Wednesday, January 12, 2011

The Four-Way Stop

Four-way stops are easy, right?

Right.

Using expertly drawn diagrams I will explain 

1.)  Opposite sides go together, with the left turns yielding to through traffic

Like thus:






2.  Then the other opposite sides go.  (ditto the left turn)

Like thus:


3.  Repeat

4.  If there's just two of you at perpendicular sides the person who got there first gets to go first.

5.  If you got there at the same time then the person on the right goes. 

It's the easiest thing in the world to execute.  Except for those stuck at the intersection of Mountain and Foothill this afternoon around 1.  The signal was out and there was a huge line up of cars on all sides and it was like Thunderdome.  Horns were blaring and fingers were waving and people were sticking their heads out of their cars and saying unfriendly things.  Cars would dart out when it wasn't their turn.  Or they would just sit there when it was.  Pandemonium!

Next weeks traffic lesson:  How to drive 50 mph when the speed limit is 50 mph and not 35 mph.

8 comments:

Chris said...

Did you get a flat tire and go bald when all of this was happening? I love your drawings!

Stephanie said...

Because we grew up in Chino, this traffic lesson was given to us when we were wee children. I am thankful for this knowledge because I have learned that many people do not understand these simple concepts. Grrrr is right.

Amanda said...

I wish I could say that I feel bad for you, but if this is the first time since starting your blog that you have wanted to write about this, you haven't seen anything. I don't know what it is about Wisconsin, but I sware that NO ONE here knows what to do at a 4 way stop. Every time I'm at one, I almost start pulling my hair out. I am almost ready to give up with the rules and join the craziness. I might never get through the intersection if I don't. Next time you encounter someone like that, just think that maybe they lived in Wisconsin and were worn down by the stupidity.

Rach said...

I hear you, sister friend. It's like peoples' brains just fly out of their heads when they approach a four-way stop. INSANE. And I look forward to the lesson on speed limits. Especially after my trip to Costco this morning.

teri said...

I'm am anonymous reader of your blog, and I don't mean to incite virtual road rage, but I believe the rule to be that only one car enters the intersection at a time. First-come, first-go. Unless two cars arrive at the same time, then the car to the right has the right-of-way.
I may have failed the driving part of the test three times, but I passed the written with 100 percent.

Bob said...

http://imgsrv.gocomics.com/dim/?fh=dc3411f2134bc3050bcb9842530f5bde

Made me think of you....

teresa p said...

I can testify to the craziness of the situation. I knew as soon as I saw the light was out and that there WAS NO POLICEPERSON DIRECING TRAFFIC (I'm so annoyed, Upland PD), that it would be pandemonium.

Heather said...

It's so simple...Why don't more people understand this? You're diagram should definitely be in the instruction manual somewhere.