Instructions On Using A 4-Way Stop
If someone asked me "Connor, what did the derecho hitting the Quad Cities teach you?" My honest answer would be...
NO ONE KNOWS HOW TO USE A DAMN 4-WAY STOP INTERSECTION IN THE QUAD CITIES!!!
And if you think that is a little harsh considering what everyone is going through, that means you're the one who can't use a 4-way stop intersection and everyone is mad at you.
Before I give you the rules of the road when it comes to 4-way stop intersections, let me lay out a few basic rules before you get on the road:
- If you are nervous about driving when there is no power, take the keys out of the ignition and go inside.
- If you have a tendency to wait for someone to wave at you to go instead of knowing when it's your turn, take the keys out of the ignition and go inside.
- If you don't know what a 4-way intersection is, light your drivers license on fire, sell your car, and go inside.
Now that we have that established, here are the rules of the road when it comes to a 4-way stop intersection according to Top Driver. Remember, these should be applied when street lights are off due to a power outage.
1. First come, first served.
The first car to arrive at the intersection receives the right of way. Easy enough so let's move on.
2. Yield to right.
When two vehicles arrive at a 4-way stop at the same time, and are located side-by-side, the vehicle to the right has the right of way. Get it? Right and right, right? For those of you that don't know left and right, make an "L" with both hands and the hand that looks like a backwards "L" is your right hand. Now take that backwards "L," put it on your forehead, and grow up loser.
3. Straight over turning.
If you need to turn at an intersection, USE YOUR TURN SIGNALS. When two vehicles come to a 4-way stop at the same time and they are facing each other, and one of the vehicles intends to turn and the other intends to go straight, the vehicle going straight has right of way. If you both have to go straight or you both have to turn, you can do that at the same time. You'll be intersection buddies for life.
4. Right over left.
When two vehicles arrive at a 4-way stop at the same time, and they are facing each other and one of the vehicles intends to turn right and the other intends to turn left, the vehicle turning right has right of way.
If 4 vehicles come to a 4-way stop at the same time, let the more aggressive driver make the first move and go from there. 99.9999% of the time, everyone knows who got there first.
5. Pay Attention
Pay attention. That's why everyone sucks are using a 4-way stop. No one pays attention. Get off of your phone and focus on the road. Don't be stupid. That's my rule and it's a good one.
On a serious note, as crews start the cleanup process and the process of getting power back to the QCA, if you have no reason to go anywhere then just stay home. I saw at least 10 random cars driving through Vander Veer Park just looking at debris. If you've seen one tree laying on the ground, you've seen them all. If you scroll past the video below, you'll see pictures from all around the QCA.
Don't drive like an idiot, let people do their jobs, and stay out of the way. Thanks for coming to my TED Talk.
Also, this joke from Dane Cook sums up most peoples feelings about people who wait for the hand wave. This video has terrible quality, has adult language and is NSFW.