Portland is a PR machine for light rail & streetcar

Here are Some Facts About Portland Oregon          

“It must always be remembered how cost-effectiveness works in the public sector: the cost IS the benefit.” - author unknown

Traffic Calming Set The Stage For This Accident

An accident caused by traffic calming circle.

The Black car made left turn into the path of the silver car because the silver car was hidden by the city placed traffic calming circle (That pile of vegetation with the tree in the middle - more visible below). The untrimmed vegetation makes it impossible to see an oncoming car.

 Although the black pickup disobeyed the sign  (see picture below) that requires a difficult 3/4 circle around the city installed obstruction, such an action probably seemed safe since no oncoming traffic was visible due to being hidden behind the unkempt vegetation.

It looked Clear

Presumable the driver of the pickup  thought it was clear, not realizing that the unkempt vegetation on this city install obstruction blocked the view of oncoming traffic - notice that the red car is invisible until it emerges from the side of the circle. That is what the driver of the pickup would have seen of the silver car just before he hit it. (Parked silver car, at the left, is the one that got hit)

Can you see the oncoming car in this picture?

It is the little patch of blue to the left of the sign (with the screwey curved arrows) and above the vegetation line. That is an oncoming car that will hit you if you think it is clear and violate the sign's weird recommendation.

It may also hit you if you are walking across the street at this legal crosswalk. (In Oregon every intersection has a legal crosswalk formed by the imaginary continuation from any sidewalk to the other side of the street.)