Witnessing a Close Call

I use to work as a contracted janitor to Pacific Cascade Federal Credit Union, and had to work during after hours at the bank, usually after 7pm to allow tellers and bank managers to safely leave the premise. One evening, as I was working, I heard an extremely loud crash, and I thought perhaps the windows of the bank had been smashed in an attempted robbery. I very cautiously approached the front doors, relieved to find the windows intact, however I did see a scene of chaos outside, which I immediately ran outside to attend and render aid if needed.

Luckily, no one was seriously injured, and both occupants of the cars involved had gotten out of their vehicles. At the middle exit from the Fred Myer parking lot, a low, red sportscar was sitting, half on the ivy covered embankment, half off with a trail of oil and smoke wafting out of it. A security guard, still in his uniform, was yelling at the driver of the other vehicle. Turning into the center of the exit, was a black SUV, with passengers still sitting in the back, with their doors open. It appeared the sportscar had tried to turn out of Fred Myer's parking lot, heading west on Division, while the SUV had continued straight, unable to see such a low vehicle.

I was met at the edge of the parking lot by an unhoused individual who had been on his bike passing through the Santa Clara Square parking lot, and he had said he heard the crash all the way by the Subway. Luckily, everyone walked away from that crash, and the police and fire were already arriving on the scene within 4 minutes, but I know there have been others who are not so lucky.

I now work part time as a gig worker, doing Instacart, and I frequently have to enter and leave the parking lot of Fred Meyer and Santa Clara Square, and I have seen many, many close calls, and I believe these roundabouts are a very good first step to making the streets of Eugene safer for all.