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Title: 4 way stops Post by: cannon_fodder on December 13, 2007, 12:36:33 pm Anyone here have significant problems with the concept of a 4 way stop? Anyone?
Just in case, let me explain it to you: Every car must stop upon reaching the intersection. At which point you will let cross-traffic cars that were stopped before you proceed through the intersection. When those cars have cleared, you may then proceed through the intersection - thus facilitating an orderly turn-taking method. Should you be turning LEFT you are to pull into the intersection and WAIT for cars that are going straight. The LEFT turner does NOT, NOT, DOES NOT have the right of way and may NOT pull in front of those going straight. In the unlikely event of not knowing who stopped first (in that there is a constant stream so the turn taking is never at issue), you yield to the right. Again, since there is a constant flow of traffic this is not an issue (as there is always someone to everyones right). To sum it up: everyone must stop take turns left turn yields everyone stops if you have any questions, email them to me at: stupidpeopleshouldntdrive@gmail.com XoXo, cannon_fodder Title: 4 way stops Post by: inteller on December 13, 2007, 12:40:37 pm i think for one week out of the year we should turn off all the street lights and weed out all the stupid people.
It amazes me that people are completely lost without street lights. Quite frankly it is scary. If your life has been so programmed that you can't be mobile without external assistance, you live a pretty sad existence. Title: 4 way stops Post by: cannon_fodder on December 13, 2007, 12:45:56 pm oh, and for the record...
Gasoline engines put out harmful emissions. Running them in your home is a bad idea. This includes gas powered electric generators. I'm ashamed 36 people in my community did not know that. Title: 4 way stops Post by: spoonbill on December 13, 2007, 12:47:00 pm quote: Too complicated! In Oklahoma: 1. The biggest car goes first. 2. Woman on cell phone swatting at kids goes next. 3. Man in 3 jackets and grease stained baseball cap driving dirty blue Mustang with broken heater goes next. 4. High-school kids texting friends with one hand, driving yukon with other goes next. 5. People with hybrids should park in the nearest lot and walk to avoid getting run over. 6. Anyone with a small dog in lap should be shot. Finally. . . IF YOU HESITATE, I GO! Title: 4 way stops Post by: spoonbill on December 13, 2007, 12:55:15 pm quote: I don't mean to be harsh (ok, yes I do), but it is natural selection in action. When you fire up the old 2 stroke Briggs & Stratton generator in the living room of your trailer, you are saving us from future generations of questionable genetics. Title: 4 way stops Post by: T-Town Now on December 13, 2007, 01:22:02 pm Honestly, I don't know what it is with Tulsa drivers. Are they really that stupid, or are they just @ssholes?
I really don't know which it is. Not only are 4 Way Stops a challenging concept for Tulsa drivers, they also don't seem to grasp the "right lane ends ahead, if you're in that lane YOU YIELD to cars in the left lane." That's a real bad one, too. Oh, and if you have your wipers on, your lights should be on as well, it doesn't matter if you can see, you want to make sure others can see you. There isn't a day that goes by that I don't see one driver do something so awful they should have their license to drive yanked permanently. [:(!] Title: 4 way stops Post by: cks511 on December 13, 2007, 01:31:16 pm Or, reverse 4-way stop etiquette....I was sitting at the red WORKING light at 61st and Harvard. A driver pulled up beside me, stopped, then drove right through the WORKING red light. I know they were just brain dead from all the non-working lights. It was quite entertaining and no crashes.
Title: 4 way stops Post by: inteller on December 13, 2007, 01:40:57 pm quote: agreed. someone told me "oh they probably put it inside so someone wouldn't steal it" listen, you are going to KNOW when a generator is in the process of being stolen. when the drone suddenly stops, it is either being disconnected of it is out of fuel. Either way you go check on it. Title: 4 way stops Post by: jiminy on December 13, 2007, 01:56:59 pm This is the way I thought it was supposed to go. North and South straight lanes go at the same time, with their left turns pulling forward then going after the other side has passed. Then East-West. Based on what I've seen, I thought I was doing it wrong. The left turn procedure is apparently blowing people's minds. Then, it seems there are those that think it should be East, then North, then West, then South. Then there are the VIPs who reason that two or more cars can go if they are close enough together and hurry [V].
Title: 4 way stops Post by: Ed W on December 13, 2007, 03:38:05 pm There was some town in Britain that removed all their traffic control signs and painted lines. Surprisingly, the motorists slowed down and crashes decreased. I'll try to find the study.
Maybe a little chaos is good for you. Title: 4 way stops Post by: sgrizzle on December 13, 2007, 10:41:27 pm 4-way turns bring out idiots like a bug zapper. I am really impressed when one direction goes, everyone stares at each other, so the same direction goes again. No matter how confused you are, you know whose turn it isn't.
Also, during this period, please waive repair crew caravans through, don't cut them off, tailgate them, or refuse to pass. You know who you are. Title: 4 way stops Post by: dsjeffries on December 14, 2007, 12:15:02 am What really got me is that yesterday, power was restored to the traffic signal at 11th & Delaware, and even though it was functioning, people STILL didn't know what to do.
Am I wrong for thinking that a functional traffic signal supersedes a four-way stop sign? Title: 4 way stops Post by: Conan71 on December 14, 2007, 12:25:35 am The way I deal with four way stops is to carry my Yahtzee dice cup with me. When there is a stand-off at the intersection, I get out of my truck and walk to each lane handing out a die to the first person in line in each diretion. Highest roll goes first.
I did notice a lot of people blowing the lights north of the BA on Harvard and the newer signal by Staples just a block south. For some reason, people seem to think that the lights at intermediate and highway intersections are just a nuisance when they are lit. It's one thing to blow an intersection when it's slick, but when you are just being an impulsive A-hole, well you are just being an impulsive A-hole. Title: 4 way stops Post by: TulsaJayhawk on December 14, 2007, 08:49:43 am Too few folks remember that one of the more practical instruments installed on every vehicle is a horn. I use mine liberally to warn all those around that a dangerous idiot is passing through an intersection.
Slide through a four-way stop right behind someone else? BEEEEEEP! Keep turning left in front of me well after your protected left turn has gone red? BEEEEEEP! (Oh, and I charge forward on my green light, as if to ram them broadside.) Turn into the wrong lane on a double left turn? BEEEEEEP! Let the morons know their dangerous behaviors are noticed. Use your horn! Title: 4 way stops Post by: RecycleMichael on December 14, 2007, 09:06:29 am When people honk at me...I just assume they are saying hello because they know me or think I am so good looking.
The four ways stops sure slow down my travel and the confusion makes the Mingo traffic circle look smart. Title: 4 way stops Post by: cannon_fodder on December 14, 2007, 09:47:28 am One more time...
Left turners YIELD to those going straight. Argh! Eternal frustration. The worst part is I have to sit at the non-light for 15 minutes and watch so many idiots. I too have taken it upon myself to tell others when they are doing wrong. I would love a way to tell them nicely and explain the rules to them, but my only real option is to honk and give them the "what are you doing" look. My Zen like driving nature is wearing thin (okay, I'm impatient and hostile). Title: 4 way stops Post by: grahambino on December 14, 2007, 12:36:17 pm I love it!
Car waiting at the intersection, presumably to see if i'm going to stop at the intersection. i of course stop...remained stopped for 15-20 secs...waiting on the car that was ALREADY STOPPED AT THE INTERSECTION to go...continues to sit there...apparently waiting on me to go first...they must have been waiting for the power to come on...i dont know. the best part is the jerk in the SUV that comes barreling up to the stop sign, practically slamming on their brakes...then sitting there...when its their turn. so...are you aggressive or not? I've given up trying to figure this out. Title: 4 way stops Post by: TheTed on December 14, 2007, 12:44:50 pm If everybody sits there for two seconds, it automatically becomes my turn.
The 4-way stop procedure is not that difficult to figure out. The longer I live in this state the more I wonder what exactly Okies are taught in driver's ed. Title: 4 way stops Post by: RecycleMichael on December 14, 2007, 02:49:18 pm I think driver's ed should be mandatory every ten years.
There is a private driver's education guy here in town who always calls in and gets his driving school listed as closed for inclement weather as part of the school closings. I swear he has no advertising budget, just hopes for bad weather so the stations will run his company name across the screen. Title: 4 way stops Post by: TURobY on December 14, 2007, 07:28:54 pm quote: It's not just Tulsa drivers, @sshat. Pretty much every city I've been in has the same issues when traffic lights go down. Title: 4 way stops Post by: azbadpuppy on December 15, 2007, 03:35:48 pm quote: Completely true. Clueless drivers are everywhere. Try driving in Phoenix sometime. Given the situation in Tulsa recently I think everyone should chill out and not get so worked up about it. Does it really matter who gets to go first?? Honestly after living in Tulsa and now several other 'major' metropolitan areas, I would take Tulsa drivers anyday. It always amazes me how polite Tulsa drivers are, overall. Title: 4 way stops Post by: TURobY on December 15, 2007, 04:31:43 pm quote: No kidding! I had people whizzing by me in construction areas on arterial roads literally going about 50 or 60 MPH. I was positive that I was going to be involved in a wreck! LOL Title: 4 way stops Post by: si_uk_lon_ok on December 17, 2007, 02:32:05 am quote: One interesting thing is that in New Zealand the cars crossing the lane of opposing traffic, which would be the left turners in the USA, have priority over oncoming cars (this is in unsignalised junctions). Which as a traffic engineer I think is genius, as long as people let the turners go. It is often the cars making the opposing turn across oncoming traffic that can really snarl up the traffic in a junction and by not letting them build up you can raise the junctions capacity. I’ve seen lots of studies about pulling out all the signals, road markings and even pavements. There seems to be a very strong move to homezones. http://www.homezones.org/index.html I’ve also seen deliberately confusing junctions put in to slow drivers down and ensure that speeds decrease and concentration increases. (http://vanrees.org/thesis/swindon.jpg) Title: 4 way stops Post by: cannon_fodder on December 17, 2007, 08:13:47 am 1. LEFT TURNERS YIELD!
Need to keep saying that as people just don't get it. The reason the left turner yields is because his actions disrupt regular traffic flow (read the 2 lanes going straight must wait for the 1 turner) AND because he is the slowest actor (turning is inherently slower than going straight). Thus, the minority party who is also the slowest must not disrupt the faster majority. From a traffic flow perspective, it makes perfect sense. Not too mention, its the law. 2. "Does it really matter who goes first?" YES! Dear god yes! Not because I need to be 2 seconds earlier where ever I am going - but because when you back traffic up 20 cars the dolts who do not understand the rules hesitate, start stop, waive people on and otherwise delay the entire process. If people knew how to drive they could approach the intersection, stop, proceed... next. There would be minimal delay over a traffic light - as it stands there is extreme delay. Whats more, it is the law. Thus, if someone decides to turn in front of me and I decide to take my right of way - they get to buy me a new car. Even if they were too ignorant to understand the law the accident is still their fault. What's more, does it really matter if someone cuts you in line? Does it really matter if the cashier shorts you 25 cents in change? There are a 100 things that don't *really* matter but as a whole they help society function better and my life be just a little closer to tolerable. 3. I read the report on uncontrolled intersections also. It made some strong arguments and in most instances made sense. But it neglected to discuss the problem of jackasses. That is to say the people who would just usurp the right of way by being brazen enough to go ahead - causing the rest of the law abiding citizens to yield or get smashed. And many of the same problems would exist. Even in an uncontrolled intersection the left turner must yield. What's more, - if two straight cars approach at the same time you must yield to the right. What percent of drivers actually know that? 10%? Stupid people scare the hell out of me, and they are all around. Title: 4 way stops Post by: PonderInc on December 17, 2007, 12:40:04 pm I have finally perfected the 4-way stop at major arterial intersections. It goes like this:
1. Three blocks before the intersection, turn left/right into a neighborhood. 1a. (Cross your fingers and hope that enough tree trimming has taken place to allow safe passage.) 2. Drive a few blocks and make a random left/right turn. 3. Either cross major arterial street (easy, since traffic has been thinned by congestion at intersections), or turn onto major street as needed. 4. If necessary, continue to thread your way through neighborhood until your rejoin your desired arterial street. 5. Look in rearview mirror and gloat at how much faster that was than waiting for everyone to figure out how to navigate 4-way stop. Title: 4 way stops Post by: RecycleMichael on December 17, 2007, 12:46:07 pm quote: I think part of your problem is that you keep making random left/right turns. That is the wrong way to get anywhere. Two wrongs don't make a right, but three lefts do. Title: 4 way stops Post by: PonderInc on December 17, 2007, 01:52:30 pm As a person who lacks a sense of direction, I actually DO make a lot of random left/right turns. On the other hand, I've discovered many amazing places whilst lost. Trouble is, I can't find them a second time when I want to show my friends....
Title: 4 way stops Post by: BriefRighter on January 09, 2008, 03:51:02 pm quote: We've (unofficially) done the same thing here in Dallas. If the lights at the intersection are all flashing red, nobody is required to stop. Once the paramedics arrive to the inevitable multi-car collision, nature corrects itself and people will start taking turns. Title: 4 way stops Post by: si_uk_lon_ok on January 10, 2008, 02:00:52 am quote: I found a version of a study you can view that shows the removal of road markings and other perceptual measures can help reduce speed and accidents. Study (http://"http://www.rospa.com/roadsafety/conferences/congress2005/info/kennedy.pdf") Title: 4 way stops Post by: dggriffi on January 10, 2008, 11:22:33 am Can we add to the list of the stupid:
those who do not give way from the left lane on the expressway. Those who do not let people in on the expressway. Those who speed up when you pass them. Those who cannot make a left hand turn into their own lane. |