There is a sign at First Bridge on the Beach Road that says no jumping or diving. The sign, of course, is a joke. You can’t drive past the bridge in the summer without seeing 20 or 30 kids standing on the bridge railing preparing to jump.

A similar joke was recently created by the Oak Bluffs selectmen when they created a one-way along East Chop Drive from Monroe to Brewster. The one-way is supposed to prevent the collapse of East Chop Drive into Vineyard Sound. The threat is real. At current count, 15 or more cars or trucks violate the one-way daily. East Choppers have taken to walking on the forbidden side of the road to force violators to turn around. It could get ugly.

I recently walked East Chop Drive from Monroe to Brewster counting houses. There are 17. Assuming an average real estate tax of $15,000 on each house, the town receives over $250,000 from these residents annually, year after year.

These 17 residents have no children in our schools. They reside in East Chop on average no more than two months a year. They make few political demands and consume few town resources. Their one concern is the survival of East Chop Drive. They want the road completely closed. I think we owe it to them.

Rick Herrick
East Chop