Four-Way Stop With a Cane, a Bike, and a Left-Turner
At dusk in a light rain, you stop southbound at a four-way stop in a residential neighborhood. You are the first vehicle to arrive and intend to go straight. On the northwest corner, a pedestrian wearing a dark coat holds a white cane and stands with a guide dog, facing east toward your crosswalk. A cyclist is stopped northbound in a marked bike lane, also going straight. An eastbound car arrives after you, signals left, and wants to turn north. The pavement is slick, and your wipers are on. The eastbound driver edges forward, then waves you through. The pedestrian has not stepped off the curb yet, but the guide dog is leaning forward. Your view of the crosswalk is partly obscured by rain on the windshield. You have no stop sign on your side? You do - it is a four-way stop. The eastbound driver is still waving.
1. Using the arrival order, the pedestrian, the cyclist, and the eastbound left-turner, who should proceed first, and what should you do with the eastbound driver's wave?
Read the worked answer
The pedestrian with the white cane and guide dog has priority. A blind pedestrian using a cane or guide dog is entitled to the right of way, and you should not move into or through the crosswalk while that person is waiting at the curb and may be about to cross. The wave from the eastbound driver does not create a legal right of way. It is only a courtesy signal; you are still responsible for yielding to the pedestrian and for checking that the cyclist and the left-turning car are not a conflict. Among the vehicles, you arrived first, so you would normally go before the eastbound car and the northbound cyclist. But arrival order does not override the pedestrian's right of way. Wait until the crosswalk is clear and you can see a safe gap, then proceed straight.
2. As you release the brake, the pedestrian steps into the crosswalk. What is your immediate action, and what should you do if the eastbound car honks?
Read the worked answer
Stop immediately and stay stopped. The pedestrian is now in your path, and the white cane and guide dog mean you should give extra time and space; do not creep forward, rev the engine, or wave the person across. Check your mirrors before braking so the car behind you is not caught by surprise. The eastbound car's horn is not a reason to move. The honking driver may be impatient, but the pedestrian has the right of way and your legal duty is to yield. Wait until the pedestrian has completely cleared your lane and the crosswalk, then proceed only after checking that the cyclist and the left-turner are also clear.
3. What if the pedestrian is still on the curb but the guide dog steps into the street?
Read the worked answer
Treat that as the pedestrian beginning to enter the crosswalk. A guide dog stepping off the curb is a strong signal that the person intends to cross, and the pedestrian still has the cane and the right of way. Do not accelerate to beat them. Remain stopped, watch the dog and the person, and be ready for the pedestrian to follow. If another driver waves you through, ignore the wave until the crosswalk is clear. The safe and legal choice is to wait, even if it costs you a few seconds, because a blind pedestrian cannot see your vehicle and is relying on drivers to yield.