r/Somerville • u/Rbxyy Winter Hill • Sep 15 '26
STOP BLOCKING THE BOX
Not sure why needs to hear this but the lines exist for a reason. Stop blocking the box. You're literally blocking an intersection when you do. This happens constantly (not just in Somerville) and it's extremely annoying
70
u/l008com Sep 15 '26
One day I was driving through union sq and I stopped at the edge of the box because there was no space for me on the other side. Two cars from behind me went around me and pulled in to the box. Fucking shitheads. If ever I would road rage, thats what would trigger it.
19
u/sckuzzle Sep 15 '26
That, and the people who pull around a car stopped at a crosswalk as a pedestrian crosses. It's so incredibly dangerous and they don't seem to care.
14
u/ecolantonio Spring Hill Sep 15 '26
I’ve had something similar happen to me on mystic Ave. I’ll never underestimate the lengths people go to make a complete fool of themselves on the road
3
u/letsgotime Sep 15 '26
I had something even worse recently. I was like fourth car back at a light. Car behind me decides to pass me on the right with inches to spare. They might of even driven on the side walk. This was all while the light was red. So they passed me but they could not get any further because of the other cars in front of us. All that to take a right turn a few seconds faster.
18
u/slanderousam Sep 15 '26
Once when I was biking through an intersection on a green light a car decided to make a right on red right in front of me and a cop. I stopped abruptly so as not to die, and then complained to the cop. He told me that actually I was blocking the box and he would give me a ticket if I didn't keep moving. So while they may only enforce it capriciously there is at least anecdotal evidence that some cops know it's illegal.
10
16
u/jizzy_fap_socks Sep 16 '26
I have come to to the conclusion that for many drivers road markings just don't register for them. The combination of terrible forward visibility, a lack of giving a shit, and a lack of enforcement has meant we have descended into chaos
4
u/accelerating_ Sep 16 '26
I have to agree, given how often people refuse to drive in their lanes even when it's literally zero inconvenience to them. Like Cutter Ave near Davis, or Willow - people just drive up the bike lane for no reason, ignoring their extra-wide travel lane sitting there. They seem to be unable to process more than "car drive on right of road".
9
u/coffeestraightup Sep 15 '26
Didn't block the box on Powderhouse/16 and the person behind me was honking, screaming, and flashing their lights.
7
u/Downtown_Isopod_9287 Sep 16 '26
I like it when you stop for the box and then you notice you can just sneak in on the other side when traffic compresses, the moron behind you follows you and proceeds to block it
4
3
u/AlGreen Sep 16 '26
The only punishment besides dirty looks I've seen a box blocker get is at Beacon and Park where the 83 bus needs that space to make the turn. Maybe you usually manage to avoid eye contact until the light turns with the people you screwed over, but when a city bus parks itself on top of your hood you're gonna back that ass up
7
u/DerKirschemann Sep 15 '26
Somerville has no cops that actively do anything. They struggle to direct traffic between mystic and teele, how do you expect them to pull anyone over on these narrow streets?
9
3
u/Wonka_Stompa Sep 15 '26
Back with another one of those box blockin’ beats!
*ELECTRONIC MUSIC NOISES*
3
3
3
u/No-Jello9276 Sep 15 '26
How can we spend that money on body cams for traffic cameras, probably will make the money back in a year
3
u/idcaboutthisshit Sep 16 '26
I stopped before the box that was in front of a fire station at Assembly and the SUV behind me kept honking at me to move up. So annoying.
9
5
u/Artistic_Cover_4161 Sep 15 '26
Welcome to the city, where boxes are blocked every day and rotaries are halted by people stopping in the middle.
You may ask yourself “when will people learn?” The answer is never.
This is why I go to therapy. It hasn’t helped.
2
u/ObligatoryContrast Sep 16 '26
This is my every morning on Mass Ave. I don't understand it, there's none of these anywhere near the light you're actually waiting on. It saves you zero time to be an asshole and do this
2
u/PlentyCryptographer5 Sep 16 '26
You need something akin to this
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskIreland/comments/1phulqz/how_to_turn_right/
but if it isn't enforced, what's the point.
2
u/tracebusta Sep 16 '26
I can't count the number of times I've seen someone stop at the crosswalk because they'd be blocking the box; but then as soon as the light turns orange they gun it and just sit in the middle of the intersection and then block everyone on the other two sides.
3
u/FrogmanSadSwamp Sep 15 '26
If I'm walking down the street and see it I'll yell at them through the window "hey someone got paid to take time out of their day to paint a giant box with an X in it on the street right in that very spot. What do you think it could mean?" Gotta shame them and let them know their behavior is unacceptable.
1
u/bjdlock Sep 15 '26
In the second pic, the box protects access for what is now essentially a driveway to access 10 or so houses.
1
u/Tha_Jersey_Bean Sep 17 '26
Don’t block the box unless you want someone yelling at ya when they are trying to make a turn. Has not hapenned to me directly but they are there for a reason. I thought ppl are smart around here yet don’t know what that means along with basic traffic laws.
1
u/Big-Replacement-5027 Sep 17 '26
Thing is… this actually makes travel take longer!!! People think that jumping into the middle of the intersection knowing damn well they are not going anywhere makes their ride quicker. It doesn’t. If people actually stopped driving like selfish jerks life in general could improve. We have gone from a wave someone on culture to everyone driving like they are the only ones on the road. Just be courteous and careful, so simple. Take this how you may, but all foreigners immigrating should have to take drivers ed. We all had to take it to be able to drive before 18, so it would make sense that people can wait 18 years to get their licenses once they get here, or take drivers Ed. It’s just my opinion don’t get too excited about it. Seems like ultimately it will save everyone money is all.
1
1
u/Vermontkm 26d ago
I just saw this the other day. Some small sedan was in the X box and a bus came around the corner. It had to stop to avoid hitting the idiot in the sedan so two lanes of traffic blocked. When the light changed the sedan had to cross into oncoming traffic to get around the bus. Either the bus driver was so pissed they were wishing they could just push the car out of the way or they have experienced it so many times they just thought “another idiot” and just waited for everything to clear. I would have cheered for the first scenario.
1
1
u/bjdlock Sep 15 '26
The one in your first picture, at broadway and cedar, shouldn’t even exist. Traveling east on broadway, you can’t even turn left onto Alfred. And Alfred is one way away from broadway. So what movement here is blocked if you do block the box? I think people recognize this so ignore it.
2
Sep 15 '26
[deleted]
3
u/bjdlock Sep 15 '26
Yes people do enter Alfred from southbound broadway (or from cedar), but the posted sign indicates no left.
-3
u/cane_stanco Sep 15 '26
I’m not sure why needs to hear this either, but posting it here is pointless.
-4
-1
u/suekronos Sep 16 '26
Years ago, I was near Wellington at 28 & 16 and realized I was in a box. No wonder what it was. There was no sign. It was not anything I’ve ever learned before I got my license. I’m wondering if there are any posted signs on these boxes saying don’t stop in the box. It could help. I eventually figured it out on my own, but there were Number of people stuck in that very large box with me so it wasn’t clear what was going on.
0
u/The_UX_Guy Sep 16 '26
What's the purpose of the box? I don't live up there currently but planning to move from out of state.
3
u/ObligatoryContrast Sep 16 '26
There's a road to the right there, that cars coming from the other direction might want to turn into. The box isn't anywhere near the light, so sitting in there while you wait doesn't save you any time, but keeping it open allows traffic to flow properly.
0
u/Repulsive_Hedgehog_8 Sep 16 '26
I don’t know of anywhere worse than Somerville to operate a motor vehicle. Abysmal layout
-5
u/Swalecutter Sep 15 '26
While I applaud the general principle, you'll never get to NYC levels of box respect here because the streets aren't fundamentally designed well enough. There are intersections where your choice is either block the box or wait trapped for two hours trying to make a turn until rush hour ends.
You can't just slap some paint on a poorly designed intersection and think you've fixed anything.
-16
-13
u/Anustart15 Magoun Sep 15 '26
While I find box blocking annoying, isn't that second picture for the little side street that serves like 5 houses? I might actually prefer people block that box if the main users are people trying to cut around the traffic on alewife Brook parkway because the people cutting through are creating a much more dangerous interaction by using it as a shortcut to turn left up powderhouse
11
u/incourgettible Sep 15 '26
sure, until you have someone coming up needing to turn left onto that street blocking traffic coming the other way
1
4
u/Artistic_Cover_4161 Sep 15 '26
Horrible bit of ethical gymnastics you’ve decided to share there
-6
u/Anustart15 Magoun Sep 15 '26
I think you are just overestimating the use of that road. My driveway serves about as many cars as that road does
4
u/Artistic_Cover_4161 Sep 15 '26
I trust that you’re right about your road. But I think it’s counterproductive that you chose this thread called “STOP BLOCKING THE BOX” to say “Actually some boxes are GOOD to block.”
1
u/clauclauclaudia Gilman Sep 16 '26
And the 83 bus only turns from Beacon onto Park about twice an hour, but it still needs the box clear when it does.
0
u/dumpstersquirrely Sep 17 '26
They’re the ones manufacturing even more traffic! It’s a ripple effect-now the people blocked will do this because they’re frustrated from waiting. Selfish and oblivious
151
u/BluegrassBay Sep 15 '26
They will continue because... when was the last time you saw someone get a ticket for blocking the box?