The Trail Mix
The Setauket to Port Jefferson Station Greenway Newsletter
Volume 2, Issue 5
June 2022
The Trail Mix is the monthly newsletter of The Friends of the Greenway. We established this bulletin to keep the Friends and users of the Greenway current on some of the “goings- on” regarding our Trail and to dispense a mix of bits and bytes of flavorful information. Hopefully, The Trail Mix will help to enlighten, inform, and entertain our readers. The Friends of the Greenway is a committee of our parent organization – The Three Village Community Trust.
Where Did All the Greenways Go? (A Three Part Series)
Last month, we noted the importance of greenways as ‘safe places’ for bicyclists and pedestrians to enjoy a ‘safe space’ – to commute, recreate or spend some time with family and friends outdoors without major concern for vehicular traffic.
We also noted that America’s roadways have become increasingly dangerous to bicyclists and pedestrians. Traffic deaths for “nonoccupants” of motor vehicles is climbing year after year – and as covid restrictions ease, and people go back to work, the fatalities are likely to only increase.
So, why are our roads so dangerous, why are so many bicyclists and pedestrians in danger, what can be done to make our roads safer, and why are there so few greenways? We call our series: Where Did All the Greenways Go?
Part II:
Why are ‘Safe’ Cars So Dangerous?
Today’s vehicles are safer than ever before! Equipped with seat belts, multiple air bags, lane departure warning systems, blind side monitoring, adaptive headlights -the list goes on of safety features that are increasingly standard to all vehicles. Nevertheless, cars and trucks are killing more and more bicyclists and pedestrians.
Cars may be safer for the driver and occupants, but they still create carnage on the roadways.
Here are some observations on why our roads are so dangerous to you – the pedestrian and bicyclist:
The End of Mindfulness:
A common refrain by drivers after any crash is “I never saw them.” Of course, the driver didn’t see them! Too many drivers view their vehicle’s ‘cabin’ as an extension of their home’s family room or man cave – equipped with an elaborate entertainment and full information center, plush heated seats, and wrap around luxury. Once cushioned into their ‘cocoon,’ why not just lean back and relax?
Safe driving requires full and complete mindfulness, not mindlessness.
A Lack of Training:
We were all trained to drive – to be aware of our surroundings, careful in our handling of a vehicle and alert to all driving conditions. But that training – whether given by our parents, or driving instructor was likely many, many years ago. Once you receive your license there isn’t any retraining, in-servicing, or reeducation. Traffic laws change, new studies reveal important information about safe driving, experts make new observations to boost safety – but drivers are not mandated, under most circumstances, to learn anything new or break bad habits or reevaluate their driving skills.
Technology that has Overtaken Us:
Cars, in many ways, have always been rockets on wheels -they are fast and can be deadly to anything they hit. The ‘car missile’ becomes ever more deadly as it goes faster and faster. How many times have you checked your speed and said, ‘I didn’t know I was going so fast?’ Today’s cars can reach breathtaking speeds, but the cabins are so quiet, and the ride so smooth, the interior so comfortable you hardly feel your movement at 60, 70 or 80mph.
Federal traffic studies estimate that excessive speed is a contributing cause in… wait for it …. 95% of all crashes. 95% !!
Single Purpose Infrastructure: Departments of Transportation throughout the United States have been criticized for building a vast network of roads dedicated to one purpose – moving as many vehicles as possible, as fast, and safely as possible. Little money is dedicated to building systems that support walking or bicycling. Intersections, street crossings, road shoulders are all made for vehicles.
Suffolk County has close to 1.5 million people. As noted in another Trail Mix issue, the Setauket to Port Jefferson Greenway has been – at 3.3 miles length – the longest paved bike/pedestrian path in county. That’s pretty sad.
And simply posting a “Share the Road” sign or “Bike Route” sign is not enough to make roads safe.
The Not So Subliminal Messaging:
In the 1960’s, 70’s and 80’s advertisement executives developed the “Marlboro Man” as a way to make smoking cigarettes the symbol of ‘manliness’ and ‘coolness’ and American freedom. It worked! The commercials, with a ruggedly handsome actor fitted with a cowboy hat, western clothes, and a Marlboro cigarette in hand, is considered one of the most ingenious, and successful ad campaigns in history – convincing millions of consumers that smoking was not only part of the American experience – it was safe. We’ll never be sure of exactly how many Americans died due to these promotional ads.
‘Fast’ forward to today’s car commercials and you will see another series of ad campaign with deadly consequences. Watch many car commercials on television and observe the emphasis on speed and highly dangerous maneuvers. We are constantly subjected to images of cars drifting through turns, speeding through dangerous mountain roads, skidding sideways to stops, lifting off the ground going over a hill, etc. The message: Cars are ‘fun and exciting’ – and they are meant to be driven at high speeds. Really? It’s no wonder so many of today’s drivers think it’s just fine to drive in reckless and irresponsible ways. (Oh, yes, all the commercials say – in fine print – Professional driver, closed course, don’t try these maneuverers. Shame on them.)
There are many other reasons the roads are unsafe – the epidemic of DWI and DUI, lack of traffic enforcement, road rage, reckless drivers, etc. What can be done -we’ll start to look at some solutions next month!
Another Great Day! Great Brookhaven Clean Up
On Saturday, May 14th, the Friends of the Greenway participated in the Great Brookhaven Clean Up. Trail Stewards and volunteers participated in clearing debris and liter along the trail. A big shout out to Charlie McAteer, Brian Cohen, Dave Wang, and Aaron Hoffman – our ‘regulars’ that bring a ‘can do attitude’ to ‘All things Greenway.’ And, of course, Councilman Kornreich was on hand to help out!! Like Batman, He’s everywhere!
Missed the last cleanup? Well, we have more coming up:
Saturday, June 11th at 9am (Trail Steward’s Breakfast Meet Up at 8pm) Location: The Port Jefferson Station Trailhead.
Saturday, July 23rd at 9am, Starting locations: The Port Jefferson Station and Setauket Trailhead.
Saturday, August 20th at 9am, Starting locations: The Port Jefferson Station and Setauket Trailhead.
Saturday, September 17th at 9am, Starting location: The Port Jefferson Station Trailhead
Need more information? Want to become a Trail Steward? Wish to Donate to the Greenway? Want to be on the Friends of the Greenway’s email list?
Email Herb or Charlie:
HJMones@gmail.com
cfmcateer@gmail.com
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Keep in Mind:
The Three Village Community Trust is our parent organization and is now holding its Annual Membership Drive! Without the Trust, the Friends of the Greenway would not have the needed financial support, the necessary insurance coverage, and the organizational capacity to effectively maintain our stewardship of the trail.
So, if you are a Greenway user, a trail advocate, or simply someone committed to the community, please consider joining the Trust today to “Protect the Places You Love.”
Click here to become a member!
Wow, it was a great idea!
If you remember, back in the Fall of 2021, we announced we are running advertisements and messages to fund Greenway projects. We wrote:
Want to advertise your business or service, and at the same time help the Greenway?
With the wild popularity of The Trail Mix (or at least we’d like to think so), we have decided to give businesses and individuals an opportunity to advertise in our newsletter. At the end of The Trail Mix, we’ll post advertisements and personal messages for the whooping sum of $25 per issue. All proceeds will go to the care and maintenance of the Greenway – gloves, tools, trash bags, cleaning supplies, and other basic necessities for the Trail Stewards and volunteers.
Interested in advertising: Contact hjmones@gmail.com with your content, and the payment method and other details will be emailed back to you!
Well, here are some of our advertisements:
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Bagel Express at 15-5 Bennetts Road in Setauket. Owned and operated by David Prestia, Bagel Express generously donates the catering of our Trail Steward breakfasts. Delicious bagels, hot, steaming coffee – sooo good! Thanks, Dave.
Suffolk County Legislator Kara Hahn is our Trail booster! Kara can be found running on the Greenway, picking up litter on the Greenway, and ‘talking up’ the Greenway with her constituents. We thank Kara for her support!
And, we would like to recognize a special donor to the Greenway:
Emerald Magic Lawn Care’s horticultural consultant, Craig den Hartog has been providing flower bulbs for the Greenway over many years at “no cost.” We planted a big bulk of these bulbs at the kiosk on Gnarled Hollow Road, Setauket.
Craig generosity is part of his beautification effort known as Old Town Blooms. And, Craig was a driving force behind the recent Great Daffodil Dash benefiting the Port Jefferson Station-Terryville community! Why not support Emerald Magic who supports us!
www.EmeraldMagic.com
631-286-4600
631-804-9205
194-4 Morris Ave
Holtsville, NY 11742
Want to help the Friends of the Greenway. Here are three ways:
Donate during our parent organization’s $50,000 Challenge Grant, still in effect, though we have broken the 50K mark!!!
This really Helps: Please consider the “Care to Share Program” at Investors Bank on Route 25A in Setauket. If you have an existing or newly established account at Investors Bank, simply by designating the Three Village Community Trust as your favorite not-for-profit, we will receive regular donations by Investors Bank to our organization!
Editor-in-Chief: Herb Mones
