A lot of people have been complaining about the numerous car accidents in Lakewood, for good reason. I have been reading recent letters submitted regarding solutions and in my opinion, I find most people to be missing the point. They are bringing up suggestions for consequences to the incidents, but the root of the problem is not being addressed.
Since moving here, the main issue I’ve noticed is that the drivers either lack basic knowledge of road rules, or just don’t care about keeping to those rules. Who is teaching Drivers Ed here, and slowing such drivers to get licenses?
Stop signs are treated as whoever has the bigger car goes first, people will just wait for everyone to go before going because they don’t know the rules of stop signs!
I’ve seen left turns made from right lanes, people trying to merge from turn only lanes and blocking traffic for a full light, which causes other drivers to attempt to speed around them however they can. Drivers are completely inconsiderate of the road and care only about their own destination and time.
Drivers don’t use signals. They will turn or stop in the middle of the road, potentially causing someone to hit them or swerve out of the lane, because they didn’t signal where they were heading.
They pull out of parking or side streets without looking in both directions, and I’ve seen this numerous times.
So many drivers are on their phones distracted, not going when the light turns green, going to slow on the road, not slowing down when traffic around them is, and so much more.
I hope that the right drivers read this and attempt to pay more attention to the road and the rules of the road, and if they can’t, I think all drivers involved in a car accident should at least be made to sit through a drivers class.
Sincerely,
Someone who drives every day and has to bench gomel at least twice a week.
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Finally someone is writing a letter addressing the issue!!!!
The root problem is the overbuilding and overcrowding. We did it to ourselves.
You got it way to spot it they just don’t care. I have heard many Rosh Yeshiva talk about the need to think about someone else and today no one does.
I don’t think the drivers are inconsiderate or incompetent, just desperate
Your wrong! they are very Inconsiderate and incompetent, take off your blinders
I agree. This is my experience as well. People try to drive properly, I rarely see people driving inconsiderately. But the traffic conditions make it so hard to drive and force people to be aggressive just to make their turn. Also the number of hours you can spend in the car just doing minimum driving to get everyone to and from school and work is not functional, and leads to distracted driving.
Right on!
Why can’t she use her turning signal so I know she’s going to turn??
Instead I wait for her passing thinking she’s coming straight.. She wasted my time and caused me now to wait on the long red light.. Why???
This is not a lakewood problem we see daily overturned cars on the parkway and turnpike, in the past an overturned car happened once a year notice how all these crazy accidents started happening shortly after people started taking the covid vax. People are having mini stroked where they black out for a second and then their fine so they dont even know why it happened but people with open eyes see the very clear correlation
Spot on. The solution is not more tickets but mandatory Drivers Ed classes.
Fred. Do you need Roshei Yeshiva to declare that we must think of others?
Isn’t that a shanda?
I was nearly mowed down by a women in Walmart today she was pushing a shopping cart and appeared to be in a big rush, its not just Lakewood roads and black Toyota Sienna’s its in walmarts, targets, and Costco too.
She’s going to make a big shopping cart & traffic accident if she doesn’t slow down.
Nobody cares!! so keep addressing May be one day they pay attention on the road
The one’s needing to read this are not, they are busy looking at their phones!
All of the above comments are true, but, I consider myself a safe and considerate driver, who uses turn signals, uses 4 way stop signs correctly, turn from the proper turning lane etc. I don’t consider myself aggressive except – when I’ve been waiting for several lights to change to green because I want to turn left and the light changes too quickly to red, or I’m going straight and there is such a long line of traffic so the light changes before I can go through, then I might get a little aggressive and go through the light just as it changes to red. Even people like me have their breaking points.
POPLICE!POLICE!POLICE! TICKETS! TICKETS! TICKETS!
POLICE SHOULD HANG AROUND TOWN MORE
It’s a general attitude, putting shtenders and chairs anywhere blocking the isles. Not putting away their sidurim, chumashim, even their “mussar-seforim”.
it’s an attitude of a lack of ואהבת לריעך כמוך in all areas, it’s get carried over into the driving as well.
We all must become more attentive and considerate of others, it will show results in Shalom Bayis as well.
Rushing, caused by lack of proper roads, caused by overbuilding, is the issue. When a trip that should take 10 minutes routinely takes 25 minutes, it eats into a person’s time and ability to take care of his responsibilities.
On the other hand, one fender bender or traffic ticket wastes more time than sitting in traffic. That’s how I convince myself to slow down and be patient, despite the temptation to hurry and foolishly do dangerous or discourteous maneuvers on the road.
Slow down! Leave early! Be considerate!
The Government has no right to religious people what to do. Period.
At least this is how lots of ‘inzereh’ think.
Deh Goi, Deh Oorel etc…..
Its the same people who make a coffee in shul, mix it with 2 cups and then proceed to leave all the mess on the counter, when the trash can is 2ft away!!
You can’t change ignorant people!! but you can think about it next time your in a rush, do you want to end up hurting yourself or someone else??
Take away the coffee station in Shul.
Noooo! How would ANYTHING work?!
(But good sleep is important too!)
AGREE!!!!!
a reason for this is the lack of enforcement just like a school that the principle quits in the middle of the year the school goes nuts and haywire, if the cops can see cars making illegal left turns etc. and not say anything makes everything go out of control
Even if a turn weren’t illegal, it’s a matter of fact that those turning driver’s are way too impatient and inept in judgement that are the chief accident causers.