Reply #23: Try explaining how to handle a 4 way stop in an intersection with 6 lanes each way.

[merwin]

Which one of the 24 cars has right of way again? I know that where I live, which isn't that large of a city, everything goes to hell when the power goes out. And there's no laws on the books that I have found to direct what is supposed to happen other than "the vehicle on the right goes next".

I end up usually getting frustrated at everyone else hesitating and people randomly trying to "shoot the gap" that I just find someone in a lane next to me who blocks the majority of traffic to one side of me and go when they do. Safety in numbers and all.

My theory is that it should change from "vehicle to the right has the right of way" to "set of lanes to the right has the right of way" in a power outage situation for a 4+ lane road. So, everyone in all of the lanes going a single direction all go at once, then the next set to the right, etc. But that would take actual coordination and logic and stuff.

After reading through the laws in WA regarding road rules to figure out of there were any defined laws for the massive amount roundabouts that are being built in our county and finding nothing regarding right of way, I tend to wing it going through those based on what I think the other motorist is going to do... specifically in the case of the person on the inside lane taking a right turn across the outside lane. According to the signage the only time you have to yield is when you're entering. Once you're in, there's conflicting signage for exiting and who yields.

Of course, I can't complain since it was my father who was responsible for the roundabout trend around here several years ago. When having it built at the college he jokingly said the sculpture in the middle should be of piled up cars.