Crash on SE Hawthorne at 10th offers a lesson in caution

Aftermath of a collision at SE 10th
cand Hawthorne yesterday.
(Photos: Christopher Perez)

The collision on the transit mall downtown wasn’t the only bike-involved crash yesterday. Reader Christopher Perez was the first person on the scene of a collision on SE Hawthorne about two hours before Richard Krebs was struck while crossing SW Morrison.

Perez witnessed the collision and provided a detailed account and photos on his Flickr page. Here are some excerpts from what he saw (emphasis mine):

“Both east bound lanes of traffic are stopped due to construction on the east side of Hawthorn at SE 12th. At 10th, both lanes of traffic provide a break for cross traffic.

On the north side of 10th, a silver Hundai see’s [sic] her chance to cross the intersection and proceeds very quickly through two lanes of traffic that effectively block any view of on-coming cyclists.

Just prior to this, a young man on a newly rebuilt bike passed me on the left and reentered the bike lane about a 1/2 a block ahead of me… He was the fastest of the group of riders, of which I was now second in lead of.

I watched as the silver Hundai started across the intersection and saw she did not look up the road to the west to see what traffic conditions were. I saw how the bicyclist continued to ride rather quickly into the intersection.

I shouted very loudly “NO!”

The cyclist hit the Hundai on the right front fender just behind the tire. I watched as his front rim turned and watched as he went over his handlebars and as his full body hit the windshield.”

After the collision. The
man in black is the one who
was involved w/ the crash.

Thankfully, the man on the bike did not sustain serious injuries (unless they’ve flared up overnight). Perez reports that, after rolling off the car, the man, “suddenly leaped up, cursing and gesticulating wildly.” Perez also noted a few “bottom line” observations that are worth sharing here:

The automobile proceeded through the intersection with no regard for on-coming bicyclists in the bike lane.

The bicyclist proceeded east up Hawthorne with no regard to cross traffic.

Both were traveling rather more quickly than I would have felt comfortable traveling at.

Hawthorne from the river to SE 12th during the PM commute is always a tricky area traffic-wise; add in all the construction and you’ve got the recipe for crashes. Best advice is to keep speeds reasonable and always expect that the other vehicle does not see you.

— View a few more of Perez’s photos here.

Jonathan Maus (Publisher/Editor)

Jonathan Maus (Publisher/Editor)

Founder of BikePortland (in 2005). Father of three. North Portlander. Basketball lover. Car owner and driver. If you have questions or feedback about this site or my work, feel free to contact me at @jonathan_maus on Twitter, via email at maus.jonathan@gmail.com, or phone/text at 503-706-8804. Also, if you read and appreciate this site, please become a supporter.

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JK12
JK12
13 years ago

This brings up a good point that I never see in any discussions of accidents in Portland. The visibility at MANY intersections is TERRIBLE. Apparently it’s legal to park all the way to the corner, and even if there’s no car there, someone’s hedges are out of control, there’s a bus stop or newspaper machines or something else blocking the view.

I am mostly a cyclist but I drive too, and I have never felt as vulnerable in either mode as I do in Portland, simply because you CANNOT SEE when you need to see. I am tired of trying to squint through the windows of parked cars to see what’s coming.

I know this wasn’t the exact situation here, but it’s another example of how not being able to see causes destruction.

Nik
Nik
13 years ago

That sort of stopped traffic cut-through always makes me cringe. The person going through can’t see anything in far lanes that aren’t stopped. Sounds like the driver in this case was unaware of or not thinking about the bike lane.

dan
dan
13 years ago

Yikes, thanks for printing this. That’s on my commute, and I never thought of this particular scenario. I can easily imagine this happening to me…but now I’ll know to be careful.

Though the driver is clearly in the wrong, I can easily understand how it could have happened…if I had been driving in that situation, I’m not sure if I would have remembered to check for bike traffic or not, and I bike through there every day.

Adams Carroll (News Intern)

i think the law actually says that you cannot park w/in 50-feet of a corner if your vehicle is over 6-feet tall.

of course, like myriad other traffic safety-related laws, this is likely rarely enforced.

Anonymous
Anonymous
13 years ago

If the autos were stopped at the intersection on Hawthorne at 10th, does that mean that legally the cyclist has to stop there as well (As if maybe there is a pedestrian crossing and the cars are stopped for them?)

I’m not sure of the answer. I’d prefer to hear from someone that knows- not someone who is guessing.

Michael M.
13 years ago

These are exactly the kinds of conditions that existed on NE Broadway when traffic was frequently backed up in the run-up to the B’way Bridge closure. Vehicles would dart through clear intersections without the operators being able to see (even if the drivers were trying to look) whether bikes were approaching the intersection. And riding westbound, it was very hard to see whether any vehicles were crossing the intersection until you were almost upon it.

Defense, defense, defense. We would all do well, however we get around, to accept that big construction projects generally mean exercising more caution than usual and travelling at slower speeds than usual. Glad everyone seems to be okay in this incident.

jeff
jeff
13 years ago

the guy crushed a windshield with this back and he’s “OK”??? I’m guessing he’s got some bruising today at least and is probably picking a little glass out of his back. Adrenaline is a funny thing.
E. Hawthorne has been rough the past couple weeks. Slow down folks, whereever you have to be is not that important.

Michael M.
13 years ago

@Anonymous #5 — A tragic incident on TV Highway this past winter involved the type of situation you’re asking about. A motorist didn’t stop despite the fact that the car in the lane next to him was stopped, and killed a pedestrian crossing in a crosswalk. The motorist who didn’t stop didn’t even get a failure-to-yield citation; the determination made by cops on the scene was that there was no way he could’ve seen the pedestrian and therefore he wasn’t at fault.

Personally, I think this is wrong. At the very least, IMO, it is reckless driving/riding. If you are travelling adjacent to a lane in which vehicles headed the same direction are stopped, common sense should tell you that there is a reason why. It might not be necessary for you to come to complete stop, depending upon the circumstances and conditions, but at the very least you should take it as a cue to proceed with extreme caution.

But legally, there’s no requirement to stop.

GlowBoy
GlowBoy
13 years ago

Well, of course common sense dictates that if traffic next to you is stopped you should be more on alert.

But frankly, for cyclists this is THE NORM. At busy times, the general purpose lanes back up behind intersections, and those of us in bike lanes have to ride next to parked cars. I’m always on higher alert than usual in this situation (which happens to me daily in congested Beaverton), but there’s no need to crawl along, and let’s not forget that the fault lies 100% with the driver of the car in this case.

GlowBoy
GlowBoy
13 years ago

Oops, I should have said “have to ride next to stopped cars” not “parked cars.”

naess
naess
13 years ago

jonathan@4: unfortunately, when you are in most vehicles you are sitting at about what, 3 or 4 feet so even a car at 6 feet high is a major L.o.S. blockage.

-naess

Spiffy
Spiffy
13 years ago

ah yes, the cars were stopped due to traffic backed up in the car lanes…

the bikes were not stopped because there wasn’t enough traffic backed up in their lane…

the vehicle crossed without being sure that all 4 lanes (3 car + 1 bike) were clear of oncoming vehicles…

the person on the bike was quick and reacted well to save themselves and their bike (which looks like it has some nice components)… hopefully they’re not too sore today after the adrenaline wears off…

had the bike being going just a little bit faster this might not have ended so well as they could have been in front of the car…

matt picio
13 years ago

Anon (#5) – Oregon Revised Statutes permits cyclists to pass traffic on the right “if it is safe to do so”. The statute does not stipulate what constitutes “safe”. The cars leaving the gap were obeying state law since they were stopped – the cyclist was not under an obligation to stop also unless a pedestrian was crossing, or unless it was “unsafe” to pass. (again, no criteria for determining “safe”/”unsafe” is given in the statutes.

The cyclist should have been watching both sides of 10th while approaching it, and with the gap, he should also have been slowing down if his view of 10th was obstructed – how much, when and where are a matter of dispute, but the basic speed law requires a vehicle operator to slow down when circumstances warrant it – and it sounds like in this case they did.

It’s likely that culpability is shared in this collision, which should make the insurance claims interesting. (not in a good way)

GlowBoy (#8) “Fault” from a traffic standpoint probably lies entirely with the driver, since 10th has a stop sign and Hawthorne does not. Civil liability is likely shared, however, since both parties probably were in violation of the basic speed law. (“shared” doesn’t mean “equal” – the police don’t care about “shared” so much as the insurance companies do)

I’m not saying the cyclist was at fault – but it seems evident that the cyclist was a contributing factor to the collision at the least.

spare_wheel
spare_wheel
13 years ago

“The bicyclist proceeded east up Hawthorne with no regard to cross traffic.”
It sounds to me like the bicyclist had right of way and was traveling below the posted speed limit. The fault was entirely with the c***er.

“Both were traveling rather more quickly than I would have felt comfortable traveling at.”
As long as I ride safely I have every right to ride at the posted speed limit.
I am *NOT* going to slow down because another cyclist feels “uncomfortable”.

Stig
Stig
13 years ago

I’ve nearly been nailed quite a few times at the crosswalks on the 205 path by motorists in the far lane speeding past cars that have already stopped to allow myself and others to cross. If we all take it slow and keep our hands over the brakes we should be safe.

If someone had a pram (empty) and some spare time I bet they could change some motorists’ habits just by crossing legally at crosswalks on 4 lane roads where aggressive driving is common.

spare_wheel
spare_wheel
13 years ago

“since both parties probably were in violation of the basic speed law.”

You have no evidence to back this statement up. Judging from the lack of serious injuries its quite likely that the cyclist was going 10-15 mph. IMO, this is a safe speed given the circumstances.

jeff
jeff
13 years ago

spare_wheel, how can you say it was safe given the circumstances with a straight face? I think the collision itself says otherwise.

commuter
commuter
13 years ago

You just have to ride defensively. Right of way doesn’t mean anything when you’re going up against a car or bus. Hawthorne has been quite tricky in the last month and whenever there is construction, frustrated drivers sometimes do things like making quick turns down a side street without signaling or drifting or driving in a bike lane to make the first right turn.
Whenever cars are stopped or backed up and I’m in a bike lane next to them, I usually cut my speed down by almost half.

Adam
Adam
13 years ago

It seems from my experience and as displayed in this incident, that cross traffic should not be permitted on Hawthorne during rush-hour. There are enough traffic lights to allow traffic to cross on designated streets, that permitting cross traffic on rarely used side roads does not seem necessary. this area is often congested, cyclists are riding at high speeds coming off the bridge, and there is a lot of jockeying for position and lane changing as cars and cyclists disperse around the east-side. Without changes, everyone definitely needs to slow down a bit.

On a side note, it seems there is an occasional tendency for the courteous nature of Portland drivers to result in unpredictable behavior on the road and increased danger. It’s hard to say if this incident (cars stopping short to allow a car across) was unexpected to the cyclist.

bug on window
bug on window
13 years ago

well, that is me. Sorry folks thought I was going to fast. I was going the speed limit and was aware of the other riders just not the car that sped across three lanes of traffic. I’m ok though. Thank you for your concern

whitey
whitey
13 years ago

prolly one them dang fixed gears. maybe if he had brakes and a bright yellow vest this poor woman would still have a windshield

Christopher Perez
13 years ago

Two things in reply to “spare_wheel” –

1) I’m not suggesting that you slow down because I feel “uncomfortable”. Why would I ever wish to infringe on your basic rights to do what ever you want, even if your actions appear to be unsafe? Rather, I am attempting to tie the fact that the rider had no clear line of sight to the left (blocked by large SUV-like vehicles) with his speed (see #2 next).

2) When I spoke with the officer at the scene, I put the cyclist’s speed in excess of 20mph. While the rider was perhaps running under the speed limit, he was cranking pretty hard and, again, with stopped traffic two lanes deep he had no clear line of sight to the left.

Watching this whole event unfold, to me it was clear that both parties contributed to this event.

Todd
Todd
13 years ago

@spare_wheel
lol, you do have every right to ride at the speed limit. Without recognizing the reality of your actions, you can also get killed if you rode at the speed limit in all conditions. The comment about both people proceeding too fast holds true. Its not a comment about legalility, it was a comment regarding survival. Riding a bike fast, while legal, will eventually result in serious injury or death in my opinion. The driver should still be ticketed for failure to yield of course. The cyclist learned a lesson at low cost: there are other morons in this world and you have to look out for yourself. others won’t do it for you.

toddistic
toddistic
13 years ago

fwiw, common sense would indicate that if auto traffic is stopped with space at an uncontrolled intersection, it would be prudent to slow down prior to crossing.

Christopher Perez
13 years ago

bug on window – Man! I was scared for you!! When you laid there on the street while I rode up I wasn’t sure you were getting up.

I’m happy to hear you were alright. Sorry to see your newly rebuilt bike crash tested.

spare_wheel
spare_wheel
13 years ago

“spare_wheel, how can you say it was safe given the circumstances with a straight face? I think the collision itself says otherwise.”

riding safely does not protect you from inattentive idiots. (i have the scars to prove it.)

“Riding a bike fast, while legal, will eventually result in serious injury or death in my opinion.”

In the long run we are all dead.
-JMK

spare_wheel
spare_wheel
13 years ago

“cars stopping short to allow a car across”

I hate it when drivers cede their right of way. On one occasion I sat at an intersection for 2 mins while the car blocked traffic and frantically gesticulated at me. The “courteous” driver flipped me off when they finally drove off.

Dan
Dan
13 years ago

My understanding of the situation is that car traffic was stopped at 12th and _backed up_ to 10th. Cars that were unable to cross the intersection at 10th (because cars were stopped on the far side of the intersection) stopped short of the intersection to allow cross traffic to pass, as they should have.

Bikes in the bike lane had no obligation to stop in this case. That’s like saying that when a car in the left lane stops and is waiting to make a left turn across Hawthorne, motorists in the adjacent lane (traveling the same direction) also need to stop. We all know that’s not the case. The bike lane is a separate lane of traffic — a different situation from _sharing_ a lane with cars and filtering up the right side when the cars stop (a procedure which can be sketchy for a number of reasons).

If cars had stopped even though their forward progress was not obstructed (i.e., to allow a pedestrian to cross at the intersection), cyclists could assume that they had stopped specifically to yield to cross traffic. Unfortunately, it seems that cars were stopped because they couldn’t cross the intersection, so there were no warning signs for the cyclist.

So, to reiterate from above: I see this as the motorist’s responsibility, not the cyclist’s. Bug on window, glad to hear that you’re OK. Hope that your ride is also OK, or at least can be repaired.

toddistic
toddistic
13 years ago

if you look at the photos, you’ll notice that guy has no brakes on his fixed gear. my suggestion is that he invest in a brake or two and stop pretending he is in a lucas brunell youtube video. if he wants to go fast without brakes I recommend he learn to ride his track bike on steep banks of Alpenrose.

Mercier 531
Mercier 531
13 years ago

I have a suggestion for commuters as an alternate route during the construction (and for that matter, this is a better eastbound route all of the time). When you come down off of the Hawthorne Bridge, turn right on SE 7th and then turn left on SE Harrison. Follow Harrison through Ladd’s Addition – it is used by hundreds of cyclists every day and it is very safe. I live on this street and am unaware of any accidents between bikes and cars. One word of warning, however, is for the intersection of SE 20th and SE Harrison (this is a 4-way stop). Cars do not seem to understand that bikes going east or west at this intersection can go straight although cars cannot.

matt picio
13 years ago

spare_wheel (#16) – It’s a qualified statement, and there is evidence – a collision occurred. Police and/or a judge will be the ultimate authority on whether it was “safe”, but I would argue that 15mph is too fast for a cyclist if there is no clear line of visibility. At that speed, a cyclist travels 22′ per second, leaving probably 1 second or less to identify a problem and successfully stop or avoid it.

(“probably” meaning that the gap was likely no more than 20-30′)

Anonymous
Anonymous
13 years ago

I like to know if the cyclist was wearing a helmet or any visible article of clothing? Did the bike have visable lights? turnsignals? Probably not.

Looks like he is wearing all black making himself kinda stealth in the shadows and extreme glaring sunlight. Most likely invisible at night too….

151
151
13 years ago

If you’re talking about the black bike with the white aero rim, it has a front brake.

Max Rockbin
13 years ago

Why not ride on SE Clay. It’s a bike street. It’s one block away from Hawthorne. It’s MUCH safer, less crowded, faster (I think). Easy bridge access.
??
I don’t get why anyone rides on Hawthorne.

Tom
Tom
13 years ago

Fixed gear bikes aren’t dangerous, but the young male riders riding them tend to lack traffic skills and good judgment.

If you are passing stopped cars you have to look out for stuff like this.

Steve B.
Steve B.
13 years ago

This sort of collision happens all too often.
It’s what we get when we put bike lanes on the right side, and don’t provide adequate site lines, traffic controls, and other signage that would help prevent these crashes. West Broadway is another place where this type of crash could be prevented, but will always be likely due to the engineering of the bikeway.

This sort of neglect is exactly why we need to seriously consider (and BUILD) separated infrastructure, and when separation is not possible, we need to use other tools to make our bikeways crash-proof. Until then, those who don’t bike will remain “Interested, but concerned.”

spare_wheel
spare_wheel
13 years ago

@Christopher Perez
If I were passed by a fixie I would add 10 mph to their speed too.

More seriously, I agree that 20+ mph would be unwise in that situation. Nevertheless, the legal blame is still entirely on the SUV driver.

David
David
13 years ago

I really try not to call people morons, but Max, what are you talking about??

Do you understand that at that point Hawthorne is a one-way road where he got hit, eastbound? What bridge do you think this cyclist was going to, heading east?

Also, if you do head east on Clay it goes straight into Ladd’s which is a direct route to nowhere…except Ladd’s.

max rockbin
max rockbin
13 years ago

Clay enters Ladd’s and then you go onto Harrison, which is also a great bike path with very very little traffic. It’s one of the most bike friendly streets in SE and it’s just a couple of blocks from Hawthorne.

By the way, I mentioned the bridge because Clay works if you’re going to the bridge too.

I just don’t get why anyone whose destination is not on Hawthorne would ride on it when there are such great alternatives. I ride on Clay & Harrison all the time and avoid Hawthorne like the plague. It’s worth a couple blocks (literally) to me not to ride in that (obviously) dangerous traffic.

SkidMark
SkidMark
13 years ago

whitey said: prolly one them dang fixed gears. maybe if he had brakes and a bright yellow vest this poor woman would still have a windshield

He has a front brake and he had a gigantic pink Ortlieb backpack. Neon pink not bright enough? Also it was daytime so this is irrelevant. Bicyles are part of traffic, people in cars should expect them to be on the street and they should be able to see them.

Giant Hogweed
Giant Hogweed
13 years ago

JK12 #1; Jonathan #4

ORS 811.550 (17) No parking within 20 feet of a crosswalk at an intersection.

Page 45 of the Oregon Driver Manual: no parking within 20 feet of a marked or unmarked crosswalk at an intersection.

For some reason, on the city parking enforcement site this last regulation is omitted when quoting the ODM: http://www.portlandonline.com/transportation/index.cfm?c=34793&a=60292

City parking regs: Blocking Visibility:

Vehicles cannot park within 50 feet of an intersection if they fit the following descriptions: (Note: This restriction does not apply to the area of the street where the direction of traffic is leaving an intersection on a one-way street.)
The vehicle or a view-obstructing attachment to your vehicle is more than 6 feet in height.
The vehicle design, modification, or load obscures the visibility or view of:
a. Approaching traffic
b. Any traffic control sign
c. Any traffic control signal
d. Any pedestrian in a crosswalk; or
The vehicle has the window area obscured due to shaded, curtained or blocked by a load of packages, freight, or parcels.

David
David
13 years ago

@ Max

When you come over the Hawthorne bridge headed east you get dumped off onto Hawthorne, directly onto the bike lane. You should take a look during rush hour sometime at all the cyclists not getting run over.

I try to avoid Hawthorne heading further eastbound when it narrows and the bike lanes disappear, but being terrified of the first 12 blocks of it is crazy despite the recent events.

I will never understand the “Blame the Victim” mentality that so many drivers, and apparently cyclists, tend to take. Bug on window got drilled by a driver who fucked up. End of story.

SD
SD
13 years ago

Agree with David.

It is pointless to look at an accident retrospectively and say “the injured should have been more careful.” When I drive a car, I think about bikes. This driver did not. That is the variable that has to change.

To estimate another bicyclist’s speed or judge their cycling as dangerous is irresponsible.

It is ok for people to ride slowly, at whatever level, but please stop criticizing cyclists that ride faster.

bug on window
bug on window
13 years ago

Thank you all, good or bad.

mineo tanabe
mineo tanabe
13 years ago

a man in black with a black bike?
Even if In a sunny day I think cyclists should be aware they are in risk.

Red Five
Red Five
13 years ago

geeze the guy learned his lesson, and i’m sure the lady in the car didn’t feel too good about it. It’s just people, all of us citizens of PDX trying to get somewhere. There is no “us vs.them” here.

Vance Longwell
13 years ago

How is this accidental crash a, “…lesson in caution…”? Based upon the timeline of events stated here, it seems to me that the involved highway user at the intersection behind a control device, in this case, presumably, a stop sign, is at fault. Given that the bicycle rider possessed the right-of-way, it’s simply moot to consider anything further.

This is a huge error on the part of the motorist here. Giant. If the facts, as stated, are true then there is little to be gained second-guessing the bicycle rider. I personally use time when I SHOULD expect the right of way, and when conditions warrant, to further scan my surroundings, and plan my next moves. I have to, “take my eyes off the road” when I do that. Sooner or later I’m going to have to. It’s asinine to scold this rider, or to impugn their riding skills, for not reacting in time to avoid this crash.

The motorist in this crash was obliged to stay behind the plane of the signalling device until such time traffic lanes were clear. This driver did not do that, as evidenced by the damaged bicycle rider here, end of story. The bicycle rider had the right of way, and probably the expectation of that right of way. About the time somebody else’s failure to observe the law interferes with this, there’s nothing the bicycle rider can do. Speculating otherwise takes away from the fact this is absolutely, 100%, the driver’s fault. No amount of caution, or any other dreamy abstraction, can prevent you from getting mowed down by a driver this oblivious and self-involved.

I will now applaud the riding skills of the bicycle rider here. I choose to presume that their mastery, my assumption as it’s unstated, mitigated this crash and facilitated their survival. Caution, smaution.

spare_wheel
spare_wheel
13 years ago

Because someone asked why I ride Hawthorne:

1. Hawthorne’s bike signal lights are timed perfectly for very fast riders.
2. When I stop at a bike signal I can show off my track stand skilz.
3. Every time I ride Clay I run stop signs. Seriously, why take the risk?
4. New pavement+140 psi tires!!1!!1!!!!!
5. I enjoy the shocked expression on cag…erm…drivers faces as I pass them.

better safe than sorry
better safe than sorry
13 years ago

Well, as they say, you might have the right of way but you don’t have a force field.

If there are two lanes of traffic blocking a view of you from the person who is going to be crossing the intersection it might be a good idea for your own safety to not proceed though an intersection at your top speed.

If your main concern is speed or getting a workout, sure, rip around in traffic like you’re on the tour d’France. But there may be a price to pay for riding like this.

But if you’re riding for transportation make an effort to pay attention to what is going on on the road around you. Pay attention to traffic conditions and adjust your speed accordingly.

It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that all those construction signs and barricades are distracting to drivers and you really need to ride defensively when they are around.

bug on window
bug on window
13 years ago

Vance, thank you for your comment. The car driver was ticketed, I’m healing, and the insurance is cooperating. to all the people with comments of finger wagging, non of you have any right to comment on this. Jonathan did a bad job in his attempts to bring you this story which should have read for us to be careful because car drivers are still dangerous. It felt like I was reading a fox news report. In the end I’m still going to ride on whatever street I’d like and I’m still going to pass all you very passive yellow jackets. Hopefully you all can go back to your self serving smugness and find something better to do then comment on what I should have done….even though not all of you saw what happened. it would be nice if this was the last comment but I understand the internet allows us to be anonymous idiots so I just hope you all just go ride your bikes and keep your heads up and be safe.