4 Way Stop Etiquette / Law

[square1]

Close to work is a 4 way stop intersection that is very busy on school day mornings. There is almost always 2 or 3 cars waiting from each direction during the morning rush hour.

In the image below the cars are labeled with the order 1, 2, 3, 4 that they arrive at the intersection and by law (if I remember driver's training from 40+ years ago) that is the order in which they should depart the intersection.
Cars 1 and 3 are proceeding straight through the intersection, car 2 is turning left, car 4 is turning right.
Car one will have car 2 blocked as it crosses first the open lane to it's right and then the lane car 2 occupies.
Should car 3 and / or 4 proceed through the intersection prior to car 2 if they have come to a complete stop and are able to clear the intersection prior to car 1 allowing car 2 to proceed?

 

[Looking4new]

Close to work is a 4 way stop intersection that is very busy on school day mornings. There is almost always 2 or 3 cars waiting from each direction during the morning rush hour.

In the image below the cars are labeled with the order 1, 2, 3, 4 that they arrive at the intersection and by law (if I remember driver's training from 40+ years ago) that is the order in which they should depart the intersection.
Cars 1 and 3 are proceeding straight through the intersection, car 2 is turning left, car 4 is turning right.
Car one will have car 2 blocked as it crosses first the open lane to it's right and then the lane car 2 occupies.
Should car 3 and / or 4 proceed through the intersection prior to car 2 if they have come to a complete stop and are able to clear the intersection prior to car 1 allowing car 2 to proceed?

According to my Ontario rules of thumb, the one to the right is given 'the right of way'.
But that being said, the way it works in reality is the one with the most nerve goes first, if they even stop at all.

 

[mddorange]

If a car has a women driver, she will wait until everyone else to go before she will go. :duh:

If they all have women drivers, then no one will go! :thumbsdown:

 

[oosik]

EXACTLY as Looking4new indicated. As I often ride a motorcycle in the summer - I avoid these 4-way situations like the plague. I will make a right turn from any of the four lanes - I don't care where it takes me - just to get out of this impossible situation.

 

[TSO]

The person who gets there first has the right of way to start first. However, if two vehicles arrive at the same time, the person to your immediate right has the right of way.

 

[ray66v]

No. Some people haven't noticed. The rules of the road have been updated.

The bigger, vehicle now has the right of way.

Trucks, school buses & motor homes, pickups, large suv's, Cadillac's, vans, small suv's, cars, small cars, loud motorcycles, and motorcycles that have legal exhost systems. In that descending order.

The exception to that is: If one of them is in a hurry, then they can claim the right of way, even when it's not their turn. They should just go, and use their middle finger, to let everyone know they are invoking this right.

If one of them is texting, or playing with their GPS, the rest should wait patently for them to finish.

 

[Deere Dude]

If everyone come to the intersection at the same time, I usually edge out there a few feet and then slowly go while everyone sits there twiddling their thumbs. If someone on the opposite side comes straight toward you and I am going straight, as long as he is blocking cross traffic to start with, I will cross the intersection.

If others start out before me I will patiently wait for them to clear the intersection. Many times it is guess and by golly and say a quick prayer because half the people down here don't use directional lights.

 

[plowhog]

Regarding: "the one to the right is given 'the right of way'."

Close, but not accurate. Drivers are to "yield" the right of way to the driver on the right. No one can "have" the right of way so it cannot be taken or given.

 

[sandman2234]

You must yield the right-of-way to all other traffic and pedestrians at stop signs. Move forward only when the road is clear. At four-way stops, the first vehicle to stop should move forward first. If two vehicles reach the intersection at the same time, the driver on the left yields to the driver on the right...
Now do you want me to explain how it actually happens?
David from jax

 

[/pine]

If a car has a women driver, she will wait until everyone else to go before she will go. :duh:

If they all have women drivers, then no one will go! :thumbsdown:

and or wait until someone waves them through...

 

[Creamer]

TSO with Plowhog's modification is technically right. And since there is a protocol if everyone followed it precisely the intersection would handle many more cars.

I get so frustrated trying to figure out why that car isn't going when they should be the one going.

 

[square1]

I get the law with regard to 1rst in 1st out, ties go to the driver on the right, and that if it's all women it's hopeless gridlock. I'm wondering if it's preferable for a driver to go out of order if it impedes no one else and moves traffic through the intersection more quickly.

 

[newbury]

You must yield the right-of-way to all other traffic and pedestrians at stop signs. Move forward only when the road is clear. At four-way stops, the first vehicle to stop should move forward first. If two vehicles reach the intersection at the same time, the driver on the left yields to the driver on the right...
Now do you want me to explain how it actually happens?
David from jax

What is supposed to happen if car 2 and 4 arrive at the same time and one indicates it wants to turn right?

 

[4get gto]

Females are different in Pa. I don't know if it's something the women eat or what? Always tail gating. Passing on the right. Forget the 4 way stop rule. Leave 10 minutes late to get to work 5 minutes early.

 

[turnkey4099]

The person who gets there first has the right of way to start first. However, if two vehicles arrive at the same time, the person to your immediate right has the right of way.

And after the first one moves, total confusion reigns for the rest. "one on right" has a car waiting at every exit and after a few cars move no one knows who got there first from the remaining group.

 

[turnkey4099]

The best solution is to replace all 4-way with round-a-bouts. Of course all the US citizens will scream they don't work and they don't right at first until everybody learns how to do them.

 

[aczlan]

The best solution is to replace all 4-way with round-a-bouts. Of course all the US citizens will scream they don't work and they don't right at first until everybody learns how to do them.

They are great, they replaced a troublesome 4 way stop and a tee with them a few years back and I like them, you get through much quicker than you used to.

Aaron Z

 

[square1]

We're getting better at navigating roundabouts as they become more common. Personally I like them. Unfortunately the 4 way in question here is in an older residential area where houses are very close to the street. A roundabout would probably require buying 4 or more residences to get enough space.

 

[ray66v]

We have two roundabouts here, and most people are clueless about how to use them.

They seem to think it's the same as a four way intersection. So, no one goes. :confused3: And, no one signals their exit.

I seriously think everyone should have to take a 5 minute test on basic traffic rules, when you renew your drivers license. If you don't pass it, you should have to take the written drivers license test over. Which really only requires spending 30 minutes reading something like a 30 page book, that has the basic traffic rules in it. That way most everyone is on the same page.

 

[Deere Dude]

Most of the time there is a logical sequence at stop signs, but now and then some good Samaritan desides to let others go first and it messes up the works. When it is your turn, take it and don't fool around.