A Sonic Injury

I've now been to both the Sonic in Totowa and the one in Hasbrouck Heights New Jersey. The first thing that greets you is the incredible line of cars waiting to get into the lots. It's worse at Hasbrouck Heights because of the layout and construction along Route 17, but traffic can and does get backed up onto the mainline highways.

I can't entirely say what the fascination is with the fast food served, although the limeades are quite tasty. The rest of the food is typical fast food fare.

Police have been at both locations since the chain opened locations in New Jersey to manage traffic, and routinely direct cars away since the parking lots can't handle the traffic. These police are putting themselves in danger, and last night a police officer in Hasbrouck Heights was injured after being struck by a car while directing traffic.

The officer, whose name was not immediately released, was in serious condition at Hackensack University Medical Center, police said. They still were interviewing witnesses late tonight, and released few details.

Several teenagers in their cars at the drive-in heard the crash and ran to the scene, on Route 17 north. They saw a Honda Civic with its front end smashed, facing north, and up against an Acura SUV facing south, both vehicle pinned against the center median in the northbound lane.

They said they saw the officer pinned between the two cars. “The officer wasn’t moving … his eyes were closed,” said Ryan Conlon, 17, of Allendale.

“We heard, like, a screech, and then a loud thud … it sounded like somebody hit something heavy,” said Conlon, who was at the drive-in with two friends, Brandon Neuburger, 18, of Allendale, and Nicole Piazza, 18, of Ho-Ho-Kus.

Police called for help from other departments along Route 17 to help clear the way while en route to the hospital with the injured officer.

I don't think Sonic had any idea of the traffic their chain would generate, or the road rage generated by cars waiting for more than an hour to get into a fast food chain.

My thoughts and prayers go out to the family of the injured officer.