| Author | Message | ||
     sullymw Citizen Username: Sullymw Post Number: 580 Registered: 5-2001 |
good one Tom | ||
| sac Supporter Username: Sac Post Number: 2173 Registered: 5-2001 |
I believe that Vic was involved in getting us this traffic light ... and obviously daddybigs hasn't read all the recent posts on this and the other thread regarding safety and congestion issues at this intersection ... or he thinks we made it all up. Trust me, very few people want unnecessary traffic lights - they are a royal pain. This one has been needed for a very long time! | ||
| bolded Citizen Username: Bolded Post Number: 4 Registered: 6-2002 |
Regarding the traffic light on Valley, this issue was reviewed by a transportation consultant and it was determined that the intersection met NJDOT warrants for a traffic light. Furthermore, the idea of the traffic light came from the Township's Transportation Committee that makes recommendations to the Township Committee on transportation issues. | ||
| Mayor McCheese Supporter Username: Mayor_mccheese Post Number: 312 Registered: 7-2004  |
Very sadly, I agree with some of what Daddybigs is saying. His rant was not very well put together. There seems to be a lot of support for this light being put up. I really don't think it's needed, and I would hate to see another light go up on valley there. But I guess I will just avoid it like I do prospect, Springfield ave, SO ave. It just sucks that any street that takes you to anywhere of importance I can't travel on because of traffic and traffic lights taking so much time. Tom: I understand that many children cross the street there. I have never seen or heard of problems with children getting hit by cars there. I know that I have almost hit a few adults (I am including high school students in this) who were not playing attention and simply tried to walk out in the street in front of my car. (Even more sadly, I have gotten the finger from a few of these people, and then I wished I had hit them. Maybe they would learn to look where they were going.) I mean really, who tries to walk across the street without looking for cars. This is New Jersey, but backwoods Tenn. | ||
| Tom Reingold Supporter Username: Noglider Post Number: 6765 Registered: 1-2003  |
You mean you get annoyed when pedestrians want to use the crosswalk while you drive your car through it? Or is it possible that they looked and determined that you could stop in time without making a panic stop? That's all they owe you. Perhaps you thought they didn't look because they stepped in the crosswalk knowing you would have to alter your speed. They are allowed to do that. If a crosswalk doesn't make people stop for pedestrians, what do you think pedestrians should do to cross, without a light? | ||
| RR Citizen Username: Rogers4317 Post Number: 150 Registered: 6-2004 |
he probably thinks pedestrians should just wait (and wait and wait) until the convoy of cars ebbs its flow down valley st...which could be around 8pm. just a guess. | ||
| Tom Reingold Supporter Username: Noglider Post Number: 6767 Registered: 1-2003 |
Yeah, as many of you know, this is one of my pet peeves. The light is necessary mostly because motorists don't obey the crosswalk law. | ||
| sullymw Citizen Username: Sullymw Post Number: 584 Registered: 5-2001 |
that's correct. one could stand there for a good while before a car yields. I have also noticed that if a car does yield, there's usually a yahoo behind them beeping the horn as if to say, "how dare you obey the law!" | ||
| Joan Supporter Username: Joancrystal Post Number: 5569 Registered: 5-2001 |
Mayor McCheese: Just because you haven't heard of any children getting hit by a car at that intersection doesn't mean it hasn't happened. Did you check with the MPD regarding the truth of your assumption before posting it? We need that traffic light because of the heavy pedestrian traffic there and because of the difficulty vehicular traffic on Oakview Avenue has traveling through that intersection. | ||
| bottomline Citizen Username: Bottomline Post Number: 256 Registered: 8-2003 |
I'm suprised anyone thinks this new light will slow traffic on Valley or encourage people to take Prospect or Ridgewood instead. Traffic is already slow on Valley and people already take those other routes to avoid it. I use all three of these streets often and I never choose Valley unless that's where I'm going. There are already five traffic lights from Millburn Avenue through Parker in Maplewood. One more isn't going to change things much on Valley. But it will be a vast improvement for both vehicular and pedestrian traffic on Oakview. We don't need to wait for somebody to get creamed at this intersection to know that the light will improve safety. And Tom Reingold is right, this is just about the only way to get Jersey drivers to obey a crosswalk. | ||
| Mayor McCheese Supporter Username: Mayor_mccheese Post Number: 315 Registered: 7-2004 |
Joan, I said that I had not heard of any children being hit there. I said this only in reference to Tom's post earlier "Maybe the yuppies really do deserve to die on the street. Oh, and the kids, too. Lots of kids cross there." You claim that this pedestrian traffic needs a light there. To support your claim have you contacted MPD to find out if there have been accidents involving pedestrians there? That said; just like any other person living in town, I have crossed my share of streets. There is a difference between someone who waits for an opening between oncoming cars, and a person who just walks out into the street expecting me to come to a quick stop. I often stop to let people cross, and I am a far cry from an aggressive driver. But one day some idiot is going to get run down from a car going 30 mph on valley (the speed limit there is 35) because he figured that 10 feet between him and the car was enough space for the car to stop. Maybe all of you are right. If people can't handle walking across the street then maybe we do need a light there. And one on every street corner, and maybe in the middle of some blocks that are long enough. But I suppose we will have to agree to disagree on this because the light is already up. Not operational, but it is up. So there is really no use in complaining now about it. They just spent money, so they won't take it down now. | ||
| Tom Reingold Supporter Username: Noglider Post Number: 6774 Registered: 1-2003 |
Those of us who have taken a big enough sample of behavior at the intersection have observed that the case of a pedestrian jumping in front of a car moving at 30 or 35 mph with 10 feet of clearance is a heck of a lot rarer than the case of cars failing to slow when the pedestrian is standing and waiting for the motorist to fulfill his duty. I've entered the crosswalk when the motorist is 100 feet away, and still the motorist doesn't slow whatsoever. I am sure there have been a few pedestrians who cause -- or try to cause -- a motorist to make a quick stop, but they are far, far rarer than the pedestrian who waits longer than he/she should, either because he doesn't know his rights or doesn't want to assert them because it's dangerous and futile. The good pedestrians have had no effect on drivers. Most drivers crossing the crosswalk don't stop when they should. If that isn't enough to warrant a light, what is? In theory, it's better to change the drivers' behavior than to put a light in. I'd prefer it, too. But how? | ||
| Joan Supporter Username: Joancrystal Post Number: 5574 Registered: 5-2001 |
Mayor McCheese: As I stated in a previous thread on this subject, I have spoken with the MPD regarding traffic accidents at this intersection and they have told me of a significant number of instances of pedestrians being hit by vehicles at this intersection. Most of the vehicle hits pedestrian incidents I am aware of fit three distinct patterns: 1. Car stopped at Oakview looking to make a turn(usually a left) onto Valley Street sees an opening in the Valley Street traffic and rushes to make the turn, failing to notice that a pedestrian waiting patiently at the corner has chosen the same moment to cross Valley Street using the crosswalk. 2. A pedestrian looks both ways and sees no cars close to the intersection and therefore begins crossing in the crosswalk. A driver seeing empty road ahead comes barreling along at speed and is unable to stop in time to avoid hitting the pedestrian. 3. A driver stops at the crosswalk to permit a pedestrian to cross in the crosswalk. The impatient driver behind him/her, unable to see through the first vehicle that a pedestrian is crossing the road, passes the stopped vehicle on the right and is unable to avoid hitting the pedestrian in the crosswalk. All of these incidents are the result of poor and/or inattentive driving and not the result of pedestrians playing chicken with the drivers of on-coming vehicles. | ||
| Mayor McCheese Supporter Username: Mayor_mccheese Post Number: 317 Registered: 7-2004 |
Joan, I had not read the previous thread that you wrote these notes on. If pedestrian crossing is a serious issue then I suppose that a light is needed there. While that light will bother me, and I will curse it every time I get stopped on it, I suppose that it is a necessary evil that I must live with for safety concerns. I was unaware, as I said, of serious concerns with safety. Anyway, as I said earlier in this thread, the light is up already so there is really. So I'll stop complaining. | ||
| johnny Citizen Username: Johnny Post Number: 1232 Registered: 5-2001 |
If anyone thinks traffic is slow on Valley, please come to the intersection of Tuscan and Valley and watch several cars speed through red lights. | ||
| Meandtheboys Citizen Username: Meandtheboys Post Number: 905 Registered: 12-2004  |
I was at that intersection the other day, trying to make a left on to Valley from Oakview, coming from the train station side. There were pedestrians waiting to cross on both sides of Valley, standing just off the curb, in the crosswalk. Even with the obvious presence of the new traffic light waiting to go in to operation and the newly paved "box" in the intersection with the bright white lines indicating the cross walk and where to stop on red, NOT ONE CAR BOTHERED TO STOP FOR THE PEDESTRIANS. And most didn't even bother to slow down, just flew right on through. It's just mind boggling to me. | ||
| eab Citizen Username: Eab Post Number: 62 Registered: 10-2001 |
I drive to the train station as much as 4 times a day (2 commuters in my family) and even though it would be logical to drop my commuters off early and take Oakview home, I don't, because it is so hard to use that intersection. Instead, even though I am a most impatient driver, I go a block farther, onto Baker, and wait for the light to make my left turn. I always see pedestrians waiting at that intersection, and although I very often stop, sometimes I don't because of the pressure of cars right behind me. I feel that it is a good thing to have a light there. If it is timed well with the lights on either side, it shouldn't hold up drivers particularly, but it will stop all traffic going on Valley long enough to let pedestrians and cars trying to cross. I wish we didn't need it, but the volume of traffic is such that we do. | ||
| Tom Reingold Supporter Username: Noglider Post Number: 6857 Registered: 1-2003 |
If I can have any influence at all, please don't be pressured by those behind you. They are less important than those who want to use the crosswalk. If they hit you, it's their fault. I don't mean to invite disaster, of course. If they are tailgating that closely and will hit you if you slow or stop, then keep going, but then pull over and let them by. Most people don't tailgate that closely. | ||
| Tom Reingold Supporter Username: Noglider Post Number: 6862 Registered: 1-2003 |
Yesterday evening, I stopped for sac in the crosswalk!  | ||
| sac Supporter Username: Sac Post Number: 2200 Registered: 5-2001 |
Are you sure? I don't even remember being there on foot yesterday. But, as you know, I've just had a birthday and senility is starting to set in ... About what time was it? Now, I certainly did drive through a few times during the day ... as is almost always the case. |
