I am very glad that it turned out the way it did, it could have been worse. I wish the victim a speedy recovery. So many are in a hurry and everyone needs to slow down. You will eventually get where you want to be. I am not saying this man was drinking, but all these little shore areas there is a lot of partying going on. It is extra congested during the summer months. This driver seems to be sincere, I am sure he was in a hurry or just did not see the bikers and was an accident. But drivers need to really slow down and pay attention to the roads at all times and many are not.

Was she on the right side or wrong side of the road or riding on the sidewalk? Anyone who pulls out onto Bridge Ave knows that it is difficult. It is especially difficult when folks on bikes & skateboards are on the wrong side of the road. I'd bet there is at least one incident a month similar to this.

I remember when one of the firefighters on herbertsville was driving intoxicated over the same bridge and killed someone and walked. Yup, wonderful right. However, Im glad the guy here is being charged and it's not being ignored. Hope the girl recovers.

@m293131, That is the mentality here, lets blame everyone except the driver! If it was a even younger person hit, forget about it. There would have been 30 more posts, how it was the kids fault, blaming the mother or father, the kids are smart al-licks etc.... Mean while the driver is drunk, not paying attention, just not looking. They are very quick to blame the young, they bully the situation because they can, who is going to believe the younger person involved. Forget about if you know someone they will try to cover it all up if they can.

I don't think its victim bashing to state the obvious. If she was riding on the right side of the road heading West then she was on the WRONG side of the road and shares some of the blame according to the law. Not that I diminish the driver's culpability for being inattentive...he deserves his ticket too. His car insurance will be astronomical after this incident. Local residents are all aware that we need to be extra vigilant during benny season for this sort of thing.....cars + bikers where they don't belong. Hugs and a speedy recovery to the bicyclist.

It doesn't really matter who was wrong or right. The fact is drivers are not paying attention and cyclists are not either. We see it all the time people on bikes at night with no lights on. driving down the middle of the street and not caring about traffic. Then there are the drivers that are in too much of a hurry to give the bikes the room they need. We all need to share the road, especially in the summer time.

Right on David.

Nice to see there are some decent people still around. Accidents happen. Now if we good get some non criminals in DC and Trenton we would be even better off.

When I ride a bike, I ride against traffic (not the "correct" way) because this is the direction I am most likely going to be struck from and I want to see it coming. Also, I ride on the side of the road or on the sidewalk because I am part of pedestrian traffic. I really am amazed, still, when I see a person on a bike stopped at a red light, in the lane of traffic, using the old hand signals instead of crossing the road at the pedestrian crossing. I am not that brave.

I am a friend of the family and am just glad that Lauren was not seriously hurt. I worry about my daughter every time she rides her bike. There are more cars and bikes on the roads in the summer and everyone has to be careful. The police have to be more diligent in making sure that underage bike riders are wearing helmets and not riding friends on the handle bars. We are all responsible for the safety of each other.

Dear Mr. Wayne: Since you brought politics into a bike accident report, well, I'm game. Maror Vincent Barella stands apart from the "politicians" you deride. This is proven by the baseless attacks by Council members elected to serve WITH the mayor, culminating in the baseless recall election or Mr. Barella who was not censured, investigated, arrested, indicted, tried or convicted of any inappropriate/illegal conduct. What, exactly, is the cost, in dollars to the taxpayers for the recall election? What did it cost Mr. Barella, in (campaign) dollars, damage to reputation and his very name? Instead of passing resolutions regarding the brain dead MTV 5 minutes of fame crew, where is the apology, on the record, for the aforementioned smearing of Mr. Barella. I won't hold my breath. If you don't like Mayor Barella and can't wait for due process- the next election cycle- use your money, not mine. Council members: I apoligize if the financial cost of the recall election was disclosed. If it hasn't, what is my recourse to find out how much that folly cost me?

PS: Forgive my typos. Rich

Regarding the "Bennies": I would like to see a cost comparison between what we have now: A handful of rich business owners and hundreds (thousands?) of McJobs. How many jobs at the board walk pay a living wage with full benefits besides the police dept. and municipal court and local attorneys who push the garbage from one end of the town to the other. Home prices are higher in towns like Belmar (recall the turnaround since the Greek Day nightmares?) Avon by the Sea and Manasquan. Instead we are now being compared to and identified with Seaside. No matter the season, most Pt. Beach residents won't go near the beach until the visitors, who really benefit a small minority get rich, go home for the night or for the season. The status quo by no means whatsoever, is engraved in stone. What, in financial terms alone, is the net gain for taxpayers. The businesses who attract the riff raff still own valuable property, no matter what type. We may be at a turning point in quality of life, property devaluation because of a bad reputation and tax increase for more police and, eventually, taxpayers will have to pick up the slack for property owners who aren't or won't pay their taxes because their property is, financially "underwater". This is happening all over, in less desireable yet historically stable and safe towns.

If you ride against traffic you are much more likely to get hit.

We all gotta go sometime. Sorry, but I have been struck from behind by a motor vehicle while in a car. I was a passenger, it was dark and rainy and I never saw it coming. I can't agree with you. If I can see a car coming at me, I have, hopefully, some time to react. Lance Armstrong or Evel Kneivel, for that matter are incapable of escaping a blindside hit from the rear by a motor vehicle. People need to text, talk on the cell phone, program the GPS and eat fast food. I want to make sure these imbeciles see me. I pray you never experience what I did, just imagine sitting in the car, waiting to turn left and with no warning: BOOM! Traumatic does not begin to describe it.

Dear Rich,
First off, you should know by now everything in this town becomes political. If you wipe your nose the wrong way someone has something to say. Second I didn't start the fire to the political debate, I was agreeing and answering to Jim, he actually brought the politics in to the bike accident. See Above, all I was doing is agreeing and don't forget our local politicians which that is how I feel. I never mentioned the Mayor and I agree with what you are saying on many issues including the bike. I ride the same way most of the times and I want to see it coming. Personally I don't think it matters much, wether you are riding with it or against it, you can be doing everything right and still get hit. That is my logic and I am sure some will not agree. Like you said with all the drivers and their distractions including pretty ladies or men, the drivers are taking their eyes off the road and the cause of the accident most of the times, not all. I don't totally agree with the helmet law, yes it will protect you, but if that is the case it should be for all including adults, now if I was a parent, I would want my young child to wear a helmet, but by a certain age, let's say 14 most kids at that age is as big as adults and if the adults don't have to wear them, it makes no sense at a certain age, but that is just me and I know some don't agree. I mean kids are driving in cars at 16 and they still want them to wear helmets.

Dear Rich,
I also agree and know what you mean by getting hit from behind in a car because it happened to me. I was at a red light stopped and hit, it is scary and it happens all the time because drivers just don't have their mind on driving. I also agree with the wasted money on the recall, prayers, personally I don't consider the Mayor as a politician even though some do, I consider him an advocate for the town. That is just my opinion and I am sure their will be some that don't agree with me either on that, but you know the spinners and I really don't care because I am so one that has a mind of my own and can care less what some individuals say in this town because everyone is entitled to their own opinion and I am my own person. Good thing because so many in this town are not, they support what others think and don't have the entire story and only have pieces. Personally I feel there is to many laws and the government on every level and certain individuals want to control everyone else's life instead of their own life. Which amazes me because most don't have their own life in order.

Excuse the typo's also, I am not the greatest typist.