Faked out at 4-way stop

I kind of let this go along with the other daily unpleasantries that come along with moving about on city streets shared with 2-ton death machines, but got to thinking on a long ride last night that it could be helpful to someone to share it.

A week or two ago I came to a 4-way stop at the same time as a car crossing perpendicularly to my path... the driver waited for me to go, and then gunned it and cut me off, yelling something about cyclists stopping out his window.

Before this incident I was already more likely to insist on giving a crossing vehicle the right of way even when they seemed to be waiting for me to go (most of the time you can't really know what a driver's intent is, as they tend to not realize you can't see their face due to windshield glare) but since then I've been going out of my way to make it clear I'm not budging (putting my head down seems to work.)

Anyways, lots of stories out there of a driver throwing open a door or turning across one's path even when there is clear eye contact, but I thought folks should consider that there can be intentionally malicious behavior in a stop sign/right of way situation.

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Permalink Reply by mike w. on May 12, 2013 at 1:53am

i don't believe that drivers training even includes 4-way stop right-of-way instructions any more, judging what i've observed as a driver. The general behaviour seems to be that ROW belongs to the guy who can get off the brake first.

 

When on the bike if i get to a 4-way with cross traffic, i will plant my feet and insist the car go on through. Even if the driver seems to be looking at you, remember that bikes are invisible until the rider is percieved to be a scofflaw.

Permalink Reply by Mike Zumwalt on May 12, 2013 at 4:17am

Happens frequently to me as well as the clusterpuck that happens with 2-3 cars at the intersection.

And that arm sticking horizontal is not a trick or a way to balance it's a hand signal a way of me letting you know what my intentions are.

Permalink Reply by Adam Herstein on May 13, 2013 at 3:41am

mike w. said:

remember that bikes are invisible until the rider is percieved to be a scofflaw.

So I should always ride like a scofflaw, then?

Permalink Reply by Chuckchuck on May 13, 2013 at 4:15am

I get the feeling that if you are invisible at a intersection cars won't see you.  So I make a show of it and sometimes will yell out to go.  The best thing is to time your arrival at the intersection so that you are yielding, then don't hesitate go. Always be ready to turn and break to avoid an idiot.  If you are going to scoff, scoff visibly so everyone can see you.  Stand up, smile and wave.

Permalink Reply by blair on May 13, 2013 at 4:18am

Yep - I try to wave on motorists whenever I can.  Sometimes annoys cyclists behind me, but my safety is more important.

They'll make eye contact, stop and then hit the gas when you're a few feet from the front of their car.  Blah.

Permalink Reply by David P. on May 13, 2013 at 5:20am

I sometimes find myself in the situation where I arrive at a 4-way stop at which a car with priority has also arrived. They seem to wait for me, I wave at them to indicate that they have the right of way and am waiting for them to take it, only to have some nimrod just behind me blow through the stop without slowing down.

Permalink Reply by AdamAufdencamp on May 13, 2013 at 6:16am

If there is any doubt at all, I do what others mentioned. Just look down and fiddle with pedals or brakes. Whatever it takes to indicate that I'm going nowhere until the auto crosses the intersection. Confusion leads to collisions, in my experience. If you are alert, the more riding you do makes for an easier time of predicting motorist behavior. It's quite uncommon for me to be surprised by driver behavior.

Cyclists riding the wrong way on one way streets on the other hand. That never ceases to surprise me.

Permalink Reply by morebanjo on May 13, 2013 at 9:07am

After several incidents like this, I've taken to ALWAYS waving through cars at stop signs whenever there could be any doubt about who has ROW.

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