Thursday, 04 February 2010 20:06
To the Editor:
I write this not because I want to, not that I need to, but because I feel I have to.
On April 18, 2006 my family’s lives and the lives of families throughout Rye were changed forever as our son and your child’s good friend Jarrid was struck and killed by oncoming traffic on Midland Avenue. Before he passed I made a promise to Jar [...]
| Thursday, 04 February 2010 20:06 |
| To the Editor:
I write this not because I want to, not that I need to, but because I feel I have to.
On April 18, 2006 my family’s lives and the lives of families throughout Rye were changed forever as our son and your child’s good friend Jarrid was struck and killed by oncoming traffic on Midland Avenue. Before he passed I made a promise to Jarrid that I would fix Midland Avenue in hope that this would never happen again.
Two months after Jarrid’s accident, in June 2006, my wife and I went to City Hall to attend a Rye City Council Meeting and requested that a Stop Sign and a Crosswalk be put in place at the intersection of Midland Avenue/Palisade Road.
All I wish for is that no one would ever feel the pain we carry with us every minute of every day. All I wish is for that no child ever gets hurt again on Midland Avenue or any other street in Rye.
I wonder how many of you have hard-boiled eggs from four Easters ago in your refrigerators because that is the last thing your child did before he died?
I wonder how many of you have a bottle of your child’s favorite soda unopened still in the refrigerator with his name on it written by him because he was never given the chance to drink it?
I wonder how many of you have a calendar that still reads April 18, 2006?
I wonder how many of you really want to know what the above feels like?
I wonder?
Over the last four years some of the public, past city officials and some current, and especially the Rye Police Department have lost sight of what is important. This is not about me and never was. I never asked for any of this.
Arresting me is not the answer. Releasing unnecessary and irrelevant information to a local newspaper hoping they would print it for their Police Blotter is not the answer. RPD Officers mocking me in local blogs anonymously is not the answer.
Why is this a laughing matter to the RPD?
It’s very simple, I want safer streets!
I know some of you may not agree with my methods and that is OK, but my methods are not what is important here, what is - is that our children are safe in their beds at night.
Since Jarrid’s accident four years ago five more children and two adults have been struck by cars while trying to navigate through the streets in Rye. Luckily for all of them they were struck by vehicles not speeding and sustained non-life threatening injuries. Please ask yourself what you might think the injuries would be if these seven individuals were struck by 3,000-pound speeding bullets.
Remember, Jarrid was struck and killed by a vehicle doing under 30 mph.
I mention speeding because I witness many of you putting my children along with yours and your neighbors at risk everyday as you speed around Rye, especially on Midland Avenue.
Please stop using your cell phones while driving and please stop speeding!
Please Stop focusing on me and focus on safety. We all need to work together as we are all part of a solution.
Jim Amico,
Rye |
