General crossings are not illegal.
From: wsmac-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:wsmac-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf ;
Of John Brooking
Sent: Sunday, October 14, 2018 6:24 PM
To: wsmac@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [wsmac] Re: Its not a FULL MOON tonight, but ...
1. I'm not looking at it right now, but I'm pretty sure there are supposed to
be two lanes, the left turn only lane and the through lane.
2. When traffic in one direction has a green arrow, they are supposed to have
the right of way, so all other traffic (specifically, opposing traffic turning
right) is supposed to yield to them. If the oncoming right turning drivers were
stopping before turning right on red, as they are supposed to, they should be
able to see that it is not a good time to go ahead with their turn. The traffic
engineers would probably have better judgment than I do about whether a No
Right Turn on Red sign is warranted, but it seems to me that right turns on red
should be okay as long as the drivers stop first, and ascertain there are no
pedestrians in the crosswalk or cars turning left onto the bridge. I don't know
how to get drivers to be better at stopping before turning right on red, but I
agree that failure to do so is rampant. It's extremely rare that I see people
stopping before turning right on red, unless they absolutely have to.
3. We know that many people continue to prefer crossing WCD at Central Street
despite lack of a marked crosswalk, rather than detour to Mechanic or Church. I
don't think we can change that behavior very much, and I think the median
islands are a bit of an admission of that, and provide some safety for those
who choose to do it. Maybe we CAN post signs reminding people that they are
supposed to yield to car traffic when crossing without a marked crosswalk. It
sounds like these women were doing it right.
On Fri, Oct 12, 2018 at 8:09 PM Dennis Marrotte <dennis.marrotte1111@xxxxxxxxx
<mailto:dennis.marrotte1111@xxxxxxxxx> > wrote:
A few Questions:
1. Driving towards Main Street, from Mechanic Street, with the China Villa
Restaurant on your Left, and The Metro Bus Shelter on your Right, You have your
Right Turn Signal blinking, to turn Right, to Main Street, then you need to be
in the Left Turn Lane on Main Street to Turn Left onto Bridge Street.
How many Lanes are there supposed to be on the R / H side of Mechanic Street,
facing Main Street ? - 1 - 2 - 3 ?, Add a Metro Bus that is dropping off and
picking up passengers at the Bus Shelter parallel to Mechanic Street.
2. You are stopped in the Left Turn Only Lane on Main Street, heading East,
waiting for the Left Turn Green Arrow to turn Left onto Bridge Street and the
new Bridge. When the L / T Green Arrow comes up, together with the Full
Green straight thru Lane for Main Street East bound, Does the Main Street
Westbound Right Turn Lane for Bridge Street have a Green or Red Light ? That
side of Main Street for the Right Turn Lane onto Bridge Street Does NOT have a
" NO. RIGHT TURN ON RED " Sign.
Who is supposed to Yield or Who is supposed to have the Right of Way ? The Main
Street Eastbound Left hand Turning Driver ? Or is it OK for the Main Street
Westbound Right Hand turning onto Bridge Street Driver to get the jump or Cut
Off the Main Street Eastbound Left hand Turning Driver? Frankly, I am getting
fed up with drivers who are doing that stunt and will continue doing so
probably even with a No Right Turn on Red. I can understand if Eastbound Main
Street straight thru traffic is stopped to allow only Bridge Street Turning
traffic to turn L onto Main or Westbound Main Street Right turning traffic to
Bridge Street. I am fine with that. It's the Drivers who want to turn Right
from Main Street to Bridge Street, who can not wait to allow Main Street East
bound Drivers to turn safely Left from Main Street to Bridge Street.
3. The raised Median Islands on WCD are for a Safety Zone for Pedestrians to
wait for traffic to clear in either direction, Where there IS or is not a
Marked Crosswalk.
I watched two Black Women, one pushing a stroller, waiting or talking to the
Left of the Doublesided Sign With the universal Crossed out Red Circle and
smaller sign Pointing towards the Ped activated Marked Crosswalk at Mechanic
Street, while facing towards Sportsmens Hardware and Central Street, eventually
walk across WCD. They did have to stop on The median island to wait for passing
Eastbound Traffic. There are a couple Overhead Lights there But NO Crosswalk of
any kind. I suspect they have walked across that way hundreds of times, instead
of using the Marked Pedestrian activated Crosswalks at Mechanic and WCD. It
is a casual affair with no patience to wait for the Crosswalk Sequence to work
at all, and it was dark to boot.
Thank You
Dennis
