The Martha's Vineyard Times

Slow down

June 13, 2012

To the Editor:

Last week, Memorial Day Weekend, I had to drive my poor child to the boat, in a horrible rainstorm, to play soccer. As we drove over the bridge from Oak Bluffs to Vineyard Haven, I noticed there was a dead mallard duck in the road. His mate was standing guard, undeterred by the passing cars.

I stopped and shooed her away, then dropped my son off, promising him that I would move the carcass, if she was still there upon my return. And there she was. Crying now, over the injustice of it all, I grabbed my ice scraper (yes, still in my car in June) and dragged his body closer to the sea wall, where his love could stand vigil in a safer place. Cursing every tourist on the Island for that hectic weekend, I thought how easy it would have been to a) slow the heck down and let them cross, or b) slow the heck down and give them a chance to take flight. The speed limit there is 20 mph. You aren't on highways anymore.

Slow down. Someone has left this mate for life a widow. It is just too sad. Please, visitors, realize you are not in New York anymore, and have some care when confronting Island wildlife. You have a brake pedal. Use it.

Heather Goodwin

Oak Bluffs