gringomojado

© Provided by NBC ChicagoBeloved Oak Park Bike Shop Reopens After Horrific CrashOn Nov. 11, Oak Park police said an intoxicated driver plowed into the front of the store causing enough damage to suggest the building may have to be demolished.
But owner Jeff Hajduk said several 4x4s and temporary beams were enough to pass code and fully reopen just two weeks after the incident.

"It was unbelievable. Everything was knocked to the east," said Hajduk. "It was devastating looking out at the front there."

The 110-year-old business sits along the busy stretch of North Avenue in Oak Park where Hajduk says drivers often speed. He told NBC 5 there was another close call a few days after last month’s crash.

He is working on a plan to ask the village to install a stop light or speed cameras to increase safety and protect his business.

"Just way too fast and not paying attention. … I would love to see a speed camera,” said Hajduk.

He credits the push to reopen in such a short time to his loyal customers. Since the crash, Hajduk said random people have gifted him signs and are placing a plethora of layaway orders.

"We’re like 50% up for that so that’s great," said Hajduk.

Permanent repair work on the bike shop is expected to begin no earlier than next spring.

ess than a month after an alleged drunk driver crashed a vehicle into a beloved Oak Park bike shop, causing a portion of the building to collapse, the oldest family run business in the village is back open.

© Provided by NBC ChicagoBeloved Oak Park Bike Shop Reopens After Horrific Crash

thumpism 

Something similar happened to a bike shop here several years ago. Used to be that cars had to worry about trees jumping out in front of them and now it's buildings.

raceboy

I’m sure the cops concluded that the cyclists inside the bike shop caused the crash.

rumrunn6

good news but sounds like they need a guard rail installed at the curb before a pedestrian is killed. or maybe that's what it would take, for decision makers, to make that decision


there's a company for that
https://bollardcompany.com/blog/find...size-project-/

a pizza shop in my area had a fatlity when a driver drove thru the front of this pizza shop. I see now that they installed bollards

unrelated? btw, about a year prior to the accident, I had a visitation, from a deceased uncle, while I was eating pizza, sitting on a window stool. was it a portal of some kind?

kuroba

Happened in my town too! Crazy how these LBS love to get in the way of speeding cars

Korina

I'd rather the cities re-designed their streets so drivers feel more comfortable driving slower.

rumrunn6

you mean like the "traffic calming" roadblacks we see popping up?

https://globaldesigningcities.org/pu...ng-strategies/

Korina

Exactly!

indyfabz

I remember seeing pinch points in suburban Gothenburg, Sweden way back in '88.

rumrunn6

wow! so far ahead of us! wonder what they are doing now, that we will adopt in 2054?

indyfabz

Completely different attitude there. Same with drinking and driving. I was staying with a young woman who I had dated when she was an au pair back in the states. One night we went into the city for dinner, drinks and a movie. We took the bus to avoid any possible DUI. Penalties, at least at the time, were pretty severe even for a first offense. We were not the only ones. The bus back home to the 'burbs was crowded. Some people were dressed like they had been at the opera.

Bald Paul

Was that Mystic Pizza?

rumrunn6

hehe, well, mystical!

Altair 4

Ummm....what kind of mushrooms were on the pizza? Asking for a friend.

rumrunn6

hehe no seriously, I swear, it was my Uncle! walked across the street, made a left on the sidewalk & walked past me. no eye contact. he came from the same direction as the car that would come into the glass window where I was sitting a year or two later. the last time I saw him, at my Mom's house, many years earlier. I had asked her, before he arrived, if this was the last time I would see him. he rarely if ever came to her house. we had a nice short visit, he had a great smile & laugh. she undoubtedly told him what I said to her. anyway, that was indeed the last time I saw him (alive) because I was visiting from out of state & he later moved out of state. I didn't go to his funeral. I should have. I have some theories about visitations. I've had several

drlogik 

These bike shops need to get tickets for Reckless Wrenching.

thumpism 

Guess what I found in the garage? It's in the local rag dated 22 January 2002.

Digger Goreman

How many times have I heard motorists say, "You belong on the sidewalk!"?

Hypocrites....

blue192

If this guy was indeed drunk as alleged by the police, then he should at least go back to the shop and purchase a bicycle for transportation. After all the courts will take his license away if he has one for driving whilst drunk.

Digger Goreman

So... a "pre-emptive strike"? "I thought if I knocked hard enough, they'd sell me a bike!"

CroMo Mike 

I've stood in that very spot many times. Glad I wasn't there on the afternoon of Jan. 21, 2002.