Q&A - 4 Way Stop & a Yield

I drove to a 4 way stop intersection that had only single lanes in all four directions BUT also had a yield sign on my right hand. I stopped and then proceeded to turn right. My passenger said I had no need to come to a full stop and could proceed to turn right so long as I yielded to oncoming traffic or traffic from the left. I felt the yield sign was meant to take away the normal "first to the stop sign" right of way and a full stop was PARTICULARLY needed to ensure it was safe to turn right.

I have been unable to find distinct language that clarifies this. I saw many cars roll through and make right hand turns including an on duty police officer without stopping which suggests that others agree with my passenger. What are the laws in this odd case?

Answer

Your passenger is correct. When you approach this intersection and turn right, you do not stop, just yield as required.

If you approached an intersection like this on the highway and the stop signs were replaced by a red light, would you stop before you turned right? It's really the same situation.

The logic would go like this:

"intersection" means the area embraced within the prolongation or connection of the lateral curb lines, or if none, then the lateral boundary lines of the roadways of the 2 highways that join one another at or approximately at right angles, or the area within which vehicles travelling on different highways joining at any other angle may come in conflict;

Stopping at intersections

186 Except when a peace officer directs otherwise, if there is a stop sign at an intersection, a driver of a vehicle must stop

(a) at the marked stop line, if any,

(b) before entering the marked crosswalk on the near side of the intersection, or

(c) when there is neither a marked crosswalk nor a stop line, before entering the intersection, at the point nearest the intersecting highway from which the driver has a view of approaching traffic on the intersecting highway.

You are not entering the intersection, you are passing by it on the right, so there is no requirement to stop for the stop sign.

It's two intersections, really ...

... is how I would look at it.

The one where the two 2-way streets intersect at the 4-Way, and the one where that right-turn section meets the cross-street.

Provided that the section would meet the definition of 'highway' (which I think just means it has to be a minimum of 5 metres wide) then the first part of Section 173 would apply in the case of a driver zipping round the corner and colliding with a vehicle from the left. Hence, the 'Yield' sign.

It would be dangerous

It would be dangerous to stop on a yield there - most drivers would not expect the sudden stop from a vehicle ahead of them with-out any visible pedestrians of cross-traffic - you can get a trunk-full of fellow motorist doing that for no reason.

Intersections

Q&A

Stopping