Springwater Gap - Umatilla St. to 3-Bridges

[mike_khad1]

While pedaling towards the Three-Bridges along SE 19th Street, I was approaching SE Clatsop at a pretty good clip (est. 18 mph). A car was on SE Clatsop heading towards SE 19th - also at a good clip (est +25 mph). I knew I didn't have a stop sign. I assumed that the car did. At the last second, I braked hard and did a sharp left turn. Good thing since the car went through without slowing, just missing me.

I went back along SE 19th and found there are several 4-ways between Umatilla and the 3-bridges where there are no stop signs in either direction:

SE 19th and SE Harney, SE 19th and SE Clatsop, SE 19th and SE Marion, SE 19th and SE Linn (actually a sort of three-way intersection).

[BillD]

Originally Posted by mike_khad1

..............................snip.............

I went back along SE 19th and found there are several 4-ways between Umatilla and the 3-bridges where there are no stop signs in either direction:

SE 19th and SE Harney, SE 19th and SE Clatsop, SE 19th and SE Marion, SE 19th and SE Linn (actually a sort of three-way intersection).

That's called an uncontrolled intersection. The vehicle on the right has the right of way, regardless of who gets there first.

See ORS 811.275

http://www.leg.state.or.us/ors/811.html

It's hard to tell from your description just who that was.

Glad you weren't hit.

A tip from the defensive driving instructor days: Identify the intersection as to type (uncontrolled/controlled) as you approach. To see if the traffic approaching on your right has a stop sign, take a quick look to where it should be and look for the shape of the back of the sign. This will only take a small fraction of a second. If you don't see the sign, it's time to start to evade the vehicle... it may be expecting you to stop.

[mike_khad1]

Thanks for the tip. The car was on the right so it had the right-of-way. I'm glad I didn't play a game of chicken with it.

[SyntaxPolice]

I hate those uncontrolled intersections. In my opinion, it doesn't matter who has the right of way. You should not expect anyone to stop if they don't have a stop sign, especially if you're on a bike.

I always see people blowing through the uncontrolled intersections and T intersections without stopping or looking. I almost got hit by a pickup at a T where I had the right of way.

Even at bike speeds, it's hard to tell if the cross road has a stop sign... for that matter, you can hardly count on anyone to stop if they DO have a stop sign

peace.

[Matt P.]

Originally Posted by mike_khad1

Thanks for the tip. The car was on the right so it had the right-of-way. I'm glad I didn't play a game of chicken with it.

Actually, according to your original account, you had the right-of-way. You said that the car was travelling in excess of 25 mph (the legal speed limit). In that case, he forfeits his right-of-way: ORS 811.275(3)

Of course, one shouldn't rely on the law to protect one's own skin.

[Jakelin]

Originally Posted by Matt P.

Actually, according to your original account, you had the right-of-way. You said that the car was travelling in excess of 25 mph (the legal speed limit). In that case, he forfeits his right-of-way: ORS 811.275(3)

Of course, one shouldn't rely on the law to protect one's own skin.

Not to mention that the '+25 estimate' from the person not on the right probably will not make for good legal grounds for fault. The car will say they were going 25 mph and since they were on the right, they had the right of way. It would be next to impossible to prove otherwise.

[Pedalphile]

Any vehicle that outweighs mine by more than fifty pounds has the right-of-way, regardless of whether or not they actually do. It's a personal philosophy designed to keep my body intact.

[mike_khad1]

The car was going too fast and weighted too much for me to assume or hope that it would stop. Although I hate to brake unnecessarily, my hard braking this time was definitely necessary.

I does strike me as odd that there are so many uncontrolled intersections on the designated bike route from Umatilla to the 3 bridges. But since I don't stop at stop signs (when nobody's coming) why unnecessarily hinder cars with stop signs that they have to obey. Fair is fair.

I just need to be more careful and never assume that someone elses actions are needed to keep me safe and whole.

[Matt P.]

Actually, that's pretty normal for bike routes, it's the bike boulevards that have stop signs on the feeder streets, e.g. Clinton, Lincoln, Salmon, Ankeny.

The designated bike route between Burnside and Glisan, for example, also has a lot of uncontrolled intersections.

[Striker991]

Originally Posted by mike_khad1

But since I don't stop at stop signs (when nobody's coming) .

So, you don't think this law applies to you? This is completely erroneous thinking, and these thought patterns are what causes a lot of the conflict that exists between cars and bikes.

What if you don't see someone coming and you blow through?