Cops In A Crosswalk Near You

I thought this had already started as I saw a bike cop pull a woman over for making a left turn while there were still people in the cross walk. I was trying to make a right at the same time but was waiting for them to pass because I ahd read about this program here on Baristanet and I didn't want a ticket.

It's about time! But remember, it took an outside grant to make it happen!

77 summonses? At $200 each that's almost $1,600 a DAY! And that's only at one location!

What an opportunity to achieve safety AND bring much needed revenue to the Town!

My favorite place is the crosswalks on Valley. A really good one is the crosswalks into Edgemont Park!

Cars not only fail to yield, every time, but they come out of the straight road over the speed limit. How about giving the offending drivers TWO tickets?

How about advising people to hit the brakes because it's the law and the right thing to do? Yeah, I know. Who cares?

77?! That's probably not even in a 24 hour period. Bloomfield should take note.

On Monday, around dinner time, I was trying to cross Park Street at Lorraine. As I entered the crosswalk, a police car about a block away heading north on Park St started speeding up so he wouldn't have to stop for me. Like an idiot, I kept walking, thinking he'd stop for a pedestrian in a crosswalk and not try to run me over. Only when he realized I had no intention of stopping did he slam on his brakes. Perhaps he thought I was an undercover cop.

Long overdue and great to see the laws being enforced.

I think it's great.

I suggest once school starts again, put a cop on Bellevue, near the cross-walk in front of Mt. Hebron, between 7:30 and 8:00. There is no crossing guard directly in front of the school. In 30 minutes they will be able to ticket a decent number of drivers who don't yield to the kids in the crosswalk.

Last week I posted about the COPS who didn't stop for me and my kids as we crossed Valley over to Central (near Edgemont Park). I'd like to know who's going to police the police on this one. Talk about hypocritical.

I lived in L.A. for nine years and its second nature to automatically stop for pedestrians the second they step off the curb. However, pedestrians are also extremely obedient to the traffic signals with very little jaywalking. This works well out there but here where there's little regard between drivers and pedestrians it's not quite as easy to accomplish. It's the responsibility of both the driver and the pedestrian to do their part. Personally I'd much rather the police lay in wait of nabbing drivers on hand held cell phones. There in lies one of the greatest threats to pedestrians and drivers alike!

Are all of you people kidding? A grant to go after people who don't yield for pedestrians?!!?!?!? Don't we have bigger issues to deal with? Honestly, things are really getting out of hand, every little ridiculous thing is getting policed while the big, corrupt, crimes go unchecked. Drugs, robberies, assaults, underage drinking, vandalism... We must really live in an idyllic little town where we have little to worry about than people not giving pedestrians enough time to get across the street. Amazing! A sting operation ! Incredible!

What's the law on a young mom standing in a crosswalk, just off the curb, yakking on her cell phone, waiting for her kid 30 feet behind her to catch up & showing no intention to cross the street any time soon?

I wasn't sure whether this was going to prove to be a subtle police sting. In the end it didn't, vexing though it was.

Don't hold your breath on that one, jerseygurl, your face will turn blue.

The police should have that kind of police presences around mission and new street. Prosecutors, video cameras. montclair PD, why not bring in the national guard and will call it the "crosswalk surge"

I cross the street like everyone else does, and who has to dash across BLOOMFIELD AVE when its clear. I think people having to jam on their brakes because someone steps into a cross walk is ridiculous, now if someone is already crossing in a cross walk, on coming traffic should then yield to pedestrians upon approaching. Cross at the green and not in between. Common sense people, common sense, which isn't common.

In general, I've noticed more cars, than not, stopping for bikers...I'd say put in more of those rumble strips or speed humps in frequently-crossed pedestrian areas: Is it not money better spent than the Big Brother approach?

It's about freakin' time.

I'm so glad that they're finally starting to enforce this law. Hopefully they can hand out speeding tickets, cell phone violation tickets, and tickets for whatever else these inconsiderate and dangerous drivers are doing at the time.

I'm also hoping that they pull over the DeCamp busses who NEVER stop at cross walks, even if the pedestrian is already halfway across the street they want to turn left onto (I once had to push my wife out of the way of a DeCamp buss that was turning left onto Midland while we were in the middle of the crosswalk. The damn thing nearly killed the both of us).

It's freaking time--already? I thought that didn't start until 5 pm.

So again, can anybody clarify what exactly you're supposed to do if somebody is standing in the crosswalk, at the edge of the street, waiting there (waiting for the bus, etc.)

What if somebody is crossing at an intersection, but you have the light? Are you required to stop them (they also have a 'do not walk sign')?

What if you stop, but oncoming traffic doesn't, are you (and the pedestrian) supposed to just sit there, holding everything up, until the oncoming traffic stops too?

You should never, ever go through an intersection, regardless of whether pedestrians are present. (This law applies only to brendan.)

Thank you Brendan (stop being snarky, Roo!) - those are questions I've been asking for a long time. The statute says that the pedestrian is not excused from looking out for their own safety. But it seems that if I'm going 35 on Grove with the usual tailgater, and someone steps off the curb, I slam the brakes, now I'm heading to the autobody shop with an increase to my insurance premiums.

This ambiguity on the rule is why I insist on my kids always crossing at a signal light.

brendan, what is this "do not walk sign" that you write of? In these parts, where there are traffic lights with pedestrian lighting, there is a flashing orange hand to indicate caution & the light will be changing soon. A steady orange hand tells the pedestrian that they should be waiting at the curb for the light to change.

If you're making a turn, you do not have the right of way. You must defer to vehicles or pedestrians that are continuing their straight pathway.

How long have you had your license?

If we are really good and always stop for pedestrians in crosswalks, does that mean we get to hit the jay walkers as a reward?

Spot, an example of this would be Grove St at Bloomfield Ave. There are left turn lites from the Ave onto Grove street, during which the Red Hand is still brightly lit for peds because the left turners are coming. Once the Bloomfield Ave straightaway lite turns green, then the ped light turns accordingly. I have witnessed hundreds of times when peds start crossing against the Red Hand. I believe but not sure, that the left turners with a green arrow are supposed to have the right of way. (yes, yes, notwithstanding the 4,000 lb. weapon argument, etc. etc. )

So kids, let's review - look both ways and wait til it's safe! Walk only when the light turns green OR when the little walking person lights up. Don't ever *assume* a car is going to see you and/or stop.

I ask again, if I see a ped hovering about the curb, with feet still on the cement and not within the painted lines, am I supposed to stop? Or only when the foot touches the pavement? Must I telepathically fortell when the ped is going to move the foot forward?

Kay, the basic answer is be prepared to stop your huge mechanical vehicle. The flesh and blood human is still no match for the grill of your car.

Saw this firsthand at the Bloomfield/Midland intersection today. Offending vehicles were pulled over at the Park St. intersection. A line of about five or six cars were lined up, waiting to be ticketed.

I would fight any ticket that is given for this BS sting. The ticket will NOT hold up in court if you fight it. The signage is not uniform from town to town - even from street to street. Therefore, the violation will not stick. This is why they need video for enforcement, but until NJ gets uniform signage and crosswalks I say fight it and do not pay.
BTW> for all those mean-spirited messages I am going to see after this post I AM NOT SAYING I AM AGAINST PEOPLE STOPPING FOR PEDESTRIANS - I TOO AM A PEDESTRIAN AND HATE WHEN I SEE CARS NOT NOTICE ME. I am just saying that the trap they are setting is unfair - IMO

Up2Date - I'm not sure that your claim about lack of uniform signage would provide a valid defense in court. There are no signs posted for most traffic violations (e.g. improperly passing school buses, making a left turn from the right lane, tailgating) yet violating these rules will result in a ticket as well. I would wager that this trap will hold up in court.