Earlier this year I had a vehicle issue and decided to walk home with my disabled son, starting out toward Crow from Veneta.
It was dark and drizzling. I was amazed at the aggressiveness of vehicles as they flew by us on Territorial Highway, many showing no courtesy whatsoever. At first I attributed this to post-happy-hour behavior, but then it made no sense.
I ended up facing the traffic with my son behind me, literally angling into the road facing the headlights coming at me at 55 mph. This unequal game of chicken seemed to work; the drivers would move over to the opposite lane. Clearly the driver did not want an insurance incident on his record.
It seems to me things have gotten way too tribal now. Perhaps my son and I were perceived as homeless or [gasp] undocumented immigrants not worthy of consideration walking down the highway? We had no curbs to work with. Whenever I drive the back roads of Lane County and I encounter creatures in sight (human or otherwise), I back off the accelerator and move to the opposite lane as soon as safe.
During these aggressive driving incidents, there was no oncoming traffic. Maybe we need to recalibrate and remember the “old days” when the first tribal thought was perhaps these people need help (which I was not asking for), or at a minimum they are deserving of being treated with dignity out there walking along the road.
Mark Story
Eugene
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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