Bikers, the ones on motorcycles, showed up for the first of two weekends devoted to enthusiasts, one in the spring, and one in the fall. I guess it’s a good idea for the bikers and business owners who reap the profits, but it’s not really that great for others. They don’t really cause much trouble; but their machines belch out deafening roars. The law requires mufflers on cars, so I don’t really get the purpose of the unwritten exemption.
Another new section of boardwalk has been completed for the Moreys. The replaced walk also provides better vehicle access to their piers. No one seems all that interested in replacing parts of the walk in other places, although it’s planned for the future. The city says that UEZ money was used for the new work, and that looks as if it’s maybe going to dry up under the new governor. It would be nice if city officials cared as much about the streets as they do about the boards, but no one has worried about Wildwood streets for at least the past 50 years. If they announced they were going to repave all streets with concrete, the former mayor would probably show a lot of interest.
Just an observation, but the tram cars used to stop before reaching Mariner’s Landing, that is, until the Moreys took over the old Fun Pier, where The Great White rollercoaster now sits. It suddenly became a good idea to improve the boardwalk so the tram cars could run all the way to each end. This is all simply coincidental, I suppose.
Residents can hope that if Wildwood ever decides to improve the main avenues it doesn’t follow the formula used for the north section of Pacific Avenue. This past year they announced the rest of Pacific was going to be improved, and there was even talk of LEDs to light the way. Fortunately, that hasn’t happened. It still amazes me how, after three attempts, they still managed to mess up the street! The downtown area used to bustle during the summers, day and night, but shopping malls are not the reason it went downhill in a hurry.
Rarely missing an opportunity to use someone else’s idea, former city officials attempted to emulate Cape May’s pedestrian mall. They forgot a few things, however, and one was that Wildwood is not Cape May and shouldn’t try to be. Merchants along Pacific Avenue were forced to pay for this fiasco, and many of them left town after discovering that the pedestrians were on the boardwalk. Thankfully, they finally tore up the mall and gave the bricks away to residents who yearned to create their own pedestrian malls.
While trying to figure out what the three-foot high letters painted on the bike trail in North Wildwood, reading, “BIKE ONLY” meant, I determined, by observation, that it means walk with toddlers and dogs, obstructing those on bicycles. Strollers also seem to fit within the definition of bikes. I’m not talking about an isolated incident, but a rather common occurrence among those who think they’re special and don’t have to follow any rules. Also, even during this early part of the season, the wooden pathway running from 13th Avenue south, has only two or three signs in each direction indicating that one side is for bikes, and the other is for pedestrians. They clearly need a greater number of signs, and should consider installing flashing lights and alarms.
Speaking of people not following rules, I saw a sloppy-looking individual park his vehicle in the fire zone in front of a dollar store, hang a handicapped sign on his rearview mirror, and waddle into the store. These people never seem to get cited by the police for being arrogant and idiotic.
Also, for anyone who’s interested, drivers making left turns do not have the right-of-way over oncoming traffic at stop signs, and there is no “taking turns” at a regular two-way stop sign, only at three- and four-way stops.
For anyone who’s interested, the marshes are starting to green up, and the unusually high number of flood tides has the laughing gulls squawking, but not laughing, about their floating nests, which shouldn’t be floating. If the eggs start to get away, the gulls sometimes destroy them.
Some of the seasonal stores off the walk have opened for the season, some only on weekends and some full time. Others are waiting for more crowds. Hired help is hard to come by at this time of year without importing workers from other countries. There’s that school thing here. It may be even harder to find help this year because some Philly teachers went on strike, and the students have to hang around up there until the end of June. I remember when my Philly friends would wait for me to get out of school each day because they got out so much earlier than we did. Things change. . .
They’re still building condos, even though they can’t sell the ones already built. Some people still don’t understand that Wildwood visitors want motels, not condos or high rises. That’s the way it’s been for at least fifty years, and it’s not likely to change based on developers’ whims.
This whole article has been a bit whimsical, so I’ll just add that the Ferris wheel on Mariner’s Landing still has LED’s, but it seems just a bit brighter than last year, and the change of colors and patterns is back. Well, at least there’s some good news. . .