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[NoGoodNamesAvailable]

Hell, most probably don't even know that at a an uncontrolled T intersection only yielding is required by traffic on the ending road.

To me, it's common sense.  If your road ends, you give way to the one that doesn't.

That's definitely the intuitive way to handle T-intersections, but I imagine the reason some states apply the basic right-of-way rule at three-leg intersections is that determining which leg is the terminating road can get fuzzy for intersections with non-square geometry.

[RobbieL2415]

Hell, most probably don't even know that at a an uncontrolled T intersection only yielding is required by traffic on the ending road.

To me, it's common sense.  If your road ends, you give way to the one that doesn't.

That's definitely the intuitive way to handle T-intersections, but I imagine the reason some states apply the basic right-of-way rule at three-leg intersections is that determining which leg is the terminating road can get fuzzy for intersections with non-square geometry.

What I'm trying to say is that they don't realize that a full stop isn't necessarily required in that situation.  Blowing through uncontrolled T intersections in town is a pastime of mine

[bzakharin]

What I always wondered, living in a place without any uncontrolled intersections (except maybe T intersections), is how you distinguish one from an intersection where you have the right of way and the other directions have stop signs. If I approach an intersection without any markings in my direction, I assume the latter and proceed without slowing down or stopping unless I see cars already in the intersection.

It would seem that with uncontrolled intersections in the mix the opposite strategy is necessary, that is, slowing down and yielding at any intersection with no controls in your direction. This completely defeats the stop sign's purpose, unless there is supplemental signage of some sort saying "you have right of way" or something.

P.S. I know of at least one T intersection where the road that ends has the right of way because the other road dead ends in one direction shortly after the intersection. Even though I go through there rather frequently, I haven't completely unlearned not yielding there. That force of habit is hard to break.

[corco]

On a related note, I always wondered what would happen if we got rid of speedometers instead of signs.

[kphoger]

What I always wondered, living in a place without any uncontrolled intersections (except maybe T intersections), is how you distinguish one from an intersection where you have the right of way and the other directions have stop signs.

It's not easy, just as you surmise.  For this reason, I don't support the use of uncontrolled four-way intersections unless the speed limit is 25 mph or less.

On a related note, I always wondered what would happen if we got rid of speedometers instead of signs.

Have you never driven a car with no working speedometer?  It's not so bad driving around town or on a busy highway, where you can simply stay with the flow of traffic—but, when there aren't any other cars around, it's easy to become paranoid about cops with radar.

[NoGoodNamesAvailable]

On a related note, I always wondered what would happen if we got rid of speedometers instead of signs.

You can get pretty good at speed perception with some practice. NYC subway cars didn't use to have speedometers and operators could estimate their speed well enough to obey time signals within a couple mph.

Bu realistically most drivers in the US have trouble even driving at a constant speed, so expecting them to put some effort into learning a skill like this is wishful thinking.

[BrianP]

What came to mind for me is the warning signs at curves.  Without them people might try to take a turn on a freeway at 70+ mph and lose control and crash.  Since they would be going that fast elsewhere on the freeway and also be able to take some curves that fast, they may assume that the design would allow them to be able to take all curves that fast too.  Some curves would be obvious as sharp enough to need to slow down.  But there will be some that are not obvious enough.

[kphoger]

What came to mind for me is the warning signs at curves.  Without them people might try to take a turn on a freeway at 70+ mph and lose control and crash.  Since they would be going that fast elsewhere on the freeway and also be able to take some curves that fast, they may assume that the design would allow them to be able to take all curves that fast too.  Some curves would be obvious as sharp enough to need to slow down.  But there will be some that are not obvious enough.

Most countries of the world don't have speed advisory tabs for their curve signs, yet people do reasonably well.  Having driven more than 8000 miles in Mexico over the last 14 years, I can tell you it's not hard at all to get used to driving without those little yellow rectangles.

Note:  On major highways in Mexico, dangerous curves are often preceded by separate signage (CURVA PELIGROSA or similar) and/or a series of horizontal stripes across the roadway.  On less important highways, however, these things are usually lacking.