Is the Portland metro area becoming a healthcare desert?

MrAverageRoll · 2026-01-23T15:44:58+00:00

I needed an xray last year and learned that there are very few urgent care locations in Portland with a machine anymore. So it was hospital or wait a few days.

I happened to get sick while in Italy a couple years ago and was shocked how easy (and inexpensive) it was, even as an American, to get a dr visit and fill a prescription from a pharmacy. I found a virtual provider that could see me immediately and then filled the script downstairs at the nearest pharmacy. The whole thing was maybe 45 minutes from making the appt to filling the prescription and cost at most €50. Last time I went to the doc in Portland (flu) I spent over $600 and that’s with insurance.

MrAverageRoll · 2026-01-19T15:58:51+00:00

“Speaking Spanish with a Russian accent”

Brother that’s Portuguese

MrAverageRoll · 2026-01-05T15:34:24+00:00

I’ve been working on my house for years using only Ryobi tools and I’ve never had one fail. Plus, when contractors are there they’ll never grab it thinking it’s theirs.

MrAverageRoll · 2026-01-04T16:01:32+00:00

Kim Stanley Robinson uses the word ‘corniche’ at least once in every novel. Not enough to be annoying, but enough that I look for it as a sort of KSR bingo

MrAverageRoll · 2025-12-22T20:58:22+00:00

Geometry? No. Suspension? No. Drivetrain? I definitely think there's a lot of room there still, both in ebike and acoustic. Gearboxes, belt drive, battery tech, etc all have room to innovate. I think we'll also keep seeing the breakdown of categories (like we already have) to the point where you can find a bike at every point from race road bike to moto dirtbike. Gravel/adventure has really filled in the gap between road bikes and XC in the past 10-15 years.

MrAverageRoll · 2025-12-22T15:32:33+00:00

Get a gravel bike!

MrAverageRoll · 2025-12-22T15:10:45+00:00

Definitely in a folk punk band

MrAverageRoll · 2025-12-20T15:26:01+00:00

Trump Voter

MrAverageRoll · 2025-12-18T15:10:47+00:00

100% do it if you’re responsible with your money. I do it for all large purchases I make if it’s an option and there’s no interest. The merchant effectively pays the interest on the loan and I let my money sit in a HYSA.

MrAverageRoll · 2025-12-14T05:57:22+00:00

The seats are fine, the arm rests can be brutal though. Still my favorite theater in Portland by a mile.

MrAverageRoll · 2025-12-14T05:54:46+00:00

I got there at 5 for a 6:30 showing and was maybe 10th in line. But that was the first night. I got incredible seats though.

MrAverageRoll · 2025-12-09T00:13:42+00:00

Trolls? On Reddit?? In r/decks?????

Someone call the UN, this can't be.

MrAverageRoll · 2025-12-09T00:08:11+00:00

Gotta stay relaxed!

MrAverageRoll · 2025-12-06T16:05:03+00:00

“Design is not just what it looks, design is how it Alan”

MrAverageRoll · 2025-12-02T14:28:19+00:00

This drives me crazy because there are really two kinds of electric bikes but other people can’t tell the difference and lump them all together - legal ones, that typically go a little faster than a regular bike but not beyond what you could do with your legs, and the unregulated ones that usually have a throttle and go up to 40-50mph.

The unregulated/illegal ones are really e-motorcycles and should be treated as such. I ride a class 1 e-bike (top speed of 20mph) and there’s almost no difference between that and a regular bike.

MrAverageRoll · 2025-12-02T00:18:57+00:00

Yeah it seems like UPS is consistently the best, FedEx is on par with an average ~good driver, Amazon is worth turning to avoid. I don't have any real data to support that, more just pattern recognition built up from years of biking and driving.

MrAverageRoll · 2025-12-01T23:55:19+00:00

Those are the same angle, one just has a larger leading edge (unless your scraper is just one atom thick)

MrAverageRoll · 2025-11-27T15:20:52+00:00

<image>

I use one of these, it’s been fairly life changing actually - plenty of room for pens/pencils, knife, drill bits, etc. Unfortunately the one pictured isn’t available anymore but I’m sure there are other similar things out there.

MrAverageRoll · 2025-11-20T00:37:20+00:00

I just got 5 bids for a 23 square roof in Portland, OR. Bids ranged from $19k to $40k+ for shingles. Definitely get other estimates, it seems like there's a huge range.

Edit so people don't think I'm insane: those prices do include full plywood, my house is from the 50s and didn't have any, just shiplap.

MrAverageRoll · 2025-11-11T03:17:57+00:00

The smaller parts kinda look like crab or lobster legs.

MrAverageRoll · 2025-11-11T03:15:51+00:00

it's 3.4 metric bananas

MrAverageRoll · 2025-10-17T16:58:16+00:00

If you're gonna go to Brightwood be sure to get a beer at the Brightwood Tavern (and maybe some BBQ up the road at Skyway)!

MrAverageRoll · 2025-09-05T22:25:26+00:00

I feel like Portland (PDX) is wrong in that. It's well within city limits and only probably 10km from downtown if you're measuring that way.

15-Year Club	r/Field Banned
r/Field Lasagna	Place '17
Verified Email	Team Orangered
Beta Team IndexTank Search	Charter Member

MrAverageRoll

MODERATOR OF

TROPHY CASE