Bubbytblog

Sunday, October 22, 2006

Walking in the dark on Shabbos

We are a "walking sakana". On Sukkos there was a terrible tragedy of a frum boy run down and killed by a drunk driver while crossing the street after shul in Philly. On Yom Kippur there was a 58 year old man crossing Queens Boulevard in Forest Hills, NY who was killed. We have no light in front of our shul. Shomrei Emunah. (I heard a rumor that one is coming). Kids and adults just run across, not looking, in their dark suits, coats, raincoats. We are all (me included, I hate the broken up sidewalks) guilty of walking in the streets, like we own them on Shabbos and Yom Tov. Maybe we should look into wearing reflective belts, shoulder harnesses or the like, to make us more visible at night? Is it halachically permissible?

Parents: watch your children cross. Don't let them cross alone when there is no light. Any comments on the matter would be appreciated.

posted by BubbyT at 7:56 AM

7 Comments:

  • The problem with the reflective belts is that they look nerdy. I know that sounds stupid when safety is at hand, but its the truth. But the streets do need better lighting, that is for sure.

    By Blogger Natan, at 10/22/2006  

  • I agree with you..they are nerdy...but, once you're gone, chas v'shalom, it won't matter how you looked!! I don't think Baltimore City/county are going to do anything about the lighting!! on my street in Ranchleigh there are no street lights at all!!

    By Blogger BubbyT, at 10/22/2006  

  • If you get signatures from everyone on your block, you can take it to the city and they'll put them in. That's what my parents did by their old house on Shelburne.

    By Blogger Natan, at 10/22/2006  

  • We are in the county!!

    By Blogger BubbyT, at 10/22/2006  

  • Great post. Crossing in bad places seems to be a problem in most communities.

    My husband just started wearing a reflective belt. It is nerdy, but I think it is great he is doing so.

    The clocks are changing soon and it will basically be dark all the time. No need to be unsafe.

    By Blogger Orthonomics, at 10/22/2006  

  • Baruch Dayan Haemes. I just read of another tragedy this past Shabbos. http://www.theyeshivaworld.com/?p=3317

    By Blogger BubbyT, at 10/22/2006  

  • I actually was thinking about this the other day also, when I was watching a parent lead her children in walking in the middle of the street on Shabbos, and what a bad example she was setting for her children, who will probably do so without her there to look out for them.

    By Blogger Shoshana, at 10/24/2006  

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