To the editor:

I read with much interest about the article that Barrington is the safest place for pedestrians and that for 56 years they have not had a pedestrian fatality in all that time. Congratulations! 

But I do have to ask, did anyone interview the pedestrians in town to see how safe they feel about walking the local streets? I can think of a number of places that people vs. cars/contractors vehicles/trucks meet in our local community and it’s pretty scary for the walkers.

I think of the high school students walking home from school and crossing over Maple Ave at the corner of County Road or crossing at that same intersection to get to the town library and cars pressing down on them who don’t seem to see the people in the crosswalk — that driver must beat the light! Or the expansive crosswalk at the Shaw’s entrance — same issue as the Maple Avenue/County Road — pedestrians better keep a sharp eye out and run! The cars turning right on red need to get through that light before anything stops them.

Our main roads like Maple, New Meadow, Sowams, Rumstick, Middle Highway and Washington have to be where the worse offenses happen. Between the contractors’ trucks and the delivery trucks rushing between their appointments, I see them racing down the road with no regards to the local speed limits. “Drive like your kids live here” signs mean nothing because hey, they have a job site to get to! 

Anyone who walks, runs or bikes our streets with cars and trucks going over the limit (25 mph on most roads) know how it feels when a vehicle zips by, without even considering the person that must walk in the road, as there are no sidewalks. 

I think if there is a reason there have been no fatalities it is not because the cars are being safe, it’s because the people are being safe. 

So congratulations to us walkers, bikers, runners, mom’s with strollers, dog walkers and anyone else brave enough to walk our “safe streets.” I think we earned that award not the drivers! 

Abigail Ashley

Barrington