Here’s the scenario: Alec Blvd runs North/South and intersects with Bernard Way, which runs East/West. Let’s say each direction has 2 lanes, so each street is 4 lanes wide. The intersection of Alec & Bernard is a 4-way stop, with the 4 stop signs (running clockwise from the 12:00 position) are named A (12:00), B (3:00), C (6:00), and D (9:00).
The hypothetical: The following drivers arrive at the Alec/Bernard intersection in the following sequence (mere moments from each other) and at the noted stop signs. When two cars arrive at the same stop sign, they’re in separate lanes and are adjacent to each other. No cars have their turn signals on.
While Stanley is waiting for Roberta to move, you pull up alongside him at the stop sign. Even though you arrived after Thomas, does the fact that you and Stanley are heading in the same direction justify you in going across the intersection with Stanley (essentially, “tagging along” out of turn)?
Would you be upset if Violet, who arrived at the intersection after you, tagged-along with Teresa when she crossed the intersection?
What about if William also tagged-along, since he’s going straight on the same street, but in the opposite direction?
If there was a single pedestrian (walking at a normal pace) crossing in front of Teresa when it was her turn to go, would you wait for that pedestrian to pass and allow Teresa to exercise her right to go before you proceeded?
Generally speaking, would you honk your horn at any car going out of sequence at a 4-way stop?
My answers.
Maybe it’s a nitpick courtesy thing, but (1) I would never tag-along, though I see other people do it all the time, so (2) yes, it does bother me, though not in any road-rage type of way. I just write it off as rude self-absorption. If someone (3 & 4) tries to capitalize on circumstances to move ahead in their order (beyond the “same direction” rationale), that would bother me more, though (5) I wouldn’t honk unless, in moving forward into the intersection on my turn, I was forced to stop to let the out-of-turn person go.
I live near a 5-way stop intersection, and while it’s a little confusing, I’m always amazed how many people don’t see the Stop signs as “Stop” signs, but merely “Pause” signs–ignoring who else is at the other stop signs and whether they got their first, and merely proceeding with nary a cursory acknowledgement of other people on the road.
So, Dopers, do you (guiltily or not) tag-along? Ever have a weird incident (or ugly confrontation) based on who had the right-of-way at a 4(or +)-way Stop?
None of this tag-along stuff bothers me as much is the peat-for-brains women I’ve seen who insist on waving other people through (even if it’s me) out of sequence. Learn the f*!@ing rules, dammit, or you could cause serious problems! I’ll wager not 40% of the women drivers in my county understand a damn 4-way stop.
I live in a land that gets covered in ice and snow for several months out of the year, so when in doubt I fall back on the first rule of right of way: Don’t Hit Anything.
If somebody’s in enough of a hurry to risk getting into an accident, I let him use the intersection. I’ll point my finger and giggle if he gets a ticket.
When I get to one I like to get away as fast as I can. I will go as long as I don’t interfer w/ other cars (i.e. oncomming car going straight, I will go straight or turn right at the same time.
If I ever run across an intersection with four lanes in both directions that’s controlled entirely by four freaking stop signs, I’m gonna be too busy contemplating ways to inflict inconceivable levels of agony upon civil engineers to care whether or not anybody tags along.
More than never having to work again, a villa in Tuscany, or great health care, more than anything I want to win the Powerball so I’ve got enough scratch to slam my car into these tag-along asshats and be able to afford the citations.
Or, How I learned to stop worrying and love the roundabout* (rotaries to the Americans). Great things, they are, once you get used to 'em.
As for the dreaded four-way stop - yes, they are the work of Satan, and when I come to one, I do what any experience driver does, and that is only obey the by-the-book rules if they are still safe, logical, and efficient under the local conditions. If they are not, then I’ll break 'em gleefully, and will accordingly not be upset if somebody else does. If I’m supposed to have right of way, and I’m there dithering like an idiot, then I can’t blam the second or third person on the cross street for muscling in. It keeps the traffic flowing smoother, and in the end, we all get home quicker and more safely. Over-aggressive drivers sure cause accidents, but by hell over-cautious ones do too. A good urban driver knows how to find the balance.
Must be a regional thing then. I’ve been caught out with those before on these boards. I do remember the word ‘roundabout’ being met with a strong “WTF?” response though here on the SDMB.
Nononono – traffic circles are the old way of doing things. Roundabouts are the new way. They’re way, way different, and work entirely differently. Check this out for what it is (warning: PDF)
I’d tag along. I’m an aggressive driver. Not in a tail-gating, flashing my high beams, you’re toast if you’re in my way kind of way, but in the manner that if you hesitate–I won’t.
Maybe it’s part of my personality, or maybe it’s having learned to drive in some of the most dangerous places (Rte 17 and Manhattan were my stomping grounds), but it’s just habit. If I pull up to a stop sign and come to a complete stop as required by law, and someone else is stopped at another point in the intersection–it doesn’t matter if they were there first or not–if they do not take their turn, I’ll take mine.
If I come to a complete stop and someone else does what we call a California stop (slowing down and rolling through the stop) and keeps going, they get the right of way… and it doesn’t upset me in the least. I guess the point, as far as I’m concerned, is to get to where I’m going sooner rather than later, so I don’t see how tagging along with another driver, assuming it does not endanger or interfere with anyone else’s driving, should be considered wrong.
Roundabouts are called rotaries in New England–they’re all over Cape Cod.
I don’t mind them.
As to 4 way stops–I have not noticed that “40%” of women don’t know how to negotiate them. Where did you pull that number from?
I base my actions on the situation presented to me. Sure the right of way is given, never taken, but I may tag along if the traffic flow demands it.
Abso-fucking-loutely. This no-tagging along BS is why it takes so goddamn long to get anywhere. Look at poor William in your example. If he follows your rules he has to sit there for 5 turns instead of none, I’d be pissed if I were him. Especially since what you’re describing is the legal and correct action.
I also agree with YuWanna. Yielding the right-of-way is illegal and very dangerous. No to mention all the asshat confusion it creates that slows the interestion to a standstill.
Yes, I tagalong. It doesn’t hurt anybody. You’re needlessly punishing yourself by nto taggingalong.
Now, the “asshole tagalong” is another thing. That’s a NORMAL 4 way intersection where I pull up behind you and just tride your bumper through the intersection.
Definitely illegal. Definitely asshole. Not something I do.
