What’s it going to take? Is someone going to have to die? Will THAT slow you down? Or will you still drive like a maniac, figuring it couldn’t possibly happen again?
One Saturday afternoon, at the corner of Grove Street and the block on which we live, my daughter was nearly killed. Read it again: nearly killed. A driver who was too impatient to stop and wait behind the rare driver who actually did obey the law and stopped for pedestrians in the crosswalk, almost killed my daughter. It happened so fast, I didn’t even have enough time to register the make and model of the car, let alone whether the driver was a man or a woman.
We were walking towards the crosswalk, close the shoulder. My five year-old was tired after a play date and wasn’t listening to me. She was refusing to hold my hand. She was refusing to walk on the other side of me, away from the traffic. That’s when this maniac sped around the driver who was kind enough to wait for us, and almost took us out. I would love to know where this person was going in such a hurry. What’s so important that it’s potentially worth a child’s life? What errand are you running? To which all-important social event are you heading? Is 30 seconds going to kill you? Is 30 seconds worth killing someone else?
I doubt the person who almost killed my daughter will read this. But you are. And right now there are efforts in Montclair to reduce traffic fatalities and ensure safe walking routes to schools. This isn’t the first time a driver has come close to hitting me and my daughter. Whether they’re rolling through the stop sign in front of the Starbucks at Church and South Park as we head to dance class, or passing on the shoulder while people are stopped for pedestrians, the whole town seems to be in a massive hurry.
Since I live on a corner lot, almost every day from the sanctity of my backyard I witness cars who ignore pedestrians. Like the one who almost killed my daughter. Every time I get off the bus from work I count the cars that speed by me and the other pedestrians waiting to cross Grove Street. It’s rarely less than five. It’s often more than ten. What if that were your husband or wife? Or your child? Would you stop? Well, I’m your neighbor and I’m asking you to stop. Please. I’m that scared.
Maybe this is why so many parents find excuses to not let their children walk to school. Perhaps they’re scared too.
What’s it going to take? Legislation? A police crackdown? Speed bumps? Rumble strips? Another road sign? A death? There are Safe Routes to School workshops still planned for this month and beyond. Next Wednesday is Put the Brakes on Fatalities Day. Montclair is participating. The aim is to have zero traffic fatalities for one full day.
Please. I beg you. Get in involved. Slow the hell down. You are going to kill someone.
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Yeah, cars passing on the right of other cars who actually stop is a terrifying problem – NJ culture hasn’t yet absorbed the reality of pedestrian right-of-way laws – Combined with the texting and driving epidemic, its scary. I’d like to see the police do monthly undercover operations like the one they did on Bloomfield ave a few years ago. Once everyone knows a few people who have been ticketed for it, it will start to sink in. In the meantime, pedestrians, unfortunately, need to use real caution – never trust a driver. I’m glad your daughter is safe.
I stop for pedestrians even if they are jay walking. It’s a habit from going to school in New England. Nobody stops for me while crossing. Not cars. Not Buses. Not even Police. I point to the pedestrian sign in the middle of the road and often see people speed up as I pretend to memorize their license plates. If the town needs money (as Im sure all town’s do) They should have a crack down on pedestrian cross walks EVERY DAY at a different spot. All it takes is a spotter and a patrol car up the street to fix the debt of every town in this area. Town’s could be rolling in thousands of dollars a day and instead they will tell you that it costs too much to enforce this. Really? Does it cost less to have two patrol cars facing each other in a parking lot talking?
My kids walk to/from school and have to cross the nasty intersection of Elm, Elmwood & Hawthorne. Cars speed down Elm and rarely stop. I have even witnessed cars passing a stopped school bus.
Some of the worst drivers I’ve witnessed are parents dropping their kids off at the car line. People speed, it takes forever to get out of the car line and back into the road because few drivers will actually let you in, and the worst are the cars passing dangerously, while families are crossing.
This is such a serious issue in Montclair. Trying to cross Valley Road at the crosswalk coming out of Edgemont Park is like a scary game of Frogger. Even the crossing guards almost get clipped by cars right near schools. Moving violations at intersections like the “Jersey Left” are dangerous and ignored all the time
Justin, thanks for this. It is a complete nightmare. I am not sure getting somewhere on time is worth hurting another human being, most likely a child. It is so sad to see the kids patiently waiting at the intersections for somebody, anybody, to stop so they can cross. And even of they are crossing, most likely running across, people whizzing behind them. It is time for a crackdown, especially in light of the recent fatalities.
Georgette, you’ve seen my Facebook posts about Montclair drivers. I think that from now on I will try not only to memorize make, model, and plates, but will try to post a photo of the offending driver and/or vehicle.
They should be ashamed of themselves.
It is a basic human right to be able to walk or bike safely – whether you’re a kid, a senior or somewhere in between. It doesn’t matter WHY you’re walking or biking (for recreation or transportation) or to what destination (school, work, shopping, for the heck of it). What matters is that you have safe access.
Many many great points are raised here. And it’s so OK to be angry about driver behavior. And yes, we could certainly use more enforcement. But it’s not us vs. them. The great thing is that although on occasion we’re all part of the problem (sometimes driving too fast or sometimes not paying attention when we cross the street), we can all also be part of the solution. One person at a time. We each need to keep these concerns in mind whether we’re walking, biking or behind the wheel.
Bike&Walk Montclair volunteers work to advocate for safe street policies, provide education for cyclists and pedestrians, and sponsor many informational and fun events to raise awareness and we succeed because of our active members.
Right now, we are holding a Courteous Driving Pledge campaign. By placing a magnet on your car bumper, you let other drivers know that you are a “pace car” and will drive the speed limit, scan the horizon and prepare to stop for pedestrians, slow down and give room to cyclists, and apply that same courtesy and responsibility when walking or biking as well. To participate, click here: http://bikewalkmontclair.org/ For more info, please contact info@bikewalkmontclair.org.
Laura Torchio
Bike&Walk Montclair
Thanks Justin, my partner and I moved from a corner house located directly across from Kings Grocery Store for much the same reasons while our child was an infant. We often sat on the front porch and vicariously had front seat access to innumerable car crashes. We then spent a (then) record amount of money to move around the corner in the middle of the next block over. I am often shocked by drivers on a side street who are honking their horn when I slow down to pull into my own driveway. They are miffed as if I placed my car in park on the GS Parkway. I am aware of 4 adults who have been struck by cars in Montclair, some were fatal. Regarding allowing my child to walk to school alone, not while in elementary school, not happening in my house. This has to do with the distance from school and other children who do not have much guidance who begin to bully. When my daughter first began kindergarten there was a boy who never had a parent at the bus stop. He went to Hillside and was always sad or angry. He often did bad things and when I asked him to stop he gave me the finger. My child is not going to become that child and will not be subject to that type of child if I can help it. Lastly, there are predators who like to cruise around town trying to get children into their cars. I don’t feel it is appropriate or responsible to let small children walk alone to or from school or the bus stop. We may reconsider this choice during Middle School.
I guess the question is: Why don’t we see more tickets being given at places like Edgemont?
Midland Ave. is a speedway and yeyt I have never seen a cop giving tickets on the street. The great thing about speed traps is people either learn to slow down or avoid the street.
Try crossing Bloomfield Ave. at Midland. My friend took his shoe off and smacked a car for not stopping.
Let’s get a crew together and make a video. Pull over drivers who don’t stop in cross walk for children and ask them why. Making sure to get a clear shot of their face looking at the kids so when they say, “Oh I didn’t see anyone there.” We have playback video.
Now who is with me?????
Amen. I live on No. Mountain, where the speed limit is 25, and constantly see people racing down the street–including school buses and garbage trucks. There are a lot of young children who live on our street (including mine) so it worries me. I think Selma’s onto something. Perhaps we should start a website where we write down people’s license plate numbers (or post pics, if we can) and what transgression they committed.
Thanks, Justin. As a community, we really need to pressure the police department to do something. I was almost run down in a crosswalk with a cop sitting nearby in his car and he didn’t bat an eye. Tickets WILL change behavior. And someone is really going to get killed on Claremont between N. Fullerton and Grove. People use it like a freeway and it has crosswalks but if you stop for a pedestrian, people automatically pass on the right.
The key is cops actually handing out tickets. I’m on 280 everyday and see enough tailgating, speeding and passing on the right to make us a nice little pile of money.
Justin, well done. Thanks for writing this. I too am distressed by drivers in a hurry ignoring pedestrians in crosswalks. I’ve actually been honked at from behind for stopping and also had an idiot pass my car when stopping for a pedestrian.
Watchung Plaza crossing at Park, and all of the crossings to Edgemont at Valley Rd desperately need lights, or brighter lights, it is often hard to see people walking across at night.
“What’s it going to take? Legislation? A police crackdown? Speed bumps? Rumble strips? Another road sign? A death?”
Justin, I can tell you that even deaths may not get people to change, or your elected leaders to take notice. Just since June in Bloomfield we’ve had two pedestrian deaths, as well as the teenager who was tragically killed in the accident last weekend where the other driver was apparently going at very high speed. There has not been a word spoken by our Mayor or Council about what they plan to do about it. They’re too busy rubber stamping all the new developments that will only bring more traffic to Bloomfield.
Justin, I can understand your passion on the issue. My family and I were almost taken out a few times on a busy corner in my town when kids were young. People speeding down my street (usually teenagers), it happens all over and unfortunately police can’t be every where all the time. My nieghbors and I purchased items off the keepkidsalivedrive25 website. Go to that site interesting facts . Most speeders reckless drivers are your nieghbors, most know the streets and are comfortable whipping around.
The thing that gets me is the texters. I admit I was a huge offender of it until my youngest child asked me to not do it anymore. hrhppg, says she drives 280 everyday, so do i and I’m sure she would agree with my that it’s unreal how many texters there are.
The entire driving culture needs to change and it starts with enforcing texting laws but that is hard to do. police just cant be everywhere. Unfortunately, the best we can do is make sure we do our part and watchover our children. Justins situation is one of a parents biggest fears. Keep up the pressure, pound your council rep and go on the record with your complaint. This way God forbid something happens but if it does the town or county is libel because they knew.
Ugh, this is an issue that I, like many posters on here, am confronted with every day. I too live near the corner of a busy intersection which I cross daily and it’s rare for a month to go by without at least one close call of a car coming within inches of hitting me.
To piggyback on what Georgette said, some of the worst offenders seem to be parents on their way to schools. I’ve noticed a marked difference between bad drivers during the summer and the number of near misses that occur during the school year.
Sadly, the only time police seem to care about the issue of pedestrians crossing is when they are setting up their police decoys to ticket those who don’t yield to undercover officers. I have never seen them ticket anyone who doesn’t yield to a pedestrian on other days. In fact, I frequently see the cars parked at Edgemont in clear view of cars not yielding to pedestrians.
Wow, passing on the right … a major pet peeve of mine. The other night as I waited patiently to exit Route 3 West onto Grove, even though it took FOREVER, I waited until the exit lane began. Sure enough some jerk in a cargo van came up on me on the right, zipping along in the emergency lane, as I put on my blinker to exit, and he had the audacity to honk and gesture at me. I swear my next car will be an F-450 Dually with concrete bumpers.
Just so everyone knows, passing on the right is ILLEGAL unless you are passing someone in an intersection who is turning left. Period!! (This is why when you are turning left you are supposed to pull half-way into the intersection, so that you can actually turn into the receiving lane at a 90 degree angle, and not sit at the limit line with your blinker on, which I might add, you only turned on *after* the light turned green, thank you very much you inconsiderate beast!) But passing on the right and narrowly missing pedestrians is beyond the pale! I SO wish you had gotten that person’s license plate!
I am definitely more aware these days of pedestrians waiting to cross. Sometimes I just can’t see them (blocked by parked cars, it’s getting darker earlier) but try very hard to keep an eye out. However I typically do not stop for someone standing randomly in the middle of a block. Are they jaywalking? Are they waiting for a ride? Are they about to get into that parked car? To me it’s not an “unmarked” crosswalk if it’s not at a corner, so it is more ambiguous and I do not want to risk an accident and stop traffic unexpectedly for no reason. What would you think if you are tooling along on Grove Street at 35 mph and suddenly the guy ahead of you stops in the middle of the road (not at a crosswalk, not at a corner). Maybe it’s a dog running loose. Maybe it’s a squirrel or a deer, or a kid! In any event it is a surprise, which could require emergency action. To me that’s not appropriate unless it truly is an emergency. So walkers, please help us drivers by crossing where it is safe! And for God’s sake, don’t cross 20 feet in from the corner – cars coming around will *definitely* will not see you. Take a few extra steps and Cross At The Corner!!
Also, here’s another tip from your Auntie Kay. When you are crossing at a light that has walk/don’t walk indicators, for the love of all that is holy, Don’t Cross when you see the Red Hand! The signal will show you the Walker when it’s time to cross safely! The Red Hand means that a vehicular traffic lane has a Green Arrow and therefore it would be highly ill-advised to cross at that time! Drivers are not expecting you, and regardless of the ‘stop for pedestrians at all times’ rule, this doesn’t mean walkers can step out into traffic with complete disregard for their own safety. Obviously no one wants to mow down anyone! But if everyone slows down, observes the rules and displays some common sense, we would all get along much better.
p.s. They need to stripe the sides of Claremont like they did Bellevue and Grove; that might slow people down a bit and stop them from passing on the right at crosswalks.
Walking to and from edgemont park with my daughter and crossing at valley road is like a game of frogger. i take a good look at the drivers who do not yield to us at the intersection. Normally, it is a middle age woman on her cell phone driving her mercedes and oblivous to the world. I have a real easy suggestion for the town to cut down on the budget deficit. Put a cop on some of these corners and start handing out tickets. Hand out so many tickets that it would make the cedar grove police department blush.
Kay,
I know what you are saying on the route 3 grove exit. Once a week, police are out there now pulling cars over travelling in the shoulder. They could do more but it is a start.
“Perhaps we should start a website where we write down people’s license plate numbers (or post pics, if we can) and what transgression they committed.”
I imagine that this would be something of a pain unless you’re prepared to use your camera when the cars pass by. Perhaps a group effort? Pick an intersection and a period of time. Some people meet there. Some try to cross; others video.
Would B’net post these videos?
…Andrew
Montyman, that does my heart good to hear about policing the Grove street exit. Wish they could be outthere more often!
Speaking of, just minutes ago some stupid sh!t, oh, sorry, some middle-aged female driving a pale blue mini van stupid sh!t came a foot away from driving into my husband at an intersection of Watchung Ave when we were clearly in the middle of the crosswalk w the walk signal.
So taking pics of offending cars doesn’t usually work b/c you are too busy trying not to die or pulling your spouse/child/dog out of harm’s way to get a pic.
I’m seriously thinking it’s time to move. I’m tired of almost dying or almost having someone I care about come close to getting hit on an almost daily basis.
And regarding whether or not a fatality will stop the bad drivers–of course not, every year there are at least one or two pedestrian fatalities in town. Where else in NJ has this kind of problem outside of Newark or Camden? The fact that so many drivers around here are NYC transplants definitely plays a role.
This happened to me the other day – IN Brookdale Park! I was waiting for a family to cross at a crosswalk and someone passed me on the right and nearly hit one of the children. In a park!
People’s stupidity and selfishness are multiplied exponentially when they get behind the wheel.
I am so glad your little one was not hurt!
It’s the superhighwayization of local roads, I think. People have become so accustomed to being able to drive at full speed on highways, that they resent having to slow down on local roads. If I’m making a left turn from Grove Street onto my own street, the cars zoom around me to my right, in the bike/parking lane. If I’m making a right turn, the cars behind me routinely veer across the double yellow line in the center of the road as they maintain full speed.
Today, I was heading northbound on North Fullerton, crossing Watchung. The crossing guard was stopping the southbound cars from making the right turn onto Watchung; someone was crossing the street. The driver of a southbound car, who could no longer tolerate waiting, pulled out of his line of traffic, into my lane, so that he could go continue south on Fullerton.
I wish that our police would enforce the traffic signal laws. I ride my bike and walk frequently, and I derive a perverse pleasure from anticipating how many cars will speed through red lights. (Even the one directly in front of the police station at Valley Rd. and Bloomfield Avenue) The yellow signal used to mean “slow down”. I think that it now means “Accelerate, because once the light turns red, you’ve only got another second to get through the intersection before the cross-traffic gets its green light.” Th
I am regularly almost mowed down by drivers making turns onto Watchung from Valley when I walk home from the train station. I have taken to picking up a nice stone on the way home and chucking it at any car that almost hits me. I got a really nice ding on a car the other night…
“when we were clearly in the middle of the crosswalk w the walk signal”
I cannot help but notice the time of this post. Was the car crossing illegally? If not then you need to consider whether the driver could see your husband.
The one time I ever actually came close to hitting anyone while driving was at night in the rain. Someone was walking in the street in “new york” style dark clothing. He was pretty close to invisible.
I agree with all of the above regarding cars stopping for crossers, but we also need to take responsibility to be sure we’re visible. I’ve noticed a few people walking away from bus or train stops at nights with reflective vests. That’s smart; more people should be doing it.
…Andrew
So true, Andrew. Every day seems to get darker earlier (boo hoo!) and I start noticing the difficulty even at 6:00-ish. Wearing a pair of sneakers that have reflective stripes might help at least a little bit. Or perhaps stick a little reflective tape somewhere on your briefcase or tote, maybe along the shoulder strap.