Chairs Along Halloween Parade Route Removed

It is a time-honored tradition in Toms River....people claiming a spot along Main Street days before the parade, by placing chairs, benches, even a sofa, along the route. This year the authorities have seen fit to remove them, only allowing chairs to be put along the street after noon of the day before the parade.

Riverguy understands that yes, when the wind blows, some of the chairs can become a hazard, and yes, the sidewalk can get a little squeezed. However, in my view, the chair phenomenon actually creates a "buzz" for the parade...people driving through the town see the chairs and get a sense of the keen anticipation that people have for the parade. People talk about seeing Main Street, fully lined with chairs, many days before the event. The speak of it with some degree of amazement.

Like it or not, "chair placing" has become a part of the parade ritual, and we'd better be careful about diminishing it. Riverguy hears people complaining all the time that holidays and events "aren't what they used to be" and "the fun is going out of things" etc.For the sake of tradition, and just plain fun, can't we for once resist the urge to "regulate" an event?

Pedestrian Law a Menace to All

In New Jersey, drivers must yield to pedestrians in marked crosswalks. This well-intentioned law needs to be repealed. People on foot should take responsibility for looking both ways and crossing when the way is clear. To expect 4,000 pound vehicles to stop every time someone steps off the curve is ridiculous.

The end result of this law has been that pedestrians routinely walk into crosswalks without even looking. They've been empowered by the law to do so, and they've developed an "attitude" along with it. You can see this in downtown Toms River on any busy weekday. Vehicles passing the library or the corner of Robbins & Washington have to jam on their breaks as people move right into the path of oncoming vehicles without even looking. These walkways have a cone in the center of the street. This is supposed to signify a right-of-way for the pedestrian, but all it does is create a traffic hazard. The walker is in jeopardy of getting run over, and the vehicle may get hit from behind because of the sudden stop. Let's use some common sense. Get rid of the cone AND the law...let pedestrians pay attention to traffic, look both ways, and cross when the way is clear.

Cell Phones, Cars, and Hands-free Talking

I don't know about everybody else, but I'm still seeing tons of drivers around Toms River talking with cell phones up to their ears. With hands-free kits and bluetooth (those funny bug-like ear inserts), there's really no excuse to still hold the phone up to your ear. The law has changed but people's habits haven't.

What's worse, I've actually seen people slunk down in their seats while talking on the phone, presumably so the rest of us (including the police, of course) won't notice. Trouble is, this only makes it more likely that they're going to rear-end someone or run a red light.

Maybe it seems like a small thing to be complaining about, but not when you think about the possible consequences. We're seeing more collisions, cars running off of the road, and vehicles hitting pedestrians. Sure, there are many causes for accidents, but I'd bet that people talking on cell phones and texting while they're driving (yikes!) accounts for a significant percentage of them.

I think the only way to really change the situation is for all of us to stop our friends and family from doing it. When you get in a car and the driver puts the phone up to his ear to make a call, say "Don't you have a hands-free kit?" If they say they don't, tell them they should have one because it makes talking on the phone easier, and safer (and of course, legal). A little negative feedback can go a long way.

Increase in Parkway Tolls a Big Blow to TR

What is going on here? A few years ago people were talking about removing tolls from the Parkway altogether, and now NJ residents -- and Ocean County / Toms River commuters in particular -- will get slammed with an incredible increase in Parkway tolls. Granted, something has to be done about the state debt, but this is the wrong remedy.

Big tools will make commuting from Toms River to NY or North Jersey too costly. We'll find good, hardworking local people having to move back North in order to be able to afford to get to their jobs.

And what about tourism? Will day-tripping North Jersey folks continue to come down here in droves? The average person is already paying more for food, rent, heat, etc. High tolls could just be the last straw. Seaside Heights will no doubt feel an impact. Our area could go into its own recession -- say what you want about the "bennies" -- but they are sure important to our local businesses. Let's not discourage them from coming down by picking their pockets at the toll booths.

Riverguy would rather see spending cuts, and if necessary, an increase in the state sales tax. If there has to be economic pain, let's do it so that everyone has to share the burden -- and areas like ours won't get singled-out.

Big Stink Leaves Something to Think About

On Friday, January 4th, a mysterious invisible cloud of smelly air engulfed much of Toms River. We would find out later that the smelly air travelled over 5 NJ counties.

Riverguy first noticed it as a burning, petroleum smell. It was subtle at first in the house, but when I opened the door the stench was so strong the the air was practically unbreathable. As time passed, more of it seeped into the house....and I began to wonder....what if this stuff is toxic? What if it just keeps getting stronger? After all, once is fully permeated the house, there would be nowhere else to go. I seriously considered jumping in the car to see if I could get out of the path of the smell.

Riverguy's wife called the police, and they said they knew about it (actually they we getting inundated with calls), but they didn't know what is was. Nothing was mentioned on local radio (at least that I could find).

In this age of terrorism, weren't we supposed to get some instructions about what to do? Stay put? Evacuate? Listen to a radio station for updates? What happened to all of our preparedness? Lots of money has been spent on Homeland security. We should have been informed quickly and clearly -- but instead we were all left guessing.

Also....how about tracking down the source? The wind direction and data on call reports should allow this to be pinpointed. Aren't there supposed to be air monitors in place?

How about lingering health effects on people? On animals? Sure, I'm probably over-reacting, but we'll never know if they don't find the source of the cloud, and the substance involved.

We deserve better.