Traffic law question (vs reality)

[Vern_in_IL]

You pull up to a highway, you have to stop(stop sign), you are waiting on highway traffic to make a LEFT turn. A car on the other side of the highway stops at stop sign after you, he wants to go STRAIGHT.

Who goes first? (even if he waves for you to go first?)

 

[Klutch9]

I believe you go first. But living in a town with many 4 way stops, I can tell you that this doesn't always happen.

 

[Killer223]

you do. whos there first wins.

 

[OneEyeJack]

Just wait him out. it's not worth the trouble. It's safer to never assume the right of way. If someone waves you ahead don't make eye contact. Do nothing. If you collide he will not say it was his fault because he waved you ahead. Only proceed when there is no doubt about what you and the other party(s) and expecting.

 

[bullwinkle]

They would only have the right-of-way if you got there simultaneously, it would be you first. Although, around here, they would just roll right through it & act mad when you tried to hit them in the middle of the intersection!

 

[oldhp]

The guy that "says" he's turning, 1st. The guy that "says" he's going straight, 2nd. Now they are all gone, proceed Sir. I also live in a small town, it's like a box of chocolates...........

 

[Bud]

Originally Posted By: Klutch9
I believe you go first. But living in a town with many 4 way stops, I can tell you that this doesn't always happen.


That's how it works I'm my neck of the woods.

 

[The_Jeff]

One needs to follow expected courtesies. The law in my state at least is vague. If one needs to wait until clear and "the gun" goes off at the same time, this contradicts itself. I am assuming both myself and the oncoming driver are on a secondary road, crossing a primary road. (On a 4-way, I consider a straight shot to take priority over a left turn. I also "pair off" going straight with a straight shot coming at me in the interest of keeping traffic moving, even if it isn't my turn.)

If the cross traffic was in the opposite lane I'd go first, as I had "the jump" on it having cleared. If it was in my lane I'd let the other guy go.

That all gets thrown out the window when the oncoming driver just waves b/c he doesn't want the drama.

I almost clocked a guy head on in this scenario: Busy 5 lane road (2 lanes each way and a middle left turn) in a commercial/ burger joint strip of road. We both finally got clear and felt we could go if we gunned it. Narrowly missed a wreck.

Code:


7. Stop signs. Unless directed to proceed by a law enforcement

officer or traffic control device, an operator of a vehicle

approaching a stop sign shall stop and:



A. Yield the right-of-way to a vehicle that has entered the

intersection or that is approaching so closely as to constitute an

immediate hazard; and [1993, c. 683, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); 1993, c.

683, Pt. B, §5 (AFF).]



B. Having yielded, an operator may proceed. All other operators

approaching the intersection shall yield the right-of-way to the

vehicle so proceeding. [1993, c. 683, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); 1993, c.

683, Pt. B, §5 (AFF).]



[ 1993, c. 683, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); 1993, c. 683, Pt. B, §5 (AFF) .



http://www.mainelegislature.org/legis/statutes/29-A/title29-Asec2057.html

 

[Nate1979]

He who arrives first. Always.

 

[abycat]

He who arrives first has the right of way. I've sat at 4 ways for a long time waiting for the guy that's supposed to go first, just because I don't want to go and him hit me.

 

[WiskyBadger]

Originally Posted By: Bud
Originally Posted By: Klutch9
I believe you go first. But living in a town with many 4 way stops, I can tell you that this doesn't always happen.


That's how it works I'm my neck of the woods.
+2

 

[JimPghPA]

He who has the bigest vehicle goes first. Just kidding.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Whoever stopped first goes first.

But there is another rule of thumb, anyone making a left turn does not have the right of way, EVER. Don't believe it, get into an accident someday when you were making a left turn and explain to the police officer and your insurance company that you were making a left turn and you will quickly find out that the vehicle making a left turn never has the right of way.

 

[Sayjac]

Originally Posted By: OneEyeJack
.... It's safer to never assume the right of way.....

Like that thinking Jack.

Many decades ago in drivers education class learned, 'the right of way is something you never have but can always yield for safety.'

Yes 'technically' the person that enters the intersection first, goes first. That said, when making a left or right in front of another vehicle, better be very sure the other driver is yielding the right of way before proceeding.

Anyone that's ever ridden a motorcycle knows, or should, better to yield then end up in an ambulance or worse.

 

[crazyoildude]

Some believe the vehicle with the biggest wheels always has the right of way...LOL

 

[John_K]

Originally Posted By: Killer223
you do. whos there first wins.


Section 4511.42 of the Ohio Revised Code seems to say that the vehicle turning left should always yield: "The operator of a vehicle, streetcar, or trackless trolley intending to turn to the left within an intersection or into an alley, private road, or driveway shall yield the right of way to any vehicle, streetcar, or trackless trolley approaching from the opposite direction, whenever the approaching vehicle, streetcar, or trackless trolley is within the intersection or so close to the intersection, alley, private road, or driveway as to constitute an immediate hazard."

However, the previous section (4511.41) states that "When two vehicles, including any trackless trolley or streetcar, approach or enter an intersection from different streets or highways at approximately the same time, the driver of the vehicle on the left shall yield the right-of-way to the vehicle on the right."

This fits with what I thought, that if you are turning left you yield. Who got there first is irrelevant.

John

 

[MrkofXcellence]

Obviously first person to intersection has right of way in this scenario, however, when cross traffic has cleared you will find that both of you will cautiously proceed at the same time and you will probably pass him coming into the road before you make a left. I assume you are talking a highway of more than one lane in each direction. Though historically highways have certainly been able to include even two lane roads with a double yellow.

 

[bubbatime]

When you say highway, that kind of confuses things as most highways don't have stop signs.

Now if you are talking a 4 way stop, the first car to the stop sign has right of way. If two cars get to the stop sign at the same time, the car on the right goes first. If two cars facing each other get there at the same time, I don't think there is a legally defined right of way.

 

[bubbatime]

Originally Posted By: OneEyeJack
Just wait him out. it's not worth the trouble. It's safer to never assume the right of way. If someone waves you ahead don't make eye contact. Do nothing. If you collide he will not say it was his fault because he waved you ahead. Only proceed when there is no doubt about what you and the other party(s) and expecting.


I DESPISE this! If you get to the stop sign before me, you better follow the rules of the road and proceed ahead of me. You have the right away. You can waive me on, flash your headlights, or get mad, I don't care. I will literally put my car in park and stare at you for 10 minutes if you have the right away and refuse to follow the rules of the road. In fact I had one of these idiots that refused to proceed the other day. I stared at her for at least 45 seconds before she pulled her head out of her rear and proceeded. She keeps waving me on and flashing her headlights like the dumb little sheep she was.

Rant off.

 

[AZjeff]

From the NTSA website:

First to Stop = First to Go.
Farthest Right Goes First.
Straight Traffic Goes First.
When in Doubt, Bail Out.

We have a couple of busy 4 way stops in our town and people do a pretty good job of taking their turn. Once in a while you get a turn jumper, best to just let them go.

 

[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.