Legitimate Traffic Control Question

[Fudster]

Hi all::

There are certainly enough people in law enforcement here who might be able to answer this question--much as it might be State specific, here goes:

Envision two ordinary bi-directional roads with nothing fancy about them coming to an intersection with each other. Only motorists traveling North or South have stop signs.

One motorist, who was traveling North before they got to the stop sign seeks to make a left turn at the stop sign to travel West. Another motorist who was traveling South before they got to their stop sitgn seeks to make a right turn at that stop sign to also travel West.

Now clearly, both motorists at the stop signs have to yield right of way to the East/West road motorists who have no traffic control signs. But how do the motorists who were traveling North and South, and who now both want to travel West have to follow right of way with respect to each other?

Does it make a difference who got to the stop sign first? If it does, and the motorists wishing to turn left can't because of traffic, but the motorist turning right has nothing it is way, can the motorist who wants to turn right go first?

TIA

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[C.Sco]

Not law enforcement, but my understanding is:

The one who got to the stop sign first goes first.

If they arrive at exactly the same time, or it's just not clear who arrived first, then there's not really any rule that says who goes first, in that case the first one to use hand signals or a quick headlight flash tells the other driver to go ahead. Or sometimes one of the drivers, usually a guy in a Tesla, just decides they want to go first, so they do.

 

[limeade]

Now clearly, both motorists at the stop signs have to yield right of way to the East/West road motorists who have no traffic control signs. But how do the motorists who were traveling North and South, and who now both want to travel West have to follow right of way with respect to each other?

Does it make a difference who got to the stop sign first? If it does, and the motorists wishing to turn left can't because of traffic, but the motorist turning right has nothing it is way, can the motorist who wants to turn right go first?

TIA

Generally, the lawful and common sense Right of Way (ROW) order is:

1. Vehicles traveling straight
2. Vehicles making right turn
3. Vehicles making left turn

However when at a Four Way intersection and multiple vehicles arrive at the same time, the vehicle to the right has the ROW. Otherwise, the first vehicle to arrive has the ROW, unless that vehicle is unable to enter the intersection due to vehicle/pedestrian traffic, then the other vehicle(s) may assume the ROW if they can enter the intersection without interfering with traffic.

In your scenario above:

1. If there are no vehicles on the West/East roads and both North and South bound vehicles arrived at the intersection at the exact same time, then the vehicle turning right would have the ROW.
2. If the vehicle turning left arrived before the vehicle turning right, but could not turn left due to traffic, then the vehicle turning right could go first.
3. If the vehicle turning left arrived at the intersection first and was not impeded by West/East traffic from making the left turn, then they would have the ROW over the vehicle turning right.

However, if the West/East roadway is multilane (such as 2 lanes for each direction), both the left turning and right turning vehicles can turn simultaneously as they are required by law to turn into their respective lanes:

1. When making a left turn onto a multilane roadway, you must turn into the lane directly adjacent to the median/center dividing line/etc.
2. When making a right turn onto a multilane roadway, you must turn into the farthest right through lane.

These are the laws most (if not all) states, jurisdictions, etc. follow. They utilize the US Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices, guidelines/directives from the US Federal Highway Administration, and other Federal directives to establish consistent traffic law across the US.

There are jurisdictions where certain traffic operations are illegal, such as being unable to turn right on a red light. It is always illegal to turn right on a red arrow though.

 

[AcesandEights]

Hi all::

There are certainly enough people in law enforcement here who might be able to answer this question--much as it might be State specific, here goes:

Envision two ordinary bi-directional roads with nothing fancy about them coming to an intersection with each other. Only motorists traveling North or South have stop signs.

One motorist, who was traveling North before they got to the stop sign seeks to make a left turn at the stop sign to travel West. Another motorist who was traveling South before they got to their stop sitgn seeks to make a right turn at that stop sign to also travel West.

Now clearly, both motorists at the stop signs have to yield right of way to the East/West road motorists who have no traffic control signs. But how do the motorists who were traveling North and South, and who now both want to travel West have to follow right of way with respect to each other?

Does it make a difference who got to the stop sign first? If it does, and the motorists wishing to turn left can't because of traffic, but the motorist turning right has nothing it is way, can the motorist who wants to turn right go first?

TIA

Easy, the one on the right.

 

[Fudster]

Thank you for your responses. For me it was an academic discussion because of my belief in two rules of traffic that help save lives: communication and consideration.

Courtesy on the road can save lives. Of course this doesn't mean "letting someone on the highway from an entrance ramp" if there's danger of such a move. Safety trumps courtesy.

But if there isn't, why not? It makes things safer and nicer. Maybe someone will do it for you someday, especially if they've been the product of prior similar consideration.

Having someone write on your tombstone, "he/she had the right of way," is no victory.

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