What’s going on with NJ these days?

Submitted by AdministrativeBall58 t3_1183loh in newjersey

I take 9-35 and 287 to work and have been noticing that over the years, there has been an increase in bad drivers. People are doing like 75 on Route 9+35 and in 287 they do like 80-90. On top of that you get the goofy people in their rice burner cars who weave in and out of lanes with no blinker. Plus almost everybody I see is looking at their phones. And this is another problem too, there are just too many people living and driving in this state! I used to be able to bypass a section of route 18 using county roads but now there is just traffic everywhere. It’s also sad to see the farmland and forests of my hometown, Freehold, get turned into developments!

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coreynj2461 t1_j9f5phi wrote

The amount of weaver drivers and people driving the shoulder to avoid congestion has skyrocketed post covid. Sadly itll get worse once the summer and MDW starts

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prayersforrain t1_j9f5u9d wrote

People lost their goddamned minds after COVID. I noticed it too. It's like people completely forgot how to drive when they weren't on the road as much for a few months back in 2020.

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evgeney t1_j9h008g wrote

There's a pandemic of mental illness after the last few years and many are feeling their illness manifest. Darkness ahead friends

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zsdrfty t1_j9ihq87 wrote

probably because COVID leaves permanent clotting damage across most of your organs including your brain, and as more people get it you’ll see more confusion and aggression

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Ashvayn t1_j9jirsu wrote

It's not just the people who didn't drive the entire time. I was driving through COVID and everyone was doing 90+ because no one was on the road. Do that long enough and you get used to it.

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EWR-RampRat11-29 t1_j9fn66a wrote

No enforcement. The only time that I see police is at an accident scene.

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joebotx68k t1_j9fsgml wrote

It's a missed opportunity for the state to make a lot of money - start fining people for following too closely, lurking in the left lane, not merging properly, swerving/weaving, having a car that's obscenely loud, etc.

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AdministrativeBall58 OP t1_j9frmwg wrote

Exactly, I’ve only seen me cop pull over a red light runner. People just get away with it most of the time

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qazxcvbnmlpoiuytreww t1_j9id4sy wrote

i got pulled over for doing 44 in a 30 (fair enough), but literally a few minutes before an AMG and newfangled benz were ripping through traffic, no blinkers, legit almost caused an accident when the lane merged. mentioned it to the cop and he shrugged. kinda pissed me off ngl.

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Jake_FromStateFarm27 t1_j9iisbf wrote

If they can't catch them they most likely won't pursue, this is pretty common with motorcycle crotch rocket riders but it applies in certain driving situations as well. Cop isn't gonna recklessly pursue you and potentially endanger others just to give you a ticket, especially if they weren't quick to draw. Kinda reasonable even though this is kinda the stuff that causes accidents. It would help if they did enforce the passing lane more against slow or camping drivers, it boggles my mind that people don't see an issue with a mile long line behind them and open road in front of them

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ryrypizza t1_j9js2d7 wrote

Ah yes. More cops and tickets, that will solve it.

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BF_2 t1_j9f8vua wrote

The worst is attitude that if you're driving in the left lane you MUST exceed the speed limit by 15-30 MPH or you're in the wrong. I use the left lane for passing slower cars, not for speeding. I do exceed the speed of the slower car by 5-10 MPH to avoid their "speed matching" me (which can be either a normal reaction or their just being a butt hole). I do return right ASAP. But just because you want to criminally exceed the speed limit doesn't mean I must as well.

Also up there in rude behavior (or outright stupidity) is failure to keep an adequate distance from the car ahead. The NJ Drivers Manual tells you to stay THREE SECONDS behind the car ahead. If you do that you vastly reduce the chances and the consequences of a rear-end collision and you make zipper merging feasible.

Classic BS: I'm in the right land and ahead is a row of cars entering on an on-ramp, maybe 1 or 2 car lengths between them. There's no way I can engage in a zipper merge with them. I can either continue and cut them off or I can move left. THEN when I move left, they all speed up ABOVE the speed limit, effectively trapping me in the left lane. To be safe I would need to merge right between two cars who have left a six-second distance between the -- but that will never happen in NJ.

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AdministrativeBall58 OP t1_j9frjz0 wrote

I completely understand and I usually to 10 over in the left lane really just to pass. What is annoying is the slow driver in the left lane. Just move over! 😂 and you’re right, zippers are impossible now and that is why there is a lot of traffic.

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evgeney t1_j9h0ave wrote

If they tailgate all I do Is slow down (not brake check) and washers on. No time for primitive brains

If they're not happy 10-15mph over the speed limit then I go the speed limit. Not endangering my life or anyone elses for uneducated morons

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climbhigher420 t1_j9fdg6r wrote

Selfish entitled bully culture. How else do you think a bankrupt billionaire was our president?

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[deleted] t1_j9fdkhi wrote

[deleted]

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joedonut t1_j9fk4rk wrote

I think they refer to the drivers you are commenting on.

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AdministrativeBall58 OP t1_j9fk7gb wrote

Oh I see, thanks! Haha

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climbhigher420 t1_j9fuacf wrote

Yes I was trying to agree with you that people are not very nice these days, I can’t help but make connections between ordinary people getting more obnoxious while our former president was encouraging them to overthrow our government and pretend it’s normal. Some people just have no shame.

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AdministrativeBall58 OP t1_j9grbqg wrote

Oh haha, I see. Not sure how trump relates to people going fast on roads. But whatever!

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climbhigher420 t1_j9gtinu wrote

Manners, respect for others and the law, common courtesy, it all leads to Trump when you look at who acts like this. You’d be hard pressed to find Bernie Sanders fans who rig their rice burner to sound like a machine gun.

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AdministrativeBall58 OP t1_j9gtxbp wrote

Nah I believe the people who drive like this are responsible for themselves. They don’t deserve a scapegoat!

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climbhigher420 t1_j9h0hxu wrote

It’s true I was making a generalization about the overall downfall of basic decency in our culture. These people are selfish entitled bullies and they are getting worse because even the adults in charge don’t know the basic laws of humanity.

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AdministrativeBall58 OP t1_j9h2xg0 wrote

Very true. Most of them have anger problems too, lack respect, and are really rude. Well put man! I

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lost_in_life_34 t1_j9fjcfn wrote

me and a bunch of people do 75mph on the pallisades. if I don't feel like driving that fast I just move to the right lane to let others pass me on the left

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for too many cars, they got rid of rail and now those people drive. some people are against transit but then complaining about too many cars

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AdministrativeBall58 OP t1_j9fr4ip wrote

Yeah 75 on the palisades I could understand and moving into the right lane is a good move to. I wish they didn’t get rid of that light rail line.

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Keilz t1_j9fxxqq wrote

I have seen a significant increase in tailgaters

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lawaythrow t1_j9k03ua wrote

Hate those ppl! They dont have a clue about braking distance.

Anytime someone is tailgating me when I am not in the left lane, I slow down. Not abruptly, but slow down so that they get pissed off and shift lanes.

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Theo_dore229 t1_j9hi7lr wrote

People started driving extra crazy during the pandemic, and unfortunately it hasn’t stopped. I wonder if maybe this has something to do with people that got their licenses around that time, and were able to drive the first year or two without any consequences? Particularly because IMO, traffic enforcement hasn’t seemed to have returned to pre-pandemic levels. It seems to me you’re able to get away with driving like a dick much more easily, and the result of that is, many more people driving like dicks.

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Sure_Speaker_7807 t1_j9gya30 wrote

Gotta be transplants from NY who never drove before.

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Sdmws6 t1_j9hap1q wrote

IMHO, I feel it’s mainly 3 reasons:

  1. With many people from NY moving into NJ because of COVID, who have never had a reason to drive and suddenly they’re driving on major highways, there are many more erratic and inexperienced drivers causing traffic and accidents on the road.
  2. NJ inspection stations have not failed vehicles for mechanical faults in years, instead simply checking for a CEL. This results in unsafe cars that may look fine on the outside but have no brakes, bald tires, lights out, blown shocks, etc. These all relate to longer stopping distances and major instability at speed.
  3. Lastly, the general performance and sportiness of cars nowadays is truly amazing, but scary for many people on the roads. Look at the last generation Accord 2.0sport. It’s a family sedan with a quarter mile time equal to a dedicated sports car of only 10-15 years ago. Mix these all together and I feel this explains why NJ roads are the way they are.
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AshySmoothie t1_j9hehtw wrote

Since we're all entitled to our opinions, in my 1 year of living and driving in Jersey, NJ drivers DO NOT know basic driving maneuvers. No skill, impatient like honking at me to turn while ongoing traffic is heavy. I think its because you guys have the option* of completing a fake road test with cones in a parking lot.

Dumbass ny plate argument is such a deflection

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Horse_Dad t1_j9ia2zx wrote

Fine. I’ll say it and take all the downvotes. It seems like every other car has a cloud of weed smoke coming from it. I’m all for legalization, but a large segment of the population seem to equate legalization with legal to drive while smoking.

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AdministrativeBall58 OP t1_j9ib8v9 wrote

Your entitled to your opinion man and I agree. It’s no everybody but it’s certainly a few, especially road ragers. Don’t worry about downvotes, a bunch of people here downvoted me and I was just defending myself!

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Wagnerous t1_j9iodim wrote

Honestly that makes so much sense. Hadn’t thought about it. Been hearing from stoners my whole adult life that they smoke while driving to work/school grocery store etc, even before legalization.

But now that it’s legal, people must feel even more confident lighting up while they drive, completely ignoring the impairing effect of cannabis, I’m pretty common most of these folks would know not to drink and drive as well.

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Jake_FromStateFarm27 t1_j9ijavz wrote

Ya as a medical patient this really frustrates me to see. It's incredibly selfish, idiotic, and dangerous. While I get Murphy and the state was trying to protect drivers against unwarranted searches and potential "profiling", taking away the ability to rule out active smoking makes pulling over and punishing these irresponsible assholes much more difficult.

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imnotsure_yet t1_j9fooii wrote

People cannot drive bro omg, I take Ubers to and fro around the Irvington area. I think it’s 280? The one thst exits off hillside and Irvington close to Lyon Ave. People keep speeding off the exit and swerving for no reason

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mcgeggy t1_j9f9xp9 wrote

I’m right below you in Howell. It is really sad how much more traffic there is. For almost 20 years I could drive along the back roads and traffic was minimal. Now there are cars everywhere, and the just want to build huge warehouses all over along with the new housing developments, adding heavy truck traffic to the mix. It’s insane!

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AdministrativeBall58 OP t1_j9frbbp wrote

Yep I lived in howell drug in my childhood and it was such a quiet place and the so much farm land and greenery. Route 9 to Howell is crazy and what used to be quiet vacant backroads is now chaos. Yes and the housing developments and warehouses are ruining it !

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AnNJgal t1_j9hbswa wrote

I blame cell phones.

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ZenwalkerNS t1_j9iqo0i wrote

Phones are not limited to people using them just while driving. They do it while crossing a street. Waiting in line at the store. Literally everywhere.

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Womper710 t1_j9gm1he wrote

The problem is all the slow drivers in our left lanes and they match speed with the middle lane so no one can pass and we’re all stuck behind slow people when they should get over and get out of the way.

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GarmonboziaBlues t1_j9kv3x5 wrote

💯

The ripple effect is that many of the drivers stuck behind them get pissed off and impatient, which in turn primes them to drive like dicks. I would wager that a lot of the tailgaters, weavers, and shoulder-huggers drive like this because of some moron doing 10 under in the passing lane.

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NoBananasOnboard t1_j9hsll9 wrote

Self absorbed assholes can’t put the phone down.

DWS: Driving While Swiping for that date tonight!

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xorathx t1_j9iifr8 wrote

I wonder if DMVs just “passed”people during covid based of the written test and just cancelled the actual driving test. Someone please confirm.

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seniorscrolls t1_j9jesgl wrote

Sadly this state has become overpopulated and it's only going to get worse, worse traffic equals worse drivers. More people on drugs and drunk driving than ever because of the economy. I don't even bother driving anymore, literally just forced my work to let me go remote because I got in a terrible accident because of a driver on their phone in 287. 3 months later still recovering, waiting for surgery in March and yeah my priority now is to save up as much as I can to move out of here. I can't stand it, this isn't the new jersey I grew up in anymore.

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PoeticMagnetic t1_j9jgj38 wrote

I dunno. I've driven about 100 miles a day for the last 17 years, and also currently live in freehold, and everything seems pretty much the same to me. 85mph on 287 was pretty normal 15 years ago too. But I'm also someone who would view your speed examples as a positive.

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brunhilda78 t1_j9llxwi wrote

I think most people need to go back to “staying home and saving lives”. If they weren’t essential then, just stay home now.

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kristennnnnnnnn t1_j9jgysm wrote

I was thinking the same question when people drive inches from my bumper every time I’m in single a line of cars, I can’t go anywhere! I’m already going with the normal flow of traffic! People generally drive way too close for no reason

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NowThatsaTitty t1_j9iaz40 wrote

Agree with everything you said. But have you ever driven the 101 or 405 in LA?! Its the equivalent of adding 4 or 5 lanes to the GSP or TP and give the drivers a lot more meth !!

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AdministrativeBall58 OP t1_j9ibb1c wrote

Yes, it’s nuts! I went to LA for business when I was younger and all I remember was the traffic and homelessness!

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len43 t1_j9ij63i wrote

I mean if it helps, I just avoid the fucking highways if I can. I just hit that little button on Google Maps and it routes me some local way through all sorts of neighborhoods and whatnot. Sure it adds about 10 minutes sometimes, but I just don't want to deal with it anymore.

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BillMaleficent8936 t1_j9iz3h6 wrote

I actually don’t mind speeding as much as long as there’s no tailgating and weaving. What really irks me tho is people cutting in long lines at the exit ramps. Like the sense of entitlement there baffles me.

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TreknobabbleOG t1_j9j0g1x wrote

Having lived in Middlesex County for 30 years and driving those same roads plus GSP and 18 for various jobs, I moved to the west coast. Lived there for a few years and enjoyed the roads a lot better. Moved back at the end of Covid and now I’m in Warren County - besides 80, it’s been a lot better for my mental health. Every time I go back down 287 and 9&35, my anxiety kicks in because of the shitty drivers.

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Acceptable_Reading21 t1_j9jb4es wrote

It's everywhere, I take 295 from Hamilton to Mt Laurel every day and people drive like maniacs. It also doesn't help that they've built so many warehouses now that 295 feels like the truck lanes on the turnpike.

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whatthefruits t1_j9gm7ir wrote

rice burners is a pretty racist term.

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AdministrativeBall58 OP t1_j9gqq1m wrote

It’s a modification to an exhaust pipe

Edit: …and to other parts of the car of course. I always knew the term “Ricer” was racist. That’s the bad word. Rice burner refers to the car! Downvote all you want I’m just trying to explain something!

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evgeney t1_j9h3dca wrote

Was gonna defend you but it's a controversial term

"The term is often defined as offensive or racist stereotyping. In some cases, users of the term assert that it is not offensive or racist, or else treat the term as a humorous, mild insult rather than a racial slur.

Early usage 1917 to 1930s Examples of "rice burner" used literally, meaning one who burns rice or rice fields, as in stubble burning, date to 1917. In 1935 it appeared in a US newspaper caption in with a racial connotation, disparaging East Asian people."

Clear you didn't mean it that way but fyi

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RafeDangerous t1_j9jm6i9 wrote

None of those examples relate to the usage that's being talked about. "Rice Burner" came into wide use in the 80s as a disparaging term for Japanese cars, and was especially popular with fans of American muscle cars. The implication is that they literally use rice as fuel instead of gasoline because rice is a stereotypical staple in Asian diets. Definitely started as an insult, and pretty similarly racist to linking black people and fried chicken and watermelon. At this point it's become such common usage that it might be headed in the direction of "Paddy Wagon" (a slur referring to lawlessness among Irish immigrants), meaning that the original disparaging intent and meaning is becoming forgotten and use is fairly mainstream.

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AdministrativeBall58 OP t1_j9h4f8n wrote

So did you downvote me? Well when I was growing up it always referred to loud or supped up cars. Typically Hondas or fords. I didn’t mean to offend anybody. People get too tigger happy with the downvote button.

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whatthefruits t1_j9h5pdc wrote

i mean, i didnt downvote, but def was going to if you didn't have a good reason for using the term. I'd stop using the term moving forward though. It having derogatory roots still indicates that it can just as easily hurt others. Within context, noting the condescending tone, it could easily be misconstrued.

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AdministrativeBall58 OP t1_j9heiay wrote

I understand and I appreciate that. I just grew up saying it and had Japanese friends with cars and they called them rice burners! 🤷‍♂️ times change, thanks for letting me know.

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Obvious_Ad9670 t1_j9famsh wrote

Lobby for speed limiters on cars, join your city council to spend tax payer money on making green pastures and not housing. Stop bitching and moaning and do something. Also stop calling vehicles * burners, that's racist.

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AdministrativeBall58 OP t1_j9fb1fe wrote

Green pastures are good for the environment last time I checked. Why don’t you say nothing since you had nothing good to say in the first place. Rice burners are a modification on a car that makes it sound loud via the muffler. What crazy nut you are!

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Obvious_Ad9670 t1_j9fbfux wrote

Why even make a post if all you are going to do is complain? Lot of complaining on this sub.

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AdministrativeBall58 OP t1_j9fbtpk wrote

Because I want to, if you don’t like the “complaints” then leave!

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whaler76 t1_j9fgsb6 wrote

Wouldn’t be NJ if there weren’t a bunch of complainers

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[deleted] t1_j9fk0xd wrote

[deleted]

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whaler76 t1_j9fldca wrote

Nope, agree with you, massive amounts of assholes on the road and seems to be way more people as well also seems to have been ever since covid. The main ave in my town is INSANE, never remember it being that way. Anyway, just saying NJ is full of complainers, haha.

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AdministrativeBall58 OP t1_j9fruoh wrote

Exactly man! It’s crazy and I’m lucky the Main Street in my new town isn’t too bad. But freehold has become chaotic and once was a quiet Main Street now is packed with cars. Yes NJ is full of complainers! 😂

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