I’m an older adult and lifetime bike rider. I live 10 blocks west of downtown. I cross Jefferson and Washington streets at least six times a day as I come and go on my errands or social outings — always on my bike.

Every single day, at least once, the near-lane traffic stops and the far-lane cars fly by. If I wasn’t aware of this, I would have been dead a long time ago. Most of the time, neither car stops, even though the crosswalks are both signed and painted on the ground. Drivers just don’t care. They know a crosswalk means stop, and they never look at me, obviously waiting, as they fly by.

As a bike rider, I am more experienced than kids and newer bike commuters. I’m amazed we don’t lose more bike riders on the one-way streets. They are a dangerous solution to moving traffic through the city, as experienced by me, every day. 

Dianne Story Cunningham
Eugene