I submitted the first MADAC complaint to Oak Bluffs seven months ago. My intention was for this critical public safety issue to be addressed with ample time for deliberation and discussion before the 2017 licensing season was upon us. The reply MADAC received from that complaint was shared with MADAC on Nov. 28, 2016, three and a half months after it was brought to the attention of the licensing authority. Our second complaint was submitted on Jan. 20, 2017, two and a half months in advance of licensing season. We are disheartened by the lack of urgency shown to address the violations of our two initial complaints, as the ample time I hoped for has passed.

I wish to make clear that MADAC is not attacking the current Oak Bluffs or Tisbury boards of selectmen, nor past boards, nor are we attempting to put the moped dealers out of business. Our intention has always been to address the extreme public safety issue of moped rentals and the consequences of untrained/unskilled riders traversing our Island roads, resulting in too many tragedies. We have attempted to do this according to due process. Enforceable safety measures need to be put in place to increase public safety, and our campaign is the next phase of an ongoing attempt to save lives, started over 40 years ago. Our current initiative led us to the discovery of the numerous by-law violations that we have uncovered and brought to light.

There is much discussion on- and off-Island about the moped situation and our determination to have the towns address the safety and licensing of moped rentals. MADAC has never and will never impugn the reputation of any public official or business owner. If any comments made by MADAC on Facebook have appeared disparaging of public officials, they were made out of the frustration at this public safety issue being shoved to the side, and not as personal attack. MADAC is not affiliated with those Vineyard citizens who choose to go online and flame public officials. There seem to be a large number of aggrieved voters out there, and we do not control their responses to this hot-button issue. Please do not blame MADAC for personal attacks as they are not coming from our committee, nor anyone associated with our committee. We believe in, and conduct ourselves, according to public civility and open discourse.

We maintain this: enforcement saves lives. We urge everyone concerned with this important issue to attend either the Oak Bluffs or Tisbury selectmen’s meetings on Tuesday, March 28 at which moped safety issues are on the agenda. Every voice matters.


Thank you.

Nicole Friedler Brisson

Edgartown

The writer is a member of the Mopeds Are Dangerous Action Committee (MADAC).