To the Editor;
As a long-time resident on the Neck Rd., it’s wonderful that the bike path is finally making some progress BUT.
We also know that drivers often don’t observe speed limits, especially in the short 30MPH stretch of Neck Rd. When coupled with the bike path crossing, it’s an accident waiting to happen. Twice I’ve encountered non-observant bike path users, one on a bike and one on foot.
We were all schooled in the correct ways to cross any street, whether on foot or bike and if we’re to “share the road,” then everyone needs to be more cautious. A pedestrian has ‘right of way’ in a crosswalk, but that doesn’t mean a walker ignores traffic and marches across without looking both ways and pausing if a vehicle is bearing down on the area. It also applies to bikers flying across the road without slowing down and/or stopping to assess the traffic first.
Drivers should decrease their speed when approaching the crossing and stop if someone is already in the crosswalk. But if a cyclist or a pedestrian darts across without taking vehicle traffic into consideration, life and limb is in danger.
“Sharing the road” means that we all need to observe the laws and the rules of common sense.
Chris Ward, Mattapoisett
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