We’re Doomed

This past week, I held a conference and brought folks from all over the country to a place in Eugene, east of the university. To get there for our meetings, I had to bike from my home in the Jefferson Westside Neighborhood along 13th. In the evening, I biked back along West 11th. These are the fastest, most direct routes, with lights.

I am a cyclist with many years of experience, cycling in all sorts of places, and I’m scared biking along 13th and 11th through the center of town. Twenty mph? Are you kidding? What’s the painted lane, 3.5 feet? Passed both sides on 11th? Lane disappears at Jefferson? Meanwhile, cycle track on Amazon?

Meanwhile, Nike builds a track so the well-fed can run in circles? Meanwhile, the city pumps tax money and resources to the richest? Meanwhile, CO2 levels at 410.16 ppm?

I’m not sure what is worse, the empty rhetoric of City Hall or the fact that, if Eugene can’t lead, we’re doomed. #FreeLTD.

Otis Haschemeyer 

Eugene