file photo by Boyd Loving
The prevalence of driving with phone in hand is very high. But the worst case I have seen was a woman driving a Hummer, talking on her cell phone with one hand and holding a cup of coffee in the other. She would regularly turn from Meadowbrook onto Fairfield during the school rush while steering that Hummer with her knees! She was followed closely in stupidity to the man driving down Rt 17S during rush hour while reading his newspaper. PLEASE, for everyone’s sake, DRIVE SAFELY!
Stupid is as stupid does..next time you are on route 17 or 208 and get side lane drifted by the Car next to you..look in your rear view mirror and see them with their heads down typing some inane reply.My Life is worth more than your social agenda..let cortana Robot reply dictate a reply if needed..on my way late etc,..put your phone in a dash
Cradle ESP for GPS SAFETY.If kids are in the Car ..then shame…Schools open folks demonstrate some restraint and leadership to them as well.they learn boundaries from seeing you operate,
Do you think Bill Gates and Apple and the like companies care? If you die looking at their phones ? They got you go by the balls. They predicted the addiction to these hand held devices. They know that most people are idiots. It’s safer to hold your,….. you know what in the car. I just gave you a little thrill right. Mental thrill that is.
who am I? Hint, I don’t own a SMART PHONE. I am old and I ain’t smaat.
Use of cell phones and texting while driving should be treated the same as DUI, the end results are the same.
Not to get into a fight or anything.. and I whole heartedly agree that there is a prevalence of distracted driving (in Ridgewood and elsewhere), but there is also a prevalence of “careless walking” by pedestrians who have their heads in their phones or put their faith in “the law” (drivers must yield to pedestrians) and do not walk defensively, forgetting that a soccer mom will be in the wrong and will feel really bad – and may even go to jail – after hitting and killing you in her 5000lb SUV… but you will be DEAD.
And please don’t go on about this being a “blame the victim” rant.
This is not blaming the victim… it is a “be responsible for staying alive” rant.
The lady in the picture is the crossing guard by BF. She is the best, absolutely the best. So serious about the job, so pleasant, knows everyone, and makes dead certain that the intersection is safe for pedestrians. I have seen drivers almost hit her and she keeps her cool. Worse now with sun glare. Her name is Rosanne. Love her.
@4:38, I bet she is great but we have two of the best near Ridge – can it be a tie? I swear they will stand in front of your child before a car hits them. Jane across from the school and I forget his name but the Vietnam vet at Ridgewood Ave and Monroe. Both amazing.
5:58 – it is such a dangerous job and the distracted drivers make it all the more risky for the crossing guards. Drivers are texting, talking, drinking coffee, dealing with sun glare…..and for some reason drivers get pissed off at crossing guards, like they are an irritation. What the heck? We are so lucky to have many such wonderful and devoted guards in Ridgewood. I read that Paterson is lacking guards at major dangerous intersections. And we have at least three (according to this blog) of the most amazing!
In high school driving class we were told never to take our eyes off the road for one second because the car was a potential instrument of death. I believed them and never have strayed!
I love the crossing guard at BF. She has been there for years. Careful in her job and a wonderful upbeat person. I hope she stays for many more years.
I walk my dog near a Ridgewood Ave intersection. I see lots of people, all ages, using their phones. All the moms and dads who tell their kids not to be a distracted driver.
8:11 – You are absolutely correct! It only takes a split second for an accident to happen. Put down the phones and stop slurping the coffee and drive!
I can’t believe people have to even be told not to be on their phones – use common sense! I saw a guy in a convertible the other day on E Ridgewood ave talking on a hand held cell – in full view – not even trying to “hide” it
As I said at the beginning of these comments, in a vulgar way, but the truth, is thosee smaat phones are addictive. Seriously, like cigarettes and sugar etc. You don’t have to wait for the experiment results to come in. If you are smaat that is. Just like cigarettes and sugar smaat people realized it 50 years ago that certain things are addictive.