Going out to party on New Year’s Eve? You do know why they call it “amateur night,” right?
According to a press release from the Technology Association of Oregon (TAO), Better Eugene-Springfield Transportation (BEST), Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) and Eugene Parking, “Over the last four years on record, Lane County has suffered more traffic deaths than any other Oregon county. The 180 deaths in Lane County are higher than even Multnomah County, which has more than twice the total population.”
The release says, “The primary contributors to these deaths are speed and driving impairment.”
On that happy note, the groups have organized a “Safe Rides Home” effort and are working together with Lyft, Oregon Taxi and Uber to get people home safely. (And yep, that’s right, sing a little kumbaya because app-based ride share companies are working with taxis on this.)
Eugene Police Chief Chris Skinner points out what should be obvious in his statement in the release: “People who drive impaired put all the other drivers and their passengers on the road at risk of serious injury or death.”
Skinner requests partiers, “Please keep the holidays happy and have a plan. Make sure you have a sober ride home.”
So, to that end, thanks to the Safe Rides Home effort, from 8 am on NYE to 3 am New Year’s Day, “merry makers can receive a $5 discount on a ride from Lyft using app code “NYERIDE18.” Oregon Taxi riders can receive a $10 discount by using app code “SAFERIDE,” and Uber riders can use code “SAFERIDE2018” for a $5 discount.”
This promotion is available to everyone in the Eugene-Springfield area. EW asked Matt Sayre of TAO if the Uber and Lyft discounts are on regular rates or if it will be off surge or prime time pricing, in which rates go up due to demand. Sayre says that the credit “applies to all app based rates and does not count against how much the driver makes.”
Sayre says, “My understanding of Lyft Prime Time fares and Uber Surge fares is that it is a function of demand and supply.” And he adds, “One thing that I think most people like about using apps to get a ride is that they get to see the exact fair quoted in advance, making it easy to chose between companies or wait until surge pricing passes.”
Another tried and true option of course is bringing a designated driver. You can check out Eugene’s full list of public passenger vehicles, including pedicabs, here.
A Note From the Publisher
Dear Readers,
The last two years have been some of the hardest in Eugene Weekly’s 43 years. There were moments when keeping the paper alive felt uncertain. And yet, here we are — still publishing, still investigating, still showing up every week.
That’s because of you!
Not just because of financial support (though that matters enormously), but because of the emails, notes, conversations, encouragement and ideas you shared along the way. You reminded us why this paper exists and who it’s for.
Listening to readers has always been at the heart of Eugene Weekly. This year, that meant launching our popular weekly Activist Alert column, after many of you told us there was no single, reliable place to find information about rallies, meetings and ways to get involved. You asked. We responded.
We’ve also continued to deepen the coverage that sets Eugene Weekly apart, including our in-depth reporting on local real estate development through Bricks & Mortar — digging into what’s being built, who’s behind it and how those decisions shape our community.
And, of course, we’ve continued to bring you the stories and features many of you depend on: investigations and local government reporting, arts and culture coverage, sudoku and crossword puzzles, Savage Love, and our extensive community events calendar. We feature award-winning stories by University of Oregon student reporters getting real world journalism experience. All free. In print and online.
None of this happens by accident. It happens because readers step up and say: this matters.
As we head into a new year, please consider supporting Eugene Weekly if you’re able. Every dollar helps keep us digging, questioning, celebrating — and yes, occasionally annoying exactly the right people. We consider that a public service.
Thank you for standing with us!
Publisher
Eugene Weekly
P.S. If you’d like to talk about supporting EW, I’d love to hear from you!
jody@eugeneweekly.com
(541) 484-0519
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