Gained Perspective

As a person who ponders transportation and the lack there-of daily, I should have already formulated a better idea of what life is like without access to transportation. I’m the Outreach Specialist for Ride Connection and last week, I brought my car in for some repairs and find myself without my precious Honda Civic a week and a half later. It’s a minor inconvenience for me – I can take the bus, borrow my husband’s car, walk, bike… – and yet I find myself grumbling because: I’m late for work, I can’t carry my huge load of groceries home, it’s hot, there are no seats left on the bus. Halfway into my grumbles I stop to realize how very fortunate I am. There are people who have far bigger problems and obstacles than I.

What about the person who has to backtrack three blocks in order to find a proper curb cut so they can safely get themselves and their mobility device across the street? Or the person who can’t negotiate the hill that lies between her and the bus stop? Or the person who gave up their keys after years of driving only to find public transportation intimidating and daunting?

Perspective gained. And now, not only do I vow to drive my car less, I have a greater understanding of the challenges some people face. Thank you, Mr. Mechanic, for taking your sweet time with my car; for your leisurely pace has made me better at my job.

The Staggering Economic Cost of Car Crashes

Every 10 seconds a car crash causes someone in the US to be injured enough to go to the emergency department. Every 12 minutes, someone dies in a car crash on US roads. Today, the CDC put out a press release concerning the economic toll of all these crash injuries and deaths, and it is staggering:

• In a one year period the costs of medical care and productivity losses exceeded $99 billion, with the cost of direct medical care accounting for $17 million.
  
• Broken down into modes, people riding in cars accounted for $70 billion, $12 billion for motorcyclists, $10 billion for pedestrians and $5 billion for bicyclists.
• These costs account to nearly $500 for each US licenced driver in one year.

The fact that most crashes are preventable make these numbers all the more staggering. Besides slowing down, leaving more room between you and the vehicle in front of you and not driving impaired (including the impairments caused by distractions), what can you do? Support laws and policy decisions that:

• Improves child passenger safety
• Improves teen driver safety
• Reduces alcohol impaired driving
• Increases safety belt use

Car crashes should not be viewed as "just the cost of driving". Each of us, doing our part, can help reduce the horrible economic and emotional toll that crashes bring.

What exactly is TriMet's Proposed Bond Measure and who does it benefit?

Since news came out about TriMet's proposed new bond, there has been much confusion and misunderstanding what this bond would be used for. Basically it is for Improving Transit Services and Accessibility for Elderly and People with Disabilities.

The proposal is to continue the current bonds, which were used to fund the Westside Light Rail expansion and dedicate the revenue to remove environmental barriers that prevent the elderly and people with disabilities from riding fixed-route bus and MAX. This includes transit stops (curb cuts, sidewalks, shelters, benches, lighting, hand and resting rails, etc), LIFT buses with an improved dispatch system and new low-floor buses that have automated stop announcements, air conditioning, etc.

For more information check out the video