Multi-city safety campaign to begin next week
By Tom AdamsEUGENE, Ore. - A recent rash of serious or even deadly accidents between bicycles and cars in Oregon is prompting a new idea. Next week, Eugene and Portland will launch simultaneous campaigns aimed at cutting crashes. Drivers and bicyclists. They often don't see eye to eye, especially in this town, but officials are hoping to do something about that very soon. Next week (Aug. 13), they're announcing a new program called "Eye to Eye--A lot is riding on it." The name comes from the importance of bicyclist and motorist seeing one another. President Paul Adkins of the GEARS bicycle group says, "The culture of our society today is surely oriented toward getting a lot done, and slowing things down and being polite is part of this campaign." The Eye to Eye project will have signs, flyers and bike safety rides, to demonstrate how to safely navigate busy crossings. "Like for example, here on 24th, where you have a very popular bike path and where they have to cross the roadway--and they have to cross in the marked crosswalk," explains Lee Shoemaker, Eugene's Bicycle and Pedestrian Coordinator. Adkins demonstrates the art of a safe crossing on his bike, and there's the critical eye-to-eye contact between bicyclist and driver. One of the problems out here on the street, according to Adkins, is basically lack of respect between drivers and people on bicycles; a problem he hopes the new campaign will address. Adkins tells KVAL, "I think, sort of reckless abandon, going across the street and just sort of demanding respect is not a very good way to get it." On the flip side, Shoemaker says it's motorists making poor decisions on turns or not even stopping for a bicyclist in a crosswalk. He adds while the June 2ND death of Eugene bicyclist David Minor was not the catalyst for the new program, it raised public awareness to a whole new level. "I think we all need reminders at times to be safe on the roadway because of the consequences that happen," concludes Shoemaker. He says state grant money is helping to fund the safety program. One piece will even deal with teen driving safety, with public service announcements to be aired in movie theatres in October. |
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