# Four-Way Stops and Road Rage **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [May 7, 2003, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/four-way-stops-and-road-rage/173580 "2003-05-07T03:43:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![NurseCarmen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5daacb/32.png) [@NurseCarmen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NurseCarmen)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2003, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/four-way-stops-and-road-rage/173580/21 "2003-05-07T17:13:10Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Incubus \* > \*\*My stepdad just looks at the guy and points forward. BAM the other guy rear-ends a car that was stopped at the light. \*\* That is so sweet. ---
**Author:** ![LiveOctopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dfb087/32.png) [@LiveOctopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LiveOctopus)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2003, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/four-way-stops-and-road-rage/173580/22 "2003-05-07T17:20:44Z")
Though not quite as dangerous, I more often run into the _other_ people who don’t understand four-way stops, but have the opposite solution. They pull up, I pull up, and then we both wait… and wait… and wait… until, invariably, we both decide to go at the exact same moment and one of us has to abruptly stop again. Which is usually me, since I rarely feel like I need to get anywhere in a hurry and I find that everyone else usually does. Lately I’ve taken to doing a hand wave as a friendly way of saying “You’re next, stupid,” but they’re often oblivious to that as well. ---
**Author:** ![cowgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8c91f0/32.png) [@cowgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cowgirl)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2003, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/four-way-stops-and-road-rage/173580/23 "2003-05-07T17:30:50Z")
I’ve just started biking to work again. I fear for my life each time I set the pedal to the pavement. Every year I must re-learn to suppress the instinct to feel terror at approaching vehicles with no apparent concern for my survival. For a driver, it’s a moment’s inattention while opening a door or making a turn or pulling into traffic. But for the cyclist that gets smashed because they couldn’t swerve out of the way fast enough (or _could_ swerve, and ended up in front of some other moving vehicle), it’s much, much, much more. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2003, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/four-way-stops-and-road-rage/173580/24 "2003-05-07T18:58:41Z")
My driving instructor told me to just wave the other guy ahead. It takes ten seconds and then you can get on with your life. Of course, clowns who try to sneak through with the car ahead of them deserve to be hit. ---
**Author:** ![Catamount](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/catamount/32/2840_2.png) [@Catamount](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Catamount)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2003, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/four-way-stops-and-road-rage/173580/25 "2003-05-07T20:47:46Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by float\_flyer \* > \*\*Oh, and please stop at the intersection even if you’re turning right. I was nearly taken out by a monster Suburban who nearly turned into me as I was going through the intersection. Fortunately I got on the brakes in time, otherwise I would have been T-boned. Last time I checked you’re still supposed to give way to people who are half way through the intersection when you roll to the stop sign. Maybe people on their cell phones are exempted from this rule (and just about every other traffic law out there). \*\* Also, kids, remember that Right-On-Red is _optional_. Just because you’re making a right turn does not mean you can a) slow down a half-inch an hour as you turn in front of the person going straight or b)just barrel on through because you’re making a **Right Turn** at a Red Light! First you stop, _then_ you turn right! This is one of my favorite ways to irritate tailgaters when I’m at an intersection. If you’ve been riding my ass all the way to the light and I’m making a right turn, don’t expect me to move until the light turns green. I don’t haveta turn yet. ---
**Author:** ![stypticus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f05b48/32.png) [@stypticus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stypticus)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2003, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/four-way-stops-and-road-rage/173580/26 "2003-05-08T04:53:35Z")
Some high-and-mighty dunderhead in a shiny new American Dream Boat tried the Emergency-Lane Jive with my dad. Rolled down the shoulder, past all the stopped cars, and tried to cut in on ol’ Pa. He “accidentally” drifted straight into the guy’s freshly hot-waxed driver’s door. “Sorry, you cut in on me, I couldn’t stop in time.” Everyone cheered, and the cop just down the way damn near shook his hand. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2003, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/four-way-stops-and-road-rage/173580/27 "2003-05-08T05:12:57Z")
😃 ---
**Author:** ![CherryBomb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/919ad9/32.png) [@CherryBomb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CherryBomb)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2003, 8:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/four-way-stops-and-road-rage/173580/28 "2003-05-08T08:10:58Z")
Nice fucking link to post for those of us at work, asshat. _am I the only one that got a crude pic from that one???_ ---
**Author:** ![Koffing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/898d66/32.png) [@Koffing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Koffing)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2003, 9:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/four-way-stops-and-road-rage/173580/29 "2003-05-08T09:47:30Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by CherryBomb \* > \*\*Nice fucking link to post for those of us at work, asshat. > > _am I the only one that got a crude pic from that one???_ \*\* Apparently, linking directly to pictures at SomethingAwful leads not to the picture in question but to something a bit more… crude. Something to do with cookies, I think. ---
**Author:** ![CherryBomb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/919ad9/32.png) [@CherryBomb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CherryBomb)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2003, 11:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/four-way-stops-and-road-rage/173580/30 "2003-05-08T11:08:13Z")
Well, considering that I’ve never been to that site before, I’ve no cookies for it. Or are you referring to his cookies? I’m not sure if the link I was directed to was intended or not, but I’m certainly glad that no one of any importance was anywhere near me when that flashed onto my screen! :eek: If the link I clicked on was the intended link, it a) has absolutely no bearing whatsoever on the topic at hand and b) should have at least contained some warning for those of us who do read this at work and not home. I was not amused (or at least, I would have not been irritated except for the fact that if the wrong person was looking over my shoulder I would have most likely lost my job on the spot), and almost ended up with hot soup all over my workstation, more from trying to get the window closed than any kind of subject matter shock. It’s just rude, really. ---
**Author:** ![CherryBomb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/919ad9/32.png) [@CherryBomb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CherryBomb)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2003, 11:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/four-way-stops-and-road-rage/173580/31 "2003-05-08T11:17:58Z")
Of course, if this was not the intended picture, my full apologies to **Derleth**. ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2003, 11:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/four-way-stops-and-road-rage/173580/32 "2003-05-08T11:24:06Z")
I have deleted **Derleth’s** link to a partially dressed transexual, as I really don’t think that it’s appropriate to this message board. ---
**Author:** ![badmana](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@badmana](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/badmana)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2003, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/four-way-stops-and-road-rage/173580/33 "2003-05-08T15:15:09Z")
I could go on for hours about stupid drivers. I really shouldn’t talk since I DO drive fast. I always signal, and _almost_ always stop at stop signs (if I’m the only one on the road at 2 am, I won’t lie, I don’t fully stop). What gets me is left lane hogs. Or people who like to leave 50 car spaces in front of them (in any lane, but the left lane is the most annoying). If you aren’t willing to keep up, then move right gods damnit! Just last sunday my friend got into a road rage incident. A car was pacing him waving to some girls he was driving around (his cousins and sister) and after some less than nice words (the guys in the other car were trying to pick them up, real classy) the driver got out and smashed my friend’s driver window. My friend didn’t react. He pulled over and called the police. The officer was really cool. Got his info (I was there to shuttle everyone back home) and took statements. Said the case was very good but that, because of vacation, won’t make the arrest until this sunday. Too bad I couldn’t be there to watch 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2003, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/four-way-stops-and-road-rage/173580/34 "2003-05-09T01:28:59Z")
Well, I’m sorry. I suppose the **SA** crew is a bit more crude than I suspected. ---
**Author:** ![Morrigoon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/858c86/32.png) [@Morrigoon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morrigoon)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2003, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/four-way-stops-and-road-rage/173580/35 "2003-05-09T01:50:01Z")
I’m determined to get a license plate frame for my car that says “I brake for tailgaters.” I do, you know. My favorite is when I’m going AT the top speed (75) up the 5 (middle of fucking nowhere), and some asshat going 90 zooms up behind me when I’m next to a truck and stays 5 feet off my back bumper. I tap my brake light and speed up slightly. If they stay on my ass … I pace the truck. That’s right. I give them a chance to back the fuck off. If they do, I move right at the next opportunity. If they don’t, 5 miles of pure hell 🙂 Oh, and if they continue to be assholes, I speed up to the front corner of the truck, let them SEE the clear lane, slow down to the back corner of the truck until they change lanes, then repeat. Yep, I need that frame. Fair warning and all that. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/four-way-stops-and-road-rage/173580.md?page=1)