Waving at the Intersection

Loren in Iowa · Nov 9, 2017

Things might be different here, in Small Town, Iowa. Years ago, when I took drivers
training, they taught us about having the "right of way", at an intersection. Apparently,
now, they teach you to "wave the other person through". Very often, when I stop at a four
way stop, the other person starts to wave, indicating that I should go first. If I don't
have the right of way, I just smile, and wave back, until they get frustrated and go. If I
were to get broadsided, by a "waver", at an intersection, I can just hear Judge Judy, when I
tell her "But, they waved at me.......".

Andy Martin · Nov 9, 2017

Yeah, it drives me crazy. Instead of going when it is their turn they think they are being courteous. Really slows up traffic. So I watch, and if somebody is not taking their turn I go ahead and go. When they wave me on I take their invitation and go. They can wave at each other later while I'm going down the road.

That being said, around here we wave at each other when we meet, whether we know each other or not.

retired farmer · Nov 9, 2017

Had a guy do that to me years ago in California and I got a ticket for turning.

kcm.MN · Nov 9, 2017

In our small town, if there is only one other vehicle at a 4-way stop besides us, I'll wave the other driver through. We're not in a hurry, but most folks are. More than one time I've had leadfoots race me through an intersection because they didn't have time to drive normal, so I don't fight it anymore. Our truck has no dings in it, and I'd rather keep it that way.

Ultradog MN · Nov 9, 2017

Well said.
If we meet at the intersection at the
exact same time I will usually go first.
If it's your turn but you hesitate for
more than about 5 milliseconds I will
usually go first.
If you get angry at me because it was your
turn but hesitated so long that I went
first and honk your horn at me, then I
wave.
Just Go wiĺl you?

MtMan · Nov 9, 2017

I don't wave anyone to go ahead. and I don't want them to wave me on. My thing is, you drive your vehicle and let me drive mine.
In my state the law is, yield to the car on the right. That should take care of it all.

jimg.allentown · Nov 9, 2017

The law says in essence that if more than one vehicle arrives at a 4-way stop at the SAME TIME, you should yield to the vehicle on your right.
The law does NOT grant right of way. The law only specifies when to YIELD.

Traffic laws do vary some from state to state, but this is the way it is written in most driver manuals that I have read.

There are many practices that are actually violations of the law. Like passing on the right when the vehicle ahead of you is turning left. Most drivers also do not STOP before turning right on red. Then there is that whole thing with speed. And distracted driving. And driving under the influence. I had better stop now...

Dopp Creek · Nov 9, 2017

Wow, you drive like I do and have Ford tractors as well. Viking ancestry?

RBoots · Nov 9, 2017

When I'm at an intersection sometimes I like to smile all crazy and wave like a maniac. Makes people laugh usually.

Ross

NCWayne · Nov 9, 2017

Something I haven't seen anyone mention yet, is that if both arrive at the same time, across from each other, then both are, technically, on the other's right. Them it goes to left turn yields to any other movement.

As a result, if your turning left and the other person is going straight, and the other person waves you through, they are actually giving you the right of way as well as protecting you from someone running the sign and hitting you mid turn.

This is a good thing too if there is a line of cars waiting behind both of you, as it gets you out of the way, and allows traffic to continue flowing in both lanes.

Driving a big truck I often get people waving me through, and I will do the same to other people as well. In the end it all depends on the situation.

Eldon (WA) · Nov 9, 2017

(quoted from post at 20:51:56 11/09/17) Something I haven't seen anyone mention yet, is that if both arrive at the same time, across from each other, then both are, technically, on the other's right. Them it goes to left turn yields to any other movement.

As a result, if your turning left and the other person is going straight, and the other person waves you through, they are actually giving you the right of way as well as protecting you from someone running the sign and hitting you mid turn.

This is a good thing too if there is a line of cars waiting behind both of you, as it gets you out of the way, and allows traffic to continue flowing in both lanes.

When it is close and I am pulling a loaded trailer I often wave the other thru, especially if we are headed the same direction...just courtesy.

Driving a big truck I often get people waving me through, and I will do the same to other people as well. In the end it all depends on the situation.

Ultradog MN · Nov 10, 2017

Not a Viking. Am one of them stubborn Frenchmen.
I'm a good, safe driver but if I'm on the road I'm there for a purpose and don't need you or me to be overly courteous or loligagging. If I just want to loligag and be extra courteous I let my wife drive. Then I frequently close my eyes, always bite my tongue and sometimes wave to people.

Texasmark1 · Nov 10, 2017

That's the way it is here. Have heard that you do not want to wave others on. Liability reasons in case of an accident. You just point your finger at them and wait. You have plenty of time to get through. Think how long it would take if you and another got tangled up in a wreck!

tomtinker · Nov 10, 2017

It's against the law in Ky. to direct traffic unless you're a policeman.

JML755 · Nov 10, 2017

I got a ticket once and went to court to contest it. The person ahead of me got one for "failure to yield". She was turning right out of a gas station onto the main road. Traffic was stopped for the traffic light. When the light turned green and cars started to move, a driver waved her into the street ahead of him (he was still stopped). Very courteous, IMO. A cop was a couple of cars back and when she cleared the intersection pulled her over and ticketed her. It gets worse. She was driving a van for a senior citizens center and got fired for getting the ticket. The judge was not sympathetic. She fined her over $100, IIRC. The young girl started crying, saying he had no job and no money. The judge said that's too bad and you have 1 week to pay it or a warrant would be issued with a possible 90 days in jail. I was flabbergasted at the idiocy of the judge.

Stephen Newell · Nov 10, 2017

There was a time whey you had to stop, get out of your car and shoot a gun before crossing an intersection.

Glen SW Wi · Nov 10, 2017

We have a four way stop intersection in our small town (yup only one) where I hate to go through. There seems to be an attitude that there can't be more than one vehicle in the intersection at any one time. When you have cars going in opposite directions and nobody is turning both cars can enter the intersection and proceed. Here they will just sit and wait for each other to proceed. Having driven in Chicago and LA I know if they drove there someone from behind would just shove them into the intersection. I believe that a lot of people in this area got their driver licenses with two Cheerio box tops.

Briar Hill Brittanys · Nov 10, 2017

(quoted from post at 08:10:18 11/10/17) There was a time whey you had to stop, get out of your car and shoot a gun before crossing an intersection.

That's what I thought the first, and last, time I drove in Chicago a couple of years ago....... Never again, never again.

pobo6 · Nov 10, 2017

(quoted from post at 10:50:17 11/10/17) That's the way it is here. Have heard that you do not want to wave others on. Liability reasons in case of an accident. You just point your finger at them and wait. You have plenty of time to get through. Think how long it would take if you and another got tangled up in a wreck!

My sentiments exactly. I am seeing more and more people across the intersection waving me on when I need to make a left turn. I refuse to make the turn until that person has gone through, as I was taught in drivers ed 37 years ago that when making a left turn, you YIELD to the person in the opposite lane. The exception would be a 4-way stop, when it's your turn to go through. Texasmark1 is correct when he states liability reasons - who's to say the other driver isn't out there looking to "wave you through" & deliberately cause an accident for lawsuit purposes and/or insurance fraud? It'd be your word against theirs, and you're gonna likely lose. There are times (like earlier this morning) when the driver across "waves" me to go ahead, I want to yell at him/her to go back to Drivers 101. I don't care if I get the horn from people behind me in this situation, they're usually the ones with time management issues, lol.

1948CaseVAI · Nov 10, 2017

(quoted from post at 07:58:43 11/10/17) I got a ticket once and went to court to contest it. The person ahead of me got one for "failure to yield". She was turning right out of a gas station onto the main road. Traffic was stopped for the traffic light. When the light turned green and cars started to move, a driver waved her into the street ahead of him (he was still stopped). Very courteous, IMO. A cop was a couple of cars back and when she cleared the intersection pulled her over and ticketed her. It gets worse. She was driving a van for a senior citizens center and got fired for getting the ticket. The judge was not sympathetic. She fined her over $100, IIRC. The young girl started crying, saying he had no job and no money. The judge said that's too bad and you have 1 week to pay it or a warrant would be issued with a possible 90 days in jail. I was flabbergasted at the idiocy of the judge.

Why would you call the judge, who was doing her job, an idiot? Seems to me that the driver was the idiot for obeying another driver who had no authority to be directing traffic.

tomtinker · Nov 10, 2017

Stalled traffic and oncoming traffic are two different things.

Riverslim · Nov 10, 2017

I love polite people, except at an intersection. If you have the right of way, get your butt through the intersection. You haven't been to traffic director school. Are you waving at a bee that got into your car, trying to wave away a bad odor? That's what I have to consider before I pull my vehicle in front of yours.

Gary Mitchell · Nov 10, 2017

I peddled freight in KC for over 26 years and got a lot of waves, although most of them weren't "whole hand" ones. gm

Pitalplace · Nov 10, 2017

When I used to be a Deputy and came up to a 4 way stop, no one would move til I went. Even if it was not a the same time. I used to laugh and just go ahead.

kcm.MN · Nov 10, 2017

(quoted from post at 05:10:18 11/10/17) There was a time whey you had to stop, get out of your car and shoot a gun before crossing an intersection.

That was in Chicago, wasn't it?? IIRC, they had to stop that practice due to all the pedestrians laying everywhere. :shock: :lol:

dr sportster · Nov 10, 2017

I am a firm believer when it is your turn GO ! No waving or " you go first" is not acceptable as it only causes havoc. When it is your turn go.

dpendzic · Nov 10, 2017

most 4 way stops do not meet the criteria of the "Manual for uniform traffic control devices" of each state. there are minimum traffic flow counts and number of accidents per year--the manuals state that its better to let the higher traffic flow go thru and just let the lower traffic flow stop. But politicians cater to a few complaints from citizens and have 4 way stops installed
My town has many three way stops were the minor road is also a dead end!!

Phlash in OK · Nov 11, 2017

Another problem is dark tinted glass where you can't see the other driver. You don't know if he sees you or is waving.

JML755 · Nov 11, 2017

(quoted from post at 10:32:57 11/10/17)

(quoted from post at 07:58:43 11/10/17) I got a ticket once and went to court to contest it. The person ahead of me got one for "failure to yield". She was turning right out of a gas station onto the main road. Traffic was stopped for the traffic light. When the light turned green and cars started to move, a driver waved her into the street ahead of him (he was still stopped). Very courteous, IMO. A cop was a couple of cars back and when she cleared the intersection pulled her over and ticketed her. It gets worse. She was driving a van for a senior citizens center and got fired for getting the ticket. The judge was not sympathetic. She fined her over $100, IIRC. The young girl started crying, saying he had no job and no money. The judge said that's too bad and you have 1 week to pay it or a warrant would be issued with a possible 90 days in jail. I was flabbergasted at the idiocy of the judge.

Click to expand...

Why would you call the judge, who was doing her job, an idiot? Seems to me that the driver was the idiot for obeying another driver who had no authority to be directing traffic.

Because the judge had no compassion. Doing her job includes some consideration of mitigating circumstances.
J

Waving at the Intersection

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