WTH, do I not understand stop signs?

I'm starting to get grouchy about this. I've had four or five of these experiences in the past week, and I'm wondering if I just can't work a stop sign. Is it me?

When approaching a four-way stop, I set my indicator and slow to a stop at the appropriate point (if there is a stop sign only, it's with the front of the car even with the sign. If there is a line, it's with the front of the car behind the line.) At the moment when I stop, I survey the other three points in the intersection, and I know that I am behind anyone who is already stopped, as well as anyone who is presently in the middle of the intersection. As I have already stopped, those who are still slowing to a stop are behind me. I wait for all of the cars who stopped before me to go, then I drive through the intersection in the way I've indicated.

I've encountered:

• The driver who treats a busy intersection as a lone stop sign: slow to a stop, then immediately drive through.
• The driver who believes that I, by having stopped, will certainly be unable to accelerate quickly enough to hit them as they roll through at ten miles per hour.
• The driver who never fully stops at a stop sign. This one really irks me, because I'm leaving the sign because I've stopped, and nobody is ahead of me. This driver seems to believe slowing to five is stopping, though it's impossible to tell when they think they "stopped," so it's always their turn.

I like the driver that does a full panic stop and blows their horn at me because i, in accordance with the law, have actually stopped.... At a stop sign.

This is a weekly occurence in the midwest.

I dunno - I was recently passed at a stop sign, dude didn't even slow down. I guess I was stopped too slowly, or something.

I'm 48 years old.That means I've been driving (legally) for over 32 years.

I spent the first 20 of that being angry at what I perceived to be the incompetence of other drivers. Then I came to the realization that by allowing myself to become angry, it made me a more aggressive, and therefore worse, driver.

Now I let the idiots be idiots, and just let them go by, or honk, or whatever makes them happy. I do as much as I can, as well as I can, to prevent myself from becoming a victim of the idiocy of others, but I refuse to let it upset me.

Not worth getting upset over. Life is too short.

if you want to be aggravated, you need to experience what happens when the concept of "Minnesota nice" crosses paths with "right of way" rules.

the confusion that happens at busy 4 way stop signs when everyone wants to waive everyone one else to go- which leads to everyone eventually going at the same time, only to slam on their brakes in the middle of the intersection at the same time- is the stuff of legend..

according to an old gf's mother, stop signs are merely a 'suggestion'.

I am a professional driver (taxi), when I come to an intersection that has other cars stopped I give them 3 seconds to go through the crossing. After that I assume they are idiots and proceed through myself.

I'll second EvanR's comments, and I'm only 28.

I've learned to expect that people will make the absolute dumbest driving decisions, and by preparing myself, I'm rarely disappointed. When a particularly stupid move occurs near me, I may throw up a hand in the classic "WTF are you thinking?" gesture, but mainly I try and just laugh about it.

It's more fun staying out of harm's way.

Swank Force One wrote: I like the driver that does a full panic stop and blows their horn at me because i, in accordance with the law, have actually stopped.... At a stop sign. This is a weekly occurence in the midwest.

Yes, this is centralized around the St Louis area. You're doing it wrong. Get it right, berkeleyer!

But yea, same deal on all the main points here, I've just learned to ignore it. They'll berkeley it up someday. I've seen a lot of interesting wrecks lately. I think these bad driving habits and wrecks just might be connected.

4 way stops ???? that's why traffic circles are so great

Traffic circle are for drifting.

I usually follow right of way rules, but everyone else seems not to.

I hate when I pull up at the same time the guy on my left does and he just takes off because he's worried he's going to get stuck behind my van, even when I'm not going the same direction he is.

I have also seen lately the people insistently wave me on to go first and when I hesitate for a moment, then take off, they decide to take off too, causing me to slam on my brakes.

wbjones wrote: 4 way stops ???? that's why traffic circles are so great

I'm guessing you only deal with these occasionally on neighborhood roads, because people find even more ways to be idiotic with roundabouts.

Roundabouts usually exit to merge points and nobody around here knows how to do that.

In a roundabout, you're supposed to stick to a lane as much as possible and only cross lanes when entering or exiting, but people take the racing line through them: enter on outside lane, come close to the roundabout on the inside lane, then exit on the outside again.

And then there's the highly illegal, dangerous, and ever-popular practice of using the outside lane to pass 2 or more exits.

I drive in SoFla. ALL traffic laws are seen as vague suggestions only. I drive like I am on an invisible motorcycle. So far, that has worked.

novaderrik wrote: if you want to be aggravated, you need to experience what happens when the concept of "Minnesota nice" crosses paths with "right of way" rules. the confusion that happens at busy 4 way stop signs when everyone wants to waive everyone one else to go- which leads to everyone eventually going at the same time, only to slam on their brakes in the middle of the intersection at the same time- is the stuff of legend..

I hate this. Follow the berkeleying rules, and quit trying to be polite by suggesting I break the law.

cwh wrote: I drive like I am on an invisible motorcycle. So far, that has worked.

This. Just remember, many motorists' last thoughts are "I'm sure that guy sees me, he must...he's not really gonna do that...Whoa E36 M3 E36 M3 berkeley AAAAGH!"

In reply to GameboyRMH:

Halls Ferry Circle. Three lanes deep. Jump in and hold on for dear life.

I was at a four way stop a few weeks back; it was my turn, but when I was halfway through the intersection the person on the cross street floored it, ran right into the side of my car and totaled it. She claimed she didn't see me, even though I was in a bright red car six feet in front of her bumper.

I live in the land of the stop sign. Every intersection everywhere has them with no reason or rhyme. Two crossing country roads where one is paved and one is dirt... 10 miles out in the woods and it has a goddamn 4-way. If I get there and I'm alone on a deserted stretch - I look both ways and roll 'em. I'm annoyed I even have to slow down to look. Same rules apply to the speed limit... where it's safe - I rip. Where it's not, or I'm likely to be caught, I don't.

I'm sure one one of you will point the fickle finger of judgement at me so before you launch into the story of how a careless asshat like myself killed your entire family, dog and parakeet by going 7 over the posted limit or rolling thru a stop sign at 2mph.... just don't. It is as old and tired as posting the SuperTroopers pic after someone says Shenanigans. I'm not going to stop until every family, dog and and parakeet has been killed ina slow motion fender bender. I am that much of an internet eMonster.

N Sperlo wrote: Traffic circle are for drifting.

stuart in mn wrote: I was at a four way stop a few weeks back; it was my turn, but when I was halfway through the intersection the person on the cross street floored it, ran right into the side of my car and totaled it. She claimed she didn't see me, even though I was in a bright red car six feet in front of her bumper.

She launched from a stop and broadsided you? That is nuts. I have seen people just blow on thru, never slowing down but... how the hell do you not see a car right in front of you when you are sitting there at rest?

Did she get a DUI to go with the reckless driving charge?

Luckily in my neck of the woods we have the stop signs with the white ring around the outside which means they are optional. I haven't had to deal with the issues you're talking about.

In reply to 4cylndrfury:

I wonder who did that stunt. Pretty impressive.

Giant Purple Snorklewacker wrote: I live in the land of the stop sign. Every intersection everywhere has them with no reason or rhyme. Two crossing country roads where one is paved and one is dirt... 10 miles out in the woods and it has a goddamn 4-way. If I get there and I'm alone on a deserted stretch - I look both ways and roll 'em. I'm annoyed I even have to slow down to look. Same rules apply to the speed limit... where it's safe - I rip. Where it's not, or I'm likely to be caught, I don't. I'm sure one one of you will point the fickle finger of judgement at me so before you launch into the story of how a careless asshat like myself killed your entire family, dog and parakeet by going 7 over the posted limit or rolling thru a stop sign at 2mph.... just don't. It is as old and tired as posting the SuperTroopers pic after someone says Shenanigans. I'm not going to stop until every family, dog and and parakeet has been killed ina slow motion fender bender. I am that much of an internet eMonster.

Im kinda there with you...after watching the news media, entertainment TV channels, popular culture on teh it3rwebz0rz, and 30+ years of people watching in general, I have come to the conclusion that Ive got considerably more common sense than at least 75% of the American populace.

Considering the DOT has to write traffic codes and ordinances to the lowest common denominator in American society (Im looking directly at you Snookie), that means Im above most of those laws.

I am not kidding...speed limit signs and paint on the pavement are suggestions I choose to follow as I see fit.

In reply to 4cylndrfury:

Just be sure to claim entrapment when you get caught.