South Coast drivers don't believe in right of way? (Lowell: to live, moving)

[el_greco]

Anybody else notice this? I've seen this countless times since I've gotten here and never seen this happen nearly as much anywhere else.

Basically, people seem to insist on giving up their right of way, usually when it makes no sense to do so. I see this usually multiple times everytime I get in my car. Here's a picture to help:



The light goes green. Car B clearly has the right of way, but they will wave or wait for Car A to go. There is not a car in sight behind Car A. Ignoring the rules of the road, Car B is not really helping the situation at all. Car B is making multiple cars wait rather than simply letting Car A wait. The total amount of waiting is being multiplied for all the cars behind him that he is now making wait. Why do so many people do this?

I even see it happen in situations where Car A is in a specific left turn lane, so it's not like there are cars waiting behind Car A waiting to get by.

I can't tell you how many times I roll up to a stop sign at a 4 way stop after another car or multiple other cars and they all start waving for other people to go first.

I always heard / expected northern drivers to be less considerate, more rude etc. This is being courteous to a fault as it often complicates things or causes more inconvenience (like in the situations explained above)

I've even seen cars come to a stop simply to let someone turn. Like in this situation:



Car B is actually IN MOTION but comes to an actual stop (no light, no stop sign) JUST to let Car A make a turn. WHAT!?

Not sure this happens in a lot of other places in Mass or New England but I've noticed this all around South Coast areas I've been including Providence as well

[charolastra00]

Definitely don't see this on my side of the city! There are a few lights around me that are just silly not to be timed to accommodate right turns so traffic bottlenecks. If there's a gap in between me and the next car, and I can see someone ahead is turning, I'll take my foot off the gas and try to give them space. Notice a lot of cars racing to do the opposite. :P

What you illustrate above was very common in the ruralish area of Georgia where I grew up.

[raveabouttoast]

I've noticed the same thing, but I don't think it's limited to a certain area.

Complaint: People Who Give Up Right-of-Way

[AtkinsonDan]

Originally Posted by raveabouttoast

I've noticed the same thing, but I don't think it's limited to a certain area.

Complaint: People Who Give Up Right-of-Way

Yes!! Your first point made in that linked thread is one of my biggest pet peeves. When I lived in Lowell, I had to make left turn from a congested main road onto a side street every day as part of my commute home. Every time I had to make that left turn with someone waiting to come out of that side street, that driver would try to jump out in front of me irrespective of whether I was stopping or still moving and turning. I hated the unnecessary confusion and uncertainty at that intersection.

The directional signal was both my friend and foe in this instance. On the one hand I needed to let the people behind me know that I am slowing/stopping to turn left but on the other hand it emboldens the person on the side street to attempt a jump out maneuver.

I consider voluntarily giving up the right of way to be the same as speeding or running a red light. It all falls under behavior that is violating the rules of the road.

[donewithpretty]

At first I thought the red squiggles in the second drawing represented your rage, but now I'm guessing they're supposed to be red lights.

[AtkinsonDan]

Originally Posted by donewithpretty

At first I thought the red squiggles in the second drawing represented your rage, but now I'm guessing they're supposed to be red lights.

I think they are supposed to be stop signs. Is the OP willing to confirm?

[el_greco]

Lol ya stop signs for the horizontal street because on the vertical street it's just a regular road no stop light or stop sign for those cars.

I have been wondering why I have been noticing it so much more here because like Charo said you'd expect it more in the South. I think maybe it's just that a lot of the roads I've been on up here have more situations that make it possible for people to do this compared to where I used to live. Roads are more compact, more intersections, etc

[accufitgolf]

MAers are well know for pulling left hand turns in front of you especially at a stop light. I warn some MAers that visited here. I said do not pull a left in front of these people. They are not expecting it and they will hit you broadside.....as they should......LOL

[Cape Cod Todd]

I really hate it when people don't follow the rules and worse when they don't even know them and to boot they lack common sense. The worse is when people pull out infront of me causing me to hit my brakes then when I look around no one is coming in any direction? Really did you have to almost cause me to crash? You coldn't wait like 5 seconds for me to pass you? Or when I am obviously waiting to make a left hand turn and not wnating to jump out infront of the approaching car then they take a right hand turn. REALLY? you couldn't hit that little lever that would show me you are turning??
I think stupid drivers are everywhere.

[nzone]

How about the Massachusetts drivers ignore the 4-way stop altogether?