ae
pfs

The right way
to four-way

signals

FROM my legion of
faithful readers, give or
take a few thousand,
comes a recurring
request for clarity on
the do’s and don’ts of
four-way-stops.

While this subject has
been attended to before, I
feel compelled to keep the
masses happy and forgive
them for not reading about it
the first time I discussed the
subject.

First of all, how does one

ecognize a four-way-stop?
Little tabs that read “4-Way”
under the stop sign are the
first clue, but, most reliably,
understand thar there are
always four octagon-shapes
posted on the four corners of
a | four-way-stop i intersection.

tis impossible to miscon-

struc this evideice since the
octagon is reserved strictly for
stop-signs.

Now that one recognizes
the four way, what do we do?
“First come, first serve” is the
common practice, but that
means first to stop at the
intersection, not first to arrive
in the genera! area. Too often
do we see impatient drivers
lined up on one street only to
assume they can go first sim-
ply because they’ve been wait-
ifvg much longer than a car
arriving at a cross street at the
last moment.

When two vehicles (and
only nwo) reach a four-way at
approximately the same time,
facing each other, and one
wants to turn lett while the
other doesn’t, the driver

going straight goes first (oth:
erwise they can go at the
same time, vou understand 5.
When two vehicles arrive at
the same time but are perpen-
dicular. the car on the right
goes first.

Three cacs arriving at the
same tine will always leave
one car with no one to its
right and that car goes first.
Pour cars and you are left
with a “whoever nviiches first
goes first” scenaria, believe +
or nor, but if that ever hap-
Pens to you get out of your
car and share lottery numbers
with the other three drivers
for you have just encountered
one of the biggest flukes in
the driving world and you
may be on a streak.

Pedestrians, by the way,
are also considered “traffic”
and by waiting for them to
cross the strect you are also
forfeiting “your turn.” Back
of the line. as they say.

Four-way-stops are com-
monly referred to as “cour-
tesy stops” and it is important
to note that there are
absolutely zero laws govern-
ing the aforementioned pro-
cedures. Rules are borrowed
from associated taws in the
mighty Motor Vehicle Act
which, when delved into
deeply, can end up contradict-
ing each other.

The “Rule of Thumb” at
four-way-stops is basically a
habit that almost everyonc
has picked up on. It should
please us all to know that
common sense and common
courtesy can still reign on our
streets. However, now that
you know this you can no
longer get yourself into a
tizzy when some jarhead fouls
thing up by zoing out of
turn, Four-way-stop conflicts
often arise when an inexperi-
enced or bewildered driver
approaches but forgets to
look around before arriving:
he or she will come to the
required stop and only then
notice other vehicles — with-
our knowing when they

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arrived. Heads up, folks!
Traffic cain flow relatively
smoothly if one is looking
ahead and planning ahead.
Timing is everything. One
usually won’t have to ask
“who’s nexe?” if one is look-
ing around and making, deci-
sions ahead of time.

When the bewildered and
just regular Joes meet at 2
four-way-stop there is often
some uncertainty for it is not
always obvious what kind of
idiot you’re dealing with until
he or she makes a move. In
this uncertainty drivers will
edge out, stop for another
driver edging out who also
stops, and then both will try
again. Following this litle
dance one vehicle will finally
“gun it” anc hopefully clear
the intersection.

Personally, I try to avoid

these little conflicts by pre-
tending to change the radio
station or adjust my mirror
thereby cenvincing the other
driver thas I do no believe it
to be “my turn,” even
though it may be. Or I'll
drive like a rookie and make
my car come to a lurching
stop which, while clumsy-
looking, is an obvious stop-
and-staying- put gesture.

‘Yes, | prefer to lose a sec-
ond-and-a-half out of my day
rather than get into a skir-

mish, passive fellow that | am.

Also, I never wave somebody
through, for I do not wish to
be responsible for their car -—~
I'm not a flagman at any rate.
Most of us aren‘t.

Just kind words to the
faithful: Stop and be courte-
ous. Don’t be an idiot, be
safe.

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