At his job, Michael Lane never stops moving. He’s the self-proclaimed fastest gas station gunslinger in Bend.
When it comes to housing, he’d prefer being stationary. He says the situation has led to a lot of stress.
“Yeah, it does bad,” Lane said. “I get off working and I gotta look for a place, without trying to get in trouble driving, all around in fact, yeah.”
RELATED: Hunnell Road: Residents pack up, vehicles towed, protesters place crosses
RELATED: Q&A: What’s next for Hunnell Road, people living there and their belongings?
RELATED: ‘They don’t know where they are going’: Hunnell Road closure begins
From the truck and trailer that he and his fiancé share on Clausen Road, you can see Space Age gas station. It’s a commute distance most would envy. He’s lived at this location on Clausen for almost three years and worked full-time at Space Age gas station for more than a month.
But now, the City of Bend has told Lane that he has to go. The City closed Hunnell Road Tuesday and started clearing out the RVs, vehicles and other items belonging to the homeless who live there. The clearing of Clausen Road is not far behind.
Lane says he doesn’t have a plan.
“I do not, I don’t have time (to look), I’m working,” he said. “It’s kind of hard when you’re working almost all the time.”
Lane says he’s unsure how much longer he’ll be allowed to stay. He is still determining whether he will be able to get to work, after moving to another location.
“I don’t know,” he said. “Without getting a ticket, I mean, right now I’m fighting against court right now for driving. I mean you gotta have wheels to work.”
When asked what he would say if he could speak to the City of Bend directly, Lane responded:
“I’d like to see them walk in my shoes and see how they feel, simple as that.”
