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Message |
    
Soparents
Citizen
Username: Soparents
Post Number: 1114
Registered: 5-2005
| | Posted on Friday, June 16, 2006 - 3:06 pm: | 
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I don't if the following is possible,but after what I saw today I need to ask. With the building site/banners/fencing on Vose taking up the sidewalk, for months now people are being forced to walk on the road and since cars are still parking there, they are having to walk into oncoming traffic. This morning I saw a lady trip/lose balance and she almost fell into the path of an oncoming car. The driver saw her in time, and the lady managed to correct herself so all was well, but why are people being put in this position? Would it be possible to make a walkway, put another barrier/fence or whatever you wish to call it, in the area where cars are currently parking so that the pedestrians have a safe area to walk. I know it will inconvenience a few drivers looking for somewhere to park and this is another issue discussed elsewhere, but the safety of walkers/children/mothers with strollers needs to be taken into consideration and as it seems that we are going to have this situation for a long time to come, it would really be a prudent move to deal with the safety issue now before something happens.
Does anyone know who/which department I should approach to discuss this? |
Just The Aunt
Supporter
Username: Auntof13
Post Number: 5393
Registered: 1-2004
| | Posted on Friday, June 16, 2006 - 5:36 pm: |
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Something else-
A homeowner would not be allowed to get away with blocking the sidewalk. Why can a business? |
jayjay
Citizen
Username: Jayjayp
Post Number: 692
Registered: 6-2005
| | Posted on Friday, June 16, 2006 - 6:01 pm: |
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I suspect because it is not a business, is municipally owned, and the town fathers feel they can do whatever they want with "their" property, much like their rationale for saying the banner can stay up!
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Soparents
Citizen
Username: Soparents
Post Number: 1120
Registered: 5-2005
| | Posted on Friday, June 16, 2006 - 6:33 pm: |
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Following that rationale, does it therefore mean that they can do whatever they want with regards to the safety of their residents? I think not. This is a bonafide concern and it needs to be addressed. It should have been addressed when the fence first encroached on the sidewalk, but after what I saw today, it is just an accident waiting to happen.
So, does anyone know which department is responsible for this, or which Trustee I should approach? |
Monster©
Supporter
Username: Monster
Post Number: 3625
Registered: 7-2002
| | Posted on Friday, June 16, 2006 - 7:04 pm: |
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what about a federal dept.
which makes me think of something I thought about the other day,
Can the workers at the South Orange Library lodge a complaint with OSHA, I mean with that leaking roof, the mold that must be growing, the weakening of the entire structure around the leak (or leaks) has to be an occupational safety hazard. |
Soparents
Citizen
Username: Soparents
Post Number: 1123
Registered: 5-2005
| | Posted on Friday, June 16, 2006 - 8:35 pm: |
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Monster, That is rather worrying.... |
Spitz
Supporter
Username: Doublea
Post Number: 1807
Registered: 3-2003
| | Posted on Friday, June 16, 2006 - 9:40 pm: |
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Soparents - You should send an email to John Gross describing what you saw today as well as the other incidents you've personally seen. (You can send an email to him by going to southorange.org and clicking on departments.) I know that this has been a concern on your part, and you are absolutely correct. I'm sure that John is aware of the dangerous situation, but an email at least puts it on the record. John will pass the email on to the trustees as well as the department(s) responsible. You probably should post a copy of your email on MOL.
On another note, my wife said the Village was crazy today. She was on Vose three cars back from the intersection with South Orange Ave., stopped for a red light. The car behind her pulled out and headed toward SO Ave. in the wrong lane to make a left turn onto SO Ave. Sheer luck that no car was making a turn off SO Ave. onto Vose. |
Soparents
Citizen
Username: Soparents
Post Number: 1127
Registered: 5-2005
| | Posted on Friday, June 16, 2006 - 9:49 pm: |
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Thank you Spitz, I will draft one this weekend and e-mail it on Monday
SOP
PS -I agree with your Wife... It was pretty intense today. I am careful and alert driver and I had two idiots cut in front of me at the lights on SO Ave and Sloan today, two other cars in front of me at another time went through a red light forcing pedestrians to step back onto the sidewalk. I saw someone (again) cross over the double yellow lines to take a parking space outside Starbucks that someone on the correct side of the road had been waiting for..... I could go on...
Is it a full moon? |
Spitz
Supporter
Username: Doublea
Post Number: 1808
Registered: 3-2003
| | Posted on Friday, June 16, 2006 - 9:54 pm: |
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She also had a couple of other incidents, and asked whether it was a full moon. (Don't know whether it's  or  ). |
Old and Gray
Citizen
Username: Pastmyprime
Post Number: 388
Registered: 2-2005
| | Posted on Monday, June 19, 2006 - 8:52 am: |
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Why can't all those lazy individuals cross the street to the side with a sidewalk????
Are you loosing that much time trying to get to your train or walk to Dunkin Donuts?
what irks me most are the adults who walk children in the traffic lane. |
Nancy - LibraryLady
Supporter
Username: Librarylady
Post Number: 3590
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Monday, June 19, 2006 - 11:54 am: |
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I was going to ask the same thing (albeit a little nicer).
There is a sidewalk on the other side of Vose. There are many streets that have a sidewalk on only one side as standard. Just walk on the East side till it is safe to walk on the West. |
Mary32
Citizen
Username: Mary32
Post Number: 29
Registered: 3-2006
| | Posted on Monday, June 19, 2006 - 5:01 pm: |
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But then we wouldn't be able to complain about it. |
CJH
Citizen
Username: Christel
Post Number: 55
Registered: 1-2006
| | Posted on Monday, June 19, 2006 - 9:52 pm: |
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The only reason I prefer to walk on the west side (and will detour through the parking lot to get around the big hole and keep from walking into traffic) is because there's a crosswalk with a traffic light at SO Ave and Vose. When my daughter's in her stroller I'd rather cross at a protected spot then walk down the east side and then dash across the street to get to the post office. |
FlyingSpaghettiMonst
Citizen
Username: Noodlyappendage
Post Number: 184
Registered: 11-2005
| | Posted on Tuesday, June 20, 2006 - 8:39 am: |
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There is also a crosswalk on S.O. Ave that will take you to the East side of Vose and then a crosswalk by the senior citizen's building that you can use to get back onto the West side and the Post Office. It really isn't that hard. You (and your stroller) have the right of way in the crosswalk and cars must stop for you (Of course, it's easier and probably safer to wait and cross when there are no cars, but that might cost you a minute or two.) |
joel dranove
Citizen
Username: Jdranove
Post Number: 597
Registered: 1-2006
| | Posted on Tuesday, June 20, 2006 - 8:55 am: |
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Full-time foot patrol at Sloan and SO intersection, and around the critical parking and shopping area is needed.
jd |
CJH
Citizen
Username: Christel
Post Number: 56
Registered: 1-2006
| | Posted on Tuesday, June 20, 2006 - 11:15 am: |
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"It really isn't that hard."
I didn't say I made my choice because it's easier -- a straight line is easy, and so clearly looping around the hole and through the big parking lot is not easier -- I said it's safer. If all drivers were courteous and followed rules and watched where they were going, that would be one thing. But I've been in situations even in a crosswalk with a traffic light where I had to back up back onto the curb because a car turning right into the intersection where I had the right of way was pushing ahead and trying to edge its way in front of my stroller instead of waiting for me to cross. I don't assume anyone's going to stop for me, and with big cars I also don't assume they can see the stroller in the first place.
As for waiting for the traffic to stop costing me "a minute or two", again you've clearly misread the intention of my post -- just like going through the parking lot is not easier, it's also not faster. But it does keep me from crossing a busy street without the benefit of a traffic light or jd's suggestion of some sort of }foot patrol. |
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