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The Perfect 4-Way Stop Storm

The Perfect Storm is the result of the convergence of meteorological events culminating in a fierce storm, sometimes at sea, as was portrayed in a movie a few years ago. On land, a perfect storm could have similar results without the watery waves.

The Perfect Storm is the result of the convergence of meteorological events culminating in a fierce storm, sometimes at sea, as was portrayed in a movie a few years ago. On land, a perfect storm could have similar results without the watery waves. For example, it could be like the good ship Memorial sailing into a financial maelstrom with the captain indisposed and the crew blithely unaware of floundering and coming to grief on a shoal of mistakes. Fortunately, the board of directors are insured against liability and carry on as usual, only hearing about the Storm through the media.

A perfect storm at a 4-way stop intersection might occur when four vehicles all arrive at the intersection at precisely the same moment. This has happened to me several times on O’Brien and Ski Club and almost once at Champlain and Cartier but there were only two cars there and it was midnight so we both just slipped through the silly stop signs. The rules of engagement says that if cars arrive at the same time, the car on the right has precedence, which is fine except all the cars are now on somebody’s right. Being Canadians, someone will politely wave a car through and chaos will be delayed to another day. But what happens if there is a pedestrian involved in this little perfect storm?

Imagine this scenario: at a yet another new four-way stop, say at Timmins and Main Streets for example, we have the makings of a perfect storm. There is no anticipation of the coming calamity because no one in the City had done a traffic (including pedestrians) study at the intersection. The Stop signs have been installed but no painted pedestrian crosswalks are yet in place. It is a bright summer’s afternoon, the temperatures are in the mid-twenties, the sky is clear and there is only a soft breeze coming off nearby Lake Nipissing. There is no sign of the impending storm. Walking north on Timmins on the south side of the street is an elderly man carrying a 12 pack of cool beers. Also walking north on the opposite side is a worker from the adjacent factory, heading to his parking lot. Driving north on Timmins is a Beer Store truck carrying refreshments to a tavern on the other side of town. Across the roadway, walking south on Timmins is a woman pushing a baby carriage, perhaps headed for the beach. Also going south but on the other side of Timmins Street is an unemployed person looking for a job at the factory. Coming down the grade is a City truck carrying three workers who are returning to the shop for a shovel or some other piece of equipment.

Meanwhile on Main Street, a young man is pushing his bicycle with a flat tire along the sidewalk, heading west. Across the street from him in front of the Beer Store is a lady, also going west, with a walker, out for her afternoon exercise. Approaching on the roadway is an old half-ton truck with a green canoe on top, one that looks like my neighbour’s, but is not because there is no duct tape on it. Coming east on Main is a worker from the factory who is heading for the Beer Store after his shift while on the opposite sidewalk is postal delivery person making house-to-house deliveries ( you can see this is a fantasy). Driving east on Main is a shiny new red convertible, a tourist from Toronto.

All four vehicles and eight pedestrians arrive at their respective stop signs at precisely the same instant. All stop. Who has the right of way? The pedestrian on the right or the vehicle on the right? Ah, behold the perfect 4-way stop storm.

Unjust as it may seem, the vehicles have precedence if a pedestrian has not already begun to cross. A pedestrian may only proceed if the way is clear and any oncoming traffic is able to stop or in other words, if it is safe to cross. In our perfect storm, none may cross or move until someone determines who is on the right. In the real world several of the above players would likely be checking their mobile device doing a Google of the Ontario Rules of the Road at 4-way Stops. In my imaginary world, the fellow with the 12 pack would step into the intersection, open his box of brews and offer everyone a cool beer.

The next time you are sitting, idling, polluting, at a 4-way stop remember – it could be worse. There could actually be another car at the intersection.

 




Bill Walton

About the Author: Bill Walton

Retired from City of North Bay in 2000. Writer, poet, columnist
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