Advocacy & Safety - Another Oregon cyclist fatality, driver again claims to be blinded by the sun

Bicyclist killed by SUV on West Union ID'd by police
12:46 AM PDT on Sunday, September 17, 2006
By FRANK MUNGEAM, kgw.com Staff
http://www.kgw.com/cgi-bin/bi/gold_print.cgi

Michael Kalan, 35, of Portland was struck and killed Friday evening while riding along NW West Union, according to the Washington County Sheriff's Office.

Kalan collided with a Ford Expedition SUV driven by 39 year-old Denise Gudmundsson of Yamhill. According to reports, the cyclist was riding eastbound on NW West Union and the SUV was westbound.

Gudmundsson, who had three young children in her vehicle, told investigators the sun was in her eyes and she did not see the cyclist as she crossed the eastbound lane to turn onto NW Shute Rd.

Life Flight was called but Kalan died at the scene. He was wearing a helmet at the time of the collision.

The cause of the crash was still under investigation and no charges had been filed.

:(

Gudmundsson, who had three young children in her vehicle, told investigators the sun was in her eyes and she did not see the cyclist as she crossed the eastbound lane to turn onto NW Shute Rd.


Okay, let's assume she's telling the truth...and then ask why a driver is making a turn through on-coming traffic when the sun is obscuring her view of said traffic?

Okay, let's assume she's telling the truth...and then ask why a driver is making a turn through on-coming traffic when the sun is obscuring her view of said traffic?

Good point !

Okay, let's assume she's telling the truth...and then ask why a driver is making a turn through on-coming traffic when the sun is obscuring her view of said traffic?This thread by swwhite in Commuting may interest you: http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=227990 He couldn't see the cyclist and wouldn't have known the cyclist was there if his daughter hadn't warned him. Even then, he still couldn't. And all I can draw from it is, try to be wary of these scenarios.

Thanks for the link. It's a good thread, and sswhite's comments in the initial post are very telling. To quote directly: "[O]ne should always be wondering what the current traffic situation might be hiding; what might be behind a truck, coming out of an alley, coming from the rear on the right or wrong side, or coming out of the sun." If you're using the road, you've got to make it a point to be aware of *all traffic* that might be within your immediate surroundings, and most especially that which you might not be able to see.

This of course works both ways. We'll know more when further reports are issued.

An area cyclist went out to the scene of the collision and took photos (http://web.mac.com/iprouse/iWeb/Site%202/Photos.html).

Another coverage of it: http://www.koin.com/Global/story.asp?S=5418146 Not much further info, however.