Car Going The Wrong Way...
Last night my family and I decided to take a drive out to a later dinner, it was about 8:30 when we got to the red light outside of Target in H-town and started our travels up the hill towards Budd Lake in the left lane. We were about to come around the bend near the area where they keep state vehicles when we saw headlights coming towards us in our lane!..My husband laid on his horn and started flashing the lights and the other car still at a rapid speed kept coming toawrds us, it was at this point I yelled for him to get into the other lane. The car passed us and continued to decend down the hill without even taping his breaks once as we looked on in the rear view.
Did anyone else witness this?!..How in the world does that happen?, especially on that road there are so many signs he passed that were clearly backwards from his view. are people just that oblivious when they drive?!..
Once we reached the top and were Safe we called the police and were able to describe the car to them, Not sure if they caught the person, just hope he/she didn't hurt anyone.
Mar '15
It happened to me (last year) but in the other direction. I was coming down and the car was coming up. Luckily it was during the day and I was able to get over to the right lane.
Scarey, isn't it? Glad you guys were OK. I called the police too but that was a fiasco. Got transferred 3-4 times. I don't know if they ever caught up with them either.
It happens more frequently than you think on that hill. At night people not familiar with the area, who may not even be drinking, get confused and think that's a two way highway.
agree. Happens a lot. I've seen it 2 times myself. Scary. There needs to be more signs. Unfortunately nothing gets done until someone is killed.
Mar '15
Happened to me as well. The car pulled out of the driveway just past Dr. Shatto's veterinary hospital and came down the hill instead of turning right. Yes, it is pretty scary. I didn't bother to call the police for the reasons stated. By the time you get a person to listen to you so much time has passed they will never get the driver. Things were better before they made that hill two lanes in each direction.
It happend to me a couple of years ago. Luckily that clueless wrong way driver stopped and turned around. That stretch of road is Mount Olive. Suggest we all ping the Mayor. He has a Facebook page and is active there.
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Mayor-Rob-Greenbaum/148566751876210
Mar '15
I faced a wrong way driver in the exact same stretch of Rte 46E one morning during a snow storm.
In 1977 on Interstate 95 in Maryland, a car came toward me in the middle of the night on the wrong side WITHOUT THE LIGHTS ON ... and it must have been going over 80 miles per hour...
somehow at the last moment I saw this car, almost right on top of me, and managed to turn out of the way. ... it all happened in an instant.
that person must have been on drugs ... the memory still makes me shudder some 38 years later. Talk about a close call ... my life must have a purpose,
Happened to me once also a few years ago. It seems surreal when it is happening. This was heading up the mountain.
I would have to guess most of these cars that are going the wrong way down the hill are coming from woodfield estates on the top of the hill. There's an exit from the community about 3/4 the way up.
I never drive in the left lane on this road. Thank God it was at night and you could see the headlights.
Wow Andy. Glad you were alert enough to get out of the way. Stupid people.
I think some people not familiar with the area, pull out of Target and instead of going all the way over to the east bound side to go up, they turn onto the west bound side. That is a wide area there, so I can understand it. Maybe the road needs to be changed somehow.
I drive that route about once per week and since someone mentioned this happening here a while back, I now usually stay in the right lane. It's scary how common this apparently happens. Thankfully, I have not encountered it yet.
It happened during the day and my daughter and I were glad we were in the right ascending lane. It is crazy that someone doesn't realize they are going the wrong way. Wish it was John Candy and Steve Martin.
blah blah bouy
That hill is in both Mt. Olive Twp. and in Washington Twp. (both Morris County), so complaining to both mayors and the local government representatives may help. Rt. 46 IS a State highway, so complaints to the DOT, the representatives of the State Government from the people witnessing these events may help too. It would certainly help to make them face some blame should this be brought to their attention and they never acted on it, since it seems to be a relatively common, rather than uncommon occurrence!
I was heading down hill on Catswamp one night in very heavy rain. The car approaching me decided to pull over to his/her mail box on MY side of the road, seeing headlights ahead of me I attempted to keep them to my left until I started to hit the ground on my right. I was pretty close when I corrected and swerved to the other lane to avoid a head on. Along with the scare, all I had for a weapon was my horn, lucky them.
It happens all the time on that hill. There have been some bad head on crashes too. I used to live in Brittany Hills neighborhood and witnessed many a crash. You should never drive up the hill in the left lane. People not familiar with the hill come out from the side streets and think it is a two way highway. They were probably thinking what was wrong with you!!! Glad you got out of the way!
Wow...
40 yrs ago this happened to me.
I was headed downhill and a car was coming up!
Lucky it was daytime and I had plenty of time to adjust lanes.
I saw it was a couple in there 80s and they appeared oblivious to it all.
Sooo.. I guess it has been happening a very long time.
Likely much more often since all the building on the hill.
Scary stuff...Look Out...........
My girl said she saw it at the end of February in the afternoon. WHAT IS WRONG WITH PEOPLE.
People just get confused, it's scary, but the best defense against it, besides more signage (there is some, but there could be more), is to stay in the right lane except to pass with a clear view ahead.
Happened to me several years ago too. I still worry about it every time I go up the hill. I try to stay to the right as much as I can.
Pennings, I highly doubt it's people coming out of Woodfield. The angle of the exit, not to mention the signage, leaves almost no question as to which way people are supposed to go.
I was in a car that went the "wrong" way. This was many years ago. I was in the back seat and a friend was driving. We were waiting at the light at Naughright to turn left onto 46. My friend, who was driving, was not from the immediate area. We told her to make a left at the light. The light turned green and she turned left prior to the median. I immediately yelled, "Holy crap, you're on the wrong side of the road!". We had her make a quick left into the car dealership and that was that. No harm, now foul in this instance. Even still, it was scary.
Like I said, she wasn't local and it was dark so I can understand others making this mistake. Thank goodness it was correctly almost immediately.
There have been several instances of people coming down Reservoir Rd and making a left on eastbound 46. One caused a bad accident but that was a number of years ago at this point. With all the houses up there now, it's surprising it hasn't happened again,
Mar '15
It happened to me about 10 years ago. Was going up the hill when a lady was coming down the wrong way against the traffic at 65 miles per hour, i saw it and i try to get to the right lane quick without hitting the guy driving next to me but she got me anyway and hit my rear passenger side and then she hit the car behind me headon. The damage to my car was not that bad. I didnt get hurt but the lady behind me i think she did. Her car was total loss. It was so scary. It happens all the time, people get confuse i guess thats why i drive now on the right side going up the hill.
We've only been in this area for the past 4 years now, I had no idea that this was such a common thing here and it's scary to know it's happened to so many people. Sure would have stayed in the right lane if I thought I needed to, But there's two lanes I guess I feel like we shouldn't have to worry about people coming down the wrong way. It sounds to me like this is something that needs to be addressed, and I plan on doing so. Not sure what they can do to help this issue maybe put some flashing signs up for oblivious drivers?
I don't know, but I don't want to sit around and wait till someone gets killed. This could have been a tragic event as it was my husband and I and our 5 year old daughter in the car at the time.
Mar '15
I've also passed 2 cars coming the wrong way while going up the hill towards Budd Lake.
What about finding a solution to this? Should we petition whatever township this is to put possibly solar flashing one-way signs in front of all the roads entering 46 Eastbound from Target to Naughright?
In the meantime, I guess the moral of the story might be to drive up that hill in the right lane!
@Octobaby - we posted at the same time - great minds lol. Let's get some flashing lights.
What township/town is this? Hackettstown? Mount Olive?
Just looked at township borders. It looks like Washington Twp. and Mt. Olive Township meet right around Drakestown Rd.
It might be good to get a list of all the places that people might be turning left onto 46 East. I think most are in Mt. Olive Twp?
Drakestown Rd. has to be one of them, right? And Calico mentioned Naughright.
46 is a state highway.
Give Christie's people a chance to do something good for a change. They'll do it for us, this is a solidly Republican area ... shouldn't make a difference regarding public safety, but it could work in our favor at this end of the state.
Christie doesn't have any "political enemies" around here.
if these people cant figure out they are going the wrong way they shouldn't be driving... that's extremely reckless and they should face a huge fine. lucky there weren't two cars both coming up while that car was coming down.
Mar '15
How about placing a big red sign that says
WRONG WAY
at that point where people could be drifting into the wrong side after they've exited from that Target shopping area?
I know there are people who have trouble telling north from south.
A friend who was a toll taker at the Delaware Memorial Bridge once told me a car came up to him and asked if that was the George Washington Bridge.
He had to tell him, uuuh, the GW is about 150 miles the OTHER way.
Just put those no left turn signs up next to the stop signs on the side streets off of 46. If people can't figure it out then, then they are the dumbest people alive.
Happened to me as well, heading up the mountain toward Mt Olive. Probably 10 or so years ago.
Opinions/knowledge needed:
Who would be the government entity to contact to suggest one-way signs (maybe flashing) be erected in a couple place on 46E?
The State or Mount Olive Township?
"The State or Mount Olive Township?"
Ultimately it would be NJDOT, but it would probably have more effect coming from the mayor's office.
Unless you can find the right phone # to call...
http://www.nj.gov/transportation/about/directory/northregion.shtm
http://www.nj.gov/transportation/about/directory/servicesatoz.shtm
jt - The woman who was driving the car I was in, was definitely not drunk. She was actually pregnant at the time so she couldn't drink. It was the reason why she was the DD.
It happened to me one time driving westbound in the middle of the day. Some idiot turned left from that one side road. I was like WTF... how stupid could this person be... The lack of a center yellow line should have been enough to realize it's one way...
Are there "one way" signs posted where those side streets come out to 46, or not?
Coming out of the one development there is a "One Way" sign posted pointing up the hill. While driving up the hill from Hackettstown I only noticed one "Do Not Enter" sign going the opposite way half way down the hill and then another "Wrong way" sign at the top.
Mar '15
I once saw a woman turn left coming out of Reservoir Road and go the wrong way down Eastbound 46. I was right behind her, and when she turned on her left signal, I honked my horn, flashed my lights, and yelled out the window at her. To my horror, she made the turn anyway. I guess she managed to make it down the hill somehow. . . I was cringing my whole way down thinking she was going to cause an accident.
The following day, I made a point to notice, and YES, there is a One-Way sign right at that intersection. Directly in front of you.
Yes, flashing would probably help. I mean, we've all not noticed signs before. If you're from out of the area, who knows, maybe it's not obvious that it's one way, even with regular signs.
Oh and I looked at the signs on the side street that comes off 46 west on my way home today. There is a one way sign right above the stop sign. It's clear as day. People are just friggin idiots, drunk, or high...
Not only are there one way signs. There are also wrong way signs up and down the hill.
Y'know ... with all the texting while driving and people dialing their cell phones while driving ... why should any of this surprise me?
Andy, that's what I'm thinking. No amount of flashing lights and warnings signs (more than already exists) will get some people to take their heads out of their behinds and pay attention. It's a shame.
It is not against the law to flash your lights at a oncoming car. http://www.nj.com/opinion/index.ssf/2014/04/warning_motorists_about_speed_traps_is_good_citizenship_editorial.html
On my way to work I saw a one way sign across from the Vet and every side street had the same. People are just idiots...
"It is not against the law to flash your lights at a oncoming car."
I think BDog was referring to a different kind of flashing...
IDK Andy, my guess would be a fair amount of these drivers are of the older generation.
Driving 46 West in the wrong way make sense because you avoid MTPD cop sitting on the shoulder catching speeders as they exit the township, and another speed trap down the road set up by WTPD,
Maybe fix the road problems and lake issues with BL and also teen drug issues big problem in town.Budd Lake seems to really be heading on a downward spiral .Sad,use to be nice place to live.
Ooops.... should have known that's what BD meant. ; )
One-way signs? LOL!! People in the wrong will say "well I was only going one-way"
This is not just a problem in this area but in the past, coming off the exit from Rt 80 West going towards Budd Lake, I was rounding the small bend on the ramp and right in front of me was a car heading up the ramp. I did have time to pull to the right and that car continued up. Never heard of outcome that day but it certainly was eye-opening. Another time coming back from PA, in the dark, I exited Rt 80 at Allamuchy and there, heading to what was a stop sign, a car comes in the exit. He or she had to see my headlights. I am often in the left lane heading up 46 towards Naughtright Rd. but I will certainly avoid it going forward.
Some ahole almost nailed me today going the wrong way.... Luckily I was able to swerve out of the way. How do you make a mistake like that at 12:30 in the middle of the day...
Going eastbound up the hill on 46 into Budd Lake. I missed him by 10 feet. And he was honking at me like I was going the wrong way! I looked behind and he was doing a K turn. Guess he realized he screwed up...
Wow! Andy is right. Something needs to be done before someone is killed.
I was going up that hill last week, 845am and sign said "ramp work ahead". OK, so you figure they are working on the ramp. Just as I came around the bend, there was a DPW truck with the flashing arrow, in the left lane. Not on the ramp. Don't you think they should have had the flashing arrow further down the road, so people know to get over? Luckily no one was on my right and I was able to get over. Last minute warning is dangerous too.
There's really no excuse for going the wrong way. The roads are marked at every entry point.
Unfortunately, this has been happening since they built & opened the divided highway around the 1950's.
Please send email to all of these people in one email. Put all address in the to field. Don't BCC.
Link them to this thread. If everyone on this thread does this we can all make a difference. Also, someone should go to change.org and setup a petition to fix this.
Long Valley:
mmurello@wtmorris.net
dbabb@wtmorris.net
jliabraaten@wtmorris.net
kshort@wtmorris.net
broehrich@wtmorris.net
mbailey@wtpdmorris.org
Htown:
mayor@hackettstown.net
jdimaio@hackettstown.net
mengelau@hackettstown.net
wconforti@hackettstown.net
etynan@hackettstown.net
lkunz@hackettstown.net
hpd29@hackettstownpd.net
Mt Olive:
lbrett@mtolivetwp.org
jnicastro@mtolivetwp.org
jferrante@mtolivetwp.org
aroman@mtolivetwp.org
rayperkins@mtolivetwp.org
jmania@mtolivetwp.org
colleenlabow@mtolivetwp.org
damianda@mtolivetwp.org
mspitzer@mopd.org
May '15
I had the same experience on 46 near Reservoir Road last week - idiot going the wrong way---
I remember what it was like before the divided lanes. Will always remember the two teachers crushed against the concrete bridge at the last turn by the loaded dump truck that lost his brakes. I think the occasional wrong way cannot be worse than the trucks with no brakes.
Has anyone heard what actually happened this morning around 11:30? It appears a driver made that mistake once again. Only rather than hit someone head on she veered into the woods. Luckily she was ok and didn't hit anyone. I notified the police but they were already on top of it. I'm curious if anyone knows if it was once again driver error heading down the wrong way.
May '16
I saw the car also in the woods, when we drove by today. Glad nobody was hurt.
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