Crosswalks?

I just saw a car nearly kill a pedestrian about 20 minutes ago at the crosswalk in front of Prospect Churck on Prospect St. A man was in the middle of the street on the crosswalk (the zebra crossing of horizontal lines all over town) and a car speeding along at roughly 40 miles an hour just drove straight through the crosswalk nearly killing him by a few inches. It was terrifying to watch - if the man was looking at his phone while crossing and didn't see the speeding car he would have been dead. The car didn't even pull over (it was a brown/sandy colored 90s model sedan with HK Handicap plates, the irony didn't escape me). Two things strike me as worthy of discussion 1) don't pedestrians have right of way on these new crosswalks? and 2) do we need better signage at these busy crosswalks so drivers know to yield? I ask this because that crosswalk in particular has no stoplight and is a busy crosswalk for elementary and middle school children - who will be on their phones next time a driver speeds through when someone is crossing...

many people, beyond those who are texting, on the phone, etc., are mentally distracted...many are stupid...and many are selfish or clueless. I think I covered the major subsets.

True - but I think if they had a crossing sign with flashing lights like on Baker St I think it would be clearer that pedestrians have right of way. Watching the events unfold I don't think the driver was distracted, I think the driver didn't think he had to yield (and he/she was a jerk)

Also, since the speed limit was lowered on Valley, I've noticed many more speeding cars on Prospect (I live near it and drive it on a daily basis). I've seen tailgating with flashing lights, cars passing other cars who were driving at the speed limit, cars swerving around other cars stopped to allow pedestrians to cross and lots of other dangerous driving.

I agree there needs to be more enforcement. A machine to record/flash one's speed just doesn't do it when there are no consequences. Making Valley safer should not make Prospect unsafer (OK, less safe).

same thing happens in front of the high school on Parker...amazing how frequently someone doesn't stip...in my experience, except at peak start and end of school times, it is the majority of drivers who breeze through the crosswalk area whenever Im standing there to cross.

Happened to me yesterday by Trader Joes. I was crossing Myrtle Ave by Millburn Ave. As I was crossing the bitch in an SUV almost ran me over in her rush to turn left on Millburn. What the hell is wrong with these people????? AND she looked right at me!!!!!

@Cody - I live between Valley and Prospect and agree that I think people are now using Prospect as the 'fast lane' given the lower limit on Valley. @Scotland - It is outrageous - I believe like you that these drivers know exactly what they're doing and many think they have right of way!! I think in NYC cars have right of way on crosswalks even when pedestrians are crossing which is why they have so many fatalities..

I invite anyone to stand with me on my front porch at 8AM and watch the cringe-worthy confluence of middle school kids being dropped off (in not such a manner befitting their precious cargo status) and the especially frantic/selfish rushing for the train crowd. I see clowns and scary beings every day, not just on Halloween.

I cross Boyden at Midland almost daily when walking my kids in the stroller. There is a clearly marked crosswalk, and no one ever stops for me. I called the police to let them know. One day, there was a cop car sitting there, so thought, yes! they will finally pull someone over for not yielding. NOPE. 10 cars blew past me, and the cop did nothing.

1. When driving if someone is in or entering a crosswalk, yield to them and quite often this means stop. It is the law. Do not get angry that you have to follow the law.

2. When you are walking or jogging you need to remember that you only have the right away when you are entering or in the crosswalk. The crosswalks are where the painted lines are! period! (crossing lights do trump lines) You do not have the right of way when you are jogging in the street, standing on the corner, crossing in the middle of the street or crossing on a corner without a crosswalk.

Drivers should be careful when they encounter people who are jogging in the street, standing on the corner, crossing in the middle of the street or crossing on a corner without a crosswalk because none of us want to kill a pedestrian.

Pedestrians need to understand that even if they are right, they can be dead. Don't force the issue with a two ton vehicle, people would like you around for a few more years.

And both drivers and pedestrians need to remember that not everyone is paying attention all the time even though they should be while driving and walking.

Isn't the speed limit on Prospect 25MPH as well? Why would someone drive out of their way to get to a street with the same speed limit?

skadave said:

Isn't the speed limit on Prospect 25MPH as well? Why would someone drive out of their way to get to a street with the same speed limit?

Prospect has fewer lights.

Nobody thinks they have to yield, unfortunately. I can't let my 9yo cross the street alone to her friend's place (Jefferson and Valley, or Jefferson and Dunnel), because 9/10 times, cars will not stop, even when I'm with her.

Somebody HONKED at the UPS driver, Gary, because he stopped in the crosswalk to let us go by, and that poor driver was stuck behind him waiting for six seconds as me, my daughter, and my baby in the stroller crossed the street. Seriously.

orzabelle said:

Somebody HONKED at the UPS driver, Gary, because he stopped in the crosswalk to let us go by, and that poor driver was stuck behind him waiting for six seconds as me, my daughter, and my baby in the stroller crossed the street. Seriously.

Yes that's all it takes. 6 freakin' seconds.......

Politicians make laws & expect cops to enforce them . They don't. No one has told the underground movement of pedestrians in Jersey City to ignore traffic laws and just cross any street anytime anywhere . The typical tactic is to appear to not be aware that there is traffic. I call it the Dustin Hoffman " I'm walking here" approach . The other, favoured by recent arrivals from Shanghai & Mumbai is to always be on the phone , therefore oblivous to their surrondings . These are dangerous games my friends . Pedestrian incidents in JC are a daily occurance . God knows what it's like in the aforementioned cities.

Maybe that's because I am always walking whenever I can, as opposed to taking the car, always crossing at crosswalks and always careful, but from what I've observed, in Maplewood at least, the drivers are the problem. Not watching, not careful, impatient.

ProgressivePatriot said:

1. When driving if someone is in or entering a crosswalk, yield to them and quite often this means stop. It is the law. Do not get angry that you have to follow the law.

2. When you are walking or jogging you need to remember that you only have the right away when you are entering or in the crosswalk. The crosswalks are where the painted lines are! period! (crossing lights do trump lines) You do not have the right of way when you are jogging in the street, standing on the corner, crossing in the middle of the street or crossing on a corner without a crosswalk.

Drivers should be careful when they encounter people who are jogging in the street, standing on the corner, crossing in the middle of the street or crossing on a corner without a crosswalk because none of us want to kill a pedestrian.

Pedestrians need to understand that even if they are right, they can be dead. Don't force the issue with a two ton vehicle, people would like you around for a few more years.

And both drivers and pedestrians need to remember that not everyone is paying attention all the time even though they should be while driving and walking.

This is not true, as laws have changed relatively recently. Drivers must STOP for pedestrians in crosswalks, even unmarked ones. The crosswalks are not just where painted lines are. You are correct that traffic lights trump crosswalks though.

Also, someone earlier suggested that in NYC drivers have right of way over pedestrians in crosswalks. This is simply not true, though it sure seems like that!

I wonder if there is anything I can do about the crosswalks most useful to me and nearest to my home, with respect to cars not stopping there. I'd gladly pay for brighter paint.

Thanks for the info. I looked it up to be sure, and you are correct. Drivers must yield for those in unmarked crosswalks. And while I have done this because I would hate to have blood on my hands, I did not know that it is law. Maybe others reading this will also be enlightened.

that we have this same discussion ad nauseum (about both idiot drivers, jaywalkers and where people don't know that crosswalks don't have to be painted and that traffic lights trump right of way rules) shows that education is sorely lacking. Enforcement as well. I must note that, in South Orange, I have noticed more and more drivers stopping for me and other pedestrians. Perhaps the blitz enforcement/education campaign has worked to some extent. (Although it needs to be kept up)

This is my point . Laws have been changed . Never mind wasting public info on wheezing , coughing cigarette smoking fools . Educate the public on what is right & wrong with pedestrian interaction .

There should absolutely be more signage! Those goofy tiger stripes in he street are useless, in my opinion. They mean nothing to a driver who can't even see them from 10 feet away.

Also, while we're here, how about the intersection of Maplewood Avenue and Jefferson? I have seen so many near accidents there that it makes me sick. Why isn't that a 4 way stop rather than a dump blinking light that means nothing? And while we are at it....adult joggers (not all but some) PLEASE to be more sensible. If you must jog on Prospect or other main streets during rush hour or even busy Saturday mornings, please look out for yourself and at the least, stay on the side of the road that doesn't aren't through streets where lots of cars are making left turns. Joggers may have the right of way, but do not own the roads and need to look where they are going. I'm sure I'll get roasted for this comment, but just sayin'.

PurpleMonkeyDshwashr said:

ProgressivePatriot said:

1. When driving if someone is in or entering a crosswalk, yield to them and quite often this means stop. It is the law. Do not get angry that you have to follow the law.

2. When you are walking or jogging you need to remember that you only have the right away when you are entering or in the crosswalk. The crosswalks are where the painted lines are! period! (crossing lights do trump lines) You do not have the right of way when you are jogging in the street, standing on the corner, crossing in the middle of the street or crossing on a corner without a crosswalk.

Drivers should be careful when they encounter people who are jogging in the street, standing on the corner, crossing in the middle of the street or crossing on a corner without a crosswalk because none of us want to kill a pedestrian.

Pedestrians need to understand that even if they are right, they can be dead. Don't force the issue with a two ton vehicle, people would like you around for a few more years.

And both drivers and pedestrians need to remember that not everyone is paying attention all the time even though they should be while driving and walking.

This is not true, as laws have changed relatively recently. Drivers must STOP for pedestrians in crosswalks, even unmarked ones. The crosswalks are not just where painted lines are. You are correct that traffic lights trump crosswalks though.

Also, someone earlier suggested that in NYC drivers have right of way over pedestrians in crosswalks. This is simply not true, though it sure seems like that!

Actually the law states that if you are in an unmarked crosswalk you must YIELD!
http://www.nj.gov/oag/hts/pedestrian.html

Every day I see people trying to cross Valley by Pierson. Mostly seems that drivers almost consider them a target in a game of cat and mouse. The young lady with 2 kids and a stroller was absolutely taking her life in herown hands while trying to cross. The fact that the new STRIPES are there means nothing. To yield seems to be a bit of an inconvenience for most drivers. Carry on.

lewis9961 said:

Actually the law states that if you are in an unmarked crosswalk you must YIELD!
http://www.nj.gov/oag/hts/pedestrian.html

I stand corrected, though, to be clear, the driver must yield to a pedestrian in an unmarked crosswalk (not the other way around). Regardless, by law drivers need to allow pedestrians to cross the street at marked and unmarked crosswalks -- and this isn't happening.

Those of us who live in the area know to cross Prospect Street at either Courter Avenue or Tuscan Road (both of which have crosswalks) because the crosswalk in front of Prospect Church is extremely dangerous for pedestrians. It is not at a corner. It is just before/after a traffic light a few feet away. Drivers coming up Crescent and turning south come upon it very suddenly and when they are traveling faster than they should have trouble stopping in time when a pedestrian is trying to cross Prospect Street in that crosswalk. Speed at which traffic travels on this part of Prospect has always been a problem, even before the speed limit change on Valley. The recently documented accidents at the curve a few blocks away are testimony to that. I have often wondered if moving the crosswalk a few feet to North Crescent would make matters safer and make control better for the crossing guard who covers both the North/South Crescent Crosswalk and the Prospect Street Crosswalk opposite the church.

Serious question: what constitutes an unmarked crosswalk??

My wife was stopped on the northbound side of Prospect for kids and a crossing guard in that very crosswalk by the church and her car was seriously rear-ended. That was in early June 2013.

i purposefully stop a good three car lengths back when stopping for pedestrians as i am convinced i will be hit from behind and i would then hit the peds, i am to the point i also flash my brake lights several times to make sure the idiot behind me sees me brsking