230 replies to this topic

[Cotuit]

runawayjim, on Mar 24 2006, 02:41 PM, said:

i think the article in projo said there's one in the works for steeple/canal.

Ah, I didn't read through the whole thing carefully, PBN and ProJo both bullet-pointed locations that did not include Steeple Street.

Can they put one at Atwells and Dean? Please.

[Frankie811]

Cotuit, on Mar 24 2006, 02:58 PM, said:

Can they put one at Atwells and Dean? Please.

Forget a camera at that intersection. You need a cop there.  

[runawayjim]

so another update on the camera at huxley and eaton... it's down for the count.  the lights were still flashing last night.  nothing like being excited about a new program and having it cause so many problems... that's a tough intersection, too, because ripta uses it and it's got a decent amount of traffic from PC kids and employees.

i haven't been down oakland at all... i wonder what the state of that camera is...

[mod134]

On my way into PC this morning the lights on the Eaton St. part of the intersection w/ Huxley Ave. were flashing. Just as an update to RunawayJim's post. Those new lights work great  

[Shawn_PVD]

DavidSegal, on Mar 21 2006, 02:33 PM, said:

The state passed a law last year.  These things need to be watched very closely...
Wrote this about it around a year ago.

(For about a year now we've had a traffic engineer with real credentials for the first time in like 20 years.)

I really like the column you wrote for the ProJo.

Where online could I find the final law that was passed? I'm curious about how many of your recommendations they used.

[TheAnk]

Cotuit, on Mar 21 2006, 03:09 PM, said:

I'm a Civil Liberties absolutist, but... when it comes to traffic enforcement I think everyone in Rhode Island is guilty until proven innocent. I've lived in urban settings all my adult life and have never felt as maligned and endanged as a pedestrian as I do in Providence.

On the topic of the sign specifically, it's HUGE! It's directly in front of one of the city's most historic buildings telling people what they should already know, "stop when the light's red or you'll get a ticket." Annoying.

What is with RI and its bizarro rules of driving walking? People I think for the most part do exactly the opposite in Providence of what the laws/rules of right of way entail.. Its not just annoying, its dangerous..

[Gusterfell]

TheAnk, on Mar 29 2006, 04:30 PM, said:

What is with RI and its bizarro rules of driving walking? People I think for the most part do exactly the opposite in Providence of what the laws/rules of right of way entail.. Its not just annoying, its dangerous..

A couple years ago, I was crossing Memorial Boulevard, in a crosswalk, and this guy in a commercial van screeches to a stop in front of me... blocking the crosswalk...  He rolls down the window and yells "I ain't stopping!"

Before he sped off, I had just enough time to respond "you just did."  

[TheAnk]

Gusterfell, on Mar 29 2006, 04:44 PM, said:

A couple years ago, I was crossing Memorial Boulevard, in a crosswalk, and this guy in a commercial van screeches to a stop in front of me... blocking the crosswalk...  He rolls down the window and yells "I ain't stopping!"

Before he sped off, I had just enough time to respond "you just did."  

Perfect example..

I personally love the "pull out into oncoming traffic and block one lane completely, and wait until the traffic going the other way flashes you to go" deal.. Completely stopping progress on the entire street for one non-right of way having car.. Really works wonders on Atwells flow..

Or like your situation, the "stop in the middle of ongoing traffic to let a car on the other side who is trying to make a turn accross your lane go" move..  Once again, stopping the entire flow of right of way traffic for one car to turn..  

Or how about the infamous "j-walk really slow accross a street, not in a cross walk.. And then stare down any car that stops for you.. And walk even slower" move..


We don't need traffic light cameras.. We just need an entire new stock of drivers..  

[Garris]

TheAnk, on Mar 29 2006, 04:52 PM, said:

I personally love the "pull out into oncoming traffic and block one lane completely, and wait until the traffic going the other way flashes you to go" deal...

I've only seen this in Boston and Providence, nowhere else...  And you're right, Atwells is the worst offender here (although Gano is bad sometimes too...).

Let's not talk about turn signals (which, for New Englanders not understanding that reference, is the stalk coming out from the steering column you move up or down to signal left or right turns)...  

- Garris

[Jerseyman4]

Garris, on Mar 29 2006, 06:47 PM, said:

Let's not talk about turn signals

The main focus of turn signals is all about using them properly. Turning the blinker on before you turn are what most motorists dont do. At the turn, the signal comes on soooooo late, its pointless of using it by then because you already slowed down traffic for not being courteious to other motorists around you. New Jersey to me is the capital of the worst turn signal improper usage and the capital of using their turn signals the most. Im not anal retentive on people NOT using turn signals but IF YOUR gonna use them, use them properly!

Edited by Jerseyman4, 29 March 2006 - 06:19 PM.

[Garris]

Jerseyman4, on Mar 29 2006, 07:18 PM, said:

New Jersey to me is the capital of the worst turn signal improper usage and the capital of using their turn signals the most. Im not anal retentive on people NOT using turn signals but IF YOUR gonna use them, use them properly!

It's funny you mention New Jersey.  That's the only place I've driven where people start to slowly drift into the left lane about 40-60 ft before they are going to make a left turn...

I had more episodes than I would have liked near Red Bank, NJ where there would be a car coming at me which would slowly drift into my lane, seemingly heading right for me and I'd scream "What the F%#$ is he doing!?!?" before the car would make a sharp left turn just before I'd otherwise hit him...

Don't get me started on the jug handles there...

At least we don't have those traffic nightmares in RI!

- Garris

[runawayjim]

i don't understand the lack of turn signals here (or as a lot of the locals like to call them, directionals).  it's just annoynig.  sitting at a red light ready to go and after it turns green, the guy in front of you turns on his left turn signal... in most cases, the oncoming car might have let him go, but he put his signal on too late so they don't and you get stuck through the whole light... not that it's ever happened to me...  

i've heard it referred to as the rhode island slide... pulling out into traffic so you can block oncoming cars and make your turn.  however, in most situations, it's necessary.  while dangerous, on some of the streets where people park right up to the corner (stupidly), you can't see cars coming in either direction, so you need to creep out.  in doing so, you end up blocking traffic.  i had this happen to me once, i was nearly blocking traffic and the people going the direction i awnted to go were about to stop, but the a****le that was coming the other way (where i was blocking traffic, or so i thought), decided to swerve around me (even though he had plenty of time to see me and stop).  the rest of the cars behind him followed doing the same thing...  the worst (or best, depending on how you look at it) example of the "RI slide" that i saw was actually in NH, manchester to be exact.  some guy was making a left turn.  traffic on that side of the road was backed up at a light.  i was not.  he pulled out in front of me and blocked 2 LANES OF TRAFFIC!!!  i had to drive in the small shoulder to get around the moron.  and he sat there for about 3 minutes until the light turned green!!

and now onto pedestrians... i have no problem with people who walk or cross the street, or even jay walk.  but don't jay walk when there's a lot of traffic (unless the light's red and no one's moving or coming).  there's people who have no problem walking slowly across the street, while jay walking.  i see this on smith street in smith hill all the time!  they do it like 10 feet from a cross walk.  although the walk lights don't work on many of these intersections so i can understand why they do it... but don't slowly walk as you stare down the cars!

[DrStink]

Garris, on Mar 29 2006, 07:38 PM, said:

Red Bank, NJ

"But I'm not supposed to *be* here today!"

"What? Like the back of a volkswagen?"

"What's a Nubian?"


  

One spring break eons ago, MrsStink and I actually made a roadtrip to Red Bank just so we could go to Jay & Bob's Secret Stash and visit the swingset and diner from Chasing Amy. And of course, the Quickstop. I even have a RST video card in a shoebox somewhere.

Edited by DrStink, 30 March 2006 - 06:45 AM.

[KBagley]

Garris, on Mar 29 2006, 06:47 PM, said:

Let's not talk about turn signals (which, for New Englanders not understanding that reference, is the stalk coming out from the steering column you move up or down to signal left or right turns)...  

- Garris

I think everyone knows where it is, they just forget to top off the blinker fluid so they will work...

My definition of the RI Slide or RI Block, is when a car making a left turn pulls just far enough to the right to block everyone behind them from passing on the shoulder while they sit there waiting for oncoming traffic to open up so they can make their left turn.

[runawayjim]

KBagley, on Mar 30 2006, 08:21 AM, said:

I think everyone knows where it is, they just forget to top off the blinker fluid so they will work...

My definition of the RI Slide or RI Block, is when a car making a left turn pulls just far enough to the right to block everyone behind them from passing on the shoulder while they sit there waiting for oncoming traffic to open up so they can make their left turn.

you know... i've seen more people turn left from the right side of the road here than i have ever seen before... why do so many people drive like idiots here?  it's not like they drive particularly crazy or scary, it's that they just do stupid things like that...

[Jerseyman4]

runawayjim, on Mar 30 2006, 09:30 AM, said:

you know... i've seen more people turn left from the right side of the road here than i have ever seen before...

Thats common in the south. You'd have to be on crack to do that in NJ

I watch myself when i drive over the right passing a left turning vehicle because it is illegal to drive over a solid white line (driving on the shoulder). As long as there are no cops near by and/or theres traffic behind me, i wont hesistate to drive over it. Anytime a cop is near me, i stop and wait for the car to turn.

Anytime you have broken white lines or no paint markings and as long as your on the highway right-of-way, it is legal to pass on teh right. Just dont try it south of Virginia, im too chicken to find out if that type of driving is acceptable. If you dont see a left turn lane, dont try it.

Edited by Jerseyman4, 30 March 2006 - 07:46 PM.

[runawayjim]

Jerseyman4, on Mar 30 2006, 08:45 PM, said:

Thats common in the south. You'd have to be on crack to do that in NJ

I watch myself when i drive over the right passing a left turning vehicle because it is illegal to drive over a solid white line (driving on the shoulder). As long as there are no cops near by and/or theres traffic behind me, i wont hesistate to drive over it. Anytime a cop is near me, i stop and wait for the car to turn.

Anytime you have broken white lines or no paint markings and as long as your on the highway right-of-way, it is legal to pass on teh right. Just dont try it south of Virginia, im too chicken to find out if that type of driving is acceptable. If you dont see a left turn lane, dont try it.

i think cops up here would lay on the horn if i sat and waited, even with a solid white line... everyone knows that's for passing left turning cars.

[KBagley]

I learned to drive in Maine... my memory from Driver Ed up there was that it is legal to pass on the right if the shoulder is paved and the vehicle being passed has signaled a left turn.  Of course most of the shoulders up there are NOT paved...  I'd never been told anything about not crossing solid white shoulder lines, I thought they were just to help you see where the side of the road was on rainy nights with poor visibility so you didnt end up in the ditch, which is what they were most useful for up there!

[Jerseyman4]

runawayjim, on Mar 30 2006, 11:05 PM, said:

i think cops up here would lay on the horn if i sat and waited, even with a solid white line... everyone knows that's for passing left turning cars.

Based on only if there is a solid white line to my right indicating the shoulder,

I dont care if the cop blares his/her horn at me and/or pulls me over, ill wait until the car turns. What will they write me a ticket for, impeding traffic? Ill go to court and show the judge with the drivers manual that the cop was wrong for even bothering me in the first place. I will not break the law infront of a cop because he is in a hurry and/or he/she is ignorant of the law. They break enough laws infront of us, setting the motorists around them poor examples.

I can only speak for NJ on this:
See the full law

N.J.S. 39:4-85. Passing to left when overtaking; passing when in lines; signalling to pass; passing upon right

The driver of a vehicle may overtake and pass another vehicle upon the right as provided in this section only under conditions permitting such movement in safety. In no event shall such movement be made by driving off the pavement or main-traveled portion of the roadway.

Where it is bolded, the right shoulder is not a main traveled portion of the roadway.

Edited by Jerseyman4, 31 March 2006 - 03:35 PM.

[DavidSegal]

i worry that dean and atwells is a classic example of a poorly-engineered intersection, where red-light cameras wouldn't do much.  and a spot where these cameras could create a subtle incentive not to fix the problem.

there are definitely more of these coming -- the law we passed caps it at 25 intersections at any one time.