I can't count the times I've seen near accidents caused by confusion over four-way stops. In many residential areas of Los Angeles, for example, there are four-way stops at nearly every intersection. The key word is nearly: When you're conditioned to seeing a four-way stop at every intersection, the one time when the cross street does not stop is a recipe for disaster. I'm an extraordinarily attentive driver, and even I have been guilty of falling into this trap.
The current standard——appending an "all way" placard under the stop sign, is too easy to miss and ineffectively communicates the important information. The only warning that the traffic will not stop is the lack of an "all way" placard. There is another placard——usually a yellow "cross traffic does not stop" sign that you will occasionally see. When used, this communicates the important information, but these signs are used irregularly, and vary from municipality to municipality. Quebec uses a diagrammic sign to communicate which traffic stops at intersections controlled by stop signs, but I find these signs difficult to process quickly. The information that needs to be communicated is simple: Is the cross traffic stopping?
Two types of placards——one indicating an all-way stop and one indicating that the cross traffic does not stop——should be adopted as standard in the MUTCD. The placards should address the defects used in the current system:
1. The white-on-red "all way" placards are very easy to miss. Another color scheme should be adopted.
2. The non-standard "cross traffic does not stop" placards are too verbose. The text needs to be much more concise, or some type of symbol adopted.
The placards should be instantly recognizable and be able to be processed by drivers without needing to interpret the text of the sign. To this end, symbols some type of memorable color scheme could be adopted.
Or better yet, go European, get rid of most of the stop signs in residential areas, let the more important streets proceed uncontrolled, and put yield signs on side streets. May require teaching American drivers the proper behavior when presented with a yield sign.
Quote from: dfwmapper on August 01, 2015, 03:02:40 AM
Or better yet, go European, get rid of most of the stop signs in residential areas, let the more important streets proceed uncontrolled, and put yield signs on side streets. May require teaching American drivers the proper behavior when presented with a yield sign.
even if they leave the stop signs on the side streets, eliminating them on one of the 2 streets on every intersection will eliminate this problem. the only reason for an all-way stop is to slow traffic down, which is supposed to be banned, so it would make sense to go ahead and ban all way stops entirely.
I think you could accomplish this by introducing this setup which should be easy enough to understand within the current American signage. The caution sign on the main road and the yield sign on the connecting roads.
(https://www.lysator.liu.se/~riiga/Bilder/Amerikanska/yieldtocrossing.png)
Being that over 99% of Stop intersections are not all-way Stops, a supplemental plate would dilute the attention given to the All-Way plate.
Actually the CROSS TRAFFIC DOES NOT STOP is MUTCD standard:
QuoteSection 2C.59 CROSS TRAFFIC DOES NOT STOP Plaque (W4-4P)
Option:
01 The CROSS TRAFFIC DOES NOT STOP (W4-4P) plaque (see Figure 2C-9) may be used in combination with a STOP sign when engineering judgment indicates that conditions are present that are causing or could cause drivers to misinterpret the intersection as an all-way stop.
02 Alternative messages (see Figure 2C-9) such as TRAFFIC FROM LEFT (RIGHT) DOES NOT STOP (W4-4aP) or ONCOMING TRAFFIC DOES NOT STOP (W4-4bP) may be used when such messages more accurately describe the traffic controls established at the intersection.
Guidance:
03 Plaques with the appropriate alternative messages of TRAFFIC FROM LEFT (RIGHT) DOES NOT STOP or ONCOMING TRAFFIC DOES NOT STOP should be used at intersections where STOP signs control all but one approach to the intersection, unless the only non-stopped approach is from a one-way street.
I think that the current system is fine, as long as it is followed.
TxDOT is now using larger ALL WAY plaques, which is good, since the standard size is too small for large stop signs.
The one area we really need to improve on is unusual right-of way situations. In these situations, we need to require signs stating which traffic does not stop, and add a new type of sign to the MUTCD showing those that typically do not have right-of-way that they indeed do.
Examples of unusual right-of-way situations where an explanation of who does not stop is needed.
Eagle Point Rd at I-35E in Lewisville, Texas:https://www.google.com/maps/@33.081426,-97.024882,3a,75y,259.37h,83.24t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1scCWwEBu5ipIP4y1IjHCHvA!2e0!7i13312!8i6656 (https://www.google.com/maps/@33.081426,-97.024882,3a,75y,259.37h,83.24t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1scCWwEBu5ipIP4y1IjHCHvA!2e0!7i13312!8i6656)
Lake Dallas Dr at I-35E in Lake Dallas, Texas:
https://www.google.com/maps/@33.113381,-97.027678,3a,75y,339.72h,71.56t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1soVXx_pkEJzMNN0x1Niv6tg!2e0!7i13312!8i6656 (https://www.google.com/maps/@33.113381,-97.027678,3a,75y,339.72h,71.56t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1soVXx_pkEJzMNN0x1Niv6tg!2e0!7i13312!8i6656)
I noticed that Connecticut seems to be adding the "opposing traffic does not stop" plaques below stop signs when there is also a blinker at the intersection, but the main road only has a yellow flasher. I went through three different intersections with different state routes (Rt 30 in Tolland, Rt 140 in Ellington and Rt 190 in Somers) and all had the additional warning signs.
You could always paint on the ground, just before the stop line:
STOP
ALL-WAY
So in places like California that use the word "STOP" on the pavement more often, you could place below that "ALL-WAY" to enhance the situation at hand.
"Cross traffic does not stop" and variations of it are in the MUTCD, as previously mentioned. Typically, the "cross traffic" signs are restricted to 4+ leg intersections, while the variations can go anywhere based on the scenario.
I agree that all-way stops are often unnecessary. If there's a lot of turning traffic or both roads are decently- and equally-trafficked, it is often better than a 2-way stop as it prevents backups on the highway that must stop. Example of such a case is when 2 state/US routes intersect and one is not noticeably more major, yet a signal is not warranted. In most situations, such as residential areas, yield signs would suffice.