Hi Joe,
I had first hand experience today at the intersection at the Exxon station and Rt 50 where there are so many accidents. I'm heading eastbound on 50 going to make a left onto the road that leads to the Exxon. I'm watching the west bound side making sure no traffic comes as I make my turn, as I have already checked the intersection to make sure I can safely turn, as I return my eyes from looking at west bound I see this blue SUV coming straight at me. Evidently she didn't want to wait at her stop sign any longer and intended to make a left onto east bound 50 in FRONT of me. After seeing her coming at me I moved to the right more so she could get in the middle of intersection BEHIND me. She moves the same way as I. For a brief second I really wanted to hit her dumb butt. I had to jump on my brakes so she could get past and out of my way. What really got me she starts flapping her gums like it's my fault. Maybe they changed the law and didn't tell me but when I got my license people on a side road had to wait and YIELD to the traffic on the road they wish to cross, especially a major route like Rt 50. Impatience and ignorance of the law is what is causing accidents at that intersection, not the intersection itself. That is one of the better intersections I have seen. No traffic light will improve anyone's driving skills which they lack to begin with. All that because I was hungry and wanted a sandwich. Geesh. So if your readers see a dark haired younger? woman driving a blue SUV, they might want to give her extra room. Might save them some pain and damage.
DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
I'm confused at which Exxon this was. If it's the one out by the Fountains, eastbounders would have to make a right turn to get to Exxon. The other Exxon at Isabella has a traffic light.
ReplyDeleteOr is this not a Salisbury location?
Maybe Pittsville?
Yeah all to frequent here on the shore let alone SBY...
ReplyDeleteI had someone pull up to a stop sign after I had been sitting at one for 2 min... They didn't even stop and almost hit me when it was my turn to go... They then gave me the finger and flapped lips like it was my fault...
Agreed, nothing can fix stupid and since most are stupid here in lies the problem...
One of these days I will just let them hit me and let the witnesses and cameras prove who was right and wrong and when you win and they have to pay they will learn... at least for a moment...
Was she talking on her phone too?
ReplyDeleteI see these little women driving huge SUVs all the time yacking on their cell phones.
You should have to prove you can drive an SUV before they sell you one.
You people really need to get a life.
ReplyDelete11:24
ReplyDeleteI am confused as well. Even using a right turn instead of a left it doesn't make sense to me as to what they are trying to say. There is no Exxon in Pittsville and the one at Walston Switch is no longer an Exxon either. The one by Wendy's and Denny's is the only Exxon I can think of on Route 50.
sorry. not an exxon. royal farms. my mistake
ReplyDeleteThe poster was the one in the wrong here. To make the left into that royal farms across 50 you are supposed to stay on the left side of the crossover, and cars crossing the intersection to turn onto eastbound 50 would go on the left side of the crossover and turn into the merge lane on the left side of Eastbound 50. Obviously the poster was on the right hand side of the turn incorrectly and caused problems for the other person to negotiate the turn properly.
ReplyDelete4:52 No you are wrong. It sounds like the poster stayed no the right side of the road as they were suppose to. What you are saying is people at an intersection should drive on the left side of the road? When you are at an intersection or in this case the middle of route 50 the people on route 50 have the right of way even if they are turning into the intersection. You must wait for them to pass and turn before you pull out in front of them.
ReplyDeleteYes...many intersections you stay to the left when crossing over...look at Hobbs Rd..Beaglin Park Drive...Cedar Lane in Fruitland...many..many...including this one. Vehicles exiting white lowe road going eastbound have an acceleration lane that you enter from the easterly side of the intersection.
DeleteI agree, 452, and expecting that pattern keeps all safe and a place to go. It's a 4 WAY intersection! 4 way stops pay no attention to the width of the intersecting roads, and neither should this one.
ReplyDeleteOh, and by the way, while we're all here, can everybody re- read the part in the Rules of the Road on what an ACCELERATION LANE is? You know, the "on" ramp to a merge situation? It's not called a "stop and wait for traffic to clear lane" for a REASON!
Sorry, had to do that one.
Anonymous said...
ReplyDeleteI agree, 452, and expecting that pattern keeps all safe and a place to go. It's a 4 WAY intersection! 4 way stops pay no attention to the width of the intersecting roads, and neither should this one.
Oh, and by the way, while we're all here, can everybody re- read the part in the Rules of the Road on what an ACCELERATION LANE is? You know, the "on" ramp to a merge situation? It's not called a "stop and wait for traffic to clear lane" for a REASON!
Sorry, had to do that one.
April 23, 2013 at 5:06 PM
Wow, now I see what the problem is. Some of you don't know the basic rules of the road. First, it is NOT a four way intersection. The only vehicles REQUIRED to stop are the ones at the stop signs. The side roads. The Rt 50 vehicles are required to YIELD to other travelers on Rt 50 and those ALREADY in the intersection. The ones at the STOP signs must wait until ALL traffic is clear before proceeding.
The ACCELERATION lane is to bring you vehicle up to speed BEFORE you enter the flow of traffic on the highway, NOT the intersection. You do NOT turn in front of someone making a turn, AT ANY TIME,(unless you both are CROSSING the intersection from the side roads, and BOTH vehicles are making opposing turns, 5:35), much less attempting to reach an acceleration lane on the other side of the intersection.
Ever since they took driver education out of high schools and left it to for profit driving schools, driver skills have steadily gone down in general. We have good examples of this in posters: 4:52 PM, 5:06 PM.
5:35 PM is simply confused I think.
Sorry guys, it is what it is.
And even staying to the left while both are making turns is not such a good idea since both of your views to oncoming traffic are blocked by each other vehicles.
ReplyDeleteBut co-operation and knowing what each other is doing CAN get it done. You STILL have to be safe, courteous, follow the law preferably and be aware of your surroundings.
I know, I'm asking too much. This isn't the 1950's anymore. More traffic, less attentive, less courteous, less knowledgable, less patience and less attention to surroundings.
Did I mention a less courteousness mentality?
And Hobbs Rd and Rt 50 are controlled by traffic lights.
ReplyDeleteThanks for posting this Joe. I hope this has helped those that didn't know, and corrected those that were in error. I copied and pasted some rules of the road below. I know there are some who would argue with me and not take my word for it. It seems there are some misconceptions about this issue and others. Hopefully, this will settle some of them. Keep up the good work.
ReplyDeleteYour highest duty as a motorist is to drive your vehicle carefully and prudently.
Your speed and manner of driving must create a safe environment for yourself
and other road users, including pedestrians, cyclists, and other motorists.
RIGHT-OF-WAY
Where vehicles or pedestrians are likely to meet one another, and there
are no signs or signals to regulate traffic, there are rules that say who must
yield the right-of-way. These rules tell drivers who goes first and who must
wait in different traffic situations.
The law says who must yield the right-of-way; it does not give any driver
the right-of-way. You must do everything you can to prevent striking a
pedestrian or another vehicle, regardless of the circumstances.
• At an intersection where there is no stop sign or traffic
signal, drivers must yield to vehicles coming from the
right.
• At a four-way stop, the driver reaching the intersection first gets to go first (after coming to a complete
stop).
• Drivers entering a road from a driveway, alley or
roadside must yield to vehicles already on the main
road.
• You must yield or stop for pedestrians in marked crosswalks, and at unmarked crosswalks at intersections.
• You should yield to other vehicles when approaching
the triangular shaped “yield” signs
A driver approaching an intersection must yield the right-of-way to traffic already lawfully using the intersection.
Example: You are nearing an intersection. The traffic light is green, and you want to drive straight through. Another vehicle is already in the intersection, turning left. You must let that vehicle complete its turn before you enter the intersection.
For any left turn, the law requires you to yield to any approaching traffic close enough to be a hazard. Deciding when traffic is too close takes experience and judgment. If you have any doubt, wait for traffic to pass before turning left.
A vehicle entering a roadway from a driveway, alley, private road, or any other place that is not a roadway, must stop and yield the right-of-way to traffic on the roadway, and to pedestrians.
Example: You are driving out of a parking lot and turning right as you enter a street. A vehicle is approaching from your left. You must stop and wait for the vehicle to pass before turning onto the street. If you were turning left, you would have to yield to vehicles approaching from both directions. If a pedestrian were crossing the parking lot exit, you would have to wait for him or her to cross.
The driver of a motor vehicle shall, on entering a road interjection at which traffic is not being regulated, if the road entered is a main road designated as such, give way to the vehicles proceeding along the road, and in any other case give way to all traffic approaching to the intersection on his right hand.
Well even when you use the acceleration lane sometimes you can't get over, ie ocean city traffic on a friday. I've been in my hot rod and gotten up to 60-65mph but run out of acceleration lane because traffic is bumper to bumper.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous said...
ReplyDeleteWell even when you use the acceleration lane sometimes you can't get over, ie ocean city traffic on a friday. I've been in my hot rod and gotten up to 60-65mph but run out of acceleration lane because traffic is bumper to bumper.
April 23, 2013 at 9:04 PM
Then you have to stop and wait for an opening.
We live in the world of me, no one else counts. Rush, hurry, busy can't be nice to anyone, who cares about the law!
ReplyDeletewho cares about the law!
ReplyDeleteApril 24, 2013 at 6:39 AM
Evidently, not even the ones charged with enforcing it.
Well, at least I learned one thing today, I'm driving with a batch of idiots out there. I'll make sure I make eye contact before I make any move, since nobody knows the rules, and nobody wants to re-read the book!
ReplyDelete