Motorists who have not encountered them should be on the lookout for these obstructions that may appear in the road leading into Hatchet Bay.
It’s a recurring sight in Hatchet Bay and on the already deadly roads of Eleuthera, it may be an accident, waiting to happen. Around the corner, just before entering the town of Hatchet Bay from the south, these cows may be seen grazing along side the road and often as shown in the photograph meandering into the road. How deadly can an accident with a cow be? See this recent article in the USA on a Fatal accident involving cows on the road.
In 2010 a resident of North Eleuthera voiced concern about the issue, and while it appeared to abate for a time, it’s just as applicable 4 years later.
Here is The Letter to the Editor, written back then:
As a citizen of the North Eleuthera District and a motorist, I take the opportunity using this letter to voice my concerns to the Humane Society and Road Traffic Department. I would like to address the issue of the cows in the vicinity of Hatchet Bay. Travelling back and forth from North to South five days a week, I usually pass these cows crossing the road (unsupervised) or very close to the side of the road. These encounters are both frightening and dangerous. The cows cross at their own pace sometimes stopping in the middle of the road. Other times they begin to cross and at the sound of approaching vechiles become unsure of which direction to go in. The owner of these animals is unknown to me but it is evident that he/she is unaware of much as they are putting the lives of the animals and by extension the lives of motorists in danger as well. These animals should be contained in a secure [containment].
