Comments

1
Old people need to be given periodic driving tests to ensure that they DON'T FUCKING KILL PEOPLE WITH THEIR SENILITY.
2
This is too terrible for words.

But why in the world is "how" being left completely out of reports of this tragedy? If Mr. Van Winkle was going north on Interstate and made a left, well, there's a left-turn traffic signal there. So either he blew through a red light, or the pedestrians were crossing against their light. Which is it? And doesn't that seem like a pretty significant part of this story?

So far, news reports and this police statement make it sound like it just happened.
3
(silence)
4
Gee Scott didn't you know car "accidents" are random and unavoidable, like hail storms or spilled milk? There's no way to know when a car accident can happen or to whom! If I've learned anything from reading newspapers, it's this simple fact. Sure there might be a driver who's "involved" but let's not get all blame-ey and responsible-ey.
5
Tears.
6
Scott,
Good question.

The reason no one's mentioned it is because the police aren't sure exactly what happened. Lt. Kelli Sheffer says that there is "no clear indication" in the initial investigation that the light was red. It's possible to make that turn during the pedestrian crossing with a green light.

Here's the details: The pedestrians were crossing south to north across Lombard. Interstate runs parallel to Lombard and the driver was heading north. He made a right turn onto Lombard, which is when he hit the people. So they could have had the walk light and he could have had a green light, but was supposed to yield.

But, like I said, the investigation hasn't determined exactly what the traffic flow was yet.
7
Pretty sure Sarah meant to say that Lombard and Interstate intersect, not that they're parallel.
8
So tragic. I cross this intersection nearly every day and it really is scary how many people turn without paying attention to pedestrians...same along Rosa Parks.

That being said, I wonder if the same apparently lax reaction to the driver would be applied if it was a younger person. I think there is this nasty "slide it under the rug because their old" attitude when senior citizens hit people with cars. I don't like it and they should be held accountable for their actions.
9
You can't keep these elderly out of cars they are just like drunks. It is probably either jail or cutting off his hands if you want him out from behind the wheel, of course what they will actually do is give him a 242 dollar ticket and ask him if he is looking for work because Tri-met has an opening to fill Sandy Day's job.
10
I've lived for years right near this intersection and I'm actually surprised it's not more dangerous. It's a real chaotic cluster (2 gas stations, giant Freddie's, 2 major bus stops, 2 Max stops, I-5 on ramp, high school 1/2 block away), yet things seem in relative control. I feel rather comfortable on bike going both directions.

If he turned right then veered across three lanes into a pole, that tells me he had some trauma due to age/physical health. Pedestrians crossing north/south are very numerous and visible with a green.

I took a biology of aging class a few years ago and my overarching thought the entire semester was, aside from an enhanced fear of the road, old people need manadatory driving exams starting around 60.
Mandatory!

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