Triple-trailer ban is
bad plan for Oregon
On Nov.3. Oregonians will have the opportunity to
cast a vote in favor of increased pollution, greater road
damage, more dangerous highways and higher prices.
All that's needed is for Ballot Measure 4 to puss.
Measure 4 would bun the operation of triple-trail
ers within the state. Proponents of the measure argue
that triples are unsafe
and pose a greater
threat to motorists than
double or single-trailer
trucks.
However.
these
claims arc not supported by any factual data. Rather,
they arc based upon the unsubstantiated fears of some
motorists. They fuel intimidated by triples; therefore,
they want to ban them.
The AAA Automobile Club of Oregon, in an argu
ment in favor of the measure, wrote. "Our members re
port triples swaying out
of their lanes and creat
ing near collisions." If
creating "near colli
sions" is cause for be
ing banned from the
highways. AAA would
find its number of driv
ing members greatly re
duced Privately operat
ed vehicles (curs) spend
much more time mov
ing in and out of lanes
Whose fault Is It
that AAA's
members can't see
far enough ahead
to slow down
before running Into
the back of a very
large truck?
uiun uu large irui k.v
The dub’s statement goes on to say. "They (mem
bers) have told us of near rear-end collisions with these
huge trucks because of the slow speed of triple trailers
on hills and in mountain passes." The statement also
complains about "dose-calls" by members attempting
to pass triples on two-lane roads and coastal highways.
Whose fault is it that AAA’s members can’t see far
enough ahead to slow down before running into the
back of a very large truck? And who in their right mind
would try to pass any truck (or car for that matter) on
One of Oregon’s narrow coastal or mountain highways?
That is what passing corridors an) designed for. The
impatience of motorists to wait for these passing lanes
is not a problem caused by triple-trailers.
Banning triples would increase the number of
trucks on the road and create greater pollution, more
hazardous traffic conditions, more accidents and in
creased road damage. For every triple removed from
service, two smaller trucks are needed to curry the
same amount of material. The measure’s estimate of fi
nancial impact suggests $2.5 million worth of road
damage would occur with the increased traffic.
Obviously, there would be no question that triples
should be banned if there were overwhelming evidence
that they posed a threat to motorists. However, there is
no evidence to that effect, and claims of triples being
unsafe are simply unfounded. Vote no on more traffic,
more pollution, damaged roads. Vote no on Measure A.
Oregon Daily
Emerald
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I KNOU) HE’S A LONG SHOT,
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THE DEBATE WHO SHOWED
AW LEADERSHIP.
/
BOT...JIM LEMRER
ISI'H' ON THE
BALLOT...
Echoed ideal
M Bohman's letter (ODE.
Oc t lfi) culls for all students to
join with international students
to boycott foreign-related sub
jects until there is diversity in
faculty- This echoes my senti
ments us u Native American.
International scholars are re
cruited. hut Native Americans
ruraly teach classes related to
our people Some teachers are
considered Native American
authorities hut perpetuate a
view from liie outside, hxiking
at our world as if we worn the
oddities We am treated as for
eigners in our own land
My education depends on
my grades Without good
grades. I will bo lack on the In
dian reservation I do not want
to openly contradict classroom
statements t presume they ure
said out of ignorance, not bigot
ry However. non-Indian teach
ers should not reinforce a ster
eotypical image of Native
Americans they only think is
truu,
College professors influence
the young students of hugene
— the future leaders I'lease
touch the truth. Only with truth
can they sixi that Native Ameri
can culture is not inferior
Wyeot-tsunt-ml
Pre-Journalism
Chokes on ‘Pie9
This is my third year ul tho
University, ami I have become
more and morn agitated ev
erytime I hear folk-singing in
the EMU Courtyard.
The next time i hear some
third-rate folksingor crooning.
'This'll be the day that I die,”
from the song "American I’io,"
I may very well begin shaking
spasmaticaily and shout,
"Yoah, 'cause I'll make damn
sure that you do, you idiotic,
tone-deaf, ‘tiO's retread.” A
friendly word of warning
Volo no on «
Ed Carson
Student
Vote for Chen
On Oct. 1. I met Clayton
Yeutter, the former Secretary of
Agriculture, who mentioned
that David Chen had worked
(or him Since Chon is running
for slalo treasurer. I asked Yout
tor how Chen had done He re
pined, "(Chen) was a good man
ager and he is a fine person."
A good manager and a fine
person. That says a lot, and tiwil
is the type of ponton we need in
state government. And Chen is
a professional money munagor
to boot.
I have noticed that Chen has
one oilier asset that I think is
equally important ... his wife
Debbie. 1 have seen her at
many, many meetings with
Chen and I am confident that
she provides the support, the
encouragement and the love to
make Chen the best ho cun bo.
David and Debbie Chon are a
great team, and David, us state
treasurer, would give us the
skill and integrity we need in
slate government.
John Schoon
State Representative
Rural Polk Benton Counties
Toss 'em out
This is un open letter to the
administration, the ASUO and
the Athletic Department:
I wish to express my discon
tent with the comportment of
certain funs at University sport
ing events
Drunkenness, vomiting,
brawling and general incivility
are un unnecessary distraction
for most students attending
games. Such behuvior is unbe
coming of the individuals in
volved und harms our school's
reputation.
1 am especially tired of hav
ing to watch games in the midst
of whut is essentially a police
stale. The obvious und constant
presence of blue security shirts
and helmeted Eugene police
should not be necessary to en
sure the peace and safety of re
sponsible funs.
Because the present situation
is so obviously out of whack. 1
otter these proposals as possi
ble solutions: Dan boda bugs
from Aulzen Stadium und
McArthur Court; give ull visi
bly intoxicated fans blood alco
hol content tests und evict them
from the game If legally drunk;
confine drinkers to some easily
ignored corner of the stadium if
they insist on swearing, vomit
ing and fighting among them
solves.
The extensive security meas
ures presently required seem an
incredible waste of school
funds. Cracking down on the
few juvenile delinquents that
are necessitating these expendi
tures wiii Improve the atmos
phere at home games.
Consider these measures seri
ously Intoxicated fans are not
amusing; they are an unneces
sary nuisance we should not
have to endure
l.ara Braithwaite
Anthropology
Why so rare?
Friday’s article "Students
over 30: A rare find" [ODE,
Oct 16) failed to mention the
political and economic reasons
behind why this group repre
sents only five percent of the
University's student popula
tion Rising tuition and cuts in
financial aid seriously limit the
option of "higher ed" for many
people, especially people with
families to support* Time con
straints and daily living ex
penses also make a university
education seem like a luxury
few ruin afford. If one already
has a job, which may not reflect
one's ‘‘true vocation” or oven
provide benefits, when there
arc bills to pay and families to
feed, few can afford to walk
away. The idea of sinking deep
er and deeper into debt at this
stage of one’s life is extremely
frightening. In today’s econo
my. there are no guarantees of
finding u job oven with a col
lege degree in hand.
The politics surrounding
who gets to go to college and
who doesn't are not what we at
the University are used to
thinking about. Those “over
thirties” and others struggling
to balance family, finances and
school have often hurl to make
difficult choices to gel whore
they are today. They should be
supjiorted and admired Vet.
we must not forget about the
number of people who are con
tinually denied this choice be
cause of the economics and
politics involved. We should
all work to counter the rape,
gender and class biases these
realities often reflect.
Theresa Lowrle
GTF, History