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Overthinking the Four-Way Stop: Ever Wonder Who Goes First?
Small town drivers don’t
My Dodge Caravan is being worked on, so we’re having to share my sons’s Prius to get to work and take care of errands, shopping, etc. I feel a little guilty because I’m not nagging the repairman to complete the work. I drive by the “shop” where the work is being done and just see it sitting there all alone.
I feel that it misses me as much as I miss it.
There’s a word for that.
But I digress.
When I dropped him off at work today, I turned on the usual street which takes me past a four-way stop as well as a traffic light. Traffic lights are not usually a problem in a small town, unless you’re behind a student driver. Then, all bets are off.
However, the four-way is another animal. Sometimes you get there at the exact same time as another car, and both of you are wondering: so, what next?
Who makes the first move? If you’re in a small town, you might wait for someone to wave their hand, which is a signal for you to take your turn.
Meanwhile, I’m thinking: just go ahead and go. Obviously I’m waiting for you to move.
