Driver runs over LEGO bollard, shatters calm of greenway park – BikePortland

Is nowhere protected?

Our driving tradition has devolved to such a low level in Portland that it usually seems like there’s nowhere you’ll be able to go with out worrying a few automotive person having some kind of unfavorable impression in your day — or your life.

Drivers are slamming into houses, driving on bike paths and in public parks, and even flying over embankments into our rivers.

On Sunday, a park in Northeast Portland that’s often a spot of neighborhood and calm for neighbors had its serenity pierced by a reckless driver. Somebody plowed into the pocket park at NE thirteenth on the NE Holman neighborhood greenway. And to make it worse, the driving force rammed over bollards that have been normal to appear like LEGO figures and put in shortly after the creation of the park in 2012.

I heard a bit extra from a reader yesterday (in response to a publish about it on social media). “This was fairly a foul scene,” they shared. “It regarded like they hit one other automobile and have been operating from that incident when this occurred. After they hit the bollards they sat there and floored the gasoline attempting to drive away for five extra minutes till neighbors satisfied them to close off the automotive.”

If not for the 2 LEGO bollards in the course of the trail that runs by the park (see pictures above), this driver would have seemingly created extra havoc within the neighborhood. Thsoe bollards deserve a medal for his or her heroism!

I first heard about this from a reader who despatched me a photograph of the broken bollard, after which despatched me a hyperlink from the Woodlawn Nextdoor feed. Once I learn the publish from a lady who noticed the aftermath of the incident, my coronary heart sank. Her phrases are troubling on so many ranges (be sure you learn to the tip):

“Within the Woodlawn neighborhood the place my neighbor’s little youngsters play steadily and we usually suppose we’re protected from vehicles. This van took out not solely the primary one however apparently was uncontrolled and dashing quick sufficient to land/take out one other one from the subsequent pair as properly, which means it went over/toppling the primary blockade and into the center! JFC. Watch out on the market. Train your youngsters to pay attention for top velocity vehicles, look towards it and safely distance themselves to remain clear. There have been too many of those these days.”

That is the place we’re. A mother telling different mother and father to show youngsters to pay attention for reckless drivers even whereas taking part in in a park.

I’ve confirmed with a witness that the driving force was arrested and brought into custody by the Portland Police Bureau.

Provided that infrastructure and enforcement will solely get us to date, we should do extra to interrupt the cycle of dysfunctional tradition that breeds such a driving conduct.