Originally Posted by
genec
Problem we had was that there was traffic coming from all directions, and it was heavy... but the motorists would come to the stop line and then stop... they would not follow the pattern of the previous motorists through... so each group of motorists had to negotiate (and not well) for their turn.
Me, I just followed the pattern established... as this meant that the first car at the stop was the first to go. But others would not do that... they would drive up, stop and then just freeze as if all had arrived at the same time. It was obvious that these motorists were not watching the traffic, but were so used to obeying a traffic light that they could not give up that habit.
Cyclists watch traffic, they have to to stay safe... motorists tend to watch lights and signs, and if the lights are out, motorists go dumb.
My commute home goes through a 4 way stop. I'd say 60-70% of the total is from one of the 4 directions. Of that 60-70% about 2/3rds are turning left. The direction facing them is by far the least traffic. The vast majority of the cross traffic is either going striaght or turning right.
Most of the time it is smooth, The main feed goes, either just a car turning left or one left and one straight. The cross traffic goes, straight of right. repeat.
But when there is facing traffic there can be issues since the left turner has to wait until the straight clears.
If there is a queue waiting my way thigns are fine, but if there is not and I time it wrong I can get there when it really is the other directions turn, but sometimes they wait.