Silly driving question - stop signs

galah

Hi all,

maybe someone here can enlighten me about Irish driving practice (I am at a loss here...):

There's a very busy cross-roads (two relatively busy roads crossing) near my house. Usually, it's controlled by traffic lights, which is grand. At the moment, they're pretending to do roadworks, so the took out the lights, and - wait for it - put stop signs on ALL four corners.

Now I learned in driving school that a stop sign means 'Stop. Yield to traffic'.

But seeing that all four corners have a stop sign, and assuming that 4 cars approach this cross-roads from all four sides more or less at the same time - who can drive first? Who has the right of way? The one who reaches the cross-roads first? The one with the bigger car? The ignorant idiot who just goes and doesn't care?

Can anyone tell me???

Cheers
galah

ircoha

here u give way to traffic from the right. so the car on your right has the right of way.

dont ask what happens if 4 arrive at same time:)

Thats the theory, this system works well in the us where it is enforced

Iompair

I'm pretty sure you come to a complete stop and then whoever was there first goes first.

That would require some sort of respect for other road users. So what usually happens in this country is everybody slows down a little and tries to bully their way through, hands on horns.

KeRbDoG

galah wrote:

Hi all,

maybe someone here can enlighten me about Irish driving practice (I am at a loss here...):

There's a very busy cross-roads (two relatively busy roads crossing) near my house. Usually, it's controlled by traffic lights, which is grand. At the moment, they're pretending to do roadworks, so the took out the lights, and - wait for it - put stop signs on ALL four corners.

Now I learned in driving school that a stop sign means 'Stop. Yield to traffic'.

But seeing that all four corners have a stop sign, and assuming that 4 cars approach this cross-roads from all four sides more or less at the same time - who can drive first? Who has the right of way? The one who reaches the cross-roads first? The one with the bigger car? The ignorant idiot who just goes and doesn't care?

Can anyone tell me???

Cheers
galah

Isn't it, where roads forming a junction are of equal importance you must yield to traffic on your right, and people already on the junction.

galah

yeah, that's the problem...

I'm just wondering who "wins" if someone actually crashes into you in such a situation...

(you would have to come to a complete stop anyway, since it's a stop sign! In germany, that rule is enforced - you have to come to a COMPLETE stop (my driving teacher told me to count to 3, slowly), and then you can go - even if there's no one else on the road!

KeRbDoG

galah wrote:

yeah, that's the problem...

I'm just wondering who "wins" if someone actually crashes into you in such a situation...

(you would have to come to a complete stop anyway, since it's a stop sign! In germany, that rule is enforced - you have to come to a COMPLETE stop (my driving teacher told me to count to 3, slowly), and then you can go - even if there's no one else on the road!

No one 'wins' if your involved in a crash Don't know about the 3 seconds stopped, but you have to make your car come to a complete stop.
If someone hits you because they don't heed to someone on their right then its their fault. If your worried, get yourself a disposable camera and keep it in your car so if yea do (touch wood) yea can take lots of pics to show you where not in the wrong.

alias no.9

Just imagine there's a mini roundabout in the middle of the road, it's the exact same set of rules, yeild to traffic already on the roundabout/junction and traffic coming from your right.

KeRbDoG

alias no.9 wrote:

Just imagine there's a mini roundabout in the middle of the road, it's the exact same set of rules, yeild to traffic already on the roundabout/junction and traffic coming from your right.

Good advice

galah

Thanks you guys!
The 'yield to the right' rule makes sense! ;-)

Wishbone Ash

Iompair wrote:

So what usually happens in this country is everybody slows down a little and tries to bully their way through, hands

When lights go out order (and before Gardai arrive), a lot of motorists seem to assume that the road which traditionally had been the major road, prior to the fitting of lights, has priority. I would have assumed that the "yield to right and traffic on junction" rule would apply in this case also?

Signpost

You yield to the right and proceed then if safe to do so. So if your clear from the right look around and make sure someone else hasnt entered the junction. If the road is clear to your right and safe to enter the junction and they hit you there wrong. If your clear from the right but not safe to enter the junction and hit someone your wrong. Best to play it very safe and proceed when safe to do so!

Gary ITR

The ignorant idiot in the biggest car goes first of course... Don't you guys know anything about thr rules of the road?........:p

Saruman

Sounds like you are describing a 4 way stop. These are used in the US and that works as others have stated.. the car who stops first goes first. They work well over there but not as good as a roundabout system which is starting to become common over there.

It would have been easier for them to stick a barrel in the middle of the junction with a roundabout sign... then people would know what to do.

Signpost

Onkle51 wrote:

The ignorant idiot in the biggest car goes first of course...

Cant beat the status approach to driving can ya! best ever.

*********************
Status goes
1. Male in biggest car
2. Male in next biggest car
3. Male in smallest car
4. Option 1, 2, 3
5. If N/A to go women in smallest car
6. If no one else to go woman in biggest car.
*********************
By only letting women in big vehicles go after everyone else its after reducing numerous accidents lol