Ridgewood Nj, We picked this post up from it Takes a Ridgewood Village page on Facebook.We had to read it twice I could not believe it .
from Audra Guscott Shelko
Hi everyone. I’m looking for some help. My son, John, was riding his bike home from Ridgewood Cycle yesterday, May 14th . Around 3:30PM he was struck on his bike by an SUV in the Ben & Jerry’s intersection. The car threw him from the bike, and ran over the bike but was able to stop before hitting him again while on the ground. The driver asked if he was OK and then left. She didn’t get out to wait with him for help, offer to call mom or ask how he was getting home on a broken bike. I called the police when he got home and John wasn’t able to provide much information. It happened quickly and he was pretty shaken up.
Other drivers stopped to ask if he was OK but no one contacted the police. So I’m posting to see if anyone was at Ben & Jerry’s, East Coast Burger or in town for sidewalk sale days and saw/heard anything. If so, please contact the Ridgewood Police or me at audra.shelko@gmail.com.
I find this amazing at such a busy intersection that no one cares. I have said in the past that on weekends there should be more of a police presence in the CBD.
I’m glad it sounds like John is ok medically, though I’m sure he must be very shaken up! I’ve been saying for years that drivers all over Ridgewood and especially in the CBD show little concern for pedestrians and cyclists. In fact, many show downright contempt for them, as if stopping for a pedestrian in a crosswalk is somehow putting them out – making them “late” for wherever they’re rushing to! I hope the new Village Council directs the police to strictly enforce aggressive driving, speeding and failure to yield in town. People are literally dying in the streets here in town and the only things residents seem to get upsets about are Valley, HDH, baseball fields and the garage. You can fight your pet concern AND call/email your council people to take action on pedestrian safety, they’re not mutually exclusive!
Every crosswalk in the CBD should have a prominent sign that reads “STATE LAW – STOP – FOR PEDESTRIANS IN CROSSWALK”
Downtown greenwich has these signs, and they can be read clearly from 100′ away.
Contact the banks in that area for surveillance footage. Especially the on on the corner opposite Ben and Jerry’s and ECB and the one behind Ben and Jerry’s. Do it quick because they erase them. Demand the police be involved in it. Agree with 12:16, the Ridgewood Police are never around.
If the town had accepted the $ from Bolger for CBD cameras, we wouldn’t still be guessing who the hit and run driver is. He/she would be in jail already.
all Bolger donations come with “ropes” attached , beside do you actually know where they were going to place the camera’s ??? Its a rather bold statement that “He/she would be in jail already” really ?
Too bad he didn’t get the license plate…understandable why. Surely driving away was not merely inconsiderate, but a crime.
some one had to see some thing, come on. thank god he’s ok. the hell with the bike. what was the driver thinking, yes it could of been any one’s fault, but call the e m s to check him out, not thinking.
Police need to get fannies out of airconditioned bubble car. They want to write tickets at 100 k Pannum
Special signage protecting sacred east coast burgher driveway is another mess creating confusion and traffic backups w left turns across approaching traffic that occurs one car space up from turning corner light right behind
They shud reverse this entry to avenue and flip exit to a safe right only
Best if minors dismount and cross as pedestrians at least facing the drivers head on or checking over left shoulders for mr magoos.street fair brought out of towners unfamiliar speeders texters. Have to update status to their adoring narcisists
Agree with 5:14. Break out the walking shoes and stop wasting gas…especially if there’s a festival in town.
It’s John Shelko-
The car had the red light, but I still made eye contact. Maybe their foot slipped, still not sure. The bike is mangled and I was hardly able to ride it home. The paramedics insisted on an x-ray, but all that happened was a sprained shoulder. I am okay.
the important thing first and foremost is that you are OK, sounds like you were pretty lucky
John Shelko, thanks for letting us know you are (sort of) okay. How did you feel when they drove away?
John – I am so glad that you are OK. Get your parents to head over to those banks first thing in the morning to try and get their video surveillance. I would bet money that they would capture the SUV on their cameras that you could recognize. I hope you get some closure to what happened.
1:02 you watch to much CSI and for the rest of the posters its alway the cops fault. What are the chances that a cop on foot patrol would be at the intersection and not walking a beat in another area. God forbid you blame the driver for nor stoping or calling the parents. No,, just blame the cops.
8:04.
What are you talking about?! I’m not blaming the cops for this, (and all of the other pedestrian strikes in crosswalks), I’m blaming the self absorbed drivers who don’t follow the laws of the state of NJ! Anyone who spends 10 minutes walking around the CBD knows exactly what I’m talking about. I know there are plenty of drivers with the twisted mentality, “I’m gong to “win” in a one on one with a pedestrian”…so its there fault! These folks simply don’t give a “you know what” about their fellow man. All they care about is getting to the bagel store without being inconvenienced by pesky pedestrians or bikers.
James, despite the “ropes” attached to Mr Bolger’s donations, I don’t think its much of a stretch to think that 5 or 6 cameras placed around the CBD couldn’t have helped in identifying who the driver was… I know cameras aren’t “Laissez-faire” and all but they helped London identify the 7-11 bombers in a matter of hours. I’m not equating the hit and run driver from Friday with being a terrorist but you have to admit we have a problem in the CBD that is being largely ignored by past and present Village Councils.
I lose count of the times I see cars driving up the well marked bike lane under the station and drivers are so unaware of bikes / pedestrians generally in town.
8:47 No one said you were ” And for the rest of the posters” get it.
“problem in the CBD that is being largely ignored by past and present Village Councils.” What problems? Pedestrians be hit. It does happen. Whats your plan cameras? What else and at what cost.
John Shelko, thanks for letting us know you are okay. How did you feel when they drove away?
yes they need to go back to walking the beet. they did it years a go, or buy scooters like in the city. come on, we have a lot of new cops, they can walk.
Most hazardous crosswalk for adults and children in front of Library 2000 yards from PD Headquarters. Kings lot high perch easiest enforcement trap with a radio and an officer on foot to do pullovers. Mid avenue crosswalk STREET Markings are faded and ignored by drivers
Means some work vs the parking lot enforcement on head in and repeat parking violations..while people visitors to town are shopping !,,,!,DUH