Left Turn Across Two Lanes at an Unmarked Guam Intersection
You are stopped at a stop sign on a minor street, waiting to turn left onto a busier two-way road. There is no stop line painted, no crosswalk, and no traffic signal. Across from you, a driver on the opposite approach is also stopped, signaling a right turn onto the same road in your direction. A pedestrian is walking along the far shoulder toward the intersection. A line of cars is approaching from your left. Your passenger says, 'Just go - you were here first.'
1. Who has the right-of-way between you and the opposing driver who is turning right, and what should you do?
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When you turn left and the opposing driver turns right onto the same road, the opposing right-turning driver generally has the right-of-way. Your left turn crosses their path.
So you should yield and let the right-turning driver complete the turn first, then turn left when the way is clear. 'I was here first' does not create a right-of-way; arrival order only matters at a multi-way stop when vehicles are otherwise equal, and even then a left-turning vehicle yields to oncoming traffic.
Also check the pedestrian before moving. Even without a marked crosswalk, a pedestrian in the roadway is a hazard you must not cut off.
2. How should the approaching line of cars from your left affect your decision to turn?
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A left turn across oncoming traffic requires a gap you can clear completely. With a line of cars approaching from the left, judge the gap by time and distance, not by whether the first car is far away.
Ask: can I complete the turn and reach a safe speed before the nearest approaching car reaches me? If the answer is uncertain, wait. Do not creep into the intersection to force a gap; that puts you in the path of traffic.
If the line is continuous, wait for a clear break or choose a safer route (for example, turn right and make a later U-turn or loop) rather than gambling on a small gap.
3. The intersection has no stop line or crosswalk. Where should you stop, and how does that affect your view?
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Without a stop line or crosswalk, stop at the point nearest the intersecting roadway where you have a view of approaching traffic - typically the edge of the travel lane or the curb line, not out in the intersection.
Stopping too far back hides approaching cars behind parked vehicles or vegetation; stopping too far forward puts your front bumper into the traffic lane. Find the spot that gives the best sight line while keeping your car clear of the through lane.
Because there are no markings, you must actively look for the pedestrian on the far shoulder and for cars from the left before moving. The absence of paint does not reduce your duty to yield.