Editor’s note: this has been edited for clarity and correctness, based on conversations with one of the riders who was riding with Jane.
On Wednesday, Jane Higdon, a 47-year old OSU food scientist who lived in Eugene, was struck and killed by a log truck while riding on Territorial Road, a road in Lane County that has seen several crashes. She was biking with three others, on a weekly ride friends have been doing for years.
Reports are that another rider fell when trying to avoid the truck, which was passing too close for comfort, and Jane, who was riding at the back of the group, was hit by the truck after maybe hitting another rider who stopped to avoid the fallen rider.
Higdon was a strong athlete, competing in area marathons and triathlons, and studied whether proper nutrition could reduce the risk of developing disease.
We will look into whether the road can be made safer, and urge appropriate charges to be brought against the driver if justified.
What can one say when hearing of a cyclist being killed? There are no words that can express how sad we are — especially on top of Monday’s news. When a bicyclist dies, it makes me feel we’ve lost a dear companion, even when I didn’t know the person.
Our thoughts are with Jane’s family and friends.
More news stories below from Paul Moore’s comment.
Hmmm…another case where the motorist was traveling with undue speed? Since when is it safe to pass another vehicle at a relative velocity of 35mph or greater?
If the trucker had been traveling at a reasonable speed (say, 35 mph), would he have had time to correctly respond?
What if the trucker had moved to the other lane before passing? This issue of safe distance while passing is a hot button for me lately.
My heart goes out to Jane’s family and friends, for a totally stupid and avoidable tragedy.
My sentiments exactly, Jason, and I was one of the four cyclists on the ride. Jane was riding behind me and when I decelerated rapidly to avoid running over the rider sliding down the road in front of me. She most likely made no concious choices, but was simply forced to fall – tragically to the left instead of the right.
The link above, in the main blog posting, will lead you to a R-G newspaper story from the morning after – a totally erroneous set of statements about the incident. The road was straight as an arrow for maybe two hundred yards before the point of impact. There was a blind left curve in the road about 50 yards past that point. The riders’ involvement with the log truck occured entirely within the timeframe of the truck cab coming along side us and the rear wheels passing us. Below is how the R-G newspaper accurately recounted my words in a later edition, with my addition in [ ]. Several other ‘official’ statements, in the Friday article in particular, are patently inaccurate.
Friday article Eugene R-G 6/2/2006:
One of Higdon’s riding companions questioned the official story.
Paul Moore of Eugene said the truck came up behind the foursome on a straight stretch of the road and was passing “less than an arm’s length away from us.”
The cyclists rode in a single-file line, and Higdon was at the rear. Moore was in front of her. The rider in front of him fell.
Moore was able to brake, but he said he thinks Higdon may have clipped his rear wheel and fallen to the left, under the trailer’s tires, although no one saw what happened. He said there was no way an experienced rider like Higdon steered into the truck as police said. And although he empathized with the driver, he questioned why the trucker decided to pass the group rather than slow down until it was safer.
“There’s one thing I want people to be real clear about: This wasn’t some unavoidable accident,” Moore said. “Rather than making the choice to slow down, he chose to try to go for it and get around us before the curve, and he just totally misjudged it.”
http://www.registerguard.com/news/2006/06/02/a1.higdon.0602.p1.php
Saturday R-G 6/3/2006:
Paul Moore, who was on the ride, has said the truck came upon the group quickly and passed within an arm’s length of the cyclists, causing one of them to fall. Moore said he braked to avoid the fallen cyclist, and [he theorizes that] Higdon clipped his rear wheel and fell into the truck’s path.
http://www.registerguard.com/news/2006/06/03/d1.cr.bikefolo.0603.p1.php
The Oregon State Police have removed from their website all news releases that state any ‘facts’ of how the accident happened and the current news release simple states that there was a fatality, that a thorough investigation is underway and that the case will be referred to the District Attorney’s office if warranted.
Paul Moore, Eugene paulcmoore@aol.com
One of the disadvantages of getting older (I’m 60) is that you find yourself outliving people and suffering the pain of those losses. I’ve attended too many memorial services for people who were far too young and in fact, far too healthy to be gone. But this one was special. There are no words to describe why I feel that way, but for the several hundred close friends and family who attended her service, I don’t think my humble words would be necessary. It was moving, and as one of the speakers mentioned.. the most tragic part is that Jane would have no idea of the impact she had and the love and respect she has earned from so many. Her husband, TJ, spoke courageously for the better part of 30 minutes, and his talk changed my life. I could never match his courage and generosity under these circumstances, but it gives me something to aspire to.
One thing that came out of a conversation I had a few day ago is the realization that I don’t want to speak as though it is a bicyclist versus log truck world out there. And I don’t want to encourage others in such a stand. Just like we as cyclists don’t deserve to be lumped into one group in any conversation, neither do the log truck drivers, dump truck drivers, or horse trailer hauling drivers. I believe we have to avoid any us vs. them mentality if we are going to see the transformation we are looking for. Just all the safe drivers and riders putting pressure on any unsafe ones.
I want to supply a piece of information that no one has mentioned. I have lived near where the accident happened for 40 years and our leased land borders the site. The straight stretch where the accident occured is the only one for over 4 miles in which even a small car can pass a string of bicycles. If you don’t pass there, you must follow. There is no other “safe” passing place down the road for several miles.
We in the area are grieving for the family and friends of Jane Higdon as well as the log truck driver. What occured was an ACCIDENT. All of us knew that someday, something like this was bound to happen because of the condition of the road. As much as any of us would like to, we cannot legislate a different outcome. Speed limits will not help as there are no patroles out here and neither will banning bicycles from the road for the same reason. The only solution that any of us can see is to join forces — RATHER THAN POINTING FINGERS. We need to work together to get the roads improved so that we can all enjoy the area. At the very least, bicyclists should be made aware of the very real dangers that are present in that stretch of Territorial Road, instead of being told what a great route it is without being warned. For all of us, “Ride (and Drive) At Your Own Risk” must be instilled in everyone’s minds because it could have happened to any of us, riders and drivers alike.
I am so distressed. When do we stop tolerating our fellow cyclists being hurt or killed? I am not a trial attorney but an estate planning attorney. However, I recently worked with one of the best trial attorneys on a case involving the “public duty” doctrine. That is, the duty that the government has to make roads and even “road conditions” safe for all who use them. The theory of liability is against the state for failing to construct a safe roadway, properly mark roadways or warn motorists, – yes, even cyclists- of known dangers. If this road has had other accidents, the cause of action is even stronger. I wish we could form some sort of trust or association that funds a litigation account for the benefit of all cyclists who are injured. Outrage in the small cycling community will not change anything. Lobbying helps certainly. Judgements against the rednecks that run us down like dogs does not deter the other reckless drivers out there. But, actions under the public duty doctrine might be a place to start. Sorry, but it just pisses me off.
No ones fault ? Come on ! I have been passed by many thousands of trucks over the last 20 years. Almost all being extremely careful. But, all it takes is one not over compensating for the size of their vehicle. That is what happened here.
I am very sad for the family of Jane Higdon. Our prayers are with them.
Safer Driving can save lives. Take the extra minute. Look both ways. Make the extra effort. Wait for the pedestrian. Things don’t just come to you, make it happen, take action. Bikes have to follow the same rules as cars. They should be treated as such. I live on a very busy bike route hwy called lorane hwy. It scares me to think that bikes are on the road up there.. i have seen the way people drive around here. Stop signs mean STOP people…. There is barely a shoulder to ride on and its very curvey.
Take the extra second to look for bikes and ped’s.. it could save a life….. I hope this tragedy gets figured out….
This is a very sad tragedy, We all are thinking of you Jane & Family. You are missed.
I did not know Jane Higdon – and yet I am moved to tears by her tragic story. I, too am a cyclist by passion and have made it my life’s work to establish the link between food and health (or dis-ease) – thus we were sisters in many ways. I recently completed a cross-country cycling trip. During our ride from San Diego to St. Augustine, one of our group was struck and killed by a car. Laraine Lagattolla was an emergency room physician from Connecticut.
Why is it that these far-too-many vehicle/bicycle tragedies never make the national news? I’ve never seen a major network do a story on the need for increased driver awareness. If the tragedies got greater publicity – perhaps driver awareness could be increased.
I encourage all of you in Eugene to dedicate next year’s Ride of Silence to Jane (www.rideofsilence.org) My deepest sympathies.
This morning I downloaded and read a paper on Vitamin D deficiencies by Jane Higdon of the Linus Pauling Institute. I was so impressed by its content that I decided to write to her and ask some questions. As one often does with the Internet is then to “Google” a name. I did so, and was shocked to see that the person I’d hoped to contact was tragically killed so recently. It’s an earie and sobering thing. To learn of her death via sites dedicated to her avocation suggests that not only was she a young and gifted scientist, but that she clearly loved life, nature, the outdoors.
I live in Sweden–where we have thousands of miles of cycling routes (designed for commuting and ‘real’ travel) that do not expose riders to dangerous traffic. I have cycled in the US and notice that in many places vehicle drivers tend to be more careful than not (perhaps because they are surprised when they see people on bicycles), but as many in this thread have said, there are too many drivers, everywhere, who do not exercise the care and judgement they should to avoid such senseless tragedy.
I think of Jane (and TJ) every day. I worked with Jane for several years at the LPI. She was a magnificent person and deeply loved by hundreds of cyclists, runners, swimmers, triathletes, and friends around the world. She lives on in our hearts and minds and in her work. Rest in peace dear Jane.
I use to e-mail Jane any health question I needed an answer on. I use to e-mail her from work, and she would always respond. She was like a friend. I only e-mailed her a few times but she was so helpful and so sincere in her messages. It’s been almost 2 years since I’ve last e-mailed her and today, and I’ve been meaning to do it for awhile, but today I googled her name cause I was thinking about her. I wanted to send her another e-mail and stay in contact with her, and now I find this tragic story. I can’t believe it, and am very saddened by it. I will never be able to send Jane another e-mail, and I will miss her very very much. I am very sorry to learn this and my heart goes out to all that were close to her.