Late last night, a five-car accident occurred in Falmouth on Route 151, near the Mashpee line. One died, one was thrown from the car, six were sent to local hospitals. The report in the Cape Cod Times was terrifying. You can read more about it here: http://capecodonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070715/NEWS/707150362.
One emergency worker said it was the worst scene he had witnessed since 2001. I recall that one, too.
Last weekend there were five accidents in my town (Bourne) alone, three within 1 hour, all of which occurred during the heavy drive-times clogging traffic on both bridges.
As a “local”, I really don’t venture too far from home in the summer during the “great escape” times. Even locally, though, I saw an out-of-state car make a u-turn in the middle of a very busy intersection just this week! I damn-near had a heart attack. A mini-van, chock-a-block full with vacation paraphernalia and kids. They could have died so many different ways.
Last summer, my son was retrieving a ball from across the street (not a thorough-fare, at all, but in the summer we call it the Pocasset Speedway). He and his friends looked both ways, the “all clear” was given, but the landscapers were working and the car was speeding so quickly it came over the hill, they never heard it. He literally had to “dive” from its path.
Now, Massachusetts drivers don’t have the greatest of reputations, by a long shot! LOL. And I feel privileged to live in an area that people will spend so much time in traffic and come from such distances, just to spend a weekend. I’ve driven from Ocean City, NJ to the Cape during the summer. And you really have to want it to do it every weekend!
A local resident has a sign that he puts in his yard all summer. It says something to the effect of “You came here to relax, so PLEASE SLOW DOWN!
Many visitors to Cape Cod come from “the city”. And so many different cities, not just Boston. Everyone’s in a rush to get to their destination. I can certainly understand that.
We have one stop-light in my Village. During the summer months, even with a green light, I pause because inevitably someone is going to fly through, completely oblivious, in their haste to reach the beach and that Mai Tai.
PLEASE, slow down. You’re used to driving on the highways at breakneck speeds or driving in a city environment where pretty much anything goes. I did that myself 10 years ago. Directionals? What are they for? Waiting at a red light, turning green, and allowing the driver opposite you to take a left? Going 30-35 in a 30MPH zone, rather than 50-55? What’s that all about?
Someone came to Cape Cod to “escape” for the weekend, week, summer, whatever. And he’s now gone from his family forever. No one knows right now whose “fault” it was. And, quite honestly, does it even matter? I don’t know how old he was, was he a husband, a father? I do know he was someone’s son. He was someone’s friend and there are many grieving people right now.
We don’t know the cause, but speed, based on my personal experience, was most likely a factor. Maybe not on his part, but probably one of the six cars involved was going too fast. Route 151 is straight and wide. I try to avoid it at all costs because I see so many speed-demons.
Please slow down. And I don’t think this thought is limited to Cape Cod.
When I was learning to drive, my Mom taught me the most important lesson: “Drive Defensively”. She wasn’t so much worried about me. She was concerned about everyone else who could hurt me. It was always best to be aware of what was going on around me. Pause, think, look. Let the other guy go ahead of you. If (s)he cuts you off, let’em go. “No skin off your nose”, she said.
As I’m teaching my daughter to drive, my mother’s favorite quote came back to me:
“You may have had the right of way. You’re still dead”.