THE PUBLIC MIND: VISITOR: CALL ABOUT NORTHBRIDGE GREW FROM CONCERN OVER CHILDREN

Northbridge parents:

It may be of interest to you that no RESIDENT of Northbridge made the call to Speak Out, but rather a visitor.

The point of the call was the SAFETY of your children, not the delay in reaching any of the houses further up this street. It takes but a moment's distraction of any one of you parents for a tragedy to occur. The residents and frequent visitors DO slow down because we know there are children likely to be present.

You can't always see these children when approaching from Sherwood. When my mother lived with us I was warned when she went walking on the street. She was a lot taller than your babies. And she truly was in danger. I didn't respond with "Pedestrians have the right of way," even though that could be dead right. Some people mistake Northbridge for Sherwood or have valid reasons for being on our street. They may not know that they need to slow down drastically when they come over that hill.

The fact that your driveways are steep was known to you when you decided to buy your house. Did you decide at that time to just use the street as your playground? Is it impossible for your children to learn how to socialize in the backyard? No one is suggesting that these kids be confined to the house but just off the street for their own safety.

A stroller is usually propelled by an adult who has enough sense (hopefully) to walk on the side of the road facing oncoming traffic. These children are all over. A youngster wobbling on a two wheeler when I am going down the road makes another two gray hairs pop out, just like that!

How about getting a sidewalk put in on one side of the street?

If anything were to happen to any of these charming children, not only would the child hurt, so would the family, the neighbors would feel badly, but how about the other person involved in an accident? (Surely, you cannot imagine anyone hitting a child deliberately.) That person's life would also be scarred.

Please consider that it is not the delay, but the danger that should concern all of us. It is your responsibility as a parent to shield your child from harm.

Aline Jedlicka