$5.5 million more Portland parking tickets

Epic Tale of Recovering a Stolen Cadillac

Don’t try this at home, but a 79-year-old great-grandmother helped crack the case against a tow truck driver who was repeatedly stealing cars. While driving her great-grandchildren in her son’s car, Noble Jean Napoleon spotted her white 1999 Cadillac being carted away. She tailed the tow truck and ultimately insisted the driver return her Cadillac to its spot outside her home. The driver has pleaded guilty to trafficking in other stolen cars. [Oregonian 🔒]

• Key point: Police acknowledge that more and more civilians are trying to recover their own stolen cars, but they don’t recommend that approach. Also, law enforcement officials want the Legislature to close the loopholes that allow stolen cars to end up being sold for cash and crushed at metal recycling companies.

$5.5M in New Parking Tickets?

To help close its $32 million budget gap, Portland Bureau of Transportation officials have proposed hiring 28 more workers to enforce parking rules and car registrations. Increased parking enforcement could bring in $5.5 million in one year. PBOT also wants to add a new 20-cent credit card fee at parking meters. [KGW]

Legal Action Over Transportation Emissions

The regional government Metro hasn’t accurately accounted for carbon emissions in its latest transportation plan — and therefore is failing to follow the state’s rules — according to the environmental group No More Freeways, which filed a complaint last month. In it, the group alleges that the regional transportation plan does not address the necessity of reducing driving. [Oregonian]

Did Commissioner Gonzalez Cry Wolf?

On the midweek roundup, some city leaders are saying Oregon’s bottle bill is fueling our fentanyl crisis. Also, was City Commissioner Rene Gonzalez really the victim of an attack while riding TriMet? [City Cast Portland 🎧]

Last week, I wrote about my alarm at seeing people blatantly run red lights. And I asked about your traffic pet peeves:

“I am constantly amazed by the number of drivers who will stop at the exit from a parking lot and watch oncoming traffic, without ever looking for pedestrians. It's especially infuriating when it's very hot, very cold, or raining, and they're sitting in their climate-controlled death machine, while I'm stuck out in the weather, unable to use the sidewalk until they go. Also, right turn lanes with signals are not afaik [as far as I know] meant to be used when the signal is red. Or why have a signal?” — Amanda

“On the whole, I agree with your take about blatant red light running around town. I’ve narrowly missed being hit going through an intersection a couple of times. However there is one intersection that people in the adjoining lane have honked and flipped me off when I ‘run’ the red light. It’s where you turn from Burnside onto Sandy/Couch. It’s legal to turn from a one-way street onto another one-way street after coming to a stop [even when there's a red arrow]. Apparently a lot of people don’t know that.” — Anonymous

“You asked what most bugs me on the street. Here goes:

• Drivers who ignore pedestrians crossing or attempting to cross the street. (In Oregon every intersection is a legal crossing for pedestrians, obligating drivers to stop.)
• Drivers who ignore 20 mph is plenty on residential streets.
• Drivers that weave from lane to lane passing cars to get ahead.
• Drivers and/or passengers that leave trash on the curb when they park.” — Francie Royce

My apologies to two readers whose responses I mistakenly misattributed in last Thursday’s email. Here are their reactions to drivers running red lights, properly attributed:

“It no longer exists in Portland. Anything goes at any risk. It is true everywhere. It is in the culture.” — Eric Wheeler

“I too am seeing a huge increase of red light runners and because of that I have changed my driving habits. When my light turns green, I hesitate, check all lanes, then proceed with caution. It takes more time and thought, but it has helped me avoid ‘runners.’ Tell your friends and family. It may save a life.” — Sheri L. Polito

Share your views. Please email me.

Did Commissioner Gonzalez Cry Wolf? Plus, the Bottle Bill’s Ties to Fentanyl

On the midweek roundup, some city leaders are saying Oregon’s bottle bill is fueling our fentanyl crisis. Also, did Commissioner Rene Gonzalez cry wolf over what happened on TriMet? Bonus: these one-star reviews of the city’s most popular romantic destinations are pretty entertaining.