I know exactly what you mean, Lisa! And it always happens when you're in a hurry. What about that one train (not sure how often it passes through town) - not the 5 minute one - but the 20 minute one that slowly chugs by.... I often seem to have the habit of approaching the tracks, just as that one starts to cross over the intersection. Sometimes it's taken so long to get going and be gone, I've turned my car off and gotten out to walk around and stretch my legs. But you said it - navigating the back roads is essential for anyone who lives here.

You reminded me of another "peeve" I have. I do remember to update my GPS software every few months in my car, but find it hysterical (and somewhat confusing, if not annoying) that when I drive through some of the newer developments around here it shows my car off-roading on farmland still, when I'm actually on one of the new roads. Yep, look on the ground, it's pavement I'm driving on.... and that there is a house, not a cow! LOL

Interesting. I haven't noticed that. I'll have to be more observant.

Hang On One Second There Harold

Did they have their emergency flashers on? I’ve always thought your emergency flashers trumped any No Parking Sign. ----- NOT! But it sure seems a lot of people think that!

The worst offender is the full size tractor trailer that delivers to StarBucks. He not only parks in the fire zone and very close to the corner, but he parks on the wrong side facing the wrong way, and he leaves his headlights on so when you pull into the parking lot from RT 206 you get blinded!........... BUT his flasher are on

I stopped one night (after legally parking) and ask him to at least shut off his lights, but we bumped into what is known as a communication problem. I spoke English and he spoke something else.

Is the Fire Zone: No Stopping or No Standing or No Parking? If just No Parking then they can stand there, load and unload passengers and goods.

Eh, whether it's no stopping, no standing, or no breathing - headlights shining in your eyes as you try to pull in the lot just isn't cool. That's a narrow juncture there, especially if you're coming around the corner from the Stop & Shop Plaza. There isn't much room for anyone, nevermind a tractor trailer.

Well, we all have our things that get us goin'.

Glad to see I'm not the only one that grumbles from time to time! :) Have a great weekend!

Steve, a Fire Zone is a No Parking Zone. Parking is defined as -- “ The act or practice of temporarily leaving a vehicle or maneuvering a vehicle into a certain location.”

Furthermore township code defines the following 169-2, Parking Prohibited -- “Parking by any vehicles other than duly authorized police, emergency or fire-fighting vehicles and equipment or placement of any other obstruction is prohibited in any fire zone established under this chapter.”

Fire Zones are established for public safety, according to Hillsborough code Chapter 169- 1 -- “The purpose for the establishment of fire zones is to ensure that fire equipment and other emergency vehicles have unobstructed ingress and egress and fire-fighting and other emergency personnel have unobstructed access to property devoted to public use, areas where there exists public access to parking areas and buildings, persons, vehicles, fire hydrants and standpipes thereon in case of fire or other emergency.

FYI -- Parking in a Fire Zone as defined above is punishable in Hillsborough as a Class A violation. Meaning you could be fined up to $2,000, or imprisonment for a period not exceeding 90 days at the discretion of the Municipal Court.

I love my blog posts. I learn so much! :)

See, now this is something else I never knew. But, you still gotta slow down:

"Stop for School Buses (N.J.S.A. 39:4-128.1)
A motorist must stop for a school bus with flashing red lights. State law requires motorists to stop at least 25 feet away if he/she is traveling on a two-lane road or on a multi-lane highway where lanes are only separated by lines or on a privately maintained road. When traveling on a dual-lane highway, a motorist should slow to 10 mph if on the other side of a safety island or raised median."

http://www.state.nj.us/mvc/manuals/chap_04_13.html

And the law varies by state, too.

Thanks for pointing this out, slippersocks. I was probably one of those drivers that got under your skin at one point! *insert embarrassed face here*

I was also thought that you don't have to stop on the opposite side of the street when a bus is in front of a school. The reasoning is the kids should be entering and exiting the bus on the same side as the school and not across from it.

I’m not entirely sure of what a “raised medium” is. I’ am, however, entirely sure the ticket for passing a stopped school us in the act of discharging or picking up children is a minimum $100 fine, five points on your license, and five insurance points!

Let’s assume you are traveling on Triangle road, and the medium is considered ‘raised.” There is a stopped school bus on the other side discharging children. The police are running radar a bit farther down the street in the direction you are traveling, and clock you “passing” that bus at 17MPH. My understanding is you could find yourself with a very costly ticket on your hands.

Hey, just saying!

Fine aside, I always thought it was better to be safe than sorry driving (which is why I stopped, even when there was a median situation). Even though bus drivers are watching, kids can sometimes be unpredictable how they cross a street. A friend might catch their attention, or they may be in a hurry to get home and looking both ways becomes an afterthought. That said, I have no desire to back up traffic either....but it really doesn't take that long for kids to get off the bus.

A good rule of thumb to follow is that is there is a median that can be stepped over, like on Triangle Road(or as I like to call it, Triangle Raceway), you have to stop. If your in that much of a rush that stopping for school busses bothers you, give your self a few extra minutes. The life you save might just be a childs.

"Triangle Raceway" - good name for it. I'm wondering how many more years will go by before they put some kind of traffic light there so cars can make left hand turns safely out of the developments. Since the I first moved here 10 years ago it's gotten a lot busier along that road. Or maybe a traffic light isn't the answer - I'm not sure. But it's a dangerous road.

Divided highways = slow to TEN miles per hour. no need to come to a complete stop and remain there

That's happened to me before too.

It may be worth more, but if you could only spend it here! LOL :)

Actually, there are no laws on the books that say you can’t spend it here. In fact next time you are in NYC, look around and you’ll see shops that advertise they take the Euro, or other foreign forms of currency.

Trillions of standard consumer retail transactions are settled daily in the US using currency other than the US Dollar! Does that surprise you? Think about it the next time you pay for something with your credit or debit card, or for that matter when you use a coupon!