The Four-Way Stop With a Simultaneous Arrival
You approach a four-way stop at a quiet residential intersection at 7:40 a.m. on a weekday. You are heading north and arrive at the same moment as a car heading east from your right. A third car is heading south and arrives about one second later. There are no stop lines painted, only stop signs. A cyclist is approaching from the west on the sidewalk, moving toward the crosswalk on your side. You intend to continue straight north. The eastbound driver has their left turn signal on.
1. Who has the right of way among the three vehicles, and what should you do?
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At a four-way stop, the first vehicle to arrive and stop has the right of way. If two vehicles arrive at the same time, the vehicle on the right yields - but here the eastbound driver has their left turn signal on, which changes the analysis.
- You and the eastbound car arrived simultaneously. Normally the eastbound car (on your right) would go first.
- However, the eastbound car is turning left, which means it will cross your path. A left-turning vehicle must yield to oncoming traffic going straight. But that rule applies to oncoming traffic - you are on its right, not oncoming.
The safe and correct resolution: let the eastbound car go first, since it arrived simultaneously and is on your right. Do not assume the turn signal means they will wait. Make eye contact or wait for clear movement. The southbound car arrived later and goes after both of you. When in doubt at a four-way stop, yield rather than assert.
2. How does the cyclist affect your move?
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The cyclist is approaching the crosswalk on your side, and you are going straight north - so your path crosses the crosswalk the cyclist is heading toward.
- Do not proceed just because it is your turn. A pedestrian or cyclist in or entering the crosswalk has the right of way over vehicles.
- Check before you move. Even if the eastbound car has cleared, the cyclist may now be in the crosswalk.
- Watch for the cyclist riding on the sidewalk. A sidewalk cyclist may enter the crosswalk quickly and may not be looking for turning or proceeding vehicles.
Sequence: let the eastbound car clear, then confirm the crosswalk is clear of the cyclist, then proceed. The cyclist can override your turn order.
3. The eastbound driver waves you through. Should you go?
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Be cautious. A wave is a courtesy, not a legal right of way, and it can be a trap.
- The waver may not have checked for the southbound car or the cyclist. If you go on the wave, you could pull into the path of a vehicle the waver did not see.
- Verify independently. Look right, left, and ahead - including the crosswalk for the cyclist - before moving.
- Proceed slowly and be ready to stop.
The exam-tested principle: right of way is something you yield, not something you take because someone offered it. If the way is genuinely clear, a wave is fine to accept; if it is not, decline it by waiting.