Four-Way Stop With a Left-Turning Truck and a Cyclist
You are eastbound at 25 mph on a two-lane city street, approaching a four-way stop with crosswalks on all legs. A westbound box truck reaches the stop line at the same moment you do and has its left-turn signal on. A cyclist traveling north in the marked bike lane arrived about two seconds earlier and has one foot down at the stop line, facing straight across. A pedestrian pushing a stroller steps into the crosswalk on your right, moving from south to north. This is an all-way stop controlled by signs, not signal lights. You want to continue straight east. The truck is large enough that its cab blocks part of your view of the crosswalk. Traffic is light, but a car is approaching the intersection from the north about half a block away.
1. Who has the right of way, and in what order should the road users proceed?
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Pedestrian → cyclist → you → truck. Reasoning: (1) The pedestrian is already in a marked crosswalk, so Missouri's crosswalk rule gives the pedestrian right of way even at an all-way stop; a stroller makes a slow, unpredictable path likely. (2) The cyclist arrived first and is proceeding straight; at an all-way stop, first arrival goes first. (3) You and the truck arrived together from opposite directions. You are going straight; the truck is turning left, so the left-turning truck must yield to your straight-through movement. (4) The truck goes last. Do not treat the truck's size or turn signal as a claim to priority.
2. The truck driver waves you through. Do you go?
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No. A wave is a courtesy, not a legal grant of right of way. The pedestrian is still in your crosswalk and the cyclist may still be clearing the intersection. If you go on the wave and the truck turns anyway-or a child or cyclist moves-you are the one entering on a guess. Wait until the pedestrian is clear of your path, the cyclist has cleared, and the truck is actually stopped or yielding. If you cannot make eye contact and see the truck's wheels stopped, do not proceed.
3. As you move, where do you look and why?
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Look through the crosswalk and at the truck's front wheels, not just the driver's face. The cab blocks your view of the crosswalk's north side, so creep forward only after the pedestrian clears. Scan the bike lane for the cyclist and check your left mirror before moving; the northbound car may turn. Cover the brake and be ready to stop. Your goal is to see the whole crosswalk before the front bumper enters it, not to accept the truck's wave.