Every single Road Warrior column is a car wreck

An NJ Transit double-decker train at the Secaucus Junction on Friday. The extra seats are welcome, but the rail cars come with a dangerous interior design flaw: low luggage racks on the upper level that can crack a commuter's head.

By Victor E. Sasson
Editor

I pity North Jersey commuters who don't drive to work, either because they don't want to be stuck in massive traffic jams or can't afford a car, insurance and the exorbitant tolls.

They won't find any help from the media, especially The Record, whose transportation reporters are obsessed with the minutiae of driving in the Garden State or simply are too lazy to ride public transit and report on its many problems.

Another car wreck

On Friday, Staff Writer John Cichowski -- desperate for a column idea -- seized on a report from the New Jersey Public Interest Group "to confirm what most Americans probably either know or suspect" (Friday's Local front).

But the "nearly 7 percent" reduction in the number of drivers from 2005 to 2011 doesn't apply to New Jersey, and is probably outdated.

So, why is Cichowski -- aka "The Addled Commuter" -- wasting a Road Warrior column on it?

In fact, rush-hour traffic jams at the Hudson River crossings, and on the turnpike and parkway, seem as massive as ever. 

And the number of speeders and other maniacal drivers are even more numerous, likely due to an historically low level of enforcement.

Those are the real stories ignored by Cichowski and The Record's lazy local assignment editors.

Instant amnesia

In his Wednesday column, Cichowski couldn't remember what he had reported only three days before -- in his first column about a driver who was ticketed for flashing his lights to warn others of police radar.

According to a concerned reader:

"He [Cichowski] was unable to comprehend or remember his own reporting from Aug. 25, where he stated that the president of state Police Traffic Safety Officers Association came to the driver's defense, or that multiple readers' online comments on his Aug. 25 article came to the driver's defense."

Go to the Facebook page for Road Warrior Bloopers to read the entire e-mail to Editor Marty Gottlieb and the other mucky mucks in management and the newsroom, including the addled reporter himself:

Road Warrior embarrasses The Record again 

Obama and Syria

I just saw the news President Obama will ask Congress for approval of his plan to bomb Syria for killing 1,429 in a gas attack (A-1 today).

That means readers will have to endure days or possibly weeks more of jaw-boning in the media -- a colossal waste of space.

With Syria coverage adding to all of the shore-Sandy stories (A-1 today and Friday), the politics, the adulation for Governor Christie and who knows what else, North Jersey readers are feeling neglected.

Another weird poll

Can anyone believe a Fairleigh Dickinson University poll reporting that 29 percent of Democrats prefer Christie -- the GOP bully -- over state Sen. Barbara Buono, a Democrat (Friday's A-3)?

The only Democrats who are going to vote for the worst New Jersey governor ever are multimillionaires who have been spared an income-tax surcharge -- thanks to Christie's repeated vetoes -- and business owners who are reaping millions in state tax breaks, but not creating jobs.

Always room for dessert

In Friday's Better Living tabloid (BL-18), Restaurant Reviewer Elisa Ung wastes readers' time with another forgettable restaurant -- Central Kitchen in Englewood Cliffs.

But Ung sampled two desserts anyway, explaining why her column photo hasn't been updated since she joined The Record nearly 6 years ago.

Her mouth and chin no longer fits in the thumbnail format.

Road Warrior's parking, travel guide is a bust

Leaving Manhattan through the Lincoln Tunnel.

Editor's note: A concerned reader says don't bother relying on a recent Road Warrior column the next time you visit Manhattan, because Staff Writer John Cichowski is peddling his usual brand of misinformation.

 

Once again, the Road Warrior provides misleading, incomplete, or false information that is a disservice to readers.

This is the 15th time I've notified the Road Warrior and The Record about his mistaken reporting since his 9/12 article without any corrective action taken to prevent these problems.

The Road Warrior mentions many mythical Roman Latin obstacles, including. Parkus Interruptis, for discouraging travel to mid-town Manhattan for out-of-state house guests.  The biggest Roman Latin obstacle may be Amnesia by the Road Warrior.  The second biggest obstacle may simply be Confusio Ad Nauseum by the Road Warrior.

Road Warrior column of 11/18 should have been user friendly and educational for out-of-town guests and not mysteriously confusing.

Amnesia by the Road Warrior, who forgot to mention very important helpful info noted below.

1. Paid parking garages/lots are available in Manhattan - While expensive, many times this is the easiest, safest, & most convenient way to park.  It avoids confusing street parking signs or endless searches for a street parking space, which sometimes can be hard to find, particularly for out-of-state guests.  Less expensive parking lots & more street parking are available on the far West 
Side.  Google "Manhattan Parking" for links to paid parking garages/lots.

2. PATH trains service is running limited service from 5 am to 10 pm seven days per week from Newark Penn Station through Jersey City's Journal Square Station to Manhattan's 33rd St. Station.   There is currently no PATH service from Hoboken or to downtown Manhattan due to outages from Sandy.  See www.panynj.gov/path for info and further updates to more complete PATH service.

Let's not leave out-of-town guests guessing about this vital public transportation option. [The Road Warrior said there was no PATH service -- Editor].

3. Park and Ride service for NJ Transit trains to Manhattan's Penn Station is available at the Secaucus Junction train station ( accessible via Route 3 or the NJ Turnpike via Exit 15X) seven days per week.  See parkfast.com/content/secaucus-parking.jsp for parking info and njtransit.com for train schedules.

This has been reported and promoted by The Record and Road Warrior in the distant past.

4. Complimentary bus shuttle routes are available from NY Waterway's Manhattan 39th St. Terminal for ferry customers - Buses travel to/from various destinations as far north as Lincoln Center or as far south to Greenwich Village. Check 800-533-3779 or nywaterway.com.

No need to take taxis or the subway if out-of-town guests utilize this forgotten info.

Confusio Ad Nauseum by the Road Warrior: (All Road Warrior readers favor accurate info)

1. Misleading False Statement - "Some Road Warrior readers favor aquus velocitis, New York Waterway's eight speedy ferries, which have been shuttling New Jerseyans to Manhattan daily since the early 1990s."

CORRECT FACTS - There are currently nine speedy ferries.  Only 3 shuttle New Jerseyans to Manhattan (39th St. Terminal only) daily, seven days a week.  Call or check website just prior to holidays for schedules, which can be a modified weekend schedule.  The other 6 operate on weekdays only, excluding holidays.  Six ferries arrive at the 39th St. terminal.  Three ferries only offer service to downtown Manhattan. Check 800-533-3779 or nywaterway.com.

I'm sure The Record and Road Warrior would not want to be responsible for out-of-state visitors to arrive at 6 out of the 9 ferries on weekends or holidays, only to find them closed.

2. Misleading, Confusing, Incomplete, and False Statements -   "But daily round-trip fares [for ferries] are pricey — as high as $18, although cheaper for students and seniors if bought in monthly lots. Add $10 to $12 parking costs, too."

CORRECT FACTS -  Daily round trip fares are pricey - from $12 to $20.50.  Round trip tickets are cheaper for seniors.  10 one-way trips can also be discounted. Check 800-533-3779 or nywaterway.com .

Road Warrior forgot to mention that tickets for children 6 -11 are discounted, with children 5 and under free, since many out-of-state visitors might bring along their children.

Student monthly passes are only for full time students studying here in the NYC metropolitan area and would not be applicable for out-of-state visitors.  Other out-of-state visitors are not going to be interested in Road Warrior's monthly passes, unless they are planning to be working 5 days a week in NYC to support all of their shopping and entertainment.

Weehawken Port Imperial ferry location has parking costs of $10 to $12 with a $2 online coupon for weekend and weekday evening parking.  Many of the other ferry locations do not have paid or metered parking.  Check 800-533-3779 or nywaterway.com.

I'm sure The Record and Road Warrior would not want to be responsible for out-of-state visitors driving many of the ferries only to find parking is not available.

3. Misleading Unsafe Statement - "Try limiting your trips only to Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day. Parkus [Interruptis] naps on those days, as well as on New Year's Eve."

CORRECT FACTS - Your guests should try to use public transportation into Manhattan if they decide they must abandon you and travel to NY City on Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's Day, or New Year's Eve because while Parkus Interruptis naps on those days, Life Interruptis and Traffic Interruptis are wide awake and at their most dangerous for the year for those riding in cars.

The Record and Road Warrior would be kind of negligent in advising out-of-state visitors to drive their cars into the city on some of the most dangerous traffic days of the year.

4. Misleading Statement Due to Missing Item -   A reader "offers this Black Friday tip: Lord & Taylor on 38th Street at 7 a.m. when the store is empty and quiet and the sales are good."

CORRECT FACTS -   Who knows if anything will be available at 7 a.m, since the store at 38th and Fifth Ave. (it's nice to give a cross street for locating the store) will open at 5 a.m. on this coming Black Friday.

5. Typos Interruptis -  "you're left with pedaling into the city — cyclis compulsis — which requires you to compete with serious athletes, often in groups of three more as you cross the George Washington Bridge"

CORRECT TYPING - "you're left with pedaling into the city — cyclis compulsis — which requires you to compete with serious athletes, often in groups of three OR more as you cross the George Washington Bridge"

Here's hoping for change and better fact checking, corrections, reviewing (Googling?), and screening of readers' ideas in the Road Warrior columns by The Record's editors, columnists, & reporters, for more reliable, accurate, and common sense info prior to publication.