Fairfax County General :
Fairfax Underground
Welcome to Fairfax Underground, a project site designed to improve communication among residents of Fairfax County, VA. Feel free to post anything Northern Virginia residents would find interesting.
Welcome to Fairfax Underground, a project site designed to improve communication among residents of Fairfax County, VA. Feel free to post anything Northern Virginia residents would find interesting.
Right of way question?
Posted by:
DMV Huh
()
Date: May 23, 2012 04:12PM
OK.... who has the right of way?
Stop Light where there is no turn signals (4 way stop) when light turns green, people coming straight across street have first priority BUT when people coming straight have cleared, people turning left across the street or people turning right onto the street?
Stop Light where there is no turn signals (4 way stop) when light turns green, people coming straight across street have first priority BUT when people coming straight have cleared, people turning left across the street or people turning right onto the street?
Re: Right of way question?
Posted by:
Motorist
()
Date: May 23, 2012 04:48PM
http://www.dmv.virginia.gov/webdoc/citizen/drivers/manual.asp
According to this publication, the driver who arrives FIRST at a 4-way stop has the right-of-way regardless of what kind of turn (if any) they are making. If drivers arrive at the same time to a 4-way stop then the driver on the left must yield to the driver on the right.
For example, if you're looking at the intersection from above and a car arrives from the west at the same time a car arrives from the north then the car from the west gets the right-of-way. East yields to north, south yields to east and west yields to south.
In NOVA, I try and avoid "arriving at the same time" to a 4-way stop. I do this by observing the other traffic as I approach, if possible. If I see what looks like someone could arrive at the same time I do, I trail my brake early so that they arrive first and can go first. Also, make lots of eye contact with the other driver and wave them through if in fact it's their right-of-way and for God sakes do NOT let your passengers get involved with waving people through whether your passengers are correct or not.
The reason I trail brake into the 4-way stop is because if you try and go and have an accident and there's no witnesses what's to stop the other guy from saying to the officer, "Nope...I arrived first to the 4-way stop. It was his fault." Obviously, they can interpret somethings based on the angle of the accident assuming the vehicles weren't moved, but why leave it up to that?
According to this publication, the driver who arrives FIRST at a 4-way stop has the right-of-way regardless of what kind of turn (if any) they are making. If drivers arrive at the same time to a 4-way stop then the driver on the left must yield to the driver on the right.
For example, if you're looking at the intersection from above and a car arrives from the west at the same time a car arrives from the north then the car from the west gets the right-of-way. East yields to north, south yields to east and west yields to south.
In NOVA, I try and avoid "arriving at the same time" to a 4-way stop. I do this by observing the other traffic as I approach, if possible. If I see what looks like someone could arrive at the same time I do, I trail my brake early so that they arrive first and can go first. Also, make lots of eye contact with the other driver and wave them through if in fact it's their right-of-way and for God sakes do NOT let your passengers get involved with waving people through whether your passengers are correct or not.
The reason I trail brake into the 4-way stop is because if you try and go and have an accident and there's no witnesses what's to stop the other guy from saying to the officer, "Nope...I arrived first to the 4-way stop. It was his fault." Obviously, they can interpret somethings based on the angle of the accident assuming the vehicles weren't moved, but why leave it up to that?
Re: Right of way question?
Posted by:
Gordon Blvd
()
Date: May 23, 2012 05:02PM
@motorist - thats only for a stop sign, not a stop light
@OP -the right turner ALWAYS has right of way over the left turner unless you have the arrow.
ยง 46.2-825. Left turn traffic to yield right-of-way.
The driver of a vehicle, intending to turn left within an intersection or into an alley, private road, or driveway shall yield the right-of-way to any vehicle approaching from the opposite direction if it is so close as to constitute a hazard. At intersections controlled by traffic lights with separate left-turn signals, any vehicle making a left turn when so indicated by the signal shall have the right-of-way over all other vehicles approaching the intersection.
p.s. something not a lot of ppl know - but when you turn, you are supposed to keep yr car in the lane closest to you. That way, BOTH cars can turn. It's not necessarily illegal to NOT do it, but that's what you are supposed to do.
http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?000+cod+46.2-846
@OP -the right turner ALWAYS has right of way over the left turner unless you have the arrow.
ยง 46.2-825. Left turn traffic to yield right-of-way.
The driver of a vehicle, intending to turn left within an intersection or into an alley, private road, or driveway shall yield the right-of-way to any vehicle approaching from the opposite direction if it is so close as to constitute a hazard. At intersections controlled by traffic lights with separate left-turn signals, any vehicle making a left turn when so indicated by the signal shall have the right-of-way over all other vehicles approaching the intersection.
p.s. something not a lot of ppl know - but when you turn, you are supposed to keep yr car in the lane closest to you. That way, BOTH cars can turn. It's not necessarily illegal to NOT do it, but that's what you are supposed to do.
http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?000+cod+46.2-846
Re: Right of way question?
Posted by:
snowdenscold
()
Date: May 23, 2012 05:02PM
DMV Huh Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> OK.... who has the right of way?
>
> Stop Light where there is no turn signals (4 way
> stop) when light turns green, people coming
> straight across street have first priority BUT
> when people coming straight have cleared, people
> turning left across the street or people turning
> right onto the street?
What do you mean it's a 4-way stop, but there's lights that turn green? Am I missing something?
If you're asking what I think you are... there's a whole other thread on this complete with diagrams. Short answer is, the car turning right does.
-------------------------------------------------------
> OK.... who has the right of way?
>
> Stop Light where there is no turn signals (4 way
> stop) when light turns green, people coming
> straight across street have first priority BUT
> when people coming straight have cleared, people
> turning left across the street or people turning
> right onto the street?
What do you mean it's a 4-way stop, but there's lights that turn green? Am I missing something?
If you're asking what I think you are... there's a whole other thread on this complete with diagrams. Short answer is, the car turning right does.
Re: Right of way question?
Posted by:
4Wayz
()
Date: May 23, 2012 10:43PM
Motorist Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> http://www.dmv.virginia.gov/webdoc/citizen/drivers
> /manual.asp
>
> According to this publication, the driver who
> arrives FIRST at a 4-way stop has the right-of-way
> regardless of what kind of turn (if any) they are
> making. If drivers arrive at the same time to a
> 4-way stop then the driver on the left must yield
> to the driver on the right.
>
Correct. The way that they taught us to remember back in the old days when they still showed grisly driver's ed films was:
First goes first.
Right has the right.
Left gets left behind.
Which I actually did still remember so I guess it worked. ;)
-------------------------------------------------------
> http://www.dmv.virginia.gov/webdoc/citizen/drivers
> /manual.asp
>
> According to this publication, the driver who
> arrives FIRST at a 4-way stop has the right-of-way
> regardless of what kind of turn (if any) they are
> making. If drivers arrive at the same time to a
> 4-way stop then the driver on the left must yield
> to the driver on the right.
>
Correct. The way that they taught us to remember back in the old days when they still showed grisly driver's ed films was:
First goes first.
Right has the right.
Left gets left behind.
Which I actually did still remember so I guess it worked. ;)