On Thursday, December 17th there was a senseless act of vandalism and theft of a couple of road signs that are important to safety in our community.
For many years families have pulled off Bayocean road along Cape Meares Lake to fish. It’s a tranquil place to spend the day enjoying the scenery with a chance to catch a stocked rainbow trout. Unfortunately there isn’t much of a shoulder with which to park a vehicle so folks are fishing right at roadside. That’s ok if you’re an adult, but when young children hook into a fish their instinct is not to reel the fish in, but to instead back up with the rod in hand. Sometimes right into the road! In addition to the folks fishing there are people walking, biking, and launching their fishing boats and kayaks. This is a busy stretch of road, especially in the summer.
Because vehicles often go too fast for the conditions along the lake the Cape Meares community wanted to alert drivers to slow down as they pass the lake. Funds were raised, the county was approached for approval, specially designed signs were custom made and volunteers assembled and installed the signs.
The thief sawed off the post and stole the signs. It’s a kick in the teeth to do something for the safety of the greater community and have some irresponsible, brainless brute ruin it for everyone.
Scott and Mary Gordon submitted this letter to the editor shortly after the incident. The Headlight Herald did not publish the picture they sent of the sign.