| Author |
Message |
    
SO Ref
Citizen
Username: So_refugee
Post Number: 1376
Registered: 2-2005
| | Posted on Sunday, January 1, 2006 - 7:13 pm: |     |
who backed into me on Maplewood Avenue last night.
Because you were too lazy to wipe the snow off of your back window, you didn't see me when you slammed your car into reverse and backed into me. You got out of your car blaming the "f*cking guy from Maine" for backing up and causing you to react; however, my wife, daughter, and mother who happened to be 15 feet away on the sidewalk gave me a better perspective of your poor driving technique. You appeared to be frustrated with the car in front of you not moving by honking your horn and gesturing wildly before carelessly throwing your car into reverse to attempt to drive around the immobile car. I happened to be the unlucky recipient of your wrath. I surely hope your daughter - or whomever the young lady riding shotgun - learns to drive in a more patient, rational and courteous manner...and takes the time to, at the very least, wipe her windows free of snow
Go in peace and drive safe in 2006.
And thank goodness you damaged nothing more than my license plate... |
las
Citizen
Username: Las
Post Number: 772
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Sunday, January 1, 2006 - 10:36 pm: | |
Backing up with a snowcovered rear window - and it wasn't even her fault! Classic.
Did she at least apologize to you?
|
Just The Aunt
Supporter
Username: Auntof13
Post Number: 3432
Registered: 1-2004
| | Posted on Sunday, January 1, 2006 - 11:32 pm: | |
SO Ref-
What a way to start the New Year. Hopefully she stopped so you can make her pay to fix your car. Even more, I hope you weren't hurt. And third, how is your wife feeling? I thought of her today. |
Innisowen
Citizen
Username: Innisowen
Post Number: 1181
Registered: 3-2004
| | Posted on Monday, January 2, 2006 - 12:08 am: | |
While we're at it, what about the woman in the big black Mercury SUV ( I believe ) who often whips up and down the main drag in Maplewood never bothering to slow down or yield to pedestrians crossing from one side of the street to the other between Kings and the Post Office?
She really torques me off.
And the four or five times I've seen her whip past me, besides my wanting to ring her neck, I see her engaged on her cell phone as if she were sitting home at her desk--- oblivious to everything around her. |
SoOrLady
Citizen
Username: Soorlady
Post Number: 2858
Registered: 9-2003
| | Posted on Monday, January 2, 2006 - 12:43 am: | |
ok - while we're at it... what about all the people who are making left turns into the parking spots? I used to see this occasionally, but it's becoming epidemic! I'm almost ready to turn into Gomer Pyle - Citizen's A-ray-est! Citizen's A-ray-est!! |
SO Ref
Citizen
Username: So_refugee
Post Number: 1379
Registered: 2-2005
| | Posted on Monday, January 2, 2006 - 7:36 am: | |
No injuries suffered and her apology seemed less than sincere.
JTA - Witty is still dealing with leg issues but, in the grand scheme of things, OK. |
doulamomma
Citizen
Username: Doulamomma
Post Number: 722
Registered: 3-2002
| | Posted on Monday, January 2, 2006 - 4:29 pm: | |
Innisowen,
I think I, too, have been annoyed by the same woman - usually on her phone while driving her big-as-a-small-country vehicle around without looking, stopping for pedestrians etc.! |
Lydia
Supporter
Username: Lydial
Post Number: 1558
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Monday, January 2, 2006 - 5:50 pm: | |
I really wish the MPD would start enforcing penalties for people driving and chatting.
My car story for the thread:
Picked up my daughter in the village and she didn't close the passenger door - she kept banging it and eventually let it close half-way. I was double-parked and annoyed - how hard is it to close the damn door? Kids today...
Anyhow, we get home with the door semi-closed and I'm lecturing her "In MY day, we closed the doors, if we were lucky enough to have doors.."
In my driveway I looked at the passenger door and two panels are totally scrunched! No wonder it didn't close! Car guts all exposed, little wires and tubes hanging...whoever did the damage must have sustained some on their side as well.
So impolite.
Now I have to rig the car up with a bungee cord or pay at least $2K for a new door and front panel.
|
Lawman
Citizen
Username: Lawman
Post Number: 5
Registered: 11-2005
| | Posted on Monday, January 2, 2006 - 9:20 pm: | |
When you see someone violating a traffic regulation you have the right to take down their license plate number go over to the Municipal Court and sign a citizen's complaint. You have the right to do so. My question is do you have the duty to do so as a citizen. Perhaps if more of us took that measure the kind of nonsense described in this thread would decrease. |
las
Citizen
Username: Las
Post Number: 775
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Monday, January 2, 2006 - 10:58 pm: | |
Lydia - that's awful! |
Rastro
Citizen
Username: Rastro
Post Number: 2085
Registered: 5-2004
| | Posted on Monday, January 2, 2006 - 10:58 pm: | |
Lawman, but don't you also have to show up in court when their case comes up, and testify? If so, I think most people would be hesitant. I agree it would be good if everyone did it, but it's a pretty big hassle to follow through with. |
dano
Citizen
Username: Dano
Post Number: 158
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 3, 2006 - 12:06 pm: | |
I was getting bagels in SO. and was waiting for a parking space with my blinker on near Cate and Abbey's as I pulled in...the guy in his mercedes across the street called me an A**HOLE for taking his spot!!!! so I said excuse me A**HOLE....read the street signs that specifically say no turns!!! he sheepishly drove off!! MAN I FELT GOOD GETTING HIM BACK!!  |
ess
Citizen
Username: Ess
Post Number: 792
Registered: 11-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 3, 2006 - 12:52 pm: | |
Good for you, Dano!
I was waiting to turn into a space on Maplewood Avenue the other day. There were some cars behind me, and the car in the space I was waiting for took its time getting out. As I was beginning to turn into the space, some jerk went around the line and stopped next to my car, screaming at me. For what - waiting for a space?
People are way too uptight about parking. |
BGS
Citizen
Username: Bgs
Post Number: 462
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 3, 2006 - 4:49 pm: | |
ess-this happened to me Friday in the village...and not only did the fool practically sideswipe me but he nearly hit the car that was pulling out as that driver attempted to move forward. The passing fool just missed clipping her. He was so impatient and I was just in awe of what had happened right before my eyes!!!!! |
doulamomma
Citizen
Username: Doulamomma
Post Number: 731
Registered: 3-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 3, 2006 - 5:28 pm: | |
Not in our towns, but I was unloading my cart in the Target lot on Rt 10 today, with my youngest in the cart...some woman backed up very quickly without looking (and yes, she had some snow on her back window of her van) & almost hit us - she got close enough for me to put out my hand and bang on her back window and yell a ridiculous, helpless "HEY!" - I was just frozen & all I could think was that I was a bonehead for not putting my kid in his car seat before unloading the cart (lesson learned - I normally do). A woman passing by also yelled to her to stop & said the driver just rolled her eyes & had a smug look on her face as she drove off without stopping to see why someone might be banging on her window. She literally was inches from us. |
moose
Citizen
Username: Moose
Post Number: 258
Registered: 6-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 3, 2006 - 5:30 pm: | |
Had to contribute to this one... it seems threads like this pop up with depressing regularity.
I am amazed at what I see drivers doing in town. Just as described above (all the time), blowing through STOP signs, not signaling, speeding, making turns where it specifically says NO TURN ON RED. I guess people who think the law just doesn't apply to them piss me off. Why in Maplewood/SO are there so many inconsiderate drivers?
Can't we all just drive along? |
Crazy_quilter
Citizen
Username: Crazy_quilter
Post Number: 118
Registered: 2-2005
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 3, 2006 - 5:41 pm: | |
one problem is, that even without the snow, there is a 10 foot blind spot directly behind mini-vans. and something like 26 feet can't be seen behind one of those really big SUVs. |
mimosa
Citizen
Username: Mimosa
Post Number: 207
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 3, 2006 - 6:12 pm: | |
Holding up traffic while waiting for a spot on Maplewood Ave...and your calling HIM uptight about parking?
I can't stand it when people hold up three, four, five cars on Mplwd Ave waiting for a spot.
Double parking on the Ave? ditto!
Drive on and get a spot elsewhere...walk a bit farther! It'll keep traffic flowing and make for happier drivers in the village. |
doulamomma
Citizen
Username: Doulamomma
Post Number: 732
Registered: 3-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 3, 2006 - 6:35 pm: | |
Quilter (Hey!),
I agree about the blind spot, but had it been me & my van's blind spot, I think I would have at least been curious as to the reason for the banging/getting my attention...
Mimosa, it annoys me too (though I might occasionally be one of the traffic holder-uppers, but I try to be very aware of what's reasonable, pull way over & circle around most of the time), but I realize that some folks are carting a bunch of kids & it's hard to keep it all together, so to speak, with a farther spot. I also try to be quick about getting out of a spot so that someone else can have it. |
SoOrLady
Citizen
Username: Soorlady
Post Number: 2861
Registered: 9-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 3, 2006 - 6:55 pm: | |
My husband thinks I'm nuts, but I have a firm "rule" about waiting for a parking spot on Maplewood Ave. I don't stop unless I see the white back-up lights. I refuse to hold up traffic on that narrow street. And I will admit that it irks me when I have to sit in a line of traffic while someone is waiting for the person to buckle up their kids, then themselves, put lipstick on, etc, etc and finally move their car. Like mimosa said.. just move on and find another spot. |
sac
Supporter
Username: Sac
Post Number: 3006
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 3, 2006 - 7:53 pm: | |
Re holding up traffic in the village, I also usually go with the "back up lights" rule. However, the other day I seriously considered abandoning that strategy. I passed up three or four spaces where someone was in their car and appeared to be close to leaving their space, because someone was right behind me and I didn't want to hold them up. EVERY single time, the person behind me then stopped and took the space.
No good deed goes unpunished! |
doulamomma
Citizen
Username: Doulamomma
Post Number: 733
Registered: 3-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 3, 2006 - 8:18 pm: | |
I read that people become territorial over parking spaces & tend to take longer to leave "their" space if someone is waiting for it...nuts! |
Crazy_quilter
Citizen
Username: Crazy_quilter
Post Number: 119
Registered: 2-2005
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 3, 2006 - 8:24 pm: | |
hi d-momma! my point about the poor visibility was in no way to excuse the rude woman. It was just a free association.
|
ess
Citizen
Username: Ess
Post Number: 796
Registered: 11-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 3, 2006 - 8:25 pm: | |
Doulamomma - I read the same thing, or maybe it was on one of those news magazine shows.
In any case, Mimosa, et al -- I usually wait for the back up lights as well. In this instance, the car was backing up and I was merely waiting. It also doesn't really make sense, if you see someone getting into their car and starting it up, to pass that space by. It is really difficult to get parking as it is, and I am not going to apologize for being as close as possible to where I need to go, esp. in this weather and with two young kids. |
Joe
Citizen
Username: Gonets
Post Number: 1082
Registered: 2-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 3, 2006 - 8:26 pm: | |
Soorlady's rule's a good one. I think I'll adopt it. My approach to parking is taking the path of least resistance. This usually means parking far (relatively) away from my destination, much to my wife's chagrin. I just can't be bothered to wait for a "good" parking spot. It's just so much easier to coast into an already open spot. As Mr. Reingold will tell anyone who listens, parking is not a problem in the village. You just might have to park a couple of blocks from your destination, and those are short blocks. That being said I'm usually not bothered by people waiting for a spot to open up. It helps to give the benefit of the doubt and assume that perhaps the person's elderly, has a carload of kids, bum knee whatever. Sometimes they're just lazy, that's their problem, it usually amounts to a minute of my time. Somehow I'll get over the loss of that time. People just need to chill. It also helps to realize that you may already be on a first name basis with the person you call a jerk, because they held you up. Just not worth the aggravation and hostility. |
lamojo
Citizen
Username: Lamojo
Post Number: 171
Registered: 7-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 3, 2006 - 8:46 pm: | |
Personally I always try to speed it up when someone is waiting for my spot.
And I like Joe's method of parking...go where its less stressful! |
doulamomma
Citizen
Username: Doulamomma
Post Number: 735
Registered: 3-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 3, 2006 - 8:46 pm: | |
Good points Joe |
mimosa
Citizen
Username: Mimosa
Post Number: 208
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 3, 2006 - 10:27 pm: | |
ess, you said, "I was waiting to turn into a space on Maplewood Avenue the other day. There were some cars behind me, and the car in the space I was waiting for took its time getting out."
That didn't sound like the car was just pulling out as you waited. Nevertheless, no apology was asked for. Just wanted to share my feelings. I think the "back up lights are on so wait" is a good rule of thumb. Heck, if no one is behind me I'll hang out when I see someone getting into their car. But in my opinion when it's as crowded as the village has been, it really is more courteous to everyone else behind you to cruise onward and hope for another spot. It's having an awareness that all those people waiting would probably like to go about their busy day as well.
As for impatient people, I share your annoyance. It never ceases to amaze and startle me to get passed on a residential road like Elmwood or Ridgewood by someone who feels my 30 mph in the 25 mph is just unreasonably slow! |
ess
Citizen
Username: Ess
Post Number: 798
Registered: 11-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 3, 2006 - 10:47 pm: | |
Just because a car's reverse lights are on doesn't mean they are zipping out of a space. They could be dawdling, crawling, etc.
However, mimosa, I definitely understand your feelings! |
crossroads
Citizen
Username: Crossroads
Post Number: 113
Registered: 12-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 4, 2006 - 7:55 am: | |
SO Ref- Where in Maine are you from? |
SO Ref
Citizen
Username: So_refugee
Post Number: 1387
Registered: 2-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 4, 2006 - 8:44 am: | |
I'm not. The driver in front of my "assailant" had a license plate from Maine. |
crossroads
Citizen
Username: Crossroads
Post Number: 114
Registered: 12-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 4, 2006 - 9:11 am: | |
Got ya. Too early for me I reckon. |
jeffl
Supporter
Username: Jeffl
Post Number: 1501
Registered: 8-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 4, 2006 - 10:45 am: | |
For speeders on any street, do what we do on Courter...if someone is coming down the street too fast we scream at the top of our lungs, "SLOW DOWN!!" It works most of the time. I've done it in Maplewood Village too. Sometimes people are just oblivious and don't think about how fast they're going and that there may be pedestrians. Screaming at them can be very educational. |
Innisowen
Citizen
Username: Innisowen
Post Number: 1196
Registered: 3-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 4, 2006 - 1:40 pm: | |
If I am outside when speeders rush down our street, I usually take one of the tennis balls the dog plays with and maliciously toss it into the street before the speeder gets near my house.
Just the sight of a ball bouncing in the street seems to slow down all but the most selfish and stupid of speeders. |
mem
Citizen
Username: Mem
Post Number: 5642
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 4, 2006 - 2:44 pm: | |
This from a friend's teenage daughter down the street, standing at the curb shouting at a speeding driver:
"SLOW THE F*CK DOWN! THIS IS A F*CKING KID'S NEIGHBORHOOD!" |
Case
Citizen
Username: Case
Post Number: 957
Registered: 2-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 4, 2006 - 4:25 pm: | |
Maybe we could compile license plate numbers and post them somewhere? |
newone
Citizen
Username: Newone
Post Number: 312
Registered: 8-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, January 5, 2006 - 11:06 am: | |
Well, just saw this one today in Millburn. Lady in the right lane cuts off a big truck (which came very close to hitting her)to make a left into the "do not enter" side of a parking lot. Yes, she was on her cell phone and no, she was not driving an SUV - she was in a sedan. |
Ligeti
Citizen
Username: Ligeti
Post Number: 531
Registered: 7-2002
| | Posted on Thursday, January 5, 2006 - 11:26 am: | |
Coming soon: in addition to yakking nonsense into their cellphones, motorists can soon check their email and surf the net while driving!
Ours is a society of permanent distraction.
Reject the digital lifestyle in 2006. |
Rastro
Citizen
Username: Rastro
Post Number: 2128
Registered: 5-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, January 5, 2006 - 11:56 am: | |
You've got another thread to rant about that. Please stay there. There's no reason to inject yourself into every converstion with the same tired rant. |
Ligeti
Citizen
Username: Ligeti
Post Number: 533
Registered: 7-2002
| | Posted on Thursday, January 5, 2006 - 12:12 pm: | |
I locate and expose public nusiance issues wherever they may be.
Ever-vigilant quality of life defenders such as myself know no bounds. |
Rastro
Citizen
Username: Rastro
Post Number: 2131
Registered: 5-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, January 5, 2006 - 12:18 pm: | |
Reject rejects. |
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