Picture a four-way stop. Now, you expect each car to take their time. But, I hear in MA, or maybe just the Boston area, it is legal for the subsequent car to follow the lead car through the 4-way stop! Is this correct? And, doesn’t this just add to all the confusion at a 4-way stop, anyhow? Not to mention messing up out-of-towners! - Jinx
Nope, it’s not true. If you don’t stop at a stop sign you get yourself a ticket and a big ol’ insurance surcharge. Having said that, the idea of “taking your time” at a stop sign is a foriegn concept to MA drivers. If you ain’t going, someone else will.
The rule is the first person to arrive at their respective stop sign goes first, and the right of way then proceeds with the next person to arrive etc…If two people arrive at the same time, the person to the right has the right of way.
Correct-a-mundo! Although I never heard the last bit about the driver to the right going first. (Not doubting ya)
In practice, the rule is somewhat different. The person who is 2nd in line is not only able to proceed but honor-bound by the unwritten code of driving in Massachusetts.
Other key rules:
A red light means that only 3 more cars can proceed,
A yellow light means speed up, and
Blinkers are a sign of weakness.
MA drivers have something of a rep, especially in the Boston area.
From the Massachusett’s Driver’s Manual,
Lanes, Intersections, and Turns
Four-Way Stop
At an intersection controlled by stop signs in all
directions, you must yield the right-of-way to:[ul]
[li]Another vehicle that has already come to a[/li]full stop at the intersection
[li]A vehicle on your immediate right that has[/li]stopped at the intersection at the same time
as you
[/ul]
Unless there is a pedestrian trying to cross the intersection, in which case it is the obligation of whichever driver can most easily hit him or her to go next, preferrably as unexpectedly as possible.
My dad visited me from NJ and independently came up with this scheme. His reasoning was the second car is indeed stopped within 10 feet or less of the stop sign, so they aren’t doing anything illegal if they go immediately. What do you think? The Mass DMV pamphlet (pg 84) doesn’t even contradict this.
I think that’s a fine justification, but it is ridiculous to think that this is anything but illegal. Page 83 mentions nothing about 10 feet, and seems pretty unambiguous to me:
what I want to know is, is it legal for the first car turning left at a red light to go ahead when the light turns green (ahead of the opposite cars going straight)? (I hope that makes sense.) Where I’m from, if you are turning left, you have to wait until no oncoming traffic passes before you turn left. The first time I was in MA and the car across the intersection did this, I almost hit it and cursed the driver out, about 20 minutes (and 3 stoplights later), I realized this is the norm! Is this just traditional or is this actually law? (again, I hope this makes sense, I hope any MA drivers understand).
that should be
“…wait until ALL oncoming traffic passes…”’
No Donovan, of course that’s not legal. On page 99 of the document Snetho linked to it says:
Donovan, that may not be TECHNICALLY legal, but I’ve never done it any other way, had police officers yield to me when doing it, and actually, always considered it legal. I’d expect anyone else to do the same to me…
To agree with Flymaster: it is totally accepted, but no way it is actually legal. You’d better yield for circles, though, I see people pulled over for that time and time again! 
Wait a minute wait a minute. This is accepted? Donovan, was it a car in the opposing traffic (ie, one that just got the green) that cut you off, or a car in the cross traffic (ie, one that just lost the green)?
I’m talking about this:
You’re at a light. There’s a street to your right, but you’re going straight. I’m looking at you from across the intersection, and turning left onto the street to your right. As the light turns green, I go left, and you yield to me before continuing on, so that I don’t have to wait for the possibly endless line of traffic behind you, thus not blocking up the intersection for people behind me.
Oh. Well, I think you’re going to cause an accident if you keep that up. Plus you’re going to confuse out-of-towners like Jinx into thinking it’s remotely okay or legal. So:mad:.
Another rule for driving in Boston is that red lights are only advisory. And there is one 7 way intesection that the authorities seem to have given up on and it is simply a free-for-all. It was on the way to the airport; I am sure that Bostonians will recognize it. Also, bicyclists recognize no laws at all. I remember waiting patiently for a pedestrian crossing signal at a rather complicated intersection (are there any other kind in Boston) and when it came on darted across the street, only to just miss getting creamed by a cyclist, who then started cursing me out in a most unladylike fashion.