2-way-stop sign. Who has right-of-way?

purplecrayon

I keep getting differing answers so I'm asking you knowledgeable girls.

Here's the traffic scenario:

- Car #1 is at a 2-way stop waiting to turn left (east).

- Car #2 approaches the 2-way stop next & is turning right (east).

- Car #3 is driving east through the intersection.

- Once Car #3 clears through the intersection, who turns first?  Car #1 or #2?

Here's a diagram if that description isn't clear.

 

MrsKizdoodle

Lovely diagram!  It feels like being in driver's ed all over again.  :-)

In this case I think the car that stopped first should go first.  Maybe?  Hmmm.  This feels like a test!  Too much pressure!  I don't know!

*deep breath*

 

MinnaB

Car 1

wittyschaffy

The thing I remember most from driver's ed is that if you're turning left, you always give up the right of way unless you have a green arrow controlled signal.  So I vote that the car turning right goes first.  I could be wrong though - drivers ed was a very long time ago.

Lauree1183

Honestly, if I were car #2, I would have gone first in this situation, just because the time it takes car #1 to cross the intersection would be enough time for car #2 to squeeze in there. 

I also like your diagram, very nice job!

GermanGirl2007

I would think that this is a case in which car 1 would go first since it was at the stop sign first. If it is a green light scenario, then the car turning right would always go first. I feel like this is the only circumstance under which the car turning left would go first. I feel like I am pretty traffic-law savvy, but I could be totally wrong.

thedutchgirl

Car 1 has the right-of-way.  Many people are dumb and don't know this, though, so be careful whenever you are in car 1's situation.  If car 2 did NOT have to stop, then car 2 has the right-of-way, but when both cars must stop, and car 1 arrived first, then car 1 has the right-of-way.

brifox711

I agree that car 1 has the right-of-way.

andrea42608

Car 1.

Car 2 (because it is turning right) would only have the right of way if both cars stopped at the same time or it reached the stop sign first.

pattymctatty

Car #1 - it got to the intersection first. 

MelindaMG

My normal answer would be # 1.  Since moving to Minnesota my answer would be neither.  Both cars would sit there for eternity because they were trying to be polite.

mrs.raz

#1 according to a Dakota County Sheriff.

We deal with this on almost a daily basis by our house.  I called out of curiosity because I was getting so frustrated.  At least now when I get flipped off for pulling out I know I am not in the wrong.

My other frustration at that same intersection is when someone pulls up to the right of me to make a right hand turn.  Thanks dumb***, I now can't see the traffic coming so I can't tell if I can pull out or not.  This is usually when car #2 would pull up and go in front of me as soon as traffic opens up. 

ElizabethD

Car #1 because they got their first.If they got there at the SAME TIME, I think car #2 logically goes due to the speed of turning.

destination09

MelindaMG:

My normal answer would be # 1.  Since moving to Minnesota my answer would be neither.  Both cars would sit there for eternity because they were trying to be polite.

This made me LOL, but I agree car 1 goes first

ejpumpkin

Car #2

It doesn't matter in this scenario who got to the stop sign first. Car #2 has the right of way. I can't stand when car #1 goes first - this is abasic driver's ed question IMO. I swear people only remember hearing the info of "who got to the stop sign first gets the right of way" and think that applies in ALL cases.............it doesn't! Plus, if you actually think about it - why would the car turning into and crossing an intersection have the right of way? That's very unsafe and there's a reason why it doesn't (have the right of way).

thedutchgirl

ejpumpkin:

Car #2

It doesn't matter in this scenario who got to the stop sign first. Car #2 has the right of way. I can't stand when car #1 goes first - this is abasic driver's ed question IMO. I swear people only remember hearing the info of "who got to the stop sign first gets the right of way" and think that applies in ALL cases.............it doesn't! Plus, if you actually think about it - why would the car turning into and crossing an intersection have the right of way? That's very unsafe and there's a reason why it doesn't (have the right of way).

With all due respect, I think you are wrong, and apparently so does the Dakota County Sheriff's Office.   

MinnaB

ejpumpkin:

Car #2

It doesn't matter in this scenario who got to the stop sign first. Car #2 has the right of way. I can't stand when car #1 goes first - this is abasic driver's ed question IMO. I swear people only remember hearing the info of "who got to the stop sign first gets the right of way" and think that applies in ALL cases.............it doesn't! Plus, if you actually think about it - why would the car turning into and crossing an intersection have the right of way? That's very unsafe and there's a reason why it doesn't (have the right of way).

The reason that people remember that the car that stops first gets the right of way is because that is the law.

andrea42608

ejpumpkin:

Car #2

It doesn't matter in this scenario who got to the stop sign first. Car #2 has the right of way. I can't stand when car #1 goes first - this is abasic driver's ed question IMO. I swear people only remember hearing the info of "who got to the stop sign first gets the right of way" and think that applies in ALL cases.............it doesn't! Plus, if you actually think about it - why would the car turning into and crossing an intersection have the right of way? That's very unsafe and there's a reason why it doesn't (have the right of way).

So, say there is a line of cars behind #2, all of which are also turning right; car #1 has to wait for all of those cars to turn right before it can go?  Doesn't make sense.  In your scenario, Car #1 could be stuck there for an eternity. 

 It goes by who gets there first.  Direction is a tie breaker.

ilovebijou

MelindaMG:

My normal answer would be # 1.  Since moving to Minnesota my answer would be neither.  Both cars would sit there for eternity because they were trying to be polite.

JosiePosy

MelindaMG:

My normal answer would be # 1.  Since moving to Minnesota my answer would be neither.  Both cars would sit there for eternity because they were trying to be polite.

See now in my experience since moving here, both cars would try to go first and someone would get a dirty look and/or the finger.

megandscott07

The law is here but I can't figure out what the answer is still?

https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/?id=169.20

thedutchgirl

Megan, I read the law, and although it isn't crystal clear, I think the regular rule of a stop sign applies--whomever arrives first.  It addresses directly a left turn when the other car has the right-of-way, for instance at a green light, but the traditional rule of a stop sign applies here.

BehavedYup

I am here ever-so-late to clear this up for you guys. Some of my driving students parents were giving my children wrong answers on this one, and I didn't realize how many grown adults don't know the right-of-way laws.
First, car #2 would have the right of way.
I think a commenter at the top might have said it, if you are turning left, you always yield.
Some of my students have their minds set on "Whoever gets there first had the right of way" like some of you do. That is the law... But only when all directions of traffic are stopped. Just imagine that the "whoever turns left yields" rule trumps "whoever get there first had the right of way" -- which it does.

To clear up more confusion, if there was a line of cars turning right behind car 2, Car 1 would not be stuck there forever, because each car behind car 2 would have to pull up to the line and stop, giving car 1 the right of way between the time when car 2 turns and the car behind it comes to a complete stop.

Just to summarize, LEFT ALWAYS YEILDS. I would still be careful because as you can see, many people if they were in car 1 would think they have the right of way. It is stated very clearly in the law posted a few comments up, although unless you are a politician, driving instructor, or cop, it is understandable for you to not understand the type of language it is written in.

Lastly, I will be making a call to the Dakota County Sheriff's Office, just to ensure that what you were told was a miscommunication and that we do not have sheriffs telling citizens incorrect driving laws.

Have a good day everyone! Be safe out there! And if you have any questions feel free to ask!

cjMinnesota

BehavedYup says:

"To clear up more confusion, if there was a line of cars turning right behind car 2, Car 1 would not be stuck there forever, because each car behind car 2 would have to pull up to the line and stop, giving car 1 the right of way between the time when car 2 turns and the car behind it comes to a complete stop. "

When CAR #3 comes up to the stop sign, and STOPS, just as CAR #2 did, with CAR #1 still stopped across the way, how is this ANY different?  Why suddenly is CAR #1 being yielded the right of way by CAR #3, when you just argued that CAR #2 is yielded the right of way by CAR #1 in the EXACT same scenario?  Is this the difficult type of language you are referring to?  How do you reconcile this inconsistency?  So, this absolutely doesn't clear it up at all!