The 7-Eleven convenience store at 5114 River Road in Bethesda has installed safety bollards across the tops of parking spaces that face its storefront. They are the heavy-duty model, designed to prevent vehicles from accelerating forward and crashing into customers or the building itself.
Drivers smashing their vehicles into stores is a phenomenon that has grown in frequency, if not an epidemic yet. It happened most recently within a Sonny Jurgensen football's throw from here, at the Whole Foods Market in the Kenwood Station shopping center. That incident seems to have spurred 7-Eleven to make sure it isn't the next victim.
The state needs to do a better job checking and rechecking the licensing of senior citizens. It's clearly very hard to notice one's own decline.
ReplyDeleteIn Florida those things are known as senior stoppers. They stop senior drivers from damaging property.
ReplyDeleteIt may also be to stop people from crashing though to get to the ATM, not just elderly drivers.
ReplyDeleteThe way that Volvo "drivin'" woman did it was more of a patented wobbly Billy Killer throw, tho'.
ReplyDeleteStealing an ATM is not a quick process. There's effectively zero chance a 24/7 establishment would be targeted in that way.
ReplyDeleteI bet they do this to reduce insurance costs.
ReplyDelete@4:56 - You are soo wrong. https://www.wusa9.com/article/news/smash-and-grab-burglars-strike-at-7-eleven-in-silver-spring/65-3140ef93-a18d-4ed5-bd69-b95a8f155e6f
ReplyDeleteor
https://www.fox5dc.com/news/atm-thieves-crash-van-through-front-of-bowie-7-eleven