I am Deputy George Bradbury. I work for the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office. I am a resident of Harpswell. I live and work among you.
In this column, I will answer questions from readers.
Pedestrian safety: Do you know there is a right and wrong side of the roadway to walk on? If you are walking with traffic, with vehicles coming up behind you, you are on the wrong side! Please always walk against the flow of traffic, so you can see the vehicles coming at you.
Please always wear bright, reflective clothing if at all possible. At night, try to have a flashlight or some type of warning device. If there is bad weather, such as snow, rain or fog, plan a walk at a different time. Harpswell residents can walk indoors on the track at the Brunswick Recreation Center. The weather is great and you are not a traffic hazard.
Parking on the road: Please do not stop or pull over on hills or corners. If you stop on a corner or in the middle of a hill, emergency vehicles (fire trucks, rescues and/or police) have to endanger themselves when they go around you. Devil’s Back on Harpswell Islands Road comes to mind. Never stop on Devil’s Back. Please continue further along the road, then pull over as far to the right as possible when it is safe to do so. Let’s keep our roadways safe for our first responders and ourselves.
Vehicle breakdowns: If you become stranded or your vehicle breaks down, please do not leave your vehicle until you have called the Sheriff’s Office at 800-501-1111. Make a plan to get the vehicle towed or out of the travel lane to make sure it is not a hazard. Deputies can respond to assist you if necessary.
Accidents: Please report all accidents or crashes by the quickest means possible.
Drug take-back: A drug take-back is scheduled for Oct. 26 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Town Office.
Four-way stops: With the change to a four-way stop at the intersection of Harpswell Road with Merriconeag Road and Middle Bay Road in Brunswick, it’s a good time to review the protocol for safely navigating a four-way stop. The video below may help.
If you would like to suggest items of interest to be discussed, please feel free to email me at bradbury@cumberlandcounty.org.
Remember, let’s be safe out there! And don’t get voted off the islands.
Fine print: The views above are the views of Deputy George Bradbury, not of the town of Harpswell or the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office.
