Those ain't real stop signs

[DARISC]

"California stop" is the vernacular for not coming to a complete stop here - and "complete" means yer wheels gotta be at zeeero rpm! Some cops are sticklers on picking people off on this. My gf got ticketed in Costa Mesa a few years back - cost her more than $300. Just last week a friend got ticketed in San Marcos - $215.

[gprsh924]

My opinion is that while driving I should do everything possible to move as quickly as possible without impeding anyone's progress. If I roll up to a 4way stop and there is no traffic present, I will look carefully as I near the stop line for both other cars who may decide to blow the stop sign as well as cops. Seeing none of these things, I will generally roll through the stop sign at 5mph or slower. But there is zero chance I am stopping all the way. Zero.

Similarly, let's assume I am in a line of cars approaching a stop sign. As move forward towards the stop line in the 2nd position, the car in front of me has the right away and will be proceeding through the intersection. I would then be next in the queue, simply waiting for my turn in the rotation. If there were no other cars present, or the cars we moving in such a way that my movement would not impede their progress, then I will be following that previous car in my lane right on through the intersection (again assuming no police presence). I have know sped up traffic and helped to ease congestion at the intersection.

It is likely that some here will disagree with this driving style, but in 6 yrs of driving I have no accidents and only 2 speeding tickets. I have no stop sign, red light, or what I would consider to be more serious offenses. But I drive vigilantly looking for dangers.

[mossguy]

Six whole years! Imagine!

[masraum]

I pretty religiously stop for stop-signs/lights on public streets. In college, I went for a late night McDonalds run at 3am. I stopped at a light, sat and waited, backed up a bit and moved back up to the light, did that procedure again, and then a third time. The third time, because there were no cars for a long direction (one set of headlights WAY down the road), I went. I was over a mile into campus going 35 when a cop came up behind me at what seemed like 90. He swore that I never even slowed down and just blew through the light. I tried to explain, but he'd have none of it. Even asked me if I'd been "smoking something". I didn't drink or smoke (anything).

[mossguy]

Originally Posted by mossguy

Six whole years! Imagine!

I take it back. In your age group that is a pretty good record!

Best,
Tom

[DARISC]

Originally Posted by mossguy

Six whole years! Imagine!

Ah, but, he does "everything possible to move as quickly as possible", so that six years could actually be the equivalent of an average, stodgy driver's, ohhh...7 or 8 years?

[gprsh924]

I should add the caveat within reason. And the wording should probably be changed to move as efficiently as possible, not necessarily as quickly as possible.

Many on here I have talked about how many cars they wrecked between 16-22. I haven't even had what I would consider to be to close a call, with the exception of when someone else has blatantly disobeyed some traffic law. In those instances, my speed has been at a reasonable pace so that I have been able to avoid the accident. Also, I do some cruising on the highway, but I almost never drive more than 5-7mph over the speed limit on surface streets. And on roads with limits 35mph and below that number is more like 2-3.