Ages 3 and Up

January 11, 2013 (WABC) -- One of the many great moments in the movie, "Toy Story," is when Mr. Potato Head, voiced by Don Rickles, recovers after a raucous play with Andy's infant sister by saying, with no small degree of anger, "Ages 3 and up. It's on my box. Ages 3 and up. I'm not supposed to be babysitting Princess Drool."

(Does it say something about my home life with a 3-year-old that I'm now quoting from Toy Story? Hey, you should hear my Dora quotes in the newsroom: "Swiper no swiping. Swiper no swiping. SWIPER NOOOO SWIPING!") I was thinking about that Mr. Potato Head moment today when we reported on a big truck bringing traffic to a standstill on the FDR. Traffic was stuck because the truck was stuck - under an overpass.

The signs are more than clear: Passenger cars only. No trucks. But out-of-town truckers don't always pay attention to those signs, and so they don't make it through the space under the overpass.

Oy.

So, truckers, next time you're in New York City, remember Mr. Potato Head - Ages 3 and up, and no trucks on the drives and parkways. Please.

Now to tonight's 11 p.m. newscast. And, do you have it? Talkin' about the flu. So many do, or at least have some symptoms. (Or is it just a bad cold?) 47 states now reporting problems, and many hospitals are getting overrun by visits. We have people here who are sick  and now at home. I'm assuming the situation is the same where you work.

So what can you do, once you feel the flu coming on? Tonight at 11, we look for some answers.

Also at 11, we look at the upcoming Sandy aid vote in the House next Tuesday. Turns out, it will not be as straight-forward as advertised. There's a $17 billion "immediate" aid bill, which is far short of the $51 billion still remaining on the money Pres. Obama had asked for.

Then, there's another $33 billion for something they're calling "mitigation," long-term improvements to prepare for another super storm.

And it's not a slam dunk that both will pass. We'll see.

The Sandy aid vote is the lead in to our 7 On Your Side story tonight, where Nina Pineda reports on some homeowners who were already struggling to stay in their homes, what with the recession and all. Sandy was the proverbial straw for many families. Nina tonight tries to help, or at least offer some warnings for the rest of us.

We'll also have any breaking news of the night, plus Meteorologist Amy Freeze (in for Lee Goldberg) with her AccuWeather forecast, and Rob Powers with the night's sports. I hope you can join us, tonight at 11, right after 20/20.

BILL RITTER

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