| Author | Message | |||
     Neen Citizen Username: Neen Post Number: 103 Registered: 1-2004 |
Every morning I cross three crosswalks on my way to the train station. As I approach the cross walk absolutely nobody stops to let me cross. If I begin to walk and they have to slow down even the slightest, they give me dirty looks, and today, as I crossed, I actually had someone step on the gas so I had to run across the street. What is wrong with these people. Do they not understand that crosswalks are a place for pedestrians to cross and cars must YIELD. Or is everyone racing off to the mall in their SUVs so self-important, that they don't think they have to be courteous to pedestrians. What is wrong with people!!!! It makes me fuming mad by the end of my walk every morning. | |||
| ffof Citizen Username: Ffof Post Number: 3313 Registered: 5-2001  |
How about if it's raining out? They're all dry in their cozy cars and we're like drowned rats, and they still don't stop. | |||
| Sgt. Pepper Citizen Username: Jjkatz Post Number: 628 Registered: 12-2003  |
The first time I traveled outside the northeast and approached a crosswalk and an approaching car stopped, I had no idea what was going on. Someone actually had to tell me that they were stopping to let me cross the street. | |||
| Neen Citizen Username: Neen Post Number: 104 Registered: 1-2004 |
Somehow people in downtown Maplewood know to stop at crosswalks, why don't people in South Orange. It is just outrageous that they give me dirty looks. And of course, this morning, it was raining/snowing and they still blew past me. I really think SO police needs to start enforcing that cars must yield to pedestrians at crosswalks. I can only imagine how it is for children trying to walk safely to and from school. | |||
| vor Citizen Username: Vor Post Number: 380 Registered: 9-2003 |
Does anyone know the actual language of the "yield to pedestrians" ordinance. I am more then happy to yield when it is appropriate and not dangerous, but I'm somewhat confused where this begins and ends. An example is the intersection of Valley and Oakview in Mplwd. Valley is a road with a double yellow line that has a speed limit above 25mph. Should cars yield to pedestrians at this intersection? That seems dangerous to me, but I see walkers crossing in front of on coming vehicles all the time (and giving dirty looks or shakes of the head when cars don't stop). Just looking for some clarity. Thanks | |||
| Meandtheboys Citizen Username: Meandtheboys Post Number: 131 Registered: 12-2004 |
Recently visited Puerto Rico, and the cars there actually stop for pedestrians no matter where you cross! Even if you're nowhere near a crosswalk! I, too, was perplexed by this phenomenon, Sgt. Neen FYI: See "Speeding on our Roads, Sidewalk Repair and Quality of Life" under "Mostly Maplewood" and "Car Crashed into House" under "South Orange Specific." Both cover this topic extensively! | |||
| Tom Reingold Supporter Username: Noglider Post Number: 5347 Registered: 1-2003  |
Yielding to someone, whether that someone is walking or operating a vehicle, means do not make that person change speed or direction to avoid a collision. Often, to yield, you must stop. I learned here on MOL that Maplewood and Essex county have a deal, which will be putting a light at Oakview and Valley. I think it goes in this fall, and not a moment too soon. I think people treat pedestrians decently in Maplewood village because traffic is already slow, and the streets are narrow. Given the opportunity to drive badly, people will take it. I sympathize with you deeply, Neen. I started a thread on this topic last spring. I was crossing at Oakview and Valley and a driver failed to yield to me, and I threw a magazine at his car. It was a bad idea, and I won't do it again. He got out of his car, got in my face, and asked me to hit him so he could hit me. I asked him why he didn't stop for me in the crosswalk, and he said, "because I was going somewhere." So clearly, some drivers don't know that stopping for pedestrians is a duty, not an option for them to decide. If I walked those crosswalks frequently, I might carry a fold-out stop sign. Seriously. Not that everyone would stop for me, though. | |||
| vor Citizen Username: Vor Post Number: 381 Registered: 9-2003 |
Tom You actually threw your magazine at the car? | |||
| Earlster Supporter Username: Earlster Post Number: 932 Registered: 8-2003  |
From the latest drivers manual: (see the last item for pedestrians) Stopping Regulations Signs, signals and traffi c rules indicate when a motorist should stop. Never attempt to beat a traffi c light change. Even if the light is changing to green, exercise caution. There may be one or more vehicles driving through the intersection. Accidents at traffi c signals often happen shortly after the signal has changed. When a yellow light follows a green light, prepare to stop. Only continue through an intersection where the light is changing from green to yellow if already in the intersection. When a Motorist Must Stop • at an intersection with a stop sign • at an intersection with a red light, fl ashing or otherwise • when a traffi c offi cer orders the motorist to stop • when there is a yield sign and traffi c does not permit a safe merge • when a school bus is picking up or letting off children and/or red lights are fl ashing • when coming from an alley, private driveway or building • at a bridge span which is about to open for boat traffi c • for a blind pedestrian using a white or metallic-colored walking cane, or a trained guide dog, or guide dog instructor engaged in instructing a guide dog • for a pedestrian in a crosswalk or at an intersection | |||
| thegoodsgt Citizen Username: Thegoodsgt Post Number: 748 Registered: 2-2002  |
I've said it before and I'll say it again...it's all about enforcement. | |||
| Neen Citizen Username: Neen Post Number: 105 Registered: 1-2004 |
I was actually thinking of carrying a sign because I am starting to feel like an idiot cursing to myself and flailing my arms in the air when I know they aren't looking in their rearview mirrors and clearly couldn't care less about me, or they would nave stopped in the first place. | |||
| Tom Reingold Supporter Username: Noglider Post Number: 5350 Registered: 1-2003 |
Maybe a portable airhorn would be the most useful. I remember I had one of those squeeze horns on my bicycle in Boston. It was actually quite loud. A car driver started to cut me off illegally, and I honked and he stopped. Then he saw that I was "only" on a bicycle, so he honked back in anger. Still, it may not raise the proper awareness, since people get mad if you make them do the right thing, but it may at least get a few of them to yield. Remember, you may be inciting violence, however, even though you are right. | |||
| themp Supporter Username: Themp Post Number: 1413 Registered: 12-2001 |
I never have a problem getting them to stop. Trick is, don't make eye contact and stride directly into their path. They stop. Of course, secretly you have to be ready to jump back. | |||
| Strings Supporter Username: Blue_eyes Post Number: 378 Registered: 4-2004  |
I've actually have seen people speed up to "pass" me so they don't have to stop for me while I'm crossing - especially at the crosswalk on Scotland by Village Hall. I guess a lot of drivers don't realize that there is a crosswalk there because it's before a light. A lot of them give me dirty looks as well - maybe I should start carrying magazines with me. | |||
| ffof Citizen Username: Ffof Post Number: 3314 Registered: 5-2001 |
I think people get mad when you point out that they're doing something wrong. They don't like being corrected. | |||
| Soda Supporter Username: Soda Post Number: 2479 Registered: 5-2001  |
Assuming that all these ideas are moot if you've just been splashed, muddied, or nearly killed by one of these maniacs, I suggest the "Instructive Post-Trauma Retort" as a viable alternative, courtesy of that eloquent practitioner of courteous driving in "A Fish Called Wanda", Mr. Kevin Kline:
-s. BTW: Use ONLY if you're neither too wet nor too injured to make a rapid exit... | |||
| trapper Citizen Username: Trapper Post Number: 122 Registered: 8-2002 |
Tom, Say you're traveling north on Valley towards SO (Maplewood Town Hall on your right). Steady stream of vehicles traveling in both directions, and you notice a pedestrian waiting for a break in the traffic on the Memorial Park side of Valley. , across the street waiting to cross Valley to the Town Hall Side. Would you stop? I used to. Not anymore. I stopped to waive a kid walking his bike across the street. Cars behind me honked because they didn't know why I was stopped. Cars in the other direction failed to yield to the pedestrian, and I nearly waived the kid into traffic. I nearly ••••. I was trying to be civil, but the jesture very nearly caused a tragedy. Another time before that, the jerk behind me actually passed me and nearly ran down someone. I realize pedestrians have the right of way at cross walks, but I think they're better off waiting a couple more seconds until traffic in both directions is clear. You think that intersection is bad? Try entering an uncontrolled crosswalk (the nifty brick patterend ones) on Springfield Avenue. Wait for the traffic to yield as you make your way across the street. NOT. They don't even slow down in either direction. | |||
| Tom Reingold Supporter Username: Noglider Post Number: 5351 Registered: 1-2003 |
trapper, I'll leave that decision up to you, but I will continue to stop. I once stopped for a pedestrian at Oakview, while I was going north on Valley. The car behind me swung around to the wrong side of the road to pass me. There is a special name, which I have forgotten, for this type of very serious violation, but who cares, right? But I did get very steamed. If people rear-end me, it's better than someone hitting a pedestrian. If I'm walking at night, I cut the drivers some slack. It's hard for them to see me in time, so I wait. But that's different. In the daytime, there is no excuse. vor, yes, I actually hit the car with my magazine. Boy was the driver pissed. My wife and daughter was with me, and my daughter freaked out, understandably. Strings, I highly recommend you don't do this. I have actually had better luck crossing Springfield Ave on the brick crosswalks. Once I had to gesture overtly about the crosswalk, but the driver then showed an apologetic face. Perhaps I was lucky. I am rather foolish to assert my rights, but I am as steamed as Neen is over this issue. | |||
| notehead Supporter Username: Notehead Post Number: 2008 Registered: 5-2001  |
I got a 98 on my written driver's test ages ago, but I have to admit that I had forgotten, until Tom's thread last spring, that, technically, you are always supposed to stop for pedestrians at a cross-walk. I had thought that it was only legally required if there was a sign posted to that effect at the intersection. I suspect that most drivers (and pedestrians) do NOT know that it is a legal requirement, or you wouldn't see this law broken so routinely. If it is accurate to say that most people are not aware of this law, then isn't it more likely that an accident will occur if you do stop then if you don't? Not trying to be arbitrary here, I am just more concerned with safety than with legality. (And, for what it's worth, I am very careful to stop for pedestrians around the train station, although I am less conscious of it elsewhere.) | |||
| Tom Reingold Supporter Username: Noglider Post Number: 5353 Registered: 1-2003 |
Thank you for your honesty, notehead. Still, if I stop for a pedestrian in a crosswalk, what accident do you think is likely to occur? A rear-ender? Rear-enders are the fault of the driver in the rear. Remember, if you hit me because I stopped for no apparent reason, I will remind you that I don't need an apparent reason to stop. It's up to me to decide when to stop, and it's up to you to be ready for that. |
