Rules of the Road

So, I was totally confused by a friend when out to lunch today. He is new to the state and was telling me about how STUPID some drivers are, due to the following:

That when at a 4 way stop, people who get there even before him and are turning across his lane, don't yield to him. Now this is a 4 way stop, mind you. The other driver got there BEFORE him, and he thinks they should always yield to him, since he's going straight. I disagreed, and he said - "look it up in the rule book". So, I did. Here's what it says, please give me your interpretation and let me know how soon you think he'll get a ticket when hitting someone who turns in front of him since he thinks he has the right of way...

• Drivers turning left must yield to oncoming vehicles going straight.
• At a four-way stop, the driver reaching the intersection first may proceed before the other drivers (after coming to a complete stop).

I understand where he got the "turning left must yield"... but that is in normal traffic flow. NOT at a 4 way stop, am I right?

I agree with your intereptation. Same applies in IL although he will end up looking like the fool if he ever causes an accident and tries to explain his reasoning.

Same in Ohio although there seem to be lots of folks here who don't understand 4-way stops either, or right-of-way at any intersection for that matter...

concur.

I think your correct also.

I do recall reading that if two vehicles approach at the same time then the vehicle on the right goes first (dont know how that would work if you had 4 vehicles show up at the same time..

But I imagine every state has different traffic laws

As I understand it, my boss actually got ticketed for getting in an accident in a somewhat similar scenario. His was a two way stop where both he and the other guy were at the stop signs. He arrived after the guy and went straight and the other guy turned left. Since he was the second one at the intersection he didn't have the right of way according to our police, and was cited for being at fault.

I believe you are correct.

While on the subject, I'd like to mention a phenomenon that really frosts my balls. It seems whenever driving in Timbuktu or some other forgotten stretch of country I always seem to come to a stop at a four way at the exact same time as another driver. There is no sign of civilization or human influence other than the road for miles but somehow two people on the same desolate highway seem to stop at the exact same instant.

Then the grabass game of who goes first begins with starting with each driver trying to wave the other to go first and both being too kind to take the lead, then with many sudden stops and starts with hesitations. Before either vehicle leaves the intersection, both drivers hate each other.

MGX said:

I believe you are correct.
While on the subject, I'd like to mention a phenomenon that really frosts my balls. It seems whenever driving in Timbuktu or some other forgotten stretch of country I always seem to come to a stop at a four way at the exact same time as another driver. There is no sign of civilization or human influence other than the road for miles but somehow two people on the same desolate highway seem to stop at the exact same instant.

Then the grabass game of who goes first begins with starting with each driver trying to wave the other to go first and both being too kind to take the lead, then with many sudden stops and starts with hesitations. Before either vehicle leaves the intersection, both drivers hate each other.

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in that situation the driver on the right is supposed to go first. If you are across from one another who ever isn't turning left goes first.

geofs said:

Same in Ohio although there seem to be lots of folks here who don't understand 4-way stops either, or right-of-way at any intersection for that matter...

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Don't get me started about traffic circles here in NJ....

What gets confusing is whether other states allow turning on red. In NJ, you can unless otherwise noted... I always forget what the deal is in the neighboring states.

What gets confusing is whether other states allow turning on red. In NJ, you can unless otherwise noted... I always forget what the deal is in the neighboring states.

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Same here in MO. Right on Red is OK, unless posted. I get a little impatient sometimes when people don't go right on red when there is not a car within 1/2 mile. Or some people who haven't gotten used to the light trip sensors in the pavement and park 3 car lengths back from the line and it'll never trip for the light to go green...

saw the title and my first thought was to reply "There are no rules of the Road" or "it's survival of the fittest".

There is a very busy four way stop I go through twice a day. (to/from work). If often stacks up with traffic in both directions 180 degress from each other (say North-south) and also a fair amount of bi-drectional traffic in the cross direction (say E-W). for the most part evryone is going straight across the intersection. The natural progession that evolved is for the N-S to pass each other followed by a set of E-W cars passing. This doesn't necessarily follow the "guy on the right goes next" rule but it seems to work pretty efficiently. The key is to come to a full stop and not just follow the guy in front of you when he crosees (no matter if you were waiting when the cross guy first arrived or not).

I hope that answer is as clear as mud.

I don't believe I've ever encountered the "left turn guy yields" rule before.

TD I agree with your interpretation.

The no right turn on red kills me too... it is legal here in CA, but then you get out of state idiots (not that everyone from another state is an idiot, just the ones who inconvenience me) that don't know that and sit there when no traffic is coming waiting for the stupid light to change and don't realize why the a$$hole in the hyundai behind them is honking...

nevermind.

we have a variety of no turn on read signs in IL.

you have the plain and simple no turn on red

no turn on red when pedestrians present

no turn on red when children present

only fartherest right lane can turn on red (or similar verbage when there are two right turn lanes)

bigray76 said:

Don't get me started about traffic circles here in NJ....
What gets confusing is whether other states allow turning on red. In NJ, you can unless otherwise noted... I always forget what the deal is in the neighboring states.

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Wait a minute, there are states where you CAN'T turn right on red? I thought it was a given unless posted otherwise.

you can turn left on red in denver on one way streets

TouchDown said:

So, I was totally confused by a friend when out to lunch today. He is new to the state and was telling me about how STUPID some drivers are, due to the following:
That when at a 4 way stop, people who get there even before him and are turning across his lane, don't yield to him. Now this is a 4 way stop, mind you. The other driver got there BEFORE him, and he thinks they should always yield to him, since he's going straight. I disagreed, and he said - "look it up in the rule book". So, I did. Here's what it says, please give me your interpretation and let me know how soon you think he'll get a ticket when hitting someone who turns in front of him since he thinks he has the right of way...

• Drivers turning left must yield to oncoming vehicles going straight.
• At a four-way stop, the driver reaching the intersection first may proceed before the other drivers (after coming to a complete stop).

I understand where he got the "turning left must yield"... but that is in normal traffic flow. NOT at a 4 way stop, am I right?

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Your friend is an idiot.

You can tell him PE-ness said he is wrong.

cement said:

you can turn left on red in denver on one way streets

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You can turn left on red onto a one way street in Georgia, but only from the left-most lane into the left-most lane.