right of way

rh71

No Lifer
Aug 28, 2001
52,844
1,049
126
I drive this on the way home everyday so you can imagine how many times I've wanted to ask this but just forgot...

diagram

1) if both cars A & B get to the intersection at the same time, who has the right of way ?
2) if car B had already been waiting at the intersection (for cars to pass) and A comes later, who has the right of way ?
3) can car B hang out in the middle of the intersection (near the island) while waiting for cars from A's direction to pass ? B would effectively be blocking A from making the turn.

I'm pretty sure A has the right of way in every instance because of the stop sign... correct ? What about #3 ?
 

leftyman

Diamond Member
Sep 15, 2000
7,073
3
81
1.A has right of way. B has stop sign which allows him to proceed only when traffic allows

2. Still A

3. no, B must stop at and stay at stop sign. B can only proceed when traffic allows
 

meltdown75

Lifer
Nov 17, 2004
37,548
7
81
I think car A has the right of way in all cases, since I see no stop sign in his lane. A has to wait forever sometimes and that blows, but such is life.
 

rh71

No Lifer
Aug 28, 2001
52,844
1,049
126
more like B has to wait forever... that's why they jump out into the middle of the intersection all the time. :|
 

shimsham

Lifer
May 9, 2002
10,765
0
0
im thinking car a would always have the right of way since there is no stop sign, and car b would have to yield to all traffic on the 4 lane road.
 

broon

Diamond Member
Jun 5, 2002
3,660
1
81
Originally posted by: rh71
more like B has to wait forever... that's why they jump out into the middle of the intersection all the time. :|

Even if B is sitting in the middle, A still has the right of way and should lay on the horn and wave the "You're #1" gesture until B gets the idea that B is not following the rules of the road.
 

meltdown75

Lifer
Nov 17, 2004
37,548
7
81
Originally posted by: akubi
they should install a traffic light in such situations
true.dat

i have an intersection like this near my place, and it needs a light so bad it's crazy. i got sick of waiting 5 mins+ to pull out... so i use another route now.
 
Aug 25, 2004
11,151
1
81
Originally posted by: leftyman
1.A has right of way. B has stop sign which allows him to proceed only when traffic allows

2. Still A

3. no, B must stop at and stay at stop sign. B can only proceed when traffic allows

WINNER
 

pontifex

Lifer
Dec 5, 2000
43,804
46
91
Originally posted by: meltdown75
Originally posted by: akubi
they should install a traffic light in such situations
true.dat

i have an intersection like this near my place, and it needs a light so bad it's crazy. i got sick of waiting 5 mins+ to pull out... so i use another route now.

sounds like this intersection near my work. going to work is fine, but going home is a major pain.
 

whistleclient

Platinum Member
Apr 22, 2001
2,700
1
71
near where i live, i'm usually A, and a lot of times I almost get hit by left turning B, who sees my turn signal and thinks they can pull out.

 

franksta

Golden Member
Jun 6, 2001
1,967
6
81
Scenario 3 angers me to no end and for reasons unknown to me it is very popular here. If I'm car A in that situation I make it very uncomfortable for car B.
 

rh71

No Lifer
Aug 28, 2001
52,844
1,049
126
Originally posted by: meltdown75
Originally posted by: akubi
they should install a traffic light in such situations
true.dat

i have an intersection like this near my place, and it needs a light so bad it's crazy. i got sick of waiting 5 mins+ to pull out... so i use another route now.
the reason there isn't one is because where B is coming from, the road is as long as about 4 car lengths. And if B were to make a right turn (where the stop sign is)... there's already a traffic light about 200 feet away for a bigger intersection. I guess it would be possible for them to sync to that light and put a big white DO NOT CROSS line... but a lot of work for such a small side street.
 

sao123

Lifer
May 27, 2002
12,653
205
106
in case 3...

theoretically (and traffic engineering law wise) the left lane in the direction of A should be a left turn only asnd the right lane should be a thru lane only. There should not be a situation where B should have to hang out in the middle.
If b gets to the intersection and there is no traffic from direction C (left to right) and the centermost lane of A is unoccupied, B technically should make the turn into the centermost lane of A.
 

ahurtt

Diamond Member
Feb 1, 2001
4,283
0
0
Originally posted by: akubi
they should install a traffic light in such situations

No, people should just read the manual that the MVA/DMV gives out for studying for your driving test. But that would be expecting people to use their brains and I guess that might be asking a little too much. The only reason to put a traffic signal at a place like that is if the traffic in the area becomes so bad that one is deemed necessary. Not just because it makes it so people who don't know the rules of the road can continue to not know the rules of the road.

[edit] Oh, and A has the right of way in all cases. And technically, even if B did not have a stop sign, A would still have right of way since he is on the more favored thoroughfare.
 

rh71

No Lifer
Aug 28, 2001
52,844
1,049
126
Originally posted by: sao123
Case 3: properly designed by a good traffic engineer.
Text
except even the people turning left (like A) would be merging right and then moving back 2 lanes to the left for their turn.

There's no way to state "unless turning left"... people aren't going to be reading extensive signs.
 

rh71

No Lifer
Aug 28, 2001
52,844
1,049
126
Originally posted by: Phoenix86
:beer: for the use of MS paint to describe a traffic situation.
hey it was actually Photoshop, but done in 5 mins.
 

acemcmac

Lifer
Mar 31, 2003
13,712
1
0
Originally posted by: rh71
Originally posted by: sao123
Case 3: properly designed by a good traffic engineer.
Text
except even the people turning left (like A) would be merging right and then moving back 2 lanes to the left for their turn.

There's no way to state "unless turning left"... people aren't going to be reading extensive signs.

yeah, see my post