Councillor Gaffney Plays Roulette With Public Safety

Councillor Gaffney Plays Roulette With Public Safety

Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) is an engineer college in Worcester Massachusetts. It is known worldwide for its engineering programs and graduates.

WPI has an urban campus with public streets. Like many cities in the USA the drivers in Worcester drive aggressively and arrogantly. Some drivers just go to fast for the small streets.

There are about one incident a week where a motorist strikes a pedestrian. Half of the incidents are hit and runs. About half of the incidents result in death of the pedestrians.

Last week a driver struck an older man on Shrewsbury St. A long time resident of Worcester said in a letter to the local newspapers that she was afraid to cross the streets of Worcester as some drivers go “ 50, 60, or 70” miles per hour.

My wife and I were almost struck by a speeding car as we enter the cross walk at the Marine Corp. League. The cross walk signal was blinking bright yellow. It seemed that the motorist sped up.

It is my opinion that when a motorist strikes a pedestrian, he should receive an automatic 500 dollar fine regardless of fault. This would help remind motorists they MUST in all cases yield to pedestrians or stop for pedestrians in some situations.

This issue of pedestrians and public safety is a serious one. People are dying . It should not be a political football. The crosswalk signal should be built as requested by WPI. These are public streets for which the City and City Council are responsible.

Is money a higher priority than public safety and our lives?  Councillor Michael T.  Gaffney like many others seems to think so. They seems to believes that pedestrians have no rights except to get out of the way of their speeding vehicle.

I was told than a firefighter was angry that I criticized the Majority Leader of the State Senate, Harriet Chandler, proposed bill to fine pedestrians.  He was especially irked by the suggestion that motorist be automatically fined for striking pedestrians.

A pedestrian when struck by a car does not harm the motorist and the pedestrian never gets up and runs away from the scene of the accident.

Councillor Gaffney has previously made statements contrary to public safety. 

At the mayoral debate he stated that when a motorist strikes a pedestrian the motorist suffers emotional anguish. He said nothing about the pedestrian pain and suffering.

So we have a situation where Councillor Gaffney will delay or not expedite a public safety issue because he wants WPI to pay for it.  WPI already makes payment to the City in lieu of taxes.

If Mr. Gaffney believes that WPI should pay more to the City then that can be negotiated. However to hold as hostage or leverage an issue of public safety such as cross walk signals makes no sense and is playing roulette with our lives.  

A reasonable person could conclude that Mr. Gaffney is using this issue to further his rumored career move to State Senate. If so, shame on him for endangering the lives of Worcester residents and the public.

A reasonable person would install the cross walk signals now and negotiate a possible increase of WPI’s payment in lieu of taxes later.

Unfortunately I do not know of many people who think Councillor Gaffney is reasonable.