Police Target Bikes/Peds Downtown

By Alan Pittman

Eugene police issued an estimated 25 tickets to cyclists, 35 tickets to pedestrians and 126 tickets to motorists March 31 in a "targeted enforcement" effort downtown.

That breaks down to about 13 percent bikes, 19 percent pedestrians and 68 percent cars, EugeneCycles estimates.

EPD said in a press release that it conducted the targeted enforcement to increase safety:

"When two cars collide at low speeds, it can ruin someone's day. When a car collides with a pedestrian or bicyclist, it can end someone's life."

But the EPD press release did not mention the obvious big difference between the safety threat of driving versus walking and biking: While a car driver can easily kill or maim a person by breaking a traffic rule and bumping into a non-motorist, a biker or pedestrian can't.

In Europe, police and traffic laws recognize this truth and give bikes and peds preferential treatment, and people enjoy far lower injury rates. The Oregon Legislature took a step in this direction in 2007 by passing a "vulnerable road user" law with stiffer penalties for drivers who injure bikes and peds while breaking traffic laws. But last year the Legislature rejected an Idaho stop law that would have allowed bikes to safely treat stop signs as yield signs.

Recognizing the environmental, health and community benefits of cycling, Police in Portland appear to have taken a more progressive approach to enforcing traffic laws. A Portland police training video, for example, advises that if a cyclist doesn't fully stop at a stop sign but slowly and carefully roles through, "enforcement resources may best be used elsewhere."

Here's a list of all the downtown targeted enforcement citations from the EPD:

811.111 - Violating Designated Speed: 41
814.020 - Failure to Obey Pedestrian Control Device: 35
806.010 - Driving Uninsured: 23
811.265 - Failure to Obey Traffic Control Device: 23
811.210 - Failure to Wear Seatbelt: 13
811.507 - Operate Vehicle Using Mobile Comm. Device: 11
815.222 - Illegal Window Tinting: 7
807.570 - Failure to Carry/Present DL: 6
807.010 - Operate Vehicle w/Out Valid Driving Privileges: 3
803.300 - Failure to Renew Vehicle Registration: 2
803.545 - Expired Out of State Plates: 2
803.560 - Improper Display License Plate Stickers: 2
807.420 - Failure to Change Address on ID: 2
807.560 - Failure to Change Address on DL: 2
811.270 - Failure to Obey One-Way Designation: 2
811.405 - Failure to Signal Lane Change: 2
811.435 - Operate Vehicle on Bike Lane: 2
803.540 - Failure to Display License Plate: 1
811.020 - Passing Vehicle Stopped for Pedestrian: 1
811.170 - Open Container Alcohol in Vehicle: 1
811.175 - Driving While Suspended: 1
811.225 - Failure to Maintain Seatbelts: 1
811.360 - Failure to Stop & Remain Stopped for Ped. in Cross-Walk: 1
816.330 - Defective Brake Lights: 1
4.830 - Portion of Street reserved for Vehicular Traffic: 1
Total 186

Misc. traffic violation warnings: 24

EPD spokeswoman Jenna McCulley said she didn't immediately have a break down of the citations by the bike, pedestrian and motorist categories. EugeneCycles above estimated numbers/percentages assume that the traffic control device (e.g., stop sign) and one-way citations went to bikers, and the pedestrian control device citations went to pedestrians. McCulley said she would forward the official break down when she could.