4 Way Stop Signs Is It a Language Problem

[Fredo Batali]

Don't complain too loudly or they'll put in a bloody roundabout and all hell will break loose. They put in a roundabout at a busy intersection in my town and they had two to three crashes a week until the boneheads figured out how a circle works. I think there's still a little old lady in a Ford Pinto going around in circles. She may have turned to butter by now though

De Oppresso Liber

 

[mmaher94087]

Then there are those that stop at invisible stop signs.

 

[Muss Muggins]

"Look, kids! There's Big Ben, and Parliament!"

Clark Griswold - 1985

 

[LVSteve]

Sounds like the roundabouts are too small to function the way they are supposed to. We have a couple of those in our town, also. If the roundabout is the right size, then you yield to those who are in the circle. Problem is when you are out of the circle almost before you are even fully into it.

Of course, then you also have the people who think a roundabout is just a big, 4-way stop. So they sit and wait for people who are clear around on the other side of the circle, when there is no conflict at all. Or the ones who are in the circle, and have the right of way, but stop anyway (those are the REALLY stupid ones!).

A roundabout is specifically and deliberately NOT a 4-way stop. Just like a yield sign is specifically and deliberately NOT a stop sign. Amazing (in a very sad sort of way) how many people cannot understand these very simple things.

Having been taught to drive in England, I am fully conversant with driving round roundabouts and how to signal at them. Sadly, this last point is largely lost on my ex-countrymen judging by my last visit, and almost no Americans were ever instructed on what to do.

Even funnier is to have US trained people as passengers with me when I negotiate a roundabout. Some of the stop sign indoctrinated visibly tense up. Favorite was a late sister-in-law, who would cover her eyes. The whole concept of looking ahead, judging the traffic, and only stopping if absolutely necessary was that alien to her.

 

[Retired W4]

You should try driving in Colon Panama, or Saigon. Brakes and turn signals are optional. A loud horn is required. Guts will get you through any intersection.

 

[sjmjax]

They are building many roundabouts where I live as well. Problem is they are forcing them into intersections that are too small for them to function smoothly. And of course, our population just isn’t very familiar with how they’re supposed to work.

Been to a lot of countries that use them extensively. I find them very effective even in countries where they drive “on the wrong side” of the road. Big difference is the roundabouts are properly sized for the traffic volume and the locals understand the rules.

 

[Hair Trigger]

Generally, if two vehicles stop at 90 degrees to each other, the vehicle to the driver's right has right of way, The first car to approach has right of way unless it's a close call. Facing traffic doesn't have to yield to each other if both are going straight, but one making a left turn yield to the car going straight. If all four vehicles stop together it's a matter of courtesy for one car to give right of way and then the other rules apply. I usually blip my headlights, make sure the other driver sees me, and then let them go ahead of me. Eye contact is important at a 4-way stop.

 

[Golddollar]

There is a roundabout in the center of downtown Gettysburg. I will turn down to the next street a block before the roundabout and then come back up to the main street a block past the roundabout to avoid the whole mess any time I can.

 

[30-30remchester]

It is amazing to me of the number of people who claim to "know how to drive" that can't figure out how to yield. All a roundabout is, is a stop sign you don't have to stop at unless someone is coming from your immediate left. I love those things, they make traffic flow almost un-disturbed. But us old people have gotten together and decided to hate them. An elderly man was so delusional about one being installed by his house in a very busy intersection, that he wrote every newspaper, printed many flyers protesting, started a petition to stop the construction. He even sneaked into the state capitol and was caught trying to sneak into the governor office to protest. It was installed over his protests. Weeks later he finally left his house and got stuck in the roundabout. A few hours later he tried again. He spent the next few weeks sending apology letters to all people he pestered. He as I have found out how fast and easy they are to use.

 

[Rustyt1953]

The tri-state here is peppered with traffic circles. They are mindnumbingly easy to navigate. All the other salmon have figured them out.


Some folk just don't like change even if it is for the better.

 

[lihpster]

My only problem with them is that so many can't seem to understand such a simple concept. Which really messes with those of us who do.

 

[steelslaver]

The guy already in the circle has the right of way. If you slow down a bit you can often just merge in behind him. You don't need to stop or yield to anyone getting on.

After learning to drive in a town of under 10,000, I figured out roundabouts in short order driving at 18 in Philadelphia and going around Penn square in the center of the city driving a 12' van body truck as no one else could drive a stick. That one goes all the way around a large block and was 3 lanes wide.

 

[Rob613]

Try uncontrolled 4-way intersections where there are no stop or yield signs. Fun times.

 

[pasound]

State highways built a roundabout at an exit on the Interstate going to a rest stop/visitors center and truck stop. Unfortunately, the first turn off is the entrance to the truck stop. The roundabout road is only two lanes wide. More than once I've seen trucks have to take the second turn to the visitors center, and double back at the exit end of the rest stop parking and turn back to the truck stop so they could make the turn, and blocking both lanes while they come around the circle. It's at least 100' diameter too small, and should be two wide lanes, not two normal ones. Sometimes engineers aren't even as smart as AI suggestions.

 

[Super Trucker]

Keep complaining and they will put in a roundabout. If you want to watch stupid happening live, sit near one of those and try not to laugh.

 

[bearman49709]

You should try driving in Colon Panama, or Saigon. Brakes and turn signals are optional. A loud horn is required. Guts will get you through any intersection.

I was stationed at FT Clayton for 36 months and FT Gulick for 27 months. Id much rather drive downtown Colon than Panama city anytime!

 

[Bald1]

I don’t mind the roundabouts. Or as they used to be called traffic circles. Although NY got a little crazy with them a few yrs ago. Rt 240 (Harlem Rd) runs parallel to the 290 and 90 in Buffalo area. During rush hr people use it to avoid expressway traffic. There are now a bunch of roundabouts. At one point you enter a roundabout and exit it into another roundabout lol. Only in NY.

 

[ladder13]

A mystery to the great majority out there.

 

[WR Moore]

Traffic circles/roundabouts are cheaper than traffic signals, per our DMV folks. They're also supposed to improve traffic flow. But that's if the drivers know how to navigate them. And they don't.

Also, if the things must be properly sited and designed. They stuck one in a busy local road but the main approaches were impacted by Federal Park land. Instead of (wisely) using eminent domain to take land from the other side, traffic significantly veers both entering and leaving for the main road. The thing's also too small to safely accommodate the truck traffic.

 

[Sarge9]

The local/state should do a video on roundabouts and perhaps
throw in a word or two about 4 ways as well.
What other countries have done.
my .02