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Bob K
Supporter
Username: Bobk
Post Number: 7873
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Friday, March 11, 2005 - 11:09 am: | 
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I don't know the law on regular stop signs. However, at four way stops the law and protocol is take your turn.
I have to admit that I always thought that at regular stop signs the traffic going straight has the right of way, just like at an uncontrolled intersection. |
Tom Reingold
Supporter
Username: Noglider
Post Number: 5802
Registered: 1-2003
| | Posted on Friday, March 11, 2005 - 11:13 am: |
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Hank, I think the law is moot in this case. If most people think that the driver going straight or the driver turning right has right of way over the left turner who arrived first, then let it be that way. The most valuable thing is shared expectations.
Look at it this way. It's illegal to turn left the way most Jerzoids turn, yet we collectively do it. I mean, when two opposing vehicles both want to turn left, they are supposed to pass each other's lefts, but we don't. We present the right sides of our vehicles to each other, which is quicker. If you tried to behave the legal way, you would produce mayhem and anger. |
ffof
Citizen
Username: Ffof
Post Number: 3432
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Friday, March 11, 2005 - 11:18 am: |
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A pet peeve corner...going up Baker to Ridgewood. There is a stop sign and there is a yellow marking in the road that tells me that it is one lane traffic, although there is room for two. I obey the one lane traffic thing and do not drive in that yello area, but am I the only one?
When you are going left at that intersection, and someone comes up on the right of you to go right...AAARRRGGGGHHH! He totally blocks your line of sight to be able to pull out safely!
So now I just try to block the whole dang lane going right or left, and I love to see people get huffy in my rear view mirror |
bets
Supporter
Username: Bets
Post Number: 1029
Registered: 6-2001
| | Posted on Friday, March 11, 2005 - 1:21 pm: |
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The only thing worse than a left-turn light jumper is the guy behind him who follows right on through.
Though, maybe the 3 or 4 cars that seem to routinely run through red lights top the left-turn jumpers. Maybe left-turn red-light runners? |
Bill P
Citizen
Username: Mrincredible
Post Number: 107
Registered: 1-2005
| | Posted on Friday, March 11, 2005 - 1:39 pm: |
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I especially love the person who follows the light-jumper when a) the light-jumper is in a Lincoln Navigator and b) the follower is in a Toyota Echo. Can't see the second car until it's right in front of me.
This is especially fun when I've actually started to pull into the intersection, excercising my right of way, and am prepared to re-accelerate as soon as the offending light jumper is out of the way. Only to find light jumper #2 right in front of me.
Sometimes they'll take the curve tighter than jumper #1, too, so they;re really invisible.
I swear I'm gonna buy me that '73 Nova one of these days. Then I won't need to stand on my brakes when someone does somethin' dumb. |
Bob K
Supporter
Username: Bobk
Post Number: 7878
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Friday, March 11, 2005 - 1:54 pm: |
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Ffof, I make that left turn at least once a day. With the Hummer H1 visibility is never a problem. Same thing goes at Jefferson and Ridgewood, although that one may be marked for two lanes. |
vor
Citizen
Username: Vor
Post Number: 408
Registered: 9-2003
| | Posted on Friday, March 11, 2005 - 3:04 pm: |
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Hank
My brother works for a car insurance company and once told me that anyone making a left turn must yield to everyone else. If there is an accident involving someone turning left the insurance company assumes it was the left turner's fault. Not sure if it's the law, though. |
redY67
Citizen
Username: Redy67
Post Number: 681
Registered: 2-2003
| | Posted on Friday, March 11, 2005 - 3:34 pm: |
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vor that makes perfect sense, You are cutting in front of someone, so you should be required to yield. |
ffof
Citizen
Username: Ffof
Post Number: 3434
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Friday, March 11, 2005 - 3:41 pm: |
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oh bobbest- we all know you don't drive a Hummer |
Hank Zona
Supporter
Username: Hankzona
Post Number: 2144
Registered: 3-2002
| | Posted on Friday, March 11, 2005 - 3:50 pm: |
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Im just going to have to walk everywhere until I can get the NJ law on this..or drive and only make right turns. Thanks for the feedback so far. Its interesting that there may be differences between acceptable and legal and quasi-legal (insurance company dictated) answers. |
jeffl
Supporter
Username: Jeffl
Post Number: 1032
Registered: 8-2001
| | Posted on Friday, March 11, 2005 - 3:55 pm: |
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When overly aggressive drivers turn left in front of me and cut me off I never slow down. I try to make it appear that I'm unaware of them thereby scaring the crap out of them that I'm going to hit them. If I really have my wits about me I'll make a "Oh my God I can't stop and I'm going to hit you" face. Very mature. |
Meandtheboys
Citizen
Username: Meandtheboys
Post Number: 350
Registered: 12-2004
| | Posted on Friday, March 11, 2005 - 10:35 pm: |
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jeffl: I've tried that too. My experience has been that they seem like they could really care less! |
upondaroof
Citizen
Username: Upondaroof
Post Number: 107
Registered: 4-2003
| | Posted on Saturday, March 12, 2005 - 7:44 pm: |
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Meandtheboys, Try it from the cab of a Ford F250. You'll definitley catch their attention!! |
Meandtheboys
Citizen
Username: Meandtheboys
Post Number: 353
Registered: 12-2004
| | Posted on Saturday, March 12, 2005 - 9:16 pm: |
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upondaroof: Dodge Durango here. Have come very close on a couple of occasions and still no reaction.
I have fantasies of actually running them over one day, just for the fun of it! |
upondaroof
Citizen
Username: Upondaroof
Post Number: 110
Registered: 4-2003
| | Posted on Sunday, March 13, 2005 - 2:58 pm: |
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What a great idea for a video game. Kind of along the lines of "Carmageddon", only more upclose and personal. The only problem is, some jerk would figure out how to play it while driving and would still be cutting you off! |
Bob K
Supporter
Username: Bobk
Post Number: 7895
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Sunday, March 13, 2005 - 3:34 pm: |
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Me, may I suggest high beams and flipping on the fog lights? That usually gets their attention.
I think a lot of people who make a left as the light turns are so focused on the turn they don't notice anything else. Interestingly since I have been reading this thread I have noticed that I tend to start up from a light more slowly when there is someone with their signal on to make a left.  |
SO Refugee
Citizen
Username: So_refugee
Post Number: 59
Registered: 2-2005
| | Posted on Sunday, March 13, 2005 - 4:43 pm: |
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I've thought on many occasion to take a paint ball gun and "identify" those drivers not falling within the courteous guidelines.
The light at Parker and Prospect is fun in the AM when folks think the big arrow pointing in the right direction is really an acceleration mark for jumping the line of traffic. Not to mention it's a block from CHS with a lot of foot traffic. |
upondaroof
Citizen
Username: Upondaroof
Post Number: 111
Registered: 4-2003
| | Posted on Sunday, March 13, 2005 - 6:21 pm: |
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How about a small computer guided laser cannon.
You could lasik off their earlobes. Left side for left turn improprieties and right for no turn on red violations! No problem IDing these felons in the supermarket checkout! |
SO Refugee
Citizen
Username: So_refugee
Post Number: 69
Registered: 2-2005
| | Posted on Sunday, March 13, 2005 - 8:03 pm: |
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My thoughts are for a temporary ID whereas a rehabilitated driver can rejoin society - no permanent marks...
The SM checkout scenario does bring into question using a similar tactic for Express Lane violators. |
Richard Kessler
Citizen
Username: Richiekess
Post Number: 3
Registered: 11-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 16, 2005 - 8:43 am: |
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My wife and I moved to Maplewood in December, having lived for a fairly long time in Manhattan. I do have to say that we are troubled by the drivers in Maplewood. We both feel that pound for pound people are overly agressive: speeding about the town, reluctant to yield way to pedestrians in the crosswalk, tailgating, and a whole lot more. We live on Tuscan Road and it has is still hard to accept how difficult it is to make the turn into our driveway without someone either trying to go around as we're slowing down (sometimes driving on the sidewalk to do it!) or driving right up to within inches of the back of the car. Not to mention how freaking fast people drive heading towards Valley. Half the time the end up at a red light, but have to drive 45 to do it. I do think that the Town needs to do something about this and it should start with the police giving tickets for speeding. You would think, coming from New York City, that we would be used to aggressive drivers, but this is a whole new kettle of fish. It's even an iffy proposition crossing the road from the park to the train station, while you're in the crosswalk, as to whether or not cars will stop for you. Somehow a significant number of people, always in a hurry, think that the right of way resides with the driver, rather than the pedestrian. Otherwise, we really like Maplewood, but this particular issue is a terrible disappointment. |
ffof
Citizen
Username: Ffof
Post Number: 3454
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 16, 2005 - 9:01 am: |
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This takes the cake......
Yesterday as I was about to get into my car to back out of an angled spot in the village, a woman in her hotsy totsy white car (with her little white pooch sticking his head out the window from her lap) had her turn signal on to get into my space, but she was going up the hill. Before I got into my car, I pointed out to her that there was a sign (I pointed to it) that said that making a left was illegal. She claimed ignorance, so I said, well now you know. SHe asked me what the reasons were for making it illegal (oy!) and then she said well, I'll do it this once and I'll know for the future. I said, No way! I said, How in good conscience could you go ahead and turn anyway? And , I see a cop down the street that I could go talk to. She said "My husband is a cop." I said, "Well, you of all people should understand that there are rules that apply to all." She continued to wait for my spot.
At this point people are honking behind me (for my spot) and a nice gentleman came up to me and said "I'll handle it." Which he did, but I didn't stick around to see the final result. But there were people who opened their windows and thanked me!
What is with this sense of entitlement that in the end is endangering people's lives?????!!!!!!
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juju's petals
Citizen
Username: Jujus_petals
Post Number: 40
Registered: 5-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 16, 2005 - 9:11 am: |
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Richard, We also live on Tuscan and hate it when folks get impatient because we're simply stopping and waiting for a gap in oncoming traffic to turn left into our driveway. Folks drive WAY too fast on Tuscan, but the problem with aggressive driving exists throughout not just Maplewood but New Jersey in general. My point for the thread is that if you drive that way in Maplewood, we might know who you are. In fact, I should have followed my instinct yesterday when someone honked at me because I didn't drive blindly from the parking lot in the village onto Maplewood Ave just after someone swerved around me to snag the parking space I exited and another car was trying to pull into the lot from the avenue. My instinct was to get out of my car and tell that guy behind me that he is being obnoxious, and quite frankly, scold him.
On second thought, I sound a bit crazy, too. Still, I just think that when people behave improperly we should tell them that they are. Must be my German genes. Folks tend to behave better when they realize they are not anonymous. |
slipknot
Citizen
Username: Zotts
Post Number: 31
Registered: 7-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 16, 2005 - 9:16 am: |
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"Well, you of all people should understand that there are rules that apply to all."
When has a police man/woman ever acted like the law apply them, I've seen marked and unmarked police cars running light, takes illegal left turns, going the wrong way up a one way street, speeding at double the speed limit on local road, illegally parking, all while doing nothing more than driving around. Cops tend to feel the law doesn't apply to them. And lets not forget the Irvington Cops arrested last weeks for selling illegal arm purchased from out of state.
Now granted I've seen this much more in NYC than here, but I do see them running lights and speeding every day. |
Tom Reingold
Supporter
Username: Noglider
Post Number: 5875
Registered: 1-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 16, 2005 - 10:08 am: |
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All of these complaints are totally valid, but let's put it in perspective. As bad as driving is in SO/M, it's generally worse in NJ. That may not be enough to make us grateful, though. In fact, it makes the situation seem rather hopeless, since it would be hard to improve the situation when local drivers are already one or two iotas more courteous than NJ drivers in general.
juju's petals, maybe you are right that we should tell people directly that they are being rude. Of course, we should not do so rudely. Miss Manners recently wrote about how it is our right and duty to do this on some occasions: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A30340-2005Mar12.html
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Richard Kessler
Citizen
Username: Richiekess
Post Number: 4
Registered: 11-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 16, 2005 - 10:53 am: |
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Does Miss Manners carry mace, a steel baton, or something similar? |
Tom Reingold
Supporter
Username: Noglider
Post Number: 5877
Registered: 1-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 16, 2005 - 11:04 am: |
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I doubt it, but I recently was reading a book called "The Culture of Fear" which outlines how the media etc foster fear unwarrantedly. (Is that a word?) Road rage is mostly a fabrication of the news media. Sure, it happens, but it is not on the rise, and it is not all that likely. |
redY67
Citizen
Username: Redy67
Post Number: 704
Registered: 2-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 16, 2005 - 11:22 am: |
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ffof, that is so ridiculous!! It amazes me people don't care.
Thread Drift.. I was in Watchung the other day walking through the parking lot. I walk by this car to see a little boy around 3 in the car by himself sleeping. I stood there for about ten minutes, and no one came. I figured I would go into the nearest store to see if the parents were there. I walked into a video store, asked if anyone owned a gold Toyota. This woman says that it belongs to her. I expressed my concern for her child being by himself in the car and how dangerous it was. (she could not see the car from the store) She said not to worry, he was fine. Luckily she got the hint and immediately went out to the car. My next step would have been to call the cops. |
Tom Reingold
Supporter
Username: Noglider
Post Number: 5879
Registered: 1-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 16, 2005 - 11:28 am: |
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Well, you might be right, redY67, but what dangers do you think the little boy was in? I hope you don't say abduction, because that's another media fabrication. |
redY67
Citizen
Username: Redy67
Post Number: 705
Registered: 2-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 16, 2005 - 11:34 am: |
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Of course I was thinking abduction, carjacking, god knows. The little boy could have walked out of the car into the busy parking lot and been hit by the car, list goes on and on. I think it is completely horrific that anyone would leave a child in the car by themselves and not even be able to see the car. |
Tom Reingold
Supporter
Username: Noglider
Post Number: 5880
Registered: 1-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 16, 2005 - 11:43 am: |
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I don't know why I even asked. Sorry. Of course, the danger of him walking out is huge. And a three year old should not be out of earshot. |
redY67
Citizen
Username: Redy67
Post Number: 708
Registered: 2-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 16, 2005 - 11:55 am: |
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Tom glad you came to your senses!! |
slipknot
Citizen
Username: Zotts
Post Number: 32
Registered: 7-2004
| | Posted on Saturday, March 19, 2005 - 10:48 am: |
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As if to prove my point, last night I went to pick my wife up at the Newark Amtrak station. I missed the turn and as a result had to go around the block, not being overly familiar with Newark I went the long way around and ended up coming through the Portuguese section. I was waiting at a light (at union) and the car opposite jumped the light to make a left. I had to break and I honked, it was then I saw it was a cop. I continued, but evidently he made an upturn (no doubt in traffic) and then pulled me over. The cop proceeded to give me a ticket, for wait for it, failure to yield to an emergency vehicle. This despite the fact that a) I did in fact yield for him, as he had made the turn first, b) he didn't have his lights or sirens on and his lights are molded to the top in a white cover so you can't see them head on and finally c) he broke the law.
This is exactly what is wrong with the police they feel they have the right to break the law at whim and then when you call them on the unlawfulness of this they give you a ticket. Needless to say I am going to fight this, but I'm sure they won’t show to the court date.
My son, who was in the back seat, reaction was to say why don't we just run the next red light we are at since the cops can do why shouldn't we. |
Soda
Supporter
Username: Soda
Post Number: 2717
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Saturday, March 19, 2005 - 3:43 pm: |
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Slipknot: If the officer isn't present at the hearing, your case should be dismissed.
-s.
BTW: Bring your son and have him prepared to testify as a witness. He'll learn a valuable lesson (one way or the other) about how our justice system works. |
upondaroof
Citizen
Username: Upondaroof
Post Number: 126
Registered: 4-2003
| | Posted on Saturday, March 19, 2005 - 6:34 pm: |
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Don't go to court without a lawyer. If ya do, the only way you'll win (maybe), is if the cop is a no show. Been there. |
anon
Citizen
Username: Anon
Post Number: 1709
Registered: 6-2002
| | Posted on Saturday, March 19, 2005 - 7:50 pm: |
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"This is exactly what is wrong with the police they feel they have the right to break the law at whim and then when you call them on the unlawfulness of this they give you a ticket. Needless to say I am going to fight this, but I'm sure they won’t show to the court date."
It may be what is wrong with that particular policeman, but why stereotype all police? |
monster
Supporter
Username: Monster
Post Number: 662
Registered: 7-2002
| | Posted on Saturday, March 19, 2005 - 9:00 pm: |
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Tom, I have to disagree with you, I think that there are worse drivers in the Maplewood area than almost anywhere else in NJ. Almost every visitor I've had, from NJ or another state has complained about the drivers here, you would think that our two towns wouldn't have so many arseholes that reside here, especially the arseholes that go around in oversized SUV's, that have no clue as how to drive properly, or believe that they have a stature in life that allows them to ignore the law, courtesy, common sense, and safety.
YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE!!!
A couple of months ago while waiting behind a car, which was waiting to turn right into a parking space on Maplewood Village, a car came speeding (from at least two cars behind me) up the left side to pass us all.
This was on a night where there was a little fog, it had been raining, the road could very well have been slippery (making a quick stop impossible), and there just happened to be a small child (at the most 3 years of age) that had stepped in front of the car waiting to turn into the space (the parent quickly stepped out and stopped the child from going further).
The driver of the passing car went down the street and pulled into a spot in front of the video store, I stopped my car behind him (I have to say that I'm surprised I kept as calm as I did, must have been because my wife was telling me to calm down, I was seething), I wanted to go throw the guy (who was a least 45 to 55 years old, old enough to know better) up against his car and let him have it, instead I pointed out loudly, just how stupid he was and how close he had come to hitting that child. He just said, "okay", and started to leave.
If it had not been for my wife grabbing my hand, I would most likely have ended up in the pokey that night, I really hope that man pisses somebody off sometime, and they beat him senseless, I just wish it had been me.
As far as the arseholes that turn left at the light, cutting off those coming from the opposite side, there have been a few times where I've tried to run into the side of their cars, after all I'm in an old Honda, and they are usually in something that's worth more than this old thing, they all deserve to be slapped around a bit too, regardless of who they are. |
Tom Reingold
Supporter
Username: Noglider
Post Number: 5924
Registered: 1-2003
| | Posted on Monday, March 21, 2005 - 12:04 am: |
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Well, monster, you know what they say about being dead right.
If you have a collision you could have avoided, it becomes at least partially your fault, even if the other person started the conflict with an illegal move.
Try not to seethe. It doesn't do anyone any good. I'm trying to take that advice, too. We can both work on it. |
monster
Supporter
Username: Monster
Post Number: 664
Registered: 7-2002
| | Posted on Monday, March 21, 2005 - 4:36 pm: |
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Most of the time my anger is well under control, but I get particularly angry when I see a kid in danger like that, I once jumped out of a car at a redlight and pulled some dude out of his car because I saw him smack his boy, HARD, my friend who was driving, and his brothers pulled me off and started yelling at the guy that he had better get the he-ll out of there, he did, and no cops showed up, guess I got lucky....
That was about five years ago, I guess the incident in Maplewood this winter was the only time since then that I had been that pissed off.
I find that having that split second to think of your family, can calm one down quite a bit, dang-it.... |
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