Bicyclist Perishes

Cars hit two bicyclists this week, and one of the bicyclists has died.

On Tuesday the Statesman had an update on the bicyclists involved in crashes on Monday.

One of the men critically injured in bicycle and car crashes reported at the same time Monday has died, hospital officials said Tuesday.

Anthony Manning, 44, was critically injured when he was struck by a Kia van headed west on State Street near the Interstate 5 overpass at about 1 p.m., Salem police spokesman Lt. Dave Okada said.

He died Tuesday at Salem Hospital, said Julie Howard, spokeswoman for the hospital.

Also injured in a separate crash on Front Street NE was Ivan Koba, 74, who was struck by a Jeep SUV while trying to cross the street, Okada said.

Koba was flown by helicopter to Oregon Health and Science University where he remained in critical condition Tuesday, a hospital spokeswoman said.

Here's the link to Tuesday's article reporting the crashes.

According to a separate article, "Neither of the drivers or passengers involved in the crashes were injured or cited, Okada said."

It is rarely possible to draw accurate inferences from news articles, as there is almost always a presumption of "automotive competence" - the idea that drivers are nearly always acting reasonably and bicyclists actually really don't belong on the road.

But no matter who is at fault, bicycles and pedestrians are always far more vulnerable users of the roadways than are drivers and passengers who enjoy airbags and steel. We are always at a disadvantage. Moreover, we live in a society that accepts between 40,000 and 50,000 automobile crash-related deaths a year as the ostensibly reasonable cost of using the roads.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to the friends and family of Mr. Anthony Manning.