The Four-Way Stop Rant

I hate four-way stops. Not because I can't or don't know how to navigate them, but because so many people are confused. Blank looks and panic abound. There seem to be several ways to deal with the uncertainty: one can pretend no one else is stopped and just blow through it like one is the kind or queen of the world, or sit there and wait for everyone else to go, or my all-time favourite is the waver. You know the waver: the one who waves everyone else through because he or she has no idea if it is his or her turn or not.

It's a simple concept folks. First of all, you ARE supposed to stop at a stop sign. And by stop, I mean that the brakes need to be applied all the way. Touching them lightly and skidding through is not a stop. It's also not a real stop if your back wheels are in front of the stop line. (This is true in intersections with lights too.)

Next, the person who stopped first gets to go first. Most of the time this is pretty obvious. If I sat there and watched you stop, you had better bet that I get to go first. Also, you may want to pay attention to other people on the road, as determining who stopped first is much easier if you aren't yapping, playing with your phone, or looking at your last manicure.

Last of all, if you happen to stop at the same time...the person to the RIGHT goes first. So, if I am sitting on your left, that would mean that you do not wave me through or skid through in hopes that I will not go on you. You stop nicely and proceed through the intersection. If there are 3 of you at this four-way stop, just go around until the person on the right who has no person on their right. Then that person goes first.

If 4 cars stop simultaneously at a four-way stop, everyone has to get out and thumb wrestle for the chance to go first.