Crashing The 4th

Posted on July 4, 2018 | 23 Comments

Sure, it’s a holiday.

But there’s seldom a day off from drivers plowing into a Compo Shopping Center storefront.

This was the scene earlier this morning:

(Photo/Amy Schneider)

Have a safe and happy 4th. Be careful out there!

This entry was posted in Local business, Transportation and tagged , . Bookmark the permalink.

23 responses to “Crashing The 4th”

  1. Luke Garvey | July 4, 2018 at 11:51 am |

    Just can’t wait to start his/her fitness program.

  2. Kathryn Sirico | July 4, 2018 at 11:57 am |

    The shopping center needs barriers before someone really is seriously injured.

    • Tyler Smith | July 5, 2018 at 1:18 am |

      Agreed. I can’t believe the owner has not installed any protection after dozens of these crashes.

  3. Jeff Seaver | July 4, 2018 at 12:09 pm |

    There really ought to be a Dan Woog 06880 contest for this, if it werent for the fact that several people have been really hurt. Someone I heard actually put their car in drive instead of reverse and drove it up the stairs next to Burger Lobster. That takes a level of creativity you don’t see every day.

    Cumberland Farms on Hillspoint & Post Road just put in 5′ high coated steel posts along the storefront to prevent just this sort of thing – I think that’s an idea that’s going to gain in popularity.

    That, or perhaps video instructions that light up on people’s phones when they turn on their car, showing a diagram, with arrows, and a voice-over, explaining how to choose between “R” and “D” on the transmission lever.

  4. John L Krause | July 4, 2018 at 12:18 pm |

    “That, or perhaps video instructions that light up on people’s phones when they turn on their car, showing a diagram, with arrows, and a voice-over, explaining how to choose between “R” and “D” on the transmission lever.”

    Love it! This blog needs a Like button 😉

    • Dan Woog | July 4, 2018 at 1:13 pm |

      There is a “Like” button for the blog at the top of the comments section. Unfortunately I can’t add one for each individual comment — sorry!

  5. India Penney | July 4, 2018 at 1:06 pm |

    Ok … happening once is one thing. But what is this … the 3rd or 4th time this year? Do we know if the drivers have been intoxicated? Or extremely elderly? This is bizarre.

    • Joyce Barnhart | July 4, 2018 at 4:39 pm |

      Obviously the cars were in the wrong gear, but maybe the curb is shorter than standard.

  6. Jack Backiel | July 4, 2018 at 1:12 pm |

    The rumor is that some 78 year old Staples graduate, from the class of 1958, saw a millennial, in a thong, and “put it in drive!”

  7. Deirdre Doran | July 4, 2018 at 1:20 pm |

    It’s unbelievable!

    Sent from my iPhone

    >

  8. K. F. Spearen | July 4, 2018 at 4:31 pm |

    Wow , that place is Unbelievable Now .. The landlord should look into installing large Bollard Poles ( Crash Poles ) in front of the stores , before someone gets killed .. I always park in the rear now , and Never walk in the Front anymore due to the numerous accidents like this …

  9. Jens Buettner | July 4, 2018 at 6:55 pm |

    wondering what’s the average age of all these crash drivers……..

  10. Sharon Paulsen | July 4, 2018 at 9:17 pm |

    Gives a new meaning to “Crash Test Dummies”.

    But, joking aside … this is bizarre how often it seems to happen, especially at that location.

    Nerve-wrecking for sure.

  11. Dan Woog | July 5, 2018 at 6:40 am |

    Serious question: Why does this happen so frequently on that side of that particular parking lot — but never on the CVS side? Very strange.

    • Jack Backiel | July 5, 2018 at 6:56 am |

      CVS=Cars Veer Sideways

    • David Webster | July 5, 2018 at 12:13 pm |

      Simple answer I suspect. Gold’s attracts a significantly older population than any of the businesses on the other side. And many studies have shown that these sudden accleration accidents are highly correlated with older drivers.

      • Joyce Barnhart | July 5, 2018 at 5:42 pm |

        David Webster: How old is this driver? I don’t remember seeing an age reported, not here nor at Westport Now.

    • Alison Kris | July 5, 2018 at 4:41 pm |

      I believe the CVS side has cement parking stoppers, while the Golds side does not.

      • Alison Kris | July 5, 2018 at 4:53 pm |

        Oops- I was wrong. No cement blocks on either side. The mystery continues. (Still, a cement parking stop is probably a good idea).

  12. Jeanine Esposito | July 5, 2018 at 9:40 am |

    It is a mystery. I just don’t understand why someone (property owner?) hasn’t put up some simple cement barrier poles along the edge of the sidewalk after so many cars have plowed through the windows. Isn’t this an obvious safety solution? Hopefully they’re not waiting until someone gets hurt to make an adjustment like that. We’ve been lucky on that so far.

  13. Mark Bachmann | July 5, 2018 at 11:34 am |

    Good Lord – the employees in those stores are living in a combat zone!