Turning Left into Oncoming Traffic Lane Question (Howe: law, dangerous)

[TXsurburbanmom]

So exactly how long is one supposed to sit at a stop sign to turn left? I've waited while the car across from me went only to be almost run down by the person behind him. If the person turning left has to yield ROW to everyone going straight then they will be stuck forever at some busy intersections. Could someone please tell me where to read up on this law because I'm trying to find it online so I can really understand it. We have a dangerous 3 way stop nearby that I need to navigate correctly. As to pulling into an intersection and turning on yellow, no thank you. I've seen too many people stuck when the idiots in oncoming traffic keep going once the light is red. I've also seen Police and Fire trucks pull around traffic and they would slam into anyone sitting out there. I've got 2 kids to protect and they need me around to raise them as well.

[RJMorris82]

You only yield to the the first car, after the first car you turn in behind them. Such a simple concept is really hard for most people here to grasp, that and learning how to merge and yield, don't even get me started on the rage those things cause me here. I love San Antonio, but most people have no clue how to drive. I know it's hard for people who grew up here who never had to deal with so many cars, but it's frustratingfor us who come from places that makes the amount of cars here look like the population of Buda.

[TXsurburbanmom]

Okay so I was right and the idiots who almost hit me were wrong including the old man who screamed and cussed at me. Not that it's worth being hit for. As to yielding, you slow or stop at a yield sign IF it is necessary to give the ROW to merging traffic. If not continue at a normal pace. And please everyone read the speed limit signs. We've got people going 35 in a 55 zone and others going 50 through my neighborhood while kids are walking home from school.

[RJMorris82]

Slowing at yield signs is a given, for those geniuses who come to a dead stop on a freeway, dear god, you can never get back up to speed from a dead stop against freeway traffic speeds, you slow down to allow cars to easily merge. I have seen way too many accidents from people stopping when they could have easily slowed down and gave the ROW without stopping, which catches everyone off guard. I am looking at you 1604 / 10 interchange.

[Merovee]

Originally Posted by ddeel

So exactly how long is one supposed to sit at a stop sign to turn left? I've waited while the car across from me went only to be almost run down by the person behind him. If the person turning left has to yield ROW to everyone going straight then they will be stuck forever at some busy intersections. Could someone please tell me where to read up on this law because I'm trying to find it online so I can really understand it. We have a dangerous 3 way stop nearby that I need to navigate correctly. As to pulling into an intersection and turning on yellow, no thank you. I've seen too many people stuck when the idiots in oncoming traffic keep going once the light is red. I've also seen Police and Fire trucks pull around traffic and they would slam into anyone sitting out there. I've got 2 kids to protect and they need me around to raise them as well.

Chapter 4 of the Driver's Manual mentions if turning left yield to traffic from the opposite direction going forward.

http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/DriverL...ments/DL-7.pdf

Although that has nothing to do with a 4-way stop. For information on that visit our Transportation Code 545.151 section (a) 1 and 2. Right at the beginning it simply says obey the traffic-control device (stop sign) and move when safe to do so. There are no specific rules. If you are there first you can go first.

Don't worry, you are not the only parent in San Antonio who has to go through 4-way stops and no one else is worried to the point of exaggeration. Local parents manage just fine.

[RJMorris82]

The way 4-way stops work regarding the left turn in every other State I've driven is as follows. If all 4 cars arrive at the intersection at once, the cars staying on the larger (highest flow of traffic) street go first, if one of them is turning left, they must wait till the car continuing on the larger streets goes through the intersection and then it is safe to turn left. After the car turning off the larger street clears the intersection, then the other two vehicles that arrived at the intersection may go.

If one of those cars is going straight, then they have the right away with the car which is turning left having to yield to just that car before turning left.

I really hope this is straight forward enough. The reason this conversation has value is because I've seen enough accidents from not knowing how to handle 4 way stops. The reality is, if you are following the law and and the other person is not, you are rarely going to be at fault, even if you are turning left, as long as you yield to the first car at the stop sign before turning, if that second car hits you, you are clear, the other car is supposed to wait until you clear that intersection. However, if you get there at the same time as the car going straight, try to turn left and they hit you, you are 100% at fault.

[Merovee]

Originally Posted by RJMorris82

The way 4-way stops work regarding the left turn in every other State I've driven is as follows. If all 4 cars arrive at the intersection at once, the cars staying on the larger (highest flow of traffic) street go first, if one of them is turning left, they must wait till the car continuing on the larger streets goes through the intersection and then it is safe to turn left. After the car turning off the larger street clears the intersection, then the other two vehicles that arrived at the intersection may go.

If one of those cars is going straight, then they have the right away with the car which is turning left having to yield to just that car before turning left.

I really hope this is straight forward enough. The reason this conversation has value is because I've seen enough accidents from not knowing how to handle 4 way stops. The reality is, if you are following the law and and the other person is not, you are rarely going to be at fault, even if you are turning left, as long as you yield to the first car at the stop sign before turning, if that second car hits you, you are clear, the other car is supposed to wait until you clear that intersection. However, if you get there at the same time as the car going straight, try to turn left and they hit you, you are 100% at fault.

Regardless of the law in other states they do not apply in Texas.

Expecting Texas drivers to follow the laws of other states is also a tad unreasonable.

[RJMorris82]

I understand that, but you stated that there was nothing in the books allegedly about 4 way stops. I was merely stating how every other state does it. And if you think about it, that scenario follows the same logic as what is stated in the law about turning left. Also, I bet you if you look up who has the ROW if 2 cars come to an intersection at the same time it will state which cars go first (Which is car to the right) (All 4 cars at the same time = Larger Street has ROW).

Then if you add in what the law says about who turns left between 2 cars when arriving at an intersection at the same time, which has been linked and shown on this thread several times, where the car turning left goes 2nd. Then you put 2 and 2 together and you get the scenario I described.

[Sally_Sparrow]

Originally Posted by ddeel

So exactly how long is one supposed to sit at a stop sign to turn left? I've waited while the car across from me went only to be almost run down by the person behind him. If the person turning left has to yield ROW to everyone going straight then they will be stuck forever at some busy intersections. Could someone please tell me where to read up on this law because I'm trying to find it online so I can really understand it. We have a dangerous 3 way stop nearby that I need to navigate correctly. As to pulling into an intersection and turning on yellow, no thank you. I've seen too many people stuck when the idiots in oncoming traffic keep going once the light is red. I've also seen Police and Fire trucks pull around traffic and they would slam into anyone sitting out there. I've got 2 kids to protect and they need me around to raise them as well.

I second this. People will barrel through and then you are stuck in the middle, when you were trying to turn on the yellow!

Originally Posted by RJMorris82

Slowing at yield signs is a given, for those geniuses who come to a dead stop on a freeway, dear god, you can never get back up to speed from a dead stop against freeway traffic speeds, you slow down to allow cars to easily merge. I have seen way too many accidents from people stopping when they could have easily slowed down and gave the ROW without stopping, which catches everyone off guard. I am looking at you 1604 / 10 interchange.

There are a lot of buttheads that won't allow you to merge onto the highway, those in the right (slow) lane, including rows of semi trucks. It's scary and I've seen certain highway entrance ramps where those attempting to get on the hwy regularly HAVE to come to a complete stop for this reason. Especially where the entrance lane ends right after getting on the highway.

[TXsurburbanmom]

Actually I've not only seen accidents at the intersection I was concerned about, my friend was hit. Thankfully the worst injury was a broken collar bone on her 4th grader. The info on this thread seemed to indicate the idiots trying to run those turning left over were correct and I wished to clarify. My understanding has always been if I got there first I could turn before the person going straight went. If at the same time they had the ROW. Which is why I asked for a link. I don't think I was exaggerated when this is someplace I pass through several times a week. And I am local...I can out-Texas pretty much anyone but Sam Houstons defendants.