Power out at intersection with traffic lights (condo, live in)

[JohnG72]

How is it that drivers in LA don’t know to treat these situations as a four way stop? Have seen multiple drivers in these situations not even slow down.

Completely insane.

[WannabeCPA]

I live in Honolulu and same thing here. It seems that smaller intersections, those with light traffic, drivers are far more likely to treat as four ways stops than larger intersection. In large intersections a lot of drivers just drive through without even slowing down. Maybe they think they just saw another car in front of them go through so it must be okay. Or maybe they're going 50 and figure it's too much trouble to slow down. Yes, it is insane, and I get really upset about it. It probably happens all over the country though and not confined to LA or Honolulu.

[Need4Camaro]

Admittedly this had me curious too and I am very much an advocate of treating it as a four way stop but after researching to see if there's any laws specifically stating so, I came to find myself quite baffled to see that the people running through the intersections may indeed not be breaking any laws:

https://www.freep.com/story/news/loc...tage/98960294/

Note this is in Michigan however and laws may vary state to state. If anyone has any specific law stating and citating what traffic should do I'm all ears. If this holds true however throughout the country then it may be possible that drivers are only required to stop for a flashing red signal rather than one that is completely out.

Now on the other side, I still think drivers who are running through these signals are careless and most likely unaware that the signal is present due to them being 'off' (which I could totally see during night hours or inclement weather) and do not condone just blowing through a intersection with a failed signal. I doubt they are doing so 'safely' and especially in acknowledgement of any law.

Edit: I researched some more and found Virginia requires them all to treat it as a stop sign: What Should I Do if I Find A Traffic Light Out? - Info | Virginia Department of Transportation

So surprisingly, this actually seems to vary from state to state.

Edit 2: In California, they are required to treat it as a four way stop.
https://www.nkf-law.com/blog/traffic...ht-california/

This also hit me with another question. When PG&E recently did their power line remediations, although this may be painfully obvious, were city infrastructure such as traffic signals also taken offline?

[eureka1]

"Proceed with caution".

[2Easy]

Originally Posted by JohnG72

How is it that drivers in LA don’t know to treat these situations as a four way stop? Have seen multiple drivers in these situations not even slow down.

Completely insane.

People that moved here from somewhere else or even another country where they don't have such rules.

A couple of years ago I was in Raleigh during a storm and came to a series of intersections where the lights were out. I was literally the only one that stopped. Everyone else zoomed by at 55-65 mph even as cars were all over the place trying to cross. I don't know what I would do in the future as I was nearly rear ended even with my flashers on.

[JohnG72]

Originally Posted by 2Easy

People that moved here from somewhere else or even another country where they don't have such rules.

A couple of years ago I was in Raleigh during a storm and came to a series of intersections where the lights were out. I was literally the only one that stopped. Everyone else zoomed by at 55-65 mph even as cars were all over the place trying to cross. I don't know what I would do in the future as I was nearly rear ended even with my flashers on.

I’ve also been nearly rear ended for stopping.

I have seen one absolutely horrific accident due to two idiots running the intersection.

[WannabeCPA]

Originally Posted by Need4Camaro

Admittedly this had me curious too and I am very much an advocate of treating it as a four way stop but after researching to see if there's any laws specifically stating so, I came to find myself quite baffled to see that the people running through the intersections may indeed not be breaking any laws:

https://www.freep.com/story/news/loc...tage/98960294/

Note this is in Michigan however and laws may vary state to state. If anyone has any specific law stating and citating what traffic should do I'm all ears. If this holds true however throughout the country then it may be possible that drivers are only required to stop for a flashing red signal rather than one that is completely out.

Now on the other side, I still think drivers who are running through these signals are careless and most likely unaware that the signal is present due to them being 'off' (which I could totally see during night hours or inclement weather) and do not condone just blowing through a intersection with a failed signal. I doubt they are doing so 'safely' and especially in acknowledgement of any law.

Edit: I researched some more and found Virginia requires them all to treat it as a stop sign: What Should I Do if I Find A Traffic Light Out? - Info | Virginia Department of Transportation

So surprisingly, this actually seems to vary from state to state.

Edit 2: In California, they are required to treat it as a four way stop.
https://www.nkf-law.com/blog/traffic...ht-california/

This also hit me with another question. When PG&E recently did their power line remediations, although this may be painfully obvious, were city infrastructure such as traffic signals also taken offline?

Regarding the Michigan law, I understand the those on the right have right of way if both vehicles arrive at the same time but I don't know how this law would apply to those large intersections where cars are approaching at 40-50 mph. I even clicked on the link to the Michigan Legislature page and couldn't find anything about when all power is out. Besides two vehicles arriving at the same time, how do we know who has the right of way when both are approaching at 40 mph? Luckily when I've seen these intersections with power out, it seems one street has cars going full blast through the intersection while the cross street has cars lined up waiting for a break in cross traffic.

[vincenze]

In some countries, you have to study for months to get a driver's license.

[looker009]

I consider it as go, go, go. That is right horn and pedal to the medal gets me through the intersection.