I'm a pedestrian. I live downtown and don't own a car. Even I'll admit pedestrians appear out of nowhere sometimes. I'm not saying we need to start wearing jumpsuits, but it's prudent to take precautions. I have on occasion used a strobe light on my phone to make sure I'm visible to cars.

Portland can and must improve the safety of our walkways, but I'm from Florida; home to the deadliest street, the deadliest intersection, and the most pedestrian deaths overall. By comparison this place is heavenly, I truly appreciate the effort the city puts in to make us safer.

This is a lot different than the two woman killed at 80th and foster. They were in a crosswalk for one thing. Mr Paul was crossing Foster at a section that has a lot of people crossing the street between the bars on either side of the street. There are 4 bars in a 1 block area and people start to mingle between them which requires them having to cross Foster. I don't know if Mr Paul had been drinking but I am interested to find out. Not say he deserved this either way, but neither did the guy who hit him. There have been a lot of pedestrians killed along Foster in the last 10 years between 82nd and Powell. If this area is to thrive economically the city is going to have to make this a safer stretch of road.

"...so maybe the crash was his fault because he did not wear the prescribed head-to-toe fluorescent safety jumpsuit required to cross SE Foster."

Pedestrians should always assume the driver is oblivious of anyone not in another automobile, just because you are in a crosswalk doesn't make you any more safe.

Yes, fellow commenters, I think we all know personal responsibility is important. But you're missing the point here. Mirk is reflecting on the continued media bias to blame the person walking rather than the person steering the 4000 pound machine.

If there are 4 bars that, god forbid, involve some mingling among people and venues across a busy street, we should be looking at infrastructural solutions to this ongoing problem on Foster. Much better than implying that if you don't wear reflective vests when you're crossing the street, you're at fault.

Thanks, Sarah!

Maybe the 4 bars can set up a volunteer roster among bargoers to act as crossing guards? Yes, with the reflective vest and handheld stop sign, ala Bobby Brady.

Sarah..I think you miss the point as well. Mr. Paul crossed a busy 4 lane road in the middle of the block when around 200 feet west is a well lit pedestrian crosswalk, and 200 feet east is a well lit intersection that auto cycles with out a vehicle on the transducers and has cross walk lights. Where does infrastructure or the weight of the vehicle figure into in this case?

Why does everyone keep saying crosswalk... Waldrop was NOT in the cross walk. He was J-walking after leaving a bar wearing dark clothing and didnt LOOK before he stepped into the path of the vehicle. Im sorry but if you just walk out into traffic, you ARE going to be hit. Im sorry he had topay the ultimate price, but this was not the vehicles fault. So quick to blame the vehicle.

interesting fedup says "blame the vehicle," when s/he probably means "blame the motorist," because in fact it is the vehicle that is to blame. if we did not have private automobiles trawling the streets we would not have all this roadkill. if you are going to drive a car through a neighborhood with four bars in one block, you better slow the hell down. oh, and kat, sorry for your loss.