It would be unsafe to speed through stop signs or stop lights without making sure the path is clear. I have not seen anybody mention doing that. What I sometimes do is roll through a stop sign when turning right onto another road. I only do this when I have good visibility of traffic on the road that I am turning onto. We are not talking about high speeds here. We are talking about a speed where I could easily and very quickly come to a stop if needed. When there is a car coming, I come to a stop. When I see that the path is clear, I could stop and restart. However, I do not see the need in wasting the gas. I see nothing unsafe about this.

 

Yes, I roll (after slowing to 2 -5 mph)... IF I know the intersection and I have visibility to know that it's completely empty and safe.

Interestingly enough, though I used to speed quite regularly in my prior car (an SUV), but I always COMPLETELY stopped at signs. The HCHII is a healthy trade-off for me. Now that my speed is down, I comply with the law a far greater percentage of the time that I'm behind the wheel!

 

I have a few times, at a very slow speed, just because I'm trying to keep the FE up. But I have decided that it just isn't worth the potential ticket. I've managed to go almost 26 yrs since my last ticket which was for rolling thru a stop sign.

I figure I am less likely to be pulled over for a minor infraction if I perform the little things like a full stop, signalling all turns and lane changes - even if there is no one around or if I'm in a parking lot, all the time. I'd rather have the habit of doing it automatically than have an over-zealous officer pull me over.

Mike

 

I definitely stop. Always at a stop sign, and when necessary at a yield.

Like some have very wisely stated, this is part of a considerate and law abiding protocol. One that was not deemed as option when we got our drivers permit. Right?

If that is the case, then why even consider an alternate set of procedures that constitute a breach of this protocol. I can just imagine how much more unsafe our skies would be if civilian pilots were allowed to breach protocol as often as us drivers do. It just boggles my mind.

Cheers;

MSantos

 

Right. It's a legal thing, it's a courtesy thing. I'd also like to emphasize: Violations of traffic laws ARE safety issues.

I'm not saying there aren't many instances in which someone who breaks a traffic law isn't going to be safe, or even instances in which breaking that traffic law can't be accomplished in a safe way (as, for instance, perhaps when you are completely alone on the road, have fantastic sight lines in every direction, and are going quite slowly as you break said traffic law).

I'm just saying that there is a very close correlation between following traffic laws and driving safely- most unsafe driving is also illegal, and most illegal driving is also unsafe. There are reasons, very serious reasons, for traffic laws. I probably don't need to remind anyone of the potential consequences, both in terms of being ticketed and in terms of causing accidents, damage, and injury.

But rolling through stop signs would not be at the top of my list of unsafe driving techniques in common practice, (so many other practices, especially speeding, cause so much more destruction) so I'll get off my soap box now.