“Underrun” truck guards installed on Portland tanker trucks
Bikeportland.org is reporting that “underrun” truck guards like the one above have been installed on certain city vehicles there. Two cyclists were killed last year in “right-hook” accidents, and the Portland city officials have apparently taken notice.
What a long way they are from Tucson! Here the Sun Tran buses regularly graze cyclists (getting hit by a Sun Tran bus was one thing that inspired me to begin this blog) and when confronted about it they regularly show only disdain for the terrified cyclists. And don’t get me started on the total failure of the Tucson Police Department to cite drivers for violations of the “three-foot” rule, despite the large numbers of Tucson cyclists who have been killed by drivers who strike them from behind.
Let’s hope it doesn’t take more fatalities here to get Tucson’s authorities to begin protecting us.
–Erik Ryberg
July 2nd, 2008 at 4:56 pm
One of the two cyclists killed in right hook accidents, here in Portland, was a dear friend of mine. I would give anything to have Brett alive and I will always wonder if these guards were not in place then, if he would not be alive today.
I pray that things improve for you all there in Tucson. It has been a hard battle here. Sadly it took 7 people dying to get the point across.
-Sarah Hobbs
July 2nd, 2008 at 4:58 pm
P.S. Brett was not right hooked by a city truck. My thought is if the city had allready had this concept in place would have the outcome been different. (Just wanted to prevent any confusion. Thanks)
September 12th, 2008 at 11:36 am
[...] anyway, has installed these guards on many city vehicles. As the numbers of bicyclists increase, it may be time to consider these life-saving devices. It [...]
December 11th, 2008 at 2:36 pm
Had Portland followed the AASHTO Guide’s recommendation to end bike lanes prior to intersections (as opposed to ignoring AASHTO) so that bicyclists would be placed in truck’s blind spots, those fatal right-hooks would been far less likely to happen.