Who has the right of way at a traffic light?

[vegasnative]

See, to me, I have always thought the people that wave you on are trying to head off an accident. many people at 4-way stops are morons. If I can see you clearly in front of me in my windshield, and have waved you on, I KNOW you will definitely be turning in front of me and I can wait.

But by waving the person on (to turn in front of you) you are asking that person to go against the rules of a 4-way stop...then it screws everyone else up that goes after because they all think all of sudden now everyone turns in front of the person opposite them.

this is what i was taught about 4 way stops...

http://www.ehow.com/how_2075341_handle-4way-stop.html

Thanks for the link, I quickly looked through it, didn't see anything about the turning, but could have missed it. It says about the person the furthest to the right has right of way...yes, that is correct. However when two people are facing each other they are both furthest to the right, so once again the person turning must yield to oncomig traffic. It has always been that you turn BEHIND the person going straight. This brings up another point, it's not supposed to operate as lane 1 goes, then lane 2, then lane 3....it's two lanes at a time. FOr example the east/west traffic go together (people turn yield), then the north/south traffic go together. No, I don't mean east/west have priority, I'm just trying to explain that the two lanes facing each other move together.

If everyone can just follow the rules of the road there'd be no need to wave anyone on. What happens when you're at a 4-way, you have the right of way but wave someone else on -- then following suit, the person who should have been next after them (and didn't see that "wave" bit) tries to take their turn at the same time you go?

We're supposed to be looking at the vehicles, and following rules, not at the drivers. When waved on & it's not my turn I refuse to budge. By the insurance industry's standard methods of determining at-fault, if there's an accident and I was out of turn, it falls on me

YEP, YEP & YEP! Exactly!!!

 

[Carly_Roach]

If everyone can just follow the rules of the road there'd be no need to wave anyone on.

We're supposed to be looking at the vehicles, and following rules, not at the drivers. When waved on & it's not my turn I refuse to budge. By the insurance industry's standard methods of determining at-fault, if there's an accident and I was out of turn, it falls on me regardless of who waved whom on. The exception to this is of course police officers directing traffic. When waved on - do as they tell you to do *providing* it is safe to do so.

Exactly. I've pissed people off because I refuse to go when they tell me to. Sorry, but you're not a traffic cop and I know the rules of the road.

I feel the same way about people holding up traffic to let someone from a parking lot or exiting a McDonald's into the lane. It's one thing if traffic is already stopped and you want to allow a little room for someone else to enter traffic. It's entirely another thing when everyone in front of you has cleared the area and your "feel good moment" good deed you did for that one person just cost the 20 people behind you a 2 minute (or more) wait at a traffic light during rush hour.

 

[Imzadi]

If everyone can just follow the rules of the road there'd be no need to wave anyone on. What happens when you're at a 4-way, you have the right of way but wave someone else on -- then following suit, the person who should have been next after them (and didn't see that "wave" bit) tries to take their turn at the same time you go? .

The scenario I talked about was when there is only ONE other car and he is wanting to turn INTO your lane. If you think you have a moron who doesn't know the rules, it's best to let them go first. it's not fun explaining to the police later you had right of way and they went anyway. It's also not going to matter to your crushed car.

As for multiple cars in line, YES, it is best if everyone follows the rules. But, as I've gotten older, it seems less & less people know what those rules are. Hence, the morons who will smash into you.

 

[kaytieeldr]

This brings up another point, it's not supposed to operate as lane 1 goes, then lane 2, then lane 3....it's two lanes at a time. FOr example the east/west traffic go together (people turn yield), then the north/south traffic go together. No, I don't mean east/west have priority, I'm just trying to explain that the two lanes facing each other move together

Actually, no - it's one vehicle at a time, period:

.............|.....|
.............|D...|
.............|A...|
---------.......---------
....................E G
.........F B.......
---------.......---------
.............|...C|
.............|...H|
.............|.....|

So, okay. No matter which direction it's going, vehicle A moves first. Then B, then C, then E (even though that vehicle got to the intersection after vehicle D, the latter is behind vehicle A - and so did not get to the stop sign before vehicle E).
Then D goes, then F, then G (again, because that vehicle got to the stop sign before vehicle H, even though one would expect H to go next based on the 'vehicle on the right' rule).
This is true even if A, B, C, and E are each turning right.

Please don't argue with me - it took me twenty minutes to "draw" the intersection and my nerves are rattled. I need to go find an intersection...

From the howto page, linked above:

Only one car is allowed to leave a stop sign. If there are two or more cars in line at a stop sign, each car must stop at the stop sign as if no one else was there.

 

[twinklebug]

.............|.....|
.............|D...|
.............|A...|
---------.......---------
....................E G
.........F B.......
---------.......---------
.............|...C|
.............|...H|
.............|.....|

...

Please don't argue with me - it took me twenty minutes to "draw" the intersection and my nerves are rattled.

And such a nice intersection it is. I was quite impressed when I first saw it.

 

[MushyMushy]

Actually, no - it's one vehicle at a time, period:

.............|.....|
.............|D...|
.............|A...|
---------.......---------
....................E G
.........F B.......
---------.......---------
.............|...C|
.............|...H|
.............|.....|

So, okay. No matter which direction it's going, vehicle A moves first. Then B, then C, then E (even though that vehicle got to the intersection after vehicle D, the latter is behind vehicle A - and so did not get to the stop sign before vehicle E).
Then D goes, then F, then G (again, because that vehicle got to the stop sign before vehicle H, even though one would expect H to go next based on the 'vehicle on the right' rule).
This is true even if A, B, C, and E are each turning right.

Please don't argue with me - it took me twenty minutes to "draw" the intersection and my nerves are rattled. I need to go find an intersection...

From the howto page, linked above:

I just had to quote you to see that beautiful intersection again!

 

[sbell111]

Actually, no - it's one vehicle at a time, period:

The intersection was pretty, but I disagree with your point. Assuming that everyone is either going straight through the intersection or making right hand turns, there is no problem with people going two by two, in terms of safety or legality.

As four way stops go, the general rule is first come first served. However, when two cars arrive at the same time, the one on the left should give way.

In the OP's example, the car turning right should give way to the car turning left. This ensures that the intersection won't be blocked.

It should be noted that no driver ever has the 'right of way'. 'Right of way' is something that can be given, but not taken.

 

[Feralpeg]

In the OP's example, the car turning right should give way to the car turning left. This ensures that the intersection won't be blocked.

The OP wasn't talking about a 4 way stop. She was talking about the rules at a stop light where no left turn arrow is available.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Yeah, but we sort of got side-tracked... and then there was that beautiful intersection demonstration that was hard enough to format is it was - never mind having to insert a set of traffic lights, or a left-turn lane...

 

[Feralpeg]

Yeah, but we sort of got side-tracked... and then there was that beautiful intersection demonstration that was hard enough to format is it was - never mind having to insert a set of traffic lights, or a left-turn lane...

It was a wonderful intersection, but I think you need to come up with some more complex models for our discussion. I'd also like to see some parking lots while you're at it. That should keep you out of trouble for some time!