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From: wjhe@hlexa.UUCP (Bill Hery)
Newsgroups: net.auto
Subject: Re: close call(reply to comments on n.y. drivers
Message-ID: <4194@hlexa.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 21-May-85 18:19:17 EDT
Article-I.D.: hlexa.4194
Posted: Tue May 21 18:19:17 1985
Date-Received: Thu, 23-May-85 01:26:35 EDT
References: <520@hou2b.UUCP> <354@lasspvax.UUCP>
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories, Short Hills, NJ
Lines: 29

> >>  I've also almost been rear-
> >>  ended when I stopped at a crosswalk for pedestrians, if you can
> >>  believe that.  
> >
> >by the way, if you are constantly being honked at and yelled at on the road
> >it might actually be your driving habits rather than the thousands of people
> >around you.  in other words, just because people are impolite, impatient, and
> >acting like fools doesn't mean you are driving okay.  maybe you shouldn't
> >drive with your fingers crossed...its harder to steer(:-}).
> >
>   My driving is more than okay.  The reason
>   those people are impolite is because I am stopping for pedestrians
>   at a crosswalk like I'm supposed to do....... 
>   ..................................................I can't help
>   it if the people behind me think it's all right to run over a cross-
>   walk with pedestrians in it because I'm the one who's going to be
>   ticketed if I don't stop.  
>   ....................Besides I've seen a police car(in NY)
>   run across crosswalk while people are trying to cross.
>
I believe that in NY and NJ (unlike CA), unless there is a red light, or
a stop sign, pedestrians DO NOT have the right of way when entering a
crosswalk.  Certainly, you should no run them down, but you don't have to
come to a screeching halt as soon as they take one step off the sidewalk
(as you do in CA).  Unless you really have ot stop to avoid hitting them,
you might be creating a traffic hazard by stopping short, since other
drivers see no legal reason to stop, and are not expecting it.  Don't
feel bad about the confusion though, it's just as bad for us uninformed
easterners the first time we go to CA.