Traffic law question (vs reality)

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The driver who is unafraid to roll as quickly as possible through the stop sign goes first. Coming to a complete stop at a stop sign is not very common in my neck of the woods (and I suspect not so common elsewhere).
 
.......and these are some of the reasons that more people are purchasing and using dash cams. They're getting cheaper and easier to use.

Cops have them and now they have body cams, too.

Just remember to comb your hair and look presentable before driving off in the morning. Oh, and don't forget to smile.
 
When I took driver's training over 25 years ago I was taught that the car that is going straight (or turning right) has the right of way over a car on the opposite side who is turning left no matter who got there first (where cross traffic does not stop).

This is the rule I have always used. I've lived in 7 states and this seems to be the common way I've seen this work. It's not to be treated as a 4 way or 3 way where the 'whoever got there first' rule applies. Whether or not this is actually a law I couldn't tell you. It's just how I was taught and it's how I treat that situation.
 
Originally Posted By: Sonic
When I took driver's training over 25 years ago I was taught that the car that is going straight (or turning right) has the right of way over a car on the opposite side who is turning left no matter who got there first (where cross traffic does not stop).

This is the rule I have always used. I've lived in 7 states and this seems to be the common way I've seen this work. It's not to be treated as a 4 way or 3 way where the 'whoever got there first' rule applies. Whether or not this is actually a law I couldn't tell you. It's just how I was taught and it's how I treat that situation.



that's the LAW here...
 
Originally Posted By: Jetronic
Originally Posted By: Sonic
When I took driver's training over 25 years ago I was taught that the car that is going straight (or turning right) has the right of way over a car on the opposite side who is turning left no matter who got there first (where cross traffic does not stop).

This is the rule I have always used. I've lived in 7 states and this seems to be the common way I've seen this work. It's not to be treated as a 4 way or 3 way where the 'whoever got there first' rule applies. Whether or not this is actually a law I couldn't tell you. It's just how I was taught and it's how I treat that situation.



that's the LAW here...


Quote? Not doubting you, I just wonder if your state is less vague than mine: "when traffic clears".

I'm motivated by a communal desire to get as many cars through an intersection in as short a time as possible, feelings be darned. So I appreciate a good "two-fer". Luckily everyone (!) uses turn signals as they all pass through my local 4-way daily.
 
Originally Posted By: Sonic
When I took driver's training over 25 years ago I was taught that the car that is going straight (or turning right) has the right of way over a car on the opposite side who is turning left no matter who got there first (where cross traffic does not stop).

This is the rule I have always used. I've lived in 7 states and this seems to be the common way I've seen this work. It's not to be treated as a 4 way or 3 way where the 'whoever got there first' rule applies. Whether or not this is actually a law I couldn't tell you. It's just how I was taught and it's how I treat that situation.



That is true at traffic lights.
 
In a tie allowing the straight person to go first is more efficient in the whole world view, because in a 4way, when you're going left, you also have to go straight for a bit first before starting your turn. So both can be moving into the intersection and there's less time where cars are at a dead stop.

So in a game theory score, together both of you combined get a higher score. Next time perhaps you are the one going straight and so you'd get the benefit.

For the case of the highway turnoff or intersection where the left turn doesn't go straight as the first part of the turn, you'd still apply the same rules because it's too confusing to start assigning special cases.

Overall practically we don't live a perfect world, 100% of the people aren't going to follow the same rules, that's why we have so many traffic jams and accidents that it's commonplace and not a freak occurence. That's why there is a wealth of knowledge in traffic design to investigate and prevent this from being a choice.

But, is it a big deal? Nobody really is affected so much that it becomes a headache, otherwise it'd be changed. But changing costs money. A traffic light is more expensive than a roundabout which is more expensive than a line of paint.

If/when THIS issue becomes the biggest problem in traffic and you get backups and crashes and jams; THEN the local government will prioritize to spend the money to design or improve intersections using the latest knowledge in traffic engineering knowledge to nudge people to do the most efficient thing.
 
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Originally Posted By: Srt20
If I get there first, no matter how I'm proceeding, I go first.
If I get there second, no matter how I'm proceeding, I usually go first.

Just the way it is because so many people get confused on who is supposed to go. I say screw it and just go. If they are confused, and start to roll the same time as me, they always stop, because I don't.

I don't try to be a hinder, but I'm not one to fiddle f**k around.
Drive an Audi, do you?
 
In my state cars merging onto a limited access highway are to be given right of way. You'd never know it, the average comatose sheep will run them right into a bridge abutment rather than braking slightly or changing lanes.
 
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