Greenwood Street speedsters slow down! (specifically license plate E78841 – Mass)

By Rosalie Tirella

How lovely to be driving in my neighborhood and have to deal with the speedsters of Greenwood Street. You know the type – idiot drivers who zoom down inner-city or neighborhood streets at 40 miles an hour instead of the required 25. That is what I learned in driving school many moons ago! If you are in a densely populated neighborhood or one with lots of homes/three deckers, then you drive your auto with respect! 25 miles an hour! I pity my pal retired Holy Cross prof Frank Petrella. He lives in a lovely little cottage on Greenwood Street. Every day he needs to cross the street for his daily snack ritual. Every day he waits and waits and waits on his side of Greenwood Street as all the speed demons zip by and give Frank no chance what so ever to cross the street. Fran and his lovely wife Jane have lived in their home for decades. Recently Frank told me he has never seen his neck of the woods so bad. Like a highway is Frank’s Greenwood Street!

Like a highway is mine! I cannot tell you how many times I have been driving the legal speed limit on Greenwood Street only to have a car come out of nowhere to stay, as a pal says, right on my ass! Tailgating me to no end. AND NO I DO DO NOT ACCOMMODATE THESE JERK. I continue to drive 25 miles an hour, I continue to drive respecting the three deckers and residents who cross the street and walk the street and bike the street. And the stop lights are there to slow things down. A few sets! Still, that is not enough of a deterrent for the speed demons! They continue to use Greenwood Street as an extension from/to the nearby Route 20, where, on some swaths, you are allowed to drive 50 and 40 miles an hour!

Message to lawbreakers: GREENWOOD STREET IS NOT ROUTE 20!

A truly miserable experience: A few days ago, I was on Greenwood Street following the law when out of nowhere a crappy blue pick up truck, some gypsy contractor no doubt, got right on my tail. It was 90 degrees out. I have no ac! I was pissed! I gave him the Wusta finga!

So: What did he do. Damn near smash into my fender! For spit! To scare me! In short: Road Rage. There he was half his body outside his driver’s window! There he was screaming! Shaking his fist!

I stayed the course (at the correct speed limit) and then signaled to take a right to enter a parking lot, so this jerk could go his dangerous way. Then I would get his license plate number and call the police.

But what did the creep do? He followed me into the parking lot, hopped out of his rusted out crap-mobile and charged me.

Of course he forgot to put his truck brakes on!

I told him: Hey! You forgot to put on your brakes. Your truck is rolling backwards!

He jumped into his truck and put his brakes on. Didn’t thank me and jumped out of his truck again as if to attack me.

I didn’t get out of my car, took photos of his truck and license plate and told him who I was. I told him he was gonna star in InCity Times and that I was going to personally call Worcester Police Chief Gemme, who always returns my calls. A great guy, who ICT has supported for years!

Well, I called Chief Gemme left a long message for him. Told him the speeding on Greenwood Streeet is out of control and he needs to bring back the cop who would sit on the side of the road with his radar gun.

A WPD deputy chief called me back. I missed his call. But we are working on this …

So, speed jerk/s, this one’s for you!