I'm often traveling east on Fairview towards Park Blvd and the 5 way corner it makes with Summerdale. It seems to me that cars traveling north/south on Park seem to treat that stop sign as optional. I've almost been hit several times by cars that think they have the right of way no matter who else is at the intersection waiting. It quite frankly really annoys me at this point. I bet if one of our police officers sat at that intersection, they could make the Village some good money.

Curious, because over the past 10-12 years that may be the stretch of road I travel more than any other in town, and I've never encountered the problem you describe.

To the extent I've seen any difficulty, it is with overly hesitant drivers - whichever street they are on - who are unready or unwilling to go when it is their turn.

And if you think it bad now, be happy you did not drive it before it was reconfigured a couple of years ago.

Spending a lot of time at Newton Park in the Summer/Fall, I too often drive through that intersection.

I've noticed a HUGE problem with the instances that both of you mention. It's almost like because the two other roads are set a little further back from Park, that those heading North/South sometimes completely forget their existence. On the other hand, I've seen people at all 5 of the stop signs sit and pull up hesitantly....and end up waiting for seemingly 10 minutes or more for someone to wave them through.

Really? I didn't think the concept of stop signs at an intersection (be it 5 or 2 signs) was a difficult one. Not to mention, if a driver is paying ANY attention to the road at all....it's a bit difficult to almost hit someone if actually stopping at a stop sign

quote:

Originally posted by Dinsdale:
To the extent I've seen any difficulty, it is with overly hesitant drivers - whichever street they are on - who are unready or unwilling to go when it is their turn.

I agree and see this behavior at almost every other stop sign in GE EXCEPT the one at Park/Fairview. For some reason, this 5-way stop is treated as 2-way most of the time I'm there.

I go through that intersection daily - and I'm one of the hesitant folks who are never quite sure about other drivers' intention, especially driving from the east. Too many people seem to think it makes no difference when you arrive at the stop, or that making a full stop is a sissy thing.

Solution? Install one of these!

That's awesome! Just think of the revenues from THAT one!!!!

People all over town are overly aggressive at the stop signs. Or simply, selfish. It's always their turn, regardless of who was there first. This has caused me to become aggressive because I'm tired of coming to a stop and then someone else, whose turn it wasn't, just fly through. My finger is exhausted.

The other thing that drives me nuts is the person who doesn't understand the concept of a stop sign and just sits there. This isn't rocket science. You come, stop, and then, go!

This is straight from officer Perez's mouth.

"The stop signs with the white boarders are optional"



"You must stop at all boarder-less signs."

I'm pretty sure he was yankin my chain! In Glen Ellyn all stop signs are optional. Try crossing Pennsylvania and Forest!

Spending time in the passenger seat with new drivers getting their hours logged really shines a spotlight on how terrible/selfish/inattentive/aggressive many drivers are these days. Too many people are nowhere near as accomplished at driving as they seem to believe. It appears that they went to the "look out for me" school of driving. It is really amazing to me that there are not more accidents.

I think a lot of the problems at the 4-way stops stem from people who are on the phone or otherwise occupied behind the wheel. When they reach the white line they simply have no idea when it is their turn to advance.

Rules of the Road Refresher

Traffic Rules begin on page 25 and include right of way. New laws for 2010 are listed on page 37.

quote:

When they reach the white line they simply have no idea when it is their turn to advance.

That's assuming that they don't stop well after the white line....as I'm sure at least two of the jokesters on here don't

Try the intersection at Park and Crescent (With or without a train). You have to be Evel Knievel to go east on Crescent across that intersection.

Park & Crescent really does need to be reworked - wasn't there some plan being looked at?

Try it as a pedestrian between 5-6 P.M.

I always thought right of way was based on the value of your automobile. I refuse to ever yield to anyone driving a Volvo, Mini (unless it's Amy) or a Toyota. Well as of late, I avoid getting in front of any Toyotas!

GEM, if that was the case I'd never get ANYWHERE in this town!

quote:

Originally posted by GEM:
I always thought right of way was based on the value of your automobile.

Nope - it's age (of the car) before beauty! Well hell - my old car is prettier than most of the newer ones out there...

Drove back and forth down that stretch yesterday evening. Lots of traffic going N&S on Park - no cars coming from the other 3 directions. Made me figure a couple of things are at work.

Park is VERY MUCH a through street. So I imagine you have a lot of commuters and other through traffic who are mainly interested in making time, and not from town.

On the stretch between Roosevelt and the tracks there are 3 stop signs (going N - 2 going S). I imagine people get in the habit of rolling through all of them, in light of the limited cross traffic. Especially the one that is only STOP going N.

I always enjoy driving during rush hour, if only because then drivers know where they are going, and they don't waste time and act unpredictably. Efficiency is the goal. So if you are driving at those times, maybe you need to be a little more assertive. Because if you are hesitant, or yakking on your cell, they aren't going to wait for you. But nor have I seen folk act regularly deny other drivers "their turn." Compare it to the middle of the day or a weekend, when you have folk running errands, shopping, or otherwise driving like idiots.

I think the N/S drivers generally resemble rush-hour drivers. More often than not, there is more than one car backed up N or S. So if an E/W car is waiting, they know it. But if you don't go when it is your turn - you snooze, you lose.

Just my experience/opinion. Obviously, people differ.

quote:

Originally posted by GEM:
I refuse to ever yield to anyone driving a Volvo, Mini (unless it's Amy)

Hey!! What did I ever do to you?

quote:

Originally posted by GE Fan:
So what you're saying is that Park isn't a neighborhood street and that a montessori located off said street is not ruining a neighborhood?

Heck, I think it is an industrial park! That's some pretty heavy duty electrical equipment they put up on that new telephone pole there!

My thoughts...as I know lot of you are waiting for them:

I have never experienced anything but people being terrified of that 5-way. Usually stop for longer than needed, close their eyes and gun it.

The Good Neighbors can **** me. That school has done nothing but add $$$ to the neighborhood. Granted, it makes a lot of the houses to the east look like pieces of ****, but that's no reason to be a hater.

I see one of the GN's homes is in the IWS housewalk.