Please pay attention when you drive

[zx10guy]

Originally Posted by MachinesWithSouls

I'm glad you're responsible, but it's sadly not just you driving around.

The publication's reach goes far beyond this forum. The goal isn't just to prevent it from happening again, but also an added incentive to change the speed limit on my street. And most of all, to share the story of my wife, who isn't a car person and could care less what she drives, but was nonetheless affected by a car.

And in the end, if just one person remembers the story and changes their behavior, then I've done a good thing. Would you have me not write the story? 100% unsuccessful rate of change then.

Got a question about the streets in your neighborhood. Has there been historically incidents of car wrecks involving car on car and car on people?

I ask this because in some cases these problems are exacerbated by piss poor road design. I'm dealing with this now with my development. The idiot county engineers decided to make major changes with traffic flow around my development which caused major traffic to flow through an area that feeds two developments...one of which is mine. Because of the reroute of traffic and it coming off another major road, there is significant amount of commercial traffic flowing through too. The fools thought it would be a good idea to have this traffic flow through a setup where there is literally a 4 way Stop intersection a short distance from the major intersection with a traffic light. People fly through that stretch of road all the time blowing the 4 way Stop. It's been such a problem that the County Sheriff has set up periodic enforcement ticketing drivers that blow through that Stop sign. There has been neighbors which reported being involved in T-bone wrecks pulling out of our development due to these Stop sign runners. I recently had to drive through that intersection where a car was flipped on its side due to being T-boned by a Stop sign runner. I also witnessed fool that blatantly blew the Stop sign and almost hit a car coming out form the side street. The ass even after almost hitting the car tried to force his way around the other car without a care that he was the one in the wrong. He also had his teenage kid in the car. I've never been so enraged in my life where I yelled at the idiot. Unfortunately, the County won't do anything about it; even to paint STOP in big letters in the pavement to reinforce there being a 4 way Stop. I told my fellow neighbors that the only way someone is going to do anything about it is if someone gets seriously injured or killed and the County is facing a lawsuit for the piss poor design of the road.

[MachinesWithSouls]

Originally Posted by zx10guy

Got a question about the streets in your neighborhood. Has there been historically incidents of car wrecks involving car on car and car on people?

I ask this because in some cases these problems are exacerbated by piss poor road design. I'm dealing with this now with my development. The idiot county engineers decided to make major changes with traffic flow around my development which caused major traffic to flow through an area that feeds two developments...one of which is mine. Because of the reroute of traffic and it coming off another major road, there is significant amount of commercial traffic flowing through too. The fools thought it would be a good idea to have this traffic flow through a setup where there is literally a 4 way Stop intersection a short distance from the major intersection with a traffic light. People fly through that stretch of road all the time blowing the 4 way Stop. It's been such a problem that the County Sheriff has set up periodic enforcement ticketing drivers that blow through that Stop sign. There has been neighbors which reported being involved in T-bone wrecks pulling out of our development due to these Stop sign runners. I recently had to drive through that intersection where a car was flipped on its side due to being T-boned by a Stop sign runner. I also witnessed fool that blatantly blew the Stop sign and almost hit a car coming out form the side street. The ass even after almost hitting the car tried to force his way around the other car without a care that he was the one in the wrong. He also had his teenage kid in the car. I've never been so enraged in my life where I yelled at the idiot. Unfortunately, the County won't do anything about it; even to paint STOP in big letters in the pavement to reinforce there being a 4 way Stop. I told my fellow neighbors that the only way someone is going to do anything about it is if someone gets seriously injured or killed and the County is facing a lawsuit for the piss poor design of the road.

My development is new, in fact it's still being built and will be for many years. Traffic will only get worse.

It's shaped like an L, with the homes in streets that branch off this main L. The township tells me that until it's turned over to them, the street is under builder control and the police can't patrol it.

As for the reduction of the speed limit, I'm told that the DOT of NJ sets the limit, and it will take basically the hand of god to change it. It's based on many factors bla bla - another situation where things on paper work differently from the real world. I will continue to try.

[Artemis]

Sorry to hear about your wife's unfortunate accident a year ago, MachinesWithSouls.

My small piece of advice for you and your wife: although it takes lots of efforts and at times you face moments of distress and physical pain, try to continue to give your level best to remain in good spirits at all times through the whole ordeal of the situation. Otherwise said: remain optimistic and look ahead to future improvement.

You may have noticed throughout the past year of recovery how incredibly ingenious the human brain and body operate in sync and how intricately prepared these are to face and handle/adapt to adverse situations like these, making the best of the situation. In a way it looks as if we are all some sort of 'tenant' of our own body - the body does most of the healing process 24/7 all by itself. And so it's key for us to facilitate/accomodate the body, to the best of our abilities, to perform this slow process (advice and prescriptions of medical professionals, proper exercises, re-education of physical movements, etc.).

On a personal note: back in 2018 I sustained "Schatzker VI" leg injuries (worst level in a classification of 6 levels), broken ribs and broken shoulder blade in a motorcycle accident. I recovered well with 2 titanium plates and 14 screws (removed in the meantime). Firm determination to move on and remaining in good spirits at all times, contributed in getting the physical healing process properly done (for example, "OK the accident happened and this Kinetec CPM range-of-motion machine feels like some 'slow torture' device, but dealing with it to make good progress"). Seven months of wheelchair and crutches.

Also, you're definitely not alone: undoubtedly at the hospital and at the revalidation center you meet many people of all ages and backgrounds facing similar situations, all in their own stage of physical recovery. Seeing gradual progress around you also encourages to move on.

As Steely Dan sung: "Any major dude with half a heart surely will tell you, my friend - Any minor world that breaks apart falls together again".

Good luck.