The Editor, The Anguillian
Dear Sir:
This is a commentary on what I now believe to be a ‘drag-racing’ incident. Driving along, a friend and myself were just about to make a left turn onto the Rev. C. L. Carty Road, at about 6:45pm on Jul. 18, when we experienced a very unexpected turn of events. As we entered into the left turn, a light coloured vehicle streaked past so close to our vehicle that I am still wondering how he did not take the side of our car with him! His car made no attempt to slow down but made a straight line out of a three-way intersection. Surprised, and rather shaken, we continued along only to have a second car flash past a few minutes later. My friend screamed and hit the horn but the driver had long gone on his way.
Next, we came upon several persons – dressed in dark coloured coveralls – standing in the middle of the road alongside a number of traffic cones lined up next to them. It was now growing dark and if I had been alone I would have been very, very upset – is this a holdup or what? We made a right turn at the next corner and ‘escaped’ but as I looked to the left there more cars, more people and even bicycles forming a loitering group barely visible through the increasing darkness. Only then did we realize that these people were ‘drag-racing!’. Drag-racing at 6:45 pm on a rather short bit of road where there is no real exit at either end – but instead a thick group of trees facing a speeding driver who then has to make a sharp turn (endangering the public) to get off the road!
The outgoing Police Commissioner made a strong plea for help from the “public”, and seemed to think this public could do more to help combat crime. This kind of rhetoric sounds great in a speech but I did not see any police officers around last Thursday evening when drag-racing was taking place on a public road without any warning or notice to the public! If these persons had permission to race on this road why was the road not blocked off or whatever is usually done to protect the public? If they did not have permission where were the police?
Luckily for us, our car was already into the turn or I don’t think I would be here making this comment – and the officers would have another case to ‘investigate’.
Thank you.
A member of the public
