Most weekdays see me ride my bike home from work. And the lovely and talented Michelle Burtnyk-Horn rides to and from work every day. Recently, we had a chat about similar problems that we were having with drivers at four-way-stops.Long story short, many of you drivers – most, I would argue – are being too nice and needlessly accommodating to cyclists. You stop, wait and wave us through intersections when it is not our turn to proceed.

This over-accommodating behaviour is dangerous.

Through the power of MS Paint I have constructed four graphic renditions of common cyclist-motorist issues that arise at four-way stops.

Scenario 1 – The Setting

This is a standard 4 Way Stop, much like the ones that dot the 10th Avenue bike-friendly street in Vancouver.

Problem: motorists do not go through a 4 Way Stop instersection when they’re supposed to, which is dangerous.

Solution: obey traffic laws, especially if cyclists do not!

Scenario 2 – Fake Go, then Stop!

Problem: The motorist arrives at the intersection first. Out of the corner of their eye – or because of sweet safe-driving-skills – they notice an approaching cyclist. The motorist moves forward and then stops. And then lurches. And then stops. Nobody knows what to do.

Solution: When it’s your turn to move through the intersection, please move through. Trust that cyclists will stop at stop signs. Because we will. Those are the rules.

Scenario 3 – Left Turn FAIL!

Problem: a cyclist signals a left-hand turn through a four-way stop – or a two-way stop; similarly to when a car begins moving forward after the vehicle opposite of it begins moving through the intersection, the cyclist above pedals forward with left arm perpendicular to body, signalling a turn. The thing is that the motorist opposite of the cyclist stops, which probably isn’t what they would do for a car signalling a left turn.

Solution: when it’s your turn you proceed through the intersection, good sir/madam.

Scenario 4 – Total Stop-Start Disaster!

Problem: a cyclist approaches an intersection where three cars are waiting; they all take notice of the cyclist – who is, incidentally, nowhere near the intersection – and all lurch, stop, lurch, hesitate, move, stop, and stop some more because, for some reason, the motorists think that the cyclist is just going to power through the intersection.

Solution: business as usual; whoever gets to the intersection first goes first. If there’s a tie, then the honour goes to the motorist on the right, etc.

Conclusion

Here’s the deal. Riding a bike has a lot to do with momentum. It’s way harder for a bicycle to get going than it is for a car. You know, on account of all the delicious oil cars use to go faster. For this reason, cyclists will slow down when approaching 4 Way Stop intersections while maintaining forward movement in order to time their passage in a way that syncs with the regular order of how things move through the intersection – you know, the way cars always do it. Motorists, do not be scared or apprehensive of such two-wheel, rolling timeliness. And remember that bicycles are vehicles, too. For when you stop and start and wave cyclists through when it’s not their turn to go through a 4 Way Stop – well – this makes things more dangerous for everyone.

As with toddlers, cyclists love boundaries. Please, drivers, be sure to give your road-sharing neighbours appropriate ones.