The Four-Way Stop With a Broken Signal
You approach a four-way intersection where the traffic signal is completely dark because of a power outage. A stop sign is mounted on the pole beneath the dead signal, and a painted stop line is visible. As you slow to a stop, you notice: a car directly across from you arrived and stopped a moment before you, and it is signaling a left turn; a cyclist is approaching from your right on the cross street, roughly 40 feet away, moving at about 12 mph; and a pedestrian is waiting on the far-left corner. You want to continue straight through the intersection.
1. Who has the right-of-way, and in what order should vehicles and the cyclist proceed?
Read the worked answer
A dark signal is treated as a stop sign for every approach, so all four directions must stop.
Order of movement:
- The car across from you stopped first, so it goes first - but it is turning left across your path. A left-turning vehicle must yield to traffic going straight through from the opposite direction. Since you are going straight, you have priority over that left turn.
- The cyclist on your right is a vehicle on the cross street. Because the cyclist is on your right and is close (about 3 seconds at 12 mph), yield to the cyclist before entering.
- The pedestrian on the corner is not yet in the crosswalk, but if they step off, they get the right-of-way.
Practical sequence: stop fully, let the cyclist clear, then proceed straight while the left-turning car waits for you. Do not assume the other driver sees you - make eye contact or wait for their wheels to stay put.
2. The left-turning driver flashes their headlights and waves you through. Should you go immediately?
Read the worked answer
No - a wave is not a legal guarantee and does not transfer right-of-way. Before moving, confirm:
- The cyclist has actually cleared your path (they may be hidden behind the turning car's hood).
- No pedestrian has stepped into the crosswalk from the left corner.
- The turning car is genuinely stopped, not creeping forward.
Proceed only when your own scan confirms the path is clear. If you go on a wave and a collision occurs, fault is decided by the rules of the road, not by who waved.