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I have always been an extremely defensive driver. Since purchasing my Prius (which is VERY quiet, I am even more defensive) however, I drive through the Pearl District twice per day and see many, many, cyclists blow through stop signs and disregard traffic laws. Irresponsible drivers are irresponsible drivers regardless of their vehicle. If you want to be TRULY invisible, try riding an electric wheelchair. The only time I have almost been hit on my scooter was by a bicycle. It is incumbent upon everyone on the road to be alert, aware, and courteous.

posted 5 years ago
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I was very fortunate to have a life changing experience in the early '70s. I grew up in a small town in Oregon (there was one black family and quite a few Latinos)but I went to college in Pittsburgh. I had never been in such a large city, nor one that was so diverse. In my white niative, I got on the 'wrong' bus one morning because I was late for class. It went over The Hill, right through the Pittsburgh getto. Increasingly, I became aware that I was 'the other' and was not where I was wanted. It occured to me that I was just getting a little window on the every moment of every day experience of the other riders on the bus. That was the beginning of a decades long quest to understand the depth and breadth of racism that still trives in Oregon today. I will forever be grateful for that bus ride.

posted 5 years, 2 months ago
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Many years ago I was a guest on a local Town Hall T.V. show when the City of Wilsonville was considering allowing the siting of a prison in that town. Because I run a shelter, I know something about NIMBYism and during a filming break, a local resident said to me (with a straight face) 'there is no crime in Wilsonville.' I replied, 'If you think there isn't at least one active peodophile within a one mile radius of your house, you are seriously naive. At least when they are in prison, you know where they are. You don't have to wonder which one of your neighbor's houses is not a safe place for your children to play.' It was eye-opening for me to realize that there are people who really believe there are no criminals in their town.

posted 5 years, 2 months ago
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