Festive Buck in Acushnet Has a Serious Message for Gammons Road Drivers

While there are laws in place to prevent drivers from reaching for their phones or putting the pedal to the metal, one Acushnet resident is taking matters into her own hands with the help of her good friend, John Wayne.

Laurie Rollins lives in the last house on Gammons Road in Acushnet with her husband Jim. She loves spending time in her front yard with her three poodles and taking in the beautiful scenery, but one thing she hates to see is people on their phones speeding. Three years ago, Rollins purchased a gigantic plastic buck that she lovingly named John Wayne due to her love of the old-time actor.

“I wanted to do something fun out front,” said Rollins, and for the past three years, she has changed his wardrobe to coincide with holidays and special events to simply make people smile. Recently, she decided to use John to send a message to the speedsters on Gammons Road.

Get our free mobile app

“This summer, he’s workin’ hard to remind drivers that Gammons Road is not the Indy 500,” Rollins wrote on Facebook. Decked out in a Hawaiian shirt, leis, and shades, John stands by a sign that reads, “Honk if you’re lookin’ at me and not at your cell phone!”

On her walks around the neighborhood, Rollins is sad to see so many people with their heads buried in their phones while behind the wheel. Add in speeding to the mix, and you've got one big problem, so she hopes her new sign will encourage drivers to ease up.

“This area is so pretty, if you’re driving too fast, you’re missing out,” Rollins said. “Slow down and take it in.”

John Wayne was an idea to give people something to laugh about, and hopefully, get people to slow down.

Rollins said that the sign is there to stay, and she’s open to recommendations on where to find clothing big enough for John Wayne the Buck.