Protecting bike riders.Byline: The Register-Guard What do greenhouse gasses, sky high gas prices and getting regular exercise have in common? A person can do something about all three by riding a bicycle. Which is why it's good public policy to encourage bicycle use, and one way to do that involves creating traffic laws that make bicycle riding as safe as possible. Two bills before the Legislature would enhance protections for Oregon cyclists This is an incomplete list. Please add to this list if you are aware of an omission. This is a list of cyclists by decade. Cyclists by decade Cyclists before the 1880s
"Passage" happens to be the focus of one of the measures, which would clarify an existing law requiring vehicles to pass bicycles at a "safe and reasonable distance." Senate Bill 108 defines "safe distance" as sufficient to prevent contact with a cyclist if the rider were to fall off the bike into the traffic lane. Under the proposed law, passing too close to cyclists could result in a $360 traffic fine. Urban and rural bike riders are often endangered en·dan·ger tr.v. en·dan·gered, en·dan·ger·ing, en·dan·gers 1. To expose to harm or danger; imperil. 2. To threaten with extinction. by impatient drivers who crowd the cyclists as they hurry to squeeze past. Drivers may not realize that broken pavement, debris, storm drain storm drain n. 1. A storm sewer. 2. A catch basin. grates, loose gravel, wind or any number of other factors can cause a cyclist to swerve unpredictably or even fall. Leaving a buffer that takes the possibility of a fall into account is certain to help reduce collisions that injure To interfere with the legally protected interest of another or to inflict harm on someone, for which an action may be brought. To damage or impair. The term injure is comprehensive and can apply to an injury to a person or property. Cross-references Tort Law. and kill cyclists every year in Oregon. In 2005, 11 cyclists were killed on Oregon roads, up from nine that were killed in 2004, according to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. the Oregon Department of Transportation. The number of cyclists injured in·jure tr.v. in·jured, in·jur·ing, in·jures 1. To cause physical harm to; hurt. 2. To cause damage to; impair. 3. in accidents with motorists climbed to 779 from 678 in the same period. House Bill 3314 would increase the penalties for motorists whose careless careless adj., adv. 1) negligent. 2) the opposite of careful. A careless act can result in liability for damages to others. (See: negligent, negligence, care) driving causes serious injury or death to cyclists or other "vulnerable users" such as pedestrians, highway workers, skateboarders or in-line skaters. Currently, Oregon law allows a ridiculously low maximum fine of $1,115 for careless driving, even if the driver's carelessness kills a cyclist. Jacking up penalties and clarifying safety rules are meant to raise motorists' awareness of the need to share the road with nonmotorized traffic. These two reasonable bills will help protect Oregon's reputation as a bike-friendly state by increasing protections for cyclists. |
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