There are two four-way stops between my house and my daughter’s school.
We of course walk, no matter the weather, because taking the time to talk is important, and so is a little light exercise, and besides – how else would I get her to listen to my really terrible dad jokes?
As we walk, we like to look at the cars and the people as they pass. The road is narrow but relatively busy, so there’s a chance to see all sorts of stuff, recognize the regular commuters, and maybe get a glance at an oddball. My kid is getting pretty good at memorizing all the makes and models of anything interesting. “A Toyota badge,” she declared one day, “looks like a man wearing a cowboy hat.” And so it does too.
However, the one thing her father notices, apart from the occasional interesting machine, is the number of people who come to a complete stop at the stop signs. I have been making this walk for several years, and I would like to report that the number is now up to a grand total of five.
It is the law in British Columbia that you must come to a complete stop at any marked stop sign. It is also the law that if you see a cyclist perform a rolling stop, you must immediately hurry home and write a long letter to the editor about how all cyclists are scofflaws and should be composted for their own good.
But few people seem to obey the first law. This isn’t a study, merely a personal observation, and thus probably shouldn’t be used to guide traffic policy, but the number of people who slow to a roll and then simply cruise right on past the stop sign is staggering. Periodically, the RCMP will set up a patrol car and hand out tickets to the worst offenders. Those poor officers. They must get hand cramps from all the writing up they have to do.
I can see why it happens. We’re all in a hurry, it’s not the busiest street in the world, and a driver might think they’ve got great sightlines (though not good enough to spot the marked police car that’s about to give you a ticket). But there is at least one person who habitually comes down a side-street towards the main street and hangs a right turn while barely slowing. I’ve made eye-contact with her before through her entire turn – which means she’s not even looking where she’s going.
So please, not to be pedantic, but just stop it. Stop it right there. No, that’s too far forward. According to official traffic guidelines, you’re supposed to stop before the stop line, and not halfway into the intersection, and not on top of the crosswalk, and certainly not on top of poor old Fred there.
Another poor piece of behaviour I observe regularly is the Canadian standoff. In a Mexican standoff, grimacing gun-wielding types threaten each other until one makes the first move. In a Canadian standoff, it’s a case of “After you,” “No, after you,” “No, I insist,” “No, it is I who insist.” Meanwhile, traffic behind backs up all the way to Squamish.
Let me break it down for those who’ve forgotten. The first driver to arrive at the intersection and make a complete full stop gets to go first. If two vehicles arrive at the same time, the one on the right has right of way: surely that can’t be that hard to remember. If two opposing vehicles arrive at the same time and one is turning left, the turning vehicle must yield. Wave if you must, but simply following the rules of the road is being polite enough as it is. Even for Canada.
Furthermore, at what point did an amber light suddenly start meaning, “Activate maximum throttle immediately?!” If you’re approaching a stale green light, you should be expecting the change, and prepared to make a judgment call. It’s like those people who wait for the cashier to ring up and bag every item and reach for their wallet or purse at the last possible moment, as if surprised they have to pay for their groceries.
If you’re unsure, use the pedestrian signals to give you a clue. If there’s a countdown timer, you can see how long you might have, and if the red hand is solid, be vigilant and prepared to stop if it’s safe.
As a father, I of course must model good behaviour for my child, and thus restrain myself from heaving bricks at people who blow right through stop signs either through obliviousness or entitlement. But I gotta tell ya folks, sometimes she’s looking in the other direction and there’s a tempting looking chunk of masonry sitting right over there. No, I mustn’t. Shouldn’t. I’d better stop myself.
Brendan McAleer is a freelance writer and automotive enthusiast. If you have a suggestion for a column, or would be interested in having your car club featured, please contact him at [email protected]. Follow Brendan on Twitter: @brendan_mcaleer.
