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mailmanAs of this year, I've lived on Atwater Road for 40 years. For the first few years the only stop sign at the intersection of Asbury and Atwater was on Atwater Rd itself, but after several accidents, one of which involved serious injuries, a wise decision was made to install stop signs on Asbury Rd, on either side of Atwater Rd.

Since then, many motorists have developed a misguided mindset that the stop sign on Asbury going west (coming from N. Triphammer) is optional...that the stop sign is meant for other people to stop at, but not them. Over the last several months, I have witnessed flagrant and unlawful disregard by drivers who do not come to a full stop at this sign...OFTEN NOT STOPPING AT ALL!

I observe this situation when I'm at the stop sign on Atwater taking a left or right turn onto Asbury and also when I'm actually at the stop sign in question. Sometimes, I observe this offense when I'm at the stop sign on Asbury coming from East Shore as well. Motorists come to a rolling stop or no stop at all. And lately it's been no stop at all.

The worst thing I've experienced, and I've seen this happen twice in the last two weeks, is when a car or truck at the stop sign on Asbury indicates it will take a right hand turn onto Atwater and a second car is behind it in line. The second car wants to continue straight on Asbury. This second car doesn't even wait for the first car to turn right onto Atwater. It avoids the stop sign entirely by passing out the first car and going into the oncoming lane to do so. I guess the illogical rationale is that since the car in front of the second car has stopped, then that counts as a stop for both of them.

This is nuts! Someday, a car pulling a stunt like that is going to crash into an oncoming car or someone like me making a left hand turn from Atwater to Asbury.

This is an extremely busy intersection. People use Atwater Rd to cut over from N Triphammer to East Shore, and vice versa, all the time. What's it going to take to get people to make a full stop at the stop sign before injuries or death occurs?

I have reported this situation to the Sheriff's department in the past, but this breach of the law continues.

Sincerely,

Marc Catone
Lansing, NY

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