People are driving cars in Portland Parks, upsetting the traditional calm and carfree respite many of us seek when visiting them. Two recent incidents stand out as just the latest examples of an erosion of norms around safe driving.
On the night of Monday, July 8th a man was relaxing in Creston Park in southeast Portland when the driver of a blue SUV hit him and then fled the scene. The mom of the victim posted to Nextdoor in hopes of finding the suspect. Here’s an except from the post:
“He was lying on the grass and hit by a car ‘presumably joyriding’ through the park. He sustained multiple injuries and is healing. Although he was unable to clearly identify the make and model of the car, the car is blue – the car sustained a smashed windshield and dented hood due to the impact. His glasses, keys and headphones were strewn over 30 feet behind him, he was hit hard and head on. If you have any information or witness a car that may have sustained these damages in the last 24 hours, please reach out to the Portland PD. Thank you for keeping your eyes out for me.”
The victim gave an interview to KOIN TV that aired Friday. “I was just trying to relax a bit before bed,” the man said. “I’m laying down and headlights come in my peripheral, so I immediately stand up and I turn around, and the car is like directly in front of me.” The driver of the SUV was reportedly going “full speed” through the park prior to the collision. The impact left the victim with serious lacerations on his leg and face.
“If I wasn’t aware, I’d be dead,” the victim said.
Another person interviewed said they’ve seen people “doing donuts and other things with their cars” in the park.
And this past weekend, Sellwood resident Johnmark Larson reached out to share their concerns about people parking and driving in Sellwood Riverfront Park. Crowds have flocked to the park to cool off during summer, leaving no more room to legally park. “I first noticed the issue while riding down the Springwater on Sunday afternoon.” Larson shared. “I thought maybe there was a permitted event, but then I saw it all again last night and it’s clear this is the next step in anything-goes overuse of the park.”
Larson contacted the Portland Parks ranger hotline to file a complaint and says the staffer on the line had also seen people driving and parking on park grounds. Portland city code prohibits parking cars on parks properties without a permit.
This is just the latest example of how some drivers are so entitled and selfish they feel like laws don’t apply to them. Whether it’s speed racing on our streets, not having a license plate or current registration, driving on carfree paths, or destroying the calm and safety of our parks — it’s clear the lack of action by Portland city leaders to defend public space from miscreant car users has led to widespread normalization of extremely dangerous behaviors.