Yes, productivity extends to driving!
At some point in the last few years — which I am reluctant to admit! — I forgot the protocol on what to do if you arrive at a 4-way stop at the same time as another vehicle. The result was a few occasions of awkward confusion for all drivers at hand. So I finally decided to look this up in my MN Driver’s Manual.
Here’s the protocol:
- If each car arrived at a different time, then they leave in the order in which they arrived. To repeat: Leave in the order in which you got there.
- If two vehicles arrive at the same time, the driver on the left defers to the driver on the right. In other words: The driver on the right goes first.
- If two vehicles arrive at the same time and one of them is signaling a turn across the path of the other, then the one who is not turning has right of way.
- If you had to wait in a line at the intersection to get to the stop sign, this does not change anything. Each car stops and then follows the above rules as if no one else had been in line before him. (In other words, you can’t conclude that you were there before the person at the other intersection just because the car in front of you was there before him or her.)
- If you are at a T-intersection with a 3-way stop, the vehicle that does not have to turn has right of way.
Also of note: Stop lights that are blinking red or not working at all should be treated as 4-way stops.
Finally, here’s another summary at E-How, and then a humorous one which came up at the top of the results when I just now googled this.