STOP Signs - What Do You Do When You Reach One?

[Ferris Bueller]

Honestly, I am amazed how few people stop at stop signs.  On a daily basis, I pass many intersections where stop signs, or stop lights are regularly ignored and in several cases have caused accidents.  I know the California-stop or coasting through a stop sign has become commonplace, but why?

[DonRocks]

3 hours ago, Ferris Bueller said:

Honestly, I am amazed how few people stop at stop signs.  On a daily basis, I pass many intersections where stop signs, or stop lights are regularly ignored and in several cases have caused accidents.  I know the California-stop or coasting through a stop sign has become commonplace, but why?

Because people are selfish.

[Ferris Bueller]

Are rich people more likely to lie, cheat, steal? Science explains the world of Manafort and Gates. by WIlliam Wan, WaPo

In one experiment, the researchers stationed themselves at a busy intersection with four-way stop signs and tracked the model of every car whose driver cut off others instead of waiting their turn. People driving expensive cars — like a brand-new Mercedes — were four times more likely to ignore right-of-way laws than those in cheap cars like an old beat-up Honda.

“It told us that there’s something about wealth and privilege that makes you feel like you’re above the law, that allows you to treat others like they don’t exist,” Keltner said.

[Ericandblueboy]

37 minutes ago, Ferris Bueller said:

Are rich people more likely to lie, cheat, steal? Science explains the world of Manafort and Gates. by WIlliam Wan, WaPo

In one experiment, the researchers stationed themselves at a busy intersection with four-way stop signs and tracked the model of every car whose driver cut off others instead of waiting their turn. People driving expensive cars — like a brand-new Mercedes — were four times more likely to ignore right-of-way laws than those in cheap cars like an old beat-up Honda.

“It told us that there’s something about wealth and privilege that makes you feel like you’re above the law, that allows you to treat others like they don’t exist,” Keltner said.

Were they in a rich hood with 20x more Mercedes than Honda’s?  

Cliff notes: more rich people are a-holes.

[DonRocks]

Alternate perspective: The other day, I was driving a VERY expensive car (not mine). I was being exceedingly cautious, and making sure to be polite and obey all the traffic signals - people treated me a *lot* differently than they usually do. There is absolutely discrimination going on, and I'm not saying it isn't justified, but it exists.

[zgast]

5 hours ago, Ericandblueboy said:

Were they in a rich hood with 20x more Mercedes than Honda’s?  

Cliff notes: more rich people are a-holes.

Annals of confirmation bias.  I've had this theory about Mercedes drivers in particular for years....

[Al Dente]

And then you have the people who stop at yield signs. I realize that, in some cases, there isn't a yield area, but jeeeeezus, the last thing you should do when trying to merge into traffic is slow down or stop. 

Don't get me started with people merging on to a freeway at 30mph.

😠

[DonRocks]

1 hour ago, Al Dente said:

And then you have the people who stop at yield signs. I realize that, in some cases, there isn't a yield area, but jeeeeezus, the last thing you should do when trying to merge into traffic is slow down or stop. 

Don't get me started with people merging on to a freeway at 30mph.

😠

I've had four accidents in my life that were technically my fault (even though none of them actually were). Two of those accidents were at Yield signs: The car in front of me started to yield onto a larger road, then I looked left, saw that it was perfectly clear, and pressed the accelerator - only to hear the crunch of metal, because the car in front of me had inexplicably stopped. Yes, I was legally at-fault both times (these were about thirty-years apart), but GRRRR.

(Quite often, you *have* to stop at Yield signs, as there's no acceleration ramp. Southbound South Glebe Road onto I-395 South is a *perfect* example of an intersection that should be demolished.)

[Al Dente]

7 minutes ago, DonRocks said:

I've had four accidents in my life that were technically my fault (even though none of them actually were). Two of those accidents were at Yield signs: The car in front of me started to yield onto a larger road, then I looked left, saw that it was perfectly clear, and pressed the accelerator - only to hear the crunch of metal, because the car in front of me had inexplicably stopped. Yes, I was legally at-fault both times (these were about thirty-years apart), but GRRRR.

(Quite often, you *have* to stop at Yield signs, as there's no acceleration ramp. Southbound South Glebe Road onto I-395 South is a *perfect* example of an intersection that should be demolished.)

The same thing happened to me in my first ever accident when I was about 17. The person in front of me had about a 100 yard long merge lane to work with, but just couldn't figure out how to manage it. I remember the cop being sympathetic about the situation, but yeah, it was my fault.

Yes, sometimes you do have to stop, but it just blows my mind when someone stops with a long dedicated lane in front of them. You're not being safe, you're being stupid.

[DonRocks]

36 minutes ago, Al Dente said:

The same thing happened to me in my first ever accident when I was about 17. The person in front of me had about a 100 yard long merge lane to work with, but just couldn't figure out how to manage it. I remember the cop being sympathetic about the situation, but yeah, it was my fault.

Yes, sometimes you do have to stop, but it just blows my mind when someone stops with a long dedicated lane in front of them. You're not being safe, you're being stupid.

Thanks to the legendary Bob Marbourg - whom I would guess is as familiar with DC-area streets as anyone alive - I know the difference between *ac*celeration lanes and *de*celeration lanes - when you're coming out of a cloverleaf, entering a highway, you're on the former, and you should be coming up to the speed limit, so you can merge into traffic; when you're exiting the highway to enter onto the cloverleaf, you're on the latter, slowing down to negotiate the turn - it's very frustrating when people slow down (or worse, stop) in acceleration lanes. The sad truth is: With the advent of cell phones (I absolutely believe that 25-50% of all drivers are using cell phones at any given moment), you can no longer give "the other driver" any benefit of having half a brain - it's "man overboard" out there, and every driver for him/herself. I would venture a guess that fully half of all fender-benders are now cell-phone accidents.

[Ferris Bueller]

On my commute to work today, I was almost hit by a guy running a red light.  I was entering the intersection on a green that had been green for some time and I observed a car coming at a decent speed to my left - as he cluelessly went through right in front of me, he was clearly pre-occupied texting.  As I made my turn and followed him for about 3 blocks, I was able to pull up next to him, honk and get him to look over - I told him he had just run a red light and almost hit me.  He shrugged his shoulders and said "sorry."  He turned right on red at the next intersection, slowing down, and continued to text as he left.  Best part of this is he did not hit me, however he was driving a car that had "Roadside Assistance" on both doors and the rear trunk lid on it.  You cannot make this stuff up. 

 

[Al Dente]

17 hours ago, DonRocks said:

when you're coming out of a cloverleaf, entering a highway, you're on the former, and you should be coming up to the speed limit, so you can merge into traffic

Then you have the douche-bags who believe the on-ramp is a passing lane.

[weezy]

If you're ever traveling in Roanoke and getting on I-581, be forewarned:  I have never found anywhere worse in my life for people stopping on a highway entry acceleration lane.  I can't count the number of times I've had to stand on my brakes  to avoid hitting these idiots.  

[dracisk]

I HATE when there's a yield sign and no merge area. I get so much anxiety driving in VA on the GW Parkway because of this. (I may be wrong, but I feel like the GW Parkway in VA in the vicinity of the Key Bridge, Memorial Bridge, etc., has a lot of these no merge area situations. Usually there's a "no merge area" sign, but I think no always?) I feel anxious right now just typing about it. Ugh.

[Al Dente]

On 8/18/2018 at 10:42 AM, dracisk said:

I HATE when there's a yield sign and no merge area. I get so much anxiety driving in VA on the GW Parkway because of this. (I may be wrong, but I feel like the GW Parkway in VA in the vicinity of the Key Bridge, Memorial Bridge, etc., has a lot of these no merge area situations. Usually there's a "no merge area" sign, but I think no always?) I feel anxious right now just typing about it. Ugh.

You're not wrong. I think it would be helpful if there were a sign for the folks on the main road indicating that traffic will be trying to merge in a "no merge area". One place this would be especially helpful is on SW Freeway going east where the 9th St tunnel merges. You're cruising along in the left lane when all of a sudden the two lanes jam together. I don't travel this route often, but when I do, it surprises me every time.