Advocacy & Safety - Washington vs. Oregon traffic responsible for bike deaths

this video says Washington has almost half the cycling deaths as Oregon because Washington has more state troopers primarily focused on traffic.

http://www.katu.com/home/video/3914541.html?video=pop&t=a

People in Oregon can't be trusted to fill their own gas tanks, forget actually operating the vehicle safely.

People in Oregon can't be trusted to fill their own gas tanks, forget actually operating the vehicle safely.

bite your tongue!

this video says Washington has almost half the cycling deaths as Oregon because Washington has more state troopers primarily focused on traffic.

http://www.katu.com/home/video/3914541.html?video=pop&t=a
There must be another Washington....? I've counted an average of 3.8 cyclists per a usual 18 mile round trip over the last month. That's including kids and tweakers. That number is almost 20 times the average number of patrol cars I see on the same trip. (a grand total of three patrol cars raiding a house) Let me put it this way: I received a bill for a damaged gasoline pump in January. BP tracked me down from the license plate number on what was once my pickup; it was stolen six years ago. Yep, it's still being driven on the road, in the same town, with the same plates. Brilliant!
I guess Seattle might have a few more cyclists, but I have a hard time imagining it would be a match for Portland!
On the bright side, the bike thieves are confoundingly stupid here. (knock on wood) I've got a couple of stupid bike thief stories that defy comprehension.

On the bright side, the bike thieves are confoundingly stupid here. (knock on wood) I've got a couple of stupid bike thief stories that defy comprehension.Go on....

I'm intrigued. :D

People in Oregon can't be trusted to fill their own gas tanks, forget actually operating the vehicle safely.


seeing as oregon has the nations best drivers, according to a recent study, I think you need to shut your mouth.

Study shmudy. Tired of studies.
Anyhow, I do not believe that would be the best item to brag about.The best of the worst so to speak. The US is a nation filled with horrible drivers. Of course, many nations are worse.

Study shmudy. Tired of studies.
Anyhow, I do not believe that would be the best item to brag about.The best of the worst so to speak. The US is a nation filled with horrible drivers. Of course, many nations are worse.

... and some, such as the UK and Germany, are better, because of stricter regulation of drunk driving and higher standards for obtaining and retaining a motor vehicle operator's permit.

...seeing as oregon has the nations best drivers...
I seriously doubt this.

I seriously doubt this.

I think I agree with you. The best drivers I've seen were in LA, ironically. Now, if you measure "best" by "follow the rules" then yes, perhaps Oregon has the "best" drivers. But by skill level? Perhaps not.

I lived the first 25 years of my life in Washington state and I also delivered blood in Oregon. Both have positively horrible drivers. Colorado has even worse drivers.
I have never traveled to a state and remarked "this state has wonderful drivers". Every state I have visited has varying degrees of inattentive drivers. The best out of the worst is North Dakota simply for the fact that it is virtually devoid of human life. IMHO :p

I think I agree with you. The best drivers I've seen were in LA, ironically. Now, if you measure "best" by "follow the rules" then yes, perhaps Oregon has the "best" drivers. But by skill level? Perhaps not.


I donno... having just driven down the coast from Oregon through CA... Oregon drivers displayed better use of the road... consistently keeping to the right unless passing. CA drivers however tended to stick to whatever lane they were in... did not use turn signals, and tended to not leave decent following distance.

If your "best drivers" are evaluated by the amount of pavement they have to pilot... then perhaps LA does have "the best... " but if you evaluate on "driving friendly," then Oregon gets my vote. Of course recall that some LA drivers use "gunshots" vice "turn signals;" that rather negatively slants my vote. ;)

Oregon drivers are courtious, no doubt. I just have doubts about our skill level. When I was driving in CA (though it was brief), yes, they were more agressive, but they were smoother and seemed to be more skilled at piloting their vehicle.

WA drivers are pretty bad; and I've driven there quite a bit. While CA drivers are agressive but skilled and OR drivers tend to be non-agressive but lacking in skill; WA drivers tend to be agressive and lacking in skill - the worst of both worlds. Kind of scary sometimes, driving down from Seattle to Portland on I-5.

where are there proportionally more motor-vehicle accidents? anybody know?

WA drivers are pretty bad; and I've driven there quite a bit. While CA drivers are agressive but skilled and OR drivers tend to be non-agressive but lacking in skill; WA drivers tend to be agressive and lacking in skill - the worst of both worlds. Kind of scary sometimes, driving down from Seattle to Portland on I-5.

Very scary actually... I did that road twice last year... and folks were just nucking futs on that road. Too close and too fast!

You have a point about CA drivers... but I would love to see a "bit of love" put back into their driving. Courtesy folks... simple courtesy.

where are there proportionally more motor-vehicle accidents? anybody know?

The state with the highest fatality rate for vehicular crashes in 2004 per million population is Wyoming at 324/mil and 0 cyclists killed in 2004, the national average is 145/mil. Not exactly what you asked but it’s what I have on hand.

If you want to see my data http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=220373

Best Drivers (http://www.allstate.com/Media/NewsHeadlines/pr_2006/2006_05_24_best_drivers_report.pdf#search=%22best%20drivers%20by%20state%22)

Spokane, WA---- #38
Vancouver, WA----#55
Salem, OR----#67
Portland,OR----#89
Tacoma, WA----#151
Seattle, WA----#165

Take yer pick

hey, i'm in columbia county too!

thanks, the human car. if i go to wyoming i guess i'll ride my bike.

If Washingtonians are such great drivers, it's obvious that Portland is the place they visit to take a vacation from all those excellent skills they have.

seeing as oregon has the nations best drivers, according to a recent study, I think you need to shut your mouth.

Bwahahaha. You can't be. Studies can be twisted to say anything. I'm sure you could find one that says Michael Jackson would make a great babysitter.

I've driven in six countries and at least as many states. Oregonians are some of the worst. They're passive aggressive, love to snooze in the left lane, get angry when you use your left turn signal to wake them up, and drop 10 or more mph when approaching a bridge (OMG IT'S WATER!!!). And those are just a few examples.

Cheers.