nonsense. If anything it could be just as likely, if not more so, that cyclists are arrogant because many of them see it as a moral imperative and a culture. They might also feel oppressed, which is likely to create arrogance in response. But, realistically we all suck!
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@ scott--
No, roads were not built for cars, and they do not exist for cars. They predate cars by millenia as much more than walking trails. The Romans built massive roads to display their military might, and the wide roads into Paris have been around for centuries. Many roads in the American West were designed to be wide enough to flip a u-turn with a wagon and a team of horses without unharnassing the team.
Roads have been necessary to human endeavor since long before cars. While their maintenance is often paid for by gas taxes, the real estate they occupy comes from everything to general fund expenses to eminent domain claims. We claim them as public spaces, not automotive conduits. In fact, it would be hard to build a neighborhood without them, whether or not cars are part of the mix. They are like mortar in a wall, the spaces that hold us together by holding us apart.
They are much more important than cars.
Happy Trails,
Ron
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pedalmore,
Most roads in their current incarnation are built for the prevailing and primary function of motorized vehicular traffic. I am not saying that bicycles don’t have an equal right to use roads, but it doesn’t change the fact that the overwhelming function and existence (right now, not in history) of roads is because of, and for, automobiles. You can compare this to claiming the tarmacs or runways at the airport are not for the primary function of airplanes. Yes---emergency vehicles, gas and luggage trucks use them, but they are there primarily for the aircraft. In fact, they would not exist if the airplanes didn’t. It seems a bit like common sense rather then arrogance that people will assume roads are there primarily for cars. Or, perhaps, the function of bike lanes is not for bikes either? Are they equally for people who want to roller skate or pick up trash? And, if roads are equally adequate for bicycles and cars, then why do we need bike lanes at all?
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I believe that in California the pedestrian has the right of way at all times and everywhere. At least it used to be so back in the late 1950s. Even on a highway the car has to stop.
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What should a pedestrian do when they are trying to cross a very busy street, such as Powell, while in a crosswalk, stranded in the median? There are many crossing areas that, despite everyone's best intentions, make crossing the street very difficult.
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In Washington County we have new flashing yellow arrows for left turn signals, which means turn with caution. However, drivers seem to focus more on oncoming cars and not pedestrians with these new signals. Has there been an increase in pedestrian accidents with them? My son has had some close calls walking through crosswalks to his max station.
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What about bicycles riding on sidewalks? That is the most danger I feel as a pedestrian today. And it's much worse when I have my 80 yr old Mother with me. One 'mistake' by the bicyclist could end her life.
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Cyclists are allowed on sidewalks except in designated downtown areas. That being said, sidewalks are not wide enough for both, cyclists should not assume total right-of-way simply because they are on a bike, and if traffic isn't too bad, they should really be on the road.
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Bend does not allow bikes on sidewalks. Maybe you ought to change the Portland law.
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I live in Irvington and love to walk in my neighborhood. I also bike as much as I can. But I also drive and am increasingly concerned by both runners and walkers (including those with baby strollers) who have decided that they are entitled to use the roads without regard to cars. While pedestrians bear ultimate responsibility, there is a reason why so many pedestrians have taken to the roadways. Many homeowners have not maintained their sidewalks, making them tripping hazards--especially when covered by leaves. Not all curbs are wheelchair accessible, making them difficult to maneuver for those with strollers and walkers. We need to recognize the increased diversity of those who are using our streets and sidewalks. Both government and homeowners have a role in making them safe and all users have a role in using them safely.
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What is the right of way in the middle of a busy street median?
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I live and walk in the Pearl District on a daily basis. I've noticed that drivers are much less likely to stop in the morning than they are in the evenings. This morning motorists sped up from a block away when I stepped off the curb on 14th, 12th and 11th.
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Sometime walker, first time poster. :)
I think there's a real need for some way to get across larger blvds that don't have "corners" per se - for example, Beaverton Hillsdale and Barbur Blvd in SW Portland.
During a few years spent in LA, larger avenues like these had a walk light that a pedestrian could activate, which would light up the crosswalk to indicate to drivers that there is a walker crossing. Seems like a cheaper/less disruptive than a full on crosswalk light, and seemed to work well there.
Another note, living in Auckland New Zealand for a few years, I would see whole families huddled on the center line of a busy road waiting to cross, with traffic whizzing past on both sides!! I've seen similar things on Barbur Blvd. - seems like an accident in the making.
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People run in the street because it is easier on the feet than the sidewalk. Pavement is softer than concrete - believe it or not. Also, there's a greater risk of spraining an ankle when you are negotiating curbs while running. More curb-cuts might get more people running on the sidewalks instead of the streets.
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Does a pedestrian have the right of way in a cross walk that has a light or do they have to wait for their light to turn green before crossing?
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Why do I run in the road? Because sidewalks can be rutted and torn up by roots, leading to major tripping hazards, especially on dark, leaf-strewn sidewalks. And if I'm trying to run fast, it is hazardous to have to step up and down off curbs.
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I have noticed that quite a few bus stops are very near to crosswalks. I have seen drivers stop (and done so myself) only to discover the person is waiting for the bus. I don't know how to avoid this but it does cause confusion. I have also observed people stepping into a crosswalk on dark rainy nights assuming they will be seen which is not a good idea.
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The lack of signage at my street intersection doesn't increase cooperation. I've seen 3 accidents in one year because of the lack of a stop sign.
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I bike, walk, and drive downtown every day. I have nearly been hit while on a bike two times so far, and both times it has involved a Trimet bus. The most enraging time was a bus with it's right turn signal on that turned left infront of me accross the bike lane on the Transit mall. Bus drivers who are found to be making even small errors in driving should be put on probation or observation before then being fired!
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Flashing lights, a staff member donning a reflective vest, waiving a flag and tooting a whistle, many clues for a driver, however, I have personally witnessed scores of drivers over the years ignoring the red light and going throught the designated elementary school crosswalk on SE Division St. Drivers are in a hurry, many are on the phone, the "speeding ticket camera's" would add as an incentive for drivers to slow down and pay attention.
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I really like the "speeding ticket cameras" and I agree they should be in a lot more intersections. Talking on your cell phone? Ticket. Illegal turn from the center lane? Ticket. Completely covering a crosswalk and forcing the pedestrians to walk into oncoming traffic? Ticket. Entering the intersection when the light is yellow, even though you know you will be stuck in the middle of the intersection when the light turns red because the cars ahead of you aren't moving? Ticket.
It's a good revenue generator and results in safer roads.
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Bike boulevards are great. Why is it that only nice neighborhoods get bicycle boulevards?
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Certainly an important issue but I wish you'd focus on the benefits of walking just a little bit.
Certainly the world is a dangerous place and we should go through it with caution on many levels. But we should go placidly and approach it with good intent.
There are many wonderful destinations in the Portland area which can be best experienced by foot. Certainly your neighborhood's area of commerce is more lively when it's inhabited. Maybe we don't make the opportunity to get around as a Pedestrian but we should.
A few notes which you might find worth mentioning on air...
SW Trails has urban pedestrian trails which are excellent and destination oriented.
The C.O.P.'s Pedestrian Advisory Committee is currently looking for new participants (April Bartleson).
Sidewalks are mostly funded by the adjacent homeowner.
The municipal sidewalk system in the City of Portland is really wonderful, and is a vestige of Transit Oriented Development from another era; the early 1900 streetcar era.
The Americans with Disabilities Act has had profound effect on pedestrian infrastructure, but is essentially an unfunded mandate with regard to re-development of crossings and corners.
If you could just remind listeners that you actually like walking, it would be much appreciated.
Thanks!
ben foote
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As a runner, I will tell you why I choose the street instead of sidewalks (when it is safe to do so): the asphalt is softer on my knees than the cement of a sidewalk. There are also pedestrians walking dogs on sidewalks, and other activities on sidewalks that make it easier for everyone if I choose the road.
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There needs to be a common identifier of a crosswalk at each one. Whether that be a flashing light, flashing sign, unique sign to ALL crosswalks or the like. There are so many types of crosswalks in Portland that while on busy streets it can be difficult to see crosswalks coming up, because I don't know what to be looking for.
Also, speed limits should be more congruent throughout the city. Why NW 23rd is 20mph, but Division is 30mph, Hawthorne is 25mph and Glisan is 35mph is beyond my understanding (or why Willamette is 35mph with all the winding of the road, but MLK which is a boulevard is 30mph). They all have a mix of housing and residential on the street, and they should have a consistent level of livability.
There seems to be little consistency in the planning of the "city that works".
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While we are talking about changes that would increase safety, it sure would be nice if those stop lights that count down the time until the light changes would get consistent. On some, the light changes as soon as the 1 flashes off. On others, the light does not change for another 5-10 seconds. If I stop, knowing that the light is just about to change to yellow and someone behind me knows that there are another 5 seconds before th wellow happens at THIS light, I may get tailgated.
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I'm a bike commuter and one thing I hate about interactions with cars is when cars ignore the right-of-way rules and stop to wave me across a street. Bicyclists should be treated just like cars and when we aren't treated that way, it's confusing for us and dangerous--sometimes a motorist will stop and wave me across the street when other lanes of traffic are still flowing. I feel bullied and forced to cross the street when I should be watching out for my life and following the rules of the road.
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Amen to that, I joke that some Oregonians are so polite it's dangerous.
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AMEN! I hate that! And you get dirty looks from drivers when you wave them on or refuse.
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Ha ha ha, "Oregonians Are Dangerously Polite!"
Now that comes close to being a great slogan for tourism.
Canadians are known for being polite, but what a concept is "Dangerously Polite Oregonians".
You've got something there.
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As a long-term (30+ years) Portland pedestrian, I observe that if I cross a street with a person walking a dog, and maybe a parent with a child, you are more likely to get cars to stop.
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Several years ago a woman was hit and killed on NW 23rd Avenue. Neither the surviving pedestrian nor the driver claimed to see each other. Afterward, the local neighborhood association, the Northwest District Association, worked with the City of Portland to develop criteria about when a crosswalk would be stripped. Also, they worked with Shed Rain to develop the WalkSafe Umbrella, to help increase the visibility of pedestrians on gray, rainy Oregon evenings.The neighborhood received a grant from Metro to start this project and to conduct other pedestrian safety activites. The neighborhood had the umbrella for sale for the last couple of years, with only a few left now. The umbrellas are still out the for sell at some for profit locations. You can see the original WalkSefe umbrella at:
http://www.4imprint.com/product/100675/ShedRain-Walk-Safe-Umbrella
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I wanted to repsond to the gentleman asking why runners are in the street. I can't speak for all runners, but I do run early and at this time of year it is dark. Many of the sidewalks (as they are the homeowners responsibilities) are in disrepair, cracked, roots, limbs, etc. and I have tripped and fallen and sustained injury as a result. The streets have many less of these hazards. I am much better able to see the headlights then the cracks and dangers hidden by all the leaves and debris covering the sidewalks this time of year.
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I don't understand why cyclists are not required to have front lights. If you are getting in or out of a parked car or pulling out from parking, if there is a scyclist coming towards you at night, it can be very hard to see them.
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I am always surprised at how many cyclists don't have lights on the bikes at all. It's a safety issue and I agree with you, they should have lights on the back and front. Besides, a lot of lights come in a package that includes both the front and back flashers.
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Are pedestrians supposed to face traffic on a street without sidewalks? I'm passing many pedestrians walking with traffic, that is, with their backs to me, wearing ipods so they can't hear me either. Doesn't seem safe-I always walk facing traffic.
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Good morning:
I'm a member of OPB and I am grateful that you are talking today about public safety and driving. I live in Clackamas County. I have to drive 3 times a week on Childs Road that heads toward Stafford. There is no street lighting on these streets. I almost struck a deer no more than 10 days ago. The speed limit is 40 mph and there is a sign that shows deer crossing. I happened to be driving at 30 mph that day as it was dark and a light rain. The driver behind was very happy with me. On my way home again from work, a dog had crossed Child's and I stopped. The driver behind stopped abruptly and I guess the driver would have rear ended me and the driver in my estimation was at fault. The driver was tailgating me. Practically all drivers exceed the speed limit. Had I driven at 40 mph, I would have struck the deer + the dog. Clackamas County states that there's no money in the budget to put up street lighting. I took a driver's safety course. The instructor stated that he had contacted the person at Clackamas County. This instructor was informed that there were a total of six or seven accidents on that intersection. Therefore, I am driving at risk at the expense of the City's inability to save money. I am completely baffled by the lack of street lighting in this area of Lake Oswego. If anything were to happen to me in the future, please tell me what my rights are in terms of public safety. Thank you. Marian -
Sounds like the hazards of driving. It doesn't seem practical or desirable to light every inch of every street or rural road. Frankly, I wouldn't mind seeing fewer lights with all the awful light pollution and needless waste of electricity throughout the metro area.
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Based on years of witnessing driver, rider, and pedestrian behavior, in myself and others, I'd say the fundamental problems are people being oblivious to their surroundings (my friend calls these folks bear-snacks), and people being belligerent about their rights/path/position on the road.
Five times in the last month I've seen pedestrians jaywalking and impeding traffic on BUSY streets (Powell and Foster), two of those persons were mothers with children. I'm fine with jaywalking if you are crossing with enough alacrity and space to allow for traffic to flow normally, but if you're expecting traffic to slow for you, and you're not at a crosswalk or intersection with signals in your favor, then you're not only belligerent, you're suicidal. Whether or not you have the right of way, you really shouldn't escalate the argument to a contest between your body and a hurtling pile of steel. You'll lose. It's really not about who's right. Pay attention, because you can't assume anyone else is.
I see bicycles doing the same type of thing. There are GREAT, safe, peaceful and often convenient routes through Portland that are designed and reserved for bicycles, but I still see cyclists impeding traffic on busy, dangerous streets just a few blocks from said bike boulevards/routes. Now, they have a right to be there and take the lane, but really, if you can't keep up with the flow of traffic, you're putting yourself in danger, and you're also angering motorists who are impeded by your presence, who may take that anger out, later, on other riders. This is also not about who's right and who has the right, it's about what actually happens when you ride your bike up Hawthorne at 8 mph and cause a minor traffic jam because you don't want to ride one block over to be safe and considerate.
Please, consider your actions and your position in the thoroughfare, both for your own safety, as well as for your impact on others around you. All pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers are people, and all are trying to get somewhere safely and quickly. Consider that.
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Driving in Downtown Portland is a daily battle. Pedestrians frequently walk against the lights, or just bypass the crosswalks altogether and cut out from between cars. Byclists are even worse. They're right in thinking they have the power to make be stop, as I'm certainly not going to willfully run them over. But what happens when the fools run out of luck, and they proudly strut out into traffic while I'm changing the radio station, or trying to keep an eye on some other potential hazard?
Outside of Portland the problem is less with pedestrians and more with the drivers, so I always tell my children to make sure the driver really sees them and is actually stopping. And above all, to keep a sharp eye on drivers stopped and turning right at a red light or stop sign.
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In the bike/pedestrian/auto experience, one problem can be people who are TOO nice -- that is, people who have the right of way but cede it to others. Usually it's cars doing this.
An example is having someone stop to let a pedestrian cross on a multi-land one way street when there is no crosswalk. The pedestrian has to trust that the other drivers won't just figure someone slowed down and go into the other lane.
The other example is when driver tries to cede the right of way to a bike, when clearly the driver has the right of way.
This kindness is essentially not following the rules, and encouraging others to not follow the rules, causing confusion.
Oh RE: texting pedestrians. Often when I'm waiting for a light (or gap) to cross the street, that's when I text. I'm head down texting because I know I'll be there for a minute. Not all texting peds are unaware!
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When I put on my driving hat, I put my mobile in my lap so I can score maximum points for spooking, brushing back, or rolling the inattentive. Driving along MLK after dark when its raining has become quite the video game.
Goths and EMOs dressed in black clothes and makeup, crossing under the trees where the street lights don't penetrate, as they chit chat on their mobiles. 25 points.
Young tattooed chicks wearing mini skirts crossing MLK on their bikes while talking on their cell phones. 25 points. 15 points if their bike seat is adjusted to an appropriate height so they're able to roll their bikes faster than five miles an hour.
Shufflers of the crosswalk, laughing while they talk to their friends on the sidewalk, oblivious to the rest of the world. 20 points. 35 points for males wearing black hoodies and pants hanging well below their anterior vents. Somebody has to clean the human gene pool and I'm the Clorox.
35 points for bicyclists who ride out in the auto lane during rush hour like they own the damn thoroughfare. 25 points non rush hour.
40 points for ignoramuses who stand at the crosswalk but have no intent of crossing the street. I get 10 extra points because I might damage my hoopty as I roll up on the sidewalk to hit these inattentive crosswalk dwellers. If you're at the crosswalk don't just stand there or it will give me time to get my rig up to ramming speed.
50 points for squirrels. These little buggers are hard to roll even though there is plenty of meat evidence to the contrary.
65 points for wannabe bike messengers balancing in traffic on their fixies. They're young, in shape and have plenty of attitude and agility to avoid my muerto de auto.
75 points for crows. They are so intelligent. They bomb my sled with walnuts they want cracked open. I saw the OPB show on crows the other night and I have always enjoyed their intelligent and irritated cawing, hence, I get more points if I take one out.
Roll your eyes at me one more time! 85 points.
100 points for the automobilist who U-turns from curb lane to curb lane, around the traffic island without their lights on as they yell into their mobiles with wild two-handed gestures, and rude hand gesticulations while glaring at me when they're in the wrong. Makes me wish my kit had nitrous oxide so I could accelerate to ramming speed in the twitch of a lead foot on the acclerator. Momentum equal mass times velocity, baby.
* I don't condone any of the behavior mentioned above but that doesn't mean I haven't imagined it. In fact I'm in the process of inventing an auto-to-target nuclear missle. Just a tiny mushroom cloud, nothing serious.....
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This is hillarious. Thanks for giving voice to my inner dialogue. It'll only ever be vicarious, I hope.
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Shufflers of the crosswalk, laughing while they talk to their friends on the sidewalk, oblivious to the rest of the world. 20 points. 35 points for males wearing black hoodies and pants hanging well below their anterior vents. Somebody has to clean the human gene pool and I'm the Clorox. -- trurl9 — Mon Nov. 1st 10:04a.m.
I'm going to assume you mean their posterior vents, as anterior means front.
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LOL! Thank you for saying what most of us don't allow ourselves to think. One night at dusk, when it is hardest to see, driving approximately 20 blocks I saw 12 traffic infractions by cyclists--stop signs run, riding on the side walk, riding against the traffic, no signals for turning,no lights front or back, starting to cross an intersection when the light was still red. Why should they be able to do it if cars are not allowed to run a red light if no traffic is coming? Seems liike the reasons for not allowing this are the same for both classes of users of the road.
It scares me to drive anymore. I am so afraid of not seeing someone on a bike or in a pedestrian walk or jay walking. It is so common. One rainy night, I was turning across two busy lanes of traffic onto a dark side street and just as I was in the middle of the oncoming traffic lanes, a woman dressed all in black with her face turned down to the sidewalk stepped into the cross walk. There was nothing about her to catch any of the very low light that there was. I did not see her until I was feet from her and she happened to look up--allowing the light to shine on her face. OMG--I wonder if she was deaf and blind and unable to look both ways before crossing? But my blind friends carry a white stick and listen very closely to hear cars. You can see them. Perhaps she was texting or listening to a radio.
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@Penny from Eugene: Thank you for correctly interpreting what I meant. Arrgh! I needs me an editor.
@PDXOutdoors: vicarious so far. My inner buddha would be disappointed to cause real suffering and harm to the aforementioned denizens of River City.
@RuthP: I heard Gandhi's grandson, Arun, give a lecture on non-violence when I attended university. Because Arun suffered race problems in South Africa where he was raised, grandad Gandhi recommended that young Arun pour his anger into an "anger diary" instead of retaliating with his fists. I head for my keyboard when I become worked up and it helps me prevent suffering and pain in the real world. The process of writing about anger and frustration reminds me to be more attentive to my thoughts and actions.
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Excellent!!! I am a daily walker, and always remain aware of cars....they're bigger than me! But when I go to Target, and the maddening, nearly non-stop flow of unobservant humanity strolls slowly across the main exit lane, I want to get out, and direct the human traffic myself....WAIT FOR A BREAK IN THE CAR TRAFFIC BEFORE WALKING OUT--otherwise numerous cars stack up, idling, waiting for you and your young'uns to meander across the lane.
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i'm reminded that above and beyond all of the rights & privileges we as pedestrians, bicyclists and vehicles have, i think of the rules of the road as the only way we have to communicate. if you don't participate it's a monolog. further more, eye contact goes a long way in this communication and reminds us of the person we're talking to instead of what our own right is.
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When thinking of "flow" it helps if those doing so use common sense. I had a pretty rough bicycle accident on Johnson Creek Blvd. in Clackamas County north of Fred Meyer. There is a bike lane there, marked as such, heading down the hill. It runs straight into the side of a curb at the bridge. It was nearly dark and I could not see that there was a curb there. The white line just runs right into the side of it. Whoever planned that seemed either completely stupid or completely masochistic. Luckily my toddler in the seat behind me was protected by that seat or the accident could have been much worse.
As a general rule, it seems like the city and county planners in rural and suburban areas care very little for non-car transportation.
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This is not a threat--simply an observation.
In Don Quihxote, the musical, there is a song where the barber sings "whether the pitcher hits the stone or the stone hits the pitcher, it is going to be bad news for the pitcher."
It seems to me, no matter what the "rights" of the cyclist or pedestrian, if they get hit, it is their body that will forever feel the damage. Getting it sorted out in court later is one thing but dealing with the often permanent damage done by a collision, it is imperative that people anticipate possible dangers and watch very carefully. This being so, I wonder why some folks, especially the young ones, do not exercise more care, especially when they are crossing a 4 lane street where 2-3 lanes opf traffic may be able to see them but seldom the 4th lane?
\And Portland--it is time to give up the black and brown clothing we all wear. When we are walking and cycling we should do everything possible, especially in the long dark rainy nights of winter, to make ourselves visible.
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Try walking in the SW where there are no sidewalks, with your dogs.... my experience is that many drivers don't reduce speed to accommodate pedestrians... there is just no room sometimes for cars going the stated speed limit to safely pass pedestrians.
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I am a driver, pedestrian and biker here in Portland. I feel fairly competent and respectful as a driver and pedestrian but a little less sure of the rules as a bicyclist. Is there a good resource for learning the rules of the road for bicyclist specifically?
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Yes. ODOT publishes a Bicyclist's Manual (similar to the Driver's Manual) that is available at the DMV. Don't forget to pick up a Driver's Manual while you're at it, since those traffic laws apply to those of us who ride on two wheels as well. (Obviously, the laws about required equipment for a motor vehicle do not apply to bikes.)
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More than once, I have narrowly missed being hit walking across a crosswalk, usually by an SUV driver on a cell phone. BUT I have also been cut off at crosswalks and, more than once, cut a pedestrian off at a crosswalk myself when turning right on a green light. I come from a city (I suspect many others do, as well) where there is EITHER a signal indicating that a right turn is allow OR a walk signal when there is no turn allowed.
Sure, pedestrians do stupid things. Sure, drivers on cell phones can be dangerous. But I believe that a walk signal that is lit at a corner where a driver can legally make a right turn really increases the risk for pedestrians, and I wonder how many of the pedestrians are hit by vehicles in Portland because drivers are new to Portland and unaware, or forgetful, that this is the case.
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What about the crossing of Fanno Creek trail and Hall Blvd. inBeaverton?
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It is just such a pain in the butt to deal with accidents, police, lawsuits, insurance Corporations, bad feelings and all that, that I walk, ride, and drive to prevent any of that. Prevention.
Even if the other guy is in the wrong, I don't want to go through all of the hassle to prove myself right.
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As a pedestrian-commuter I've had more run-ins with cyclists in the past year than with autos. I've been in the middle of intersections in broad daylight and practically been run over by a cyclist. I always check before crossing and still there seems to be the impression that since a bike is nimble, they can zip through the intersection while you are in it. Not cool, yet when I've said something in protest, I've been issued the finger and the cyclist kept on going. What gives?
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I think people need to go back and read their drivers manual. I was amazed at how much I had forgotten or didn't know when I read through mine recently (and that is after perfect scores on tests from two different states).
My pet peeve: It is clearly written that if a car is stopped for a pedestrian, then ALL other cars also must stop. I cannot count the number of times I have seen near-misses on SW Market in the huge marked crosswalk to Portland State. The cars coming off of Hwy 26 don't bother to slow down once they are on the city streets and think they can just switch lanes to avoid stopping. Pedestrians do have the right of way in that case.
I also think that all of the drivers need to get off of their cell phones and pay attention to the road. You know who you are and you know that it is illegal, so stop talking and start driving more carefully.
And by the way, get off of the Streetcar and Max tracks.
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It's perfectly legal and safe to drive on the streetcar tracks. STREET-car. Max tracks, however, are off limits everywhere (big huge bumps separating the lane).
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I agree with that...people do need to re-read the Driver's Manual. It seems that most people read it and retain it just long enough to get their Driver's License, then purge it from their mind so they can waste more of their brain space on stupid things like American Idol (a suitable show for Idle Americans, I suppose).
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I almost seriously injured or worse yet could have killed a pedestrian who ran out in front of me as I was travelling from north to south on Interstate avenue. I had the green light as I was approaching the intersection and the pedestrian was more focused on trying to catch the train than crossing the road and he ran right in front of my vehicle. Fortunately for him I was on the ball that day, locked up my brakes and he barely scraped the hood of my car.
What are we supposed to do about skateboarders who blatantly ride down the middle of the road with oncoming traffic and their attitude is that they have the right of way?
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I find that cars are often unwilling to stop -- and interestingly the willingness to stop seems to vary from street to street. I don't think it is a matter of cars simply not seeing pedestrians it is a matter of not being willing to stop.
In Corvallis (on Van Buren & Harrison) I often see cars chaning lanes so that they are not behind a car that is slowing down to allow a pedestrian to cross.
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yea, I agree wholeheartedly regarding Main Street. Springfield needs to provide many more crosswalk/signal opportunities.. As it is now, the pedestrians -- often children -- have to dash across the street and take their lives in their hands every time, thanks! my projects:
acompanhantes | loiras | morenas | coroas | ruivas | mestiças | mulatas
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Of course, The City of Springfield passes the buck, claiming that they have no authority to do anything about the problem, since that segment of Main Street is part of State Route 126, which puts it under the aegis of the State Government. (I'm sure the State says in return, "But it is inside the Springfield City Limits, so we have no authority.")
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As a pedestrian I was nearly killed while crossing at an intersection that was very well lit and had 4-way stop signs and crosswalks. I hit my head hard.Due to an excellent surgeon who told my husband that he didn't know if I'd live or die - that we'd find out in the next day or so- I am here writing. I spent days in an induced coma and intensive care, 2 weeks of hospital rehab. and 4 months total medical leave. A year later I began having seizures, most likely due to scar tissue on my brain from 2 surgeries. Now I'm on some very heavy medication but I'm back working and enjoying after-work pursuits and I'd say doing ok thanks to many doctors, nurses, therapists, husband,family, friends, co-workers and pets. Never so much as an apology from the driver who hit me, but that's his problem I guess.I've been motorist, bicylist and pedestrian but no longer drive of course. The horror stories I've read about bicycle-motorist accidents scare me. I won't cycle but I walk a lot. I've also witnessed a lot of animosity between pedestrians and motorists. Let's all be empathic please.
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I live in the North Bethany area of Portland in Washington County. My concerns as a suburban pedestrian are twofold.
First, developers are required to improve infrastructure only adjacent to their properties. This means there are sidewalks along the perimeters of those developments, but no sidewalks between developments on major arterials. While we are within walking distance of schools and shopping, there are no safe routes for pedestrians and cyclists.
Second, we are an 8 minute walk from Springville School, the newest K-8 in Beaverton District, but there are no crosswalks, no crossing guard, and no school zone along Springville Road. The district busses our neighborhood and officially discourages walking. Repeated requests to the district and county have not resulted in any progress toward a safe crossing on Springville.
See pictures and read an article about our experience on National Walk to School Day here: http://bikeportland.org/2010/10/29/despite-sketchy-crossing-kids-still-walk-to-school-in-bethany-41788
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yea, Students will just dart out in any road in front of cars, regardless of designated walking areas. At OSU, the university response seems to be put up more stop signs and crosswalks.... thaks!
diabetes | massagem tailandesa | acompanhantes | fbf
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Comments are now closed.
Let's not forget the people who are killed or injured attempting to cross Main Street (east of 42nd Street) in Springfield. There have been something like 10 or 12 in the last 18 to 24 months (if I remember correctly).
As someone who has used multiple modes of travel (driving, biking, walking, bus), however, I try when driving to make sure that I am aware of bicyclists and pedestrians. Now that my primary mode of transportation is bus and on foot, I am very conscious of those using other modes that could do me serious harm.