Highway mayhem? There is danger on LI's side streets, too

There has been much attention recently on the endless alarming instances of reckless driving on Long Island’s thoroughfares. It is heartbreaking how many people have been killed or seriously injured while simply trying to navigate their way to their destination.

Sadly, this behavior is not limited to major roadways. I live in a small residential neighborhood where the posted speed limit is 25 mph. Many of the individuals who live in or visit this area must be under the impression that this is just a suggestion. The dangerous speeding on our narrow roads puts all pedestrians and drivers in peril.

The one main road into and out of the community has four stop signs, one of which is at the corner where my house sits. Though I have not conducted a scientific study, I would estimate that only one or two motorists out of every 10 come to a complete stop. Perhaps five or six either take their foot off the gas and slow down or come to a rolling stop. The remainder plow through as though the signs were invisible.

On a recent sunny day, I was outside doing some yard work when one of the aforementioned violators flew through the stop sign at a speed that certainly exceeded the limit. In the heat of the moment, I yelled out, "Hey!" The driver heard me, came to a screeching halt, and backed up at a furious pace. He almost hit the car that had been traveling behind him. I told him he had missed the stop sign, to which he replied, "Yeah? And I’m the only one?" I replied that this particular intersection was a bus stop and maybe next time, if he didn’t stop, he might run over a child. His response? "Maybe. Maybe I’ll just run over you!"

My question is: When and how did respect for our neighbors and the rule of law reach this low point? He claimed not to care whether he hit a child waiting for a school bus. He was showing his dominance by threatening an almost 70-year-old woman with bodily harm.

I wasn’t scared. People like him, who threaten from the safety of their cars, are generally cowards. I doubt he would have had the same nasty response if it had been a man challenging him. I was angry, and I was sad — angry that a neighbor or possibly a frequent visitor (based on his comment about others going through the stop sign) would have so little regard for the safety of others, and sad that this now seems to pass for acceptable behavior on our streets and in society.

I hope the driver will have a change of heart and attitude and become a better human being. As for me, I will continue to yell at anyone going through the stop signs. If the unthinkable happens and someone is injured or killed by a reckless driver in my neighborhood, I want to know that I did everything in my power to try to prevent such a tragedy.

This guest essay reflects the views of Lori Benincasa, a resident of East Patchogue.