Stop Sign = Dinosaur?
I observe the world a l lot because I am an artist. One of my many jobs for the past 16 years has been chauffering kids around to school activities. It gets kind of boring so I study traffic behaviors. Two years now, many drivers have been sailing past stop signs.
I spend the majority of my time driving in Livingston, West Orange, South Orange, Maplewood, Springfield, Union, Vaux Haul, Millburn, and Summit. I have noticed drivers ignoring stop signs in all of these towns, with the most offenders in Maplewood. This is baffling.
Has the stop sign lost its efficacy,is it's semantic no longer effective, has there been a cultural shift? In the 1970's no one wore a seat belt, and everyone took stop signs very seriously. Presently, everyone wears a seat belt and too many do not stop at stop signs.
I believe in stop signs because safety is elegant. Just before I got home to type this letter, three cars, ignoring two stop signs, sailed across the Maplewood/Jefferson avenue intersection. A driver coming down Jefferson (Jefferson side is not puncuated with stop signs at that intersection), and myself, stopped. The driver opposite me on Jefferson, patiently waited for all the "No stop at the stop signers" to finish going along, and then proceeded.
I wonder if anyone else has noticed this: "everyone has the right of way" epidemic? Am I just too boring playing it so safetly and obeying those silly stop signs? Are there too many trees and bushes in the way? Are car noses too long? Do engineers need to go back to school for some continuing education credits? I don't know what the answers are and I would love to hear any observations from other drivers (either perspective is welcome) out there. In the meantime, my apologies, to the cars, behind me in the know, but I will continue stopping at all stop signs. Please remember what the red octagonal sign with white letters stands for. It means well. Stay well.
Rachela Doran
8:46 am on Sunday, May 20, 2012
I totally agre with you! Not only are people ignoring stop signs, but speed limits, safe stopping distances and the distance between cars. And what about the lines in the center of the road? It seems that now that is the place where your left tires are supposed to ride. That's fine for one driver, but the opposing side then has issues. I am so thankful when I come home from a day of work and I actually make it home in one piece. It seems that these days everyone is 'entitled' and traffic laws are just suggestions at best.
Drive safe.
brooklynwind
9:37 pm on Sunday, May 20, 2012
Drive safe as well.
Vinny M.
9:12 am on Sunday, May 20, 2012
I also have spent many hours driving my kids around the last 5 years and I have seen the same behaviour that you talk about. We live near the intersection of Maplewood and Jefferson and people consider that an optional stop sign at best. Unfortunately, it seems that many people feel that driving rules and posted signs do not apply to them because they are much more important than the others they share the roads with. I see signs being ignored on a regular basis. The NO LEFT TURN sign at the corner of Baker and Valley and the NO LEFT TURN INTO PARKING SPACES signs along Maplewood Ave. to just name two. Another thing that seems to be a dinosaur is the turning signal. I see drivers making turns without using their signal all day long.
I worked for a brokerage firm before I became a stay at home dad. I had several licenses that the government required me to have to be sure that I was qualified to deal with peoples money. I needed to do continuing education every two years to ensure that I still understood all the rules. It has always amazed me that I had to demonstrate my abilities and knowledge to deal with peoples money, but to get behind the wheel of a car all i needed to do was pass two tests and then pay a fee every four years.
Please remember you are not the only one going somewhere! Be safe
brooklynwind
9:38 pm on Sunday, May 20, 2012
Be safe too.
snow man
10:37 pm on Monday, May 21, 2012
This in NJ. No one signals, especially left turns at busy intersections. Until, of course, the light changes and you're stuck behind them.
Micha Hamilton
9:43 am on Sunday, May 20, 2012
Stop signs, traffic lights, and other laws of the road exist to maintain a sense of order and understanding, a language intended for drivers to use for safe travel. Without these "rules of the road", the whole system collapses and chaos ensues, accidents happen and people die. It's my opinion that running stop signs and disobeying other laws is pandemic of greater societal issues. Most people are terrible communicators to begin with, as is evidenced by the lack of using a car's blinker or turn signal (something to be said of the British use of the term 'indicator', 'cause that's exactly what it is designed for, to indicate one's intention or thought process), and when you pair that with a laissez-faire mentality of "i don't care" or "I'll do what I want", the proverbial damage is waiting to be done.
brooklynwind
9:41 pm on Sunday, May 20, 2012
I wonder if the written test is also a dinosaur?
Danelectro59
10:25 am on Sunday, May 20, 2012
There also seems to be an epidemic of fear of using turn signals. I was crossing Bloomfield Ave. at Park recently, and this guy pulled out of Park and got all impatient with me because I was in the crosswalk. He wasn't using any turn signal, so how was I supposed to know which way he was turning?
On a similar note, why do people feel the need to pull across and block a crosswalk? There's a blind gal in town who was trying to cross Smull by Rock'n Joe, and some bird in a Lexus was pulled completely across the crosswalk and wouldn't let the gal and her dog pass. I yelled at her to not block the crosswalk, and she just gave me the finger and told me not to tell her what to do. I didn't have my cell with me, or I would have recorded the whole thing, taken a picture of her and her license plate, and taken it to the cops.
John Fonseca
5:58 pm on Sunday, May 20, 2012
Taking it to the cops isn't a bowl of cherries. I tried that earlier this year and found the process to be wanting.
The incident, strangely enough, involved someone blowing through a stop sign and almost hit my dog and me while we were already in the crosswalk. I knew the car and knew where he parked it so I took a photo and made note of the details (plates, make, model, color, location).
I got home and called the MPD regular number. The first guy transferred me to the court, where an unnamed woman of unknown position told me I needed the person's name and address to file a complaint. She argued with me about that and then hung up. I called again and a different receptionist said the same thing and then hung up on me.
Next I called the town administrator. He told me that the guys that answer the phones during the day aren't actual police officers. They're just phone answerers. They're only supposed to direct incoming questions to actual cops and nowhere else. After this, Chief Gordon called and said the same stuff. He also told me that what the woman in the court said was wrong. THEY are supposed to find that information based on the complaint.
Anyway, he set up an officer to be ready when I showed up and I filled out a report. I then learned later that the person would receive my home address. I get confronting his accuser, but I would prefer that not to be in my front yard. I let it drop.
Sanford Josephson
11:05 am on Sunday, May 20, 2012
If ignoring stop signs is a problem, how about all those who completely ignore Yield signs? Also, left turns when the other directions has a green light. My family has had two accidents in the last dozen years, and both times it was because an oncoming car turned left while we were going straight through a green light.
brooklynwind
10:08 pm on Tuesday, May 29, 2012
Unlike Stop signs, Yield signs are much more complicated. I slowed once coming in from Durand for traffic coming into Maplewood Village from Maplewood Avenue. The driver behind me beeped and yelled out that I don't have to slow down at that yield sign. I thought a yield sign was a reminder to cooperate with other drivers when merging onto the same roadway. To me someone driving straight down Maplewood avenue has the right of way, yet others do not agree.
Barry & Maureen Lowe
8:14 pm on Sunday, May 20, 2012
I'd like to now why people also ignore crosswalks. The police are doing nothing to enforce. My 9 mo old daughter and Husband were almost hit while crossing at a light on a walk in south orange and the car honked at US. Then nobody ever stops at the crosswalk at Tillou and north Wyoming. The drivers in general seem too consumed with themselves to stop whether it be at a stop sign or crosswalk. I'd like to know where the police are.
John Fonseca
11:00 pm on Monday, May 21, 2012
Ralph,
What they can do about it is give out $200 ticket after $200 ticket. That might raise public awareness a little bit. A little is better than nothing, which is what seems to be the case right now.
brooklynwind
9:53 pm on Tuesday, May 29, 2012
We could be in the process of a cultural shift. I read that in the Netherlands cars are not expected to stop at crosswalks, and that they have the right of way.
snow man
10:32 pm on Monday, May 21, 2012
I cross Prospect regularly at a crosswalk, and naturally I regularly drive on Prospect.
As a pedestrian, I've noticed that drivers are finally beginning to stop, especially if you take a step out into the street and stare them down. Sure, a few will curse you and look at you in disbelief, at which point you can only point at the crosswalk sign and the crosswalk itself with a look of disgust on your face and hope they get a clue. I should point out that the next light being red does encourage them to stop at the crosswalk. Then there are the goddamn morons who not only don't stop, they blow past the school crossing guard blowing her whistle at them, barely missing children. These are the guys (and women) you want to go GTA on.
As a driver, I stop about 90% of the time for people; the other 10% of the time I just saw them too late to stop. Pedestrians are often stunned that someone stopped. They don't know what to do. To encourage oncoming drivers to stop, I flash my brights as they approach. Maybe one in three or four figures out what I'm trying to signal. It's frustrating.
brooklynwind
8:27 am on Wednesday, June 20, 2012
I'm glad that to hear the mention of "stop 90% of the time". It is quite often that it is not clear if someone is going to step into the crosswalk. The streets are an incredible infrastructure allowing for mobility, if they are used correctly and continually improved they can benefit everybody equally. Occasional stopping is necessary for us to keep moving, otherwise we will all eventually be at a stand still and won't be able to go anywhere. The light flashing is a great communication idea because it works!
gfjgf
3:11 am on Tuesday, November 13, 2012
Based on http://www.coachoutletonlinexc.net Coach Factory Outlet that record, law enforcement http://www.louisvuittonoutletam.net Louis Vuitton Outlet officials decided http://www.coachoutletstoreze.com Coach Factory Store there was no http://www.guccibeltsoutletds.net Gucci Belt evidence that Mr. Petraeus http://www.coachfactoryonlinefn.net Coach Factory Online Store had committed any http://www.coachfactoryonlineae.com Coach Factory Outlet crime and tentatively http://www.coachoutletb1.com Coach Factory Online ruled out charges http://www.coachoutlethcs.com Coach Outlet Online coming out of the http://www.coachoutletonlinegc.com Coach Online Outlet investigation, the http://www.coachoutletuso.net Coach Factory Outlet Online official said. Because http://www.coachbagsoutletel.com Coach Bags Outlet the facts had now http://www.coachfactoryoutletonlineau.com Coach Outlet Online been settled, the http://www.coachfactoryonlineen.com Coach Factory Online agency notified http://www.coachfactoryoutletion.com Coach Factory Outlet James R. Clapper, the http://www.hermesbeltsoutletsc.com Hermes Belt director of national intelligence on the following http://www.coachoutletmls.com Coach Factory Outlet Online Tuesday Election Day.
ryt
1:46 am on Thursday, November 15, 2012
Kimi Raikkoken http://www.coachfactoryoutletonlinebc.org starting from o"I had http://www.coachoutletod.com start," said Vettel. "Thar I made http://www.coachfactoryoutletbo.net a litwho was stopp http://www.coachoutletpn.com on the straighad to go http://www.coachfactorystoredo.com full attack or nothing. "The seca nice fight with Jenson. I http://www.coachoutletos.org was really struggling to pass but then I just squeezed my way past in Turn 11. A thrilling GP, very http://www.coachoutletstorefb.com nice, up and down." Meanwhile, with seven laps to go Alons http://www.coachoutletstoreonlinert.com he started closing in on Rai second but http://www.coachoutletonlinelc.net Raikkonen just held on. "I'm very happy," said Alonso. "We were http://www.coachoutletonlinelon.com not super-competitive this weekend. "We fought good in the first http://www.coachoutletonlinelsa.com laps, good overtaking then strategy enabled us to fight http://www.coachoutletonlinelsa.com for the victory. In the last laps Kimi http://www.coachoutletdt.net was a bit slower so we attack, but second was the best http://www.louisvuittonoutletcft.net possible result for us today. We keep fighting to the end." Maldonado http://www.louisvuittonoutletsc.com took fifth ahead of Sauber's Kamui Kobayashi. Ferrari's Felipe http://www.burberryscarfoutletvip.com Massa, Senna, Force India's Paul di Resta and Toro Rosso's Daniel Ricciardo completed the top 10.