(Ed. Note: The following letter was sent to the Plandome Village Board and is printed here at the writer's request.)

Recently, three stop signs were removed from Heights Road. Two that faced east and west on Heights Road at Heights Court as well as one that was on the northeast corner of Heights Court.

The nature of Heights Road is such that from either the easterly or westerly direction one can see the end of the road from top or bottom (Brookside). This lay of the land lends itself to people driving at excessive speeds. Some of our youth that use this street tear up and down as if driving on a closed circuit speedway. The sound from the screeching tires and engines running at full throttle leave one breathless. Anyone, man or beast stands little chance during the daylight hours and none at all at night.

Since I had lived on Heights Road for these past seven years, those stop signs have been in place. I have seen both residents as well as those "passing through" accelerate to speeds reaching 50mph. While the stop signs were in place it was sometimes necessary for police to monitor the speeders from Heights Court. However, they were a deterrent!

At most recent count there are 25 children under the age of 15 living on this street. Most have been instructed as any good parent would, that they are never to run into the street. But why should we as residents have to restrict our lifestyle to safeguard our very lives? And what should happen if one day a child forgets, as children often do, and runs into the street then to be run down by a car exceeding the speed limit of the village? What of the residents who stroll through this beautiful community at dusk? Are they not entitled to be safeguarded by the village? Is it necessary for them to leap from the street to the safety of someone's grass to avoid a catastrophe?

We have been told that the stop signs were illegal. We don't object to LIPA placing their poles on our property to provide utilities, and we certainly don't object to the village placing stop signs adjacent to our properties to ensure the safety and lawfulness of the driving public.

Our children are so precious. Why leave this to chance? Why wait for a fatality? We want our stop signs back in place.

Linda C. Gambino