Confusion about PA traffic laws in Pittsburgh (cars, gas)

[WestLibertyAve]

Originally Posted by fleetiebelle

Speaking of teen driving, anyone caught texting while driving should be shot on sight. No, you're not such a great driver that you can do it just a little.

Before I had a touch-screen phone it was very easy to type out a message by feel, without ever taking my eyes off the road. Granted, the technology has made it more difficult to do that, and thus I find myself texting a lot less than I used to, but I'll still do it from time to time depending on the conditions (i.e., on an empty highway, sure....but in traffic, not unless I'm at a red light).

If you're going to shoot the texters, you might as well shoot the ones that apply makeup, eat food, play with the radio, smoke cigarettes, rubberneck, placate crying children, and especially the ones who are just overall oblivious..like the merge point stoppers, non-signaling lane changers, 10-under the speed limit drivers....as all of these are potentially deadly behaviors as well.

I followed a guy down Greentree Hill yesterday who was riding his brakes at about 50 mph and when I passed I noticed he was talking on a cell phone. It's drivers like this that make me support hand-held device bans. I'd trust myself or someone like MeinGlanzend to drive drunk and high while eating and texting before I trusted some of these clowns on the road who clearly cannot multitask if their life literally depended on it.

[MeinGlanzendMotorrad]

My 17-18 year old cousin was driving her friend somewhere last week and somehow wound up going off the road due to not paying attention because she was too busy chatting with her friend. Totaled the car, too.

[SteelCityRising]

Originally Posted by fleetiebelle

Speaking of teen driving, anyone caught texting while driving should be shot on sight. No, you're not such a great driver that you can do it just a little.

Originally Posted by MeinGlanzendMotorrad

Yes I am.

Best reply ever. LOL!

[BrianTH]

Here is what the PA Driver's Manual says on four-way stops:

A FOUR-WAY STOP sign means there are four stop signs at this intersection. Traffic from all four
directions must stop. The first vehicle to reach the intersection should move forward first. If two
vehicles reach the intersection at the same time, the driver on the left yields to the driver on the
right. If facing one another both can proceed with caution, watching for possible turns.

http://www.dmv.state.pa.us/pdotforms.../chapter_2.pdf

Maybe I am missing something, but I am not sure #1 is a correct statement of that rule. I periodically encounter four-way stops with cars arriving at three or four positions. Applying that rule, I believe cars should take their turns in a clock-wise fashion. Accordingly, I believe that a car turning left could have the right of way over the opposing car if it was its turn to go, as opposed to skipping its turn because it was turning left and the opposing car wanted to go straight (which in some circumstances could mean waiting a long time to get a turn, thereby potentially blocking traffic behind).

[ditchdigger]

Originally Posted by SteelCityRising

Best reply ever. LOL!

I hope you can still say that when he totals your next car...

[MeinGlanzendMotorrad]

Don't worry, my luck is to get hit, not hit others.

[ditchdigger]

Ok. I'll rephrase that.

I hope SCR can still say that when somebody who believes they're that great totals his next car.

Because everybody believes they're that great, until proven otherwise...

[Velvet Jones]

Originally Posted by hnsq

Not all of us agree that "that everything goes much smoother if everyone follows the PA Driver's Manual to a T."

In your situation #1, it is a pretty obnoxious thing to wait at a stop sign because the guy who got there at the same time as you decides to wait 10 seconds before turning. If you pause at a stop sign for more than a second or two, I am going to go.

In situation #2, it is pretty obnoxious to come to a complete stop if you are on a major road, and thereby cause a traffic jam on a major road instead of having 1-2 cars backed up on the side road.

Hey, when you kill someone by blowing throw that flashing red/out light let us know how your defense turns out. I'm sure you'll only get five years or so for manslaughter.

[gallacus]

Originally Posted by BrianTH

Here is what the PA Driver's Manual says on four-way stops:
http://www.dmv.state.pa.us/pdotforms.../chapter_2.pdf

Maybe I am missing something, but I am not sure #1 is a correct statement of that rule.

The information in the manual is a bit convoluted, you have to then refer to Chapter 3 for more information on 'Negotiating Intersections.' There, it explains that no one has the right-of-way per se, but there are guidelines on who should yield to who in different situations:

2. Drivers turning left must yield to oncoming vehicles going straight ahead.

4. When two vehicles approach or enter an intersection from different roadways at or about the same time,
drivers coming from the left must yield to vehicles coming from the right.

[gallacus]

Originally Posted by BrianTH

Applying that rule, I believe cars should take their turns in a clock-wise fashion.

It would appear that's how it should work, but then there's that last sentence: "If facing one another both can proceed with caution, watching for possible turns."

The way I interpret all of this, including the information on 'negotiating intersections,' is that when four cars arrive at the same time, opposing cars take their turns simultaneously, using the guidelines on who should yield to who, then both cars on the perpendicular roadway take their turns simultaneously, also using the yielding guidelines. With that said, someone turning left should wait for the opposing car to move through the intersection, then take their turn.

Following this sequence would preclude the situation you referenced above where a driver turning left could be forced to wait indefinitely.

Now that I try to explain things, though, it really becomes apparent how complicated this whole thing is!