Be Careful Drivers: The Decoys Are Out

Watch out, o ye bad drivers! Especially those who don't stop for pedestrians in the crosswalks. A sign at the corner of E. Ridgewood and Maple says there will be 'decoys' that will be enforcing the law. Who knows who they'll be–little old ladies, stalwart gents, teens–but if you swerve around them, you're gonna get punished big time.

[Editor's note: For the record, it won't be little old ladies, but the police. This is also in the on Friday afternoon.]

We tried the experience (no, we're not decoys) out on an experimental basis a while ago and there seemed to be a tie with 50 percent stopping for us and 50 percent passing us by. We can only hope those numbers improve.

Lots of Women Gardeners of Ridgewood were out in force this morning decorating around Van Saun Park in anticipation of tomorrow's tree lighting. Usually they're doing that at the train station but because of construction, this is the second year the Gardeners have changed their venue.

Yes, it was cold outside, but no, the sturdy Gardners (who'd been there since 9am) said, they weren't cold. It was a bracing cold, one of them said, but, of course, being British, maybe she was just maintaining her stiff upper lip–no pun intended.

The Hobbyists Club met at last week, inside of course. All available parking spots were taken and, as one man rushed in a bit late, he said he thought there'd be 'at least 60 guys here today'. It was a short meeting, though, or at least it seemed so because within an hour, someone came outside and took both lawn signs down that announced the meeting.

Dorothy, who lives at the SHARE home for older citizens, stood outside in her mink coat surveying a new sidewalk being erected across from last week. At first it looked like she was supervising what the crew was doing but no, she said, she was merely standing outside to smoke.

"They won't let me smoke anywheres inside, you know," Dorothy said, a bit resignedly.