Last Thursday, I took the time to reach out to the Flagler Beach Police Department with what I thought was a very reasonable concern. As a disabled resident who uses a wheelchair for mobility, I regularly cross Highway 100 at Roberts Road — a legal crosswalk with a proper pedestrian signal.

Unfortunately, I have had multiple close calls where vehicles turning off Highway 100 have cut me off in the crosswalk, even when I had a clear walk signal. In one case, a large F-150 truck nearly hit me, while a Flagler Beach police cruiser sat nearby and did not intervene. I wasn’t angry about it when it happened. I simply wanted clarification: What are my rights? What is the department’s policy for protecting pedestrians, especially those of us who are vulnerable by default?

I wrote the letter politely. I offered to meet in person if they wanted. I gave them my contact information. It wasn’t an angry rant; it was a citizen reaching out to their local police force to ask for help understanding how to stay safe.

It is now Monday afternoon — and I have heard nothing back. Not a call. Not an email. Not even an acknowledgment that my message was received.

Maybe that seems like a small thing to some people. After all, it has only been a couple of business days. But Flagler Beach is not a large city. We’re a small, tightly knit community — or at least we’re supposed to be. If our local officials can’t be bothered to even acknowledge concerns from disabled residents about basic safety, what does that say about where their priorities really lie?

I’m not here to attack anyone. I still appreciate the officers who work to keep this town safe. But silence in the face of a legitimate safety concern sends its own kind of message — and it’s not a good one.

Ignoring the vulnerable, even unintentionally, is still ignoring the vulnerable. And if you’re willing to ignore people like me — who are just trying to cross the street safely — what else will be overlooked?

I’ll keep speaking up, even if no one answers the first time.

Because our lives — all of our lives — deserve more respect than silence.

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