Life A question about traffic flow and pedestrians. - Page 3

**Rain Man** · 01-25-2010, 11:35 AM

Hypothetical:

Person A is a pedestrian walking to a small intersection that has a 4-way stop sign. Assume that Person A is on the southwest corner of the intersection and wishes to cross the street to the southeast corner. Person A is wearing Nike crosstraining shoes, tastefully faded jeans, and a t-shirt with a picture of former major league baseball player Ted Williams, with the logo "Ahead in the count, a head in the fridge."

Person B is in a vehicle approaching the same intersection. Person B is arriving from the north and wishes to go straight through the intersection to the south. Person B is driving a 2009 Ford Edge (SE model, Red Candy Metallic Tint Clearcoat exterior, Medium Light Stone interior, with optional grill inserts and chrome door handles).

Person B reaches the intersection and stops, making a full stop where the vehicle settles back. At this point, Person A is six feet from reaching the corner and walking steadily toward it.

If both people proceed, Person B will kill Person A and will damage the optional grill inserts on the Ford Edge, so neither person wants this to happen. Both are also law-abiding citizens who sincerely like to treat other people well unless those people are ugly, in which case they get what they deserve. Neither person views the other person as ugly, though at the same time neither person has a desire to see the other person dancing naked in front of a romantic fire.

In this situation, who has the right of way? Who should wait for the other to proceed through the intersection?

As a disclaimer, I am neither person in this situation. I'm just not sure who really should wait for the other person, and whether I'm doing the right thing in this situation. I have a policy and practice in place, but I want to see if others agree or disagree.

Jilly · 01-25-2010, 03:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stewie

Since the pedestrian is on the south side of the intersection I'd let him/her go first. Kind of the same reasoning that the driver to your right proceeds first when you approach an intersection at the same time. They get out of your way faster than you can get out of their way.

so logical.

Stewie · 01-25-2010, 03:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jilly

so logical.

I'm an injuneer.

Jilly · 01-25-2010, 03:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stewie

I'm an injuneer.

apparently not of spelling

ClevelandBronco · 01-25-2010, 03:39 PM

Window tinting and light reflections on Person B's windshield can further complicate this scenario.

In the case of extreme window tinting and/or solar anomalies, Person B should have driven his apricot BMW instead of choosing to walk. Had he done that he would have passed the intersection long before this event could have become the subject of our discussion today.

38yrsfan · 01-25-2010, 04:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stewie

I'm an injuneer.

Do you have to wear the hat when you blow the whistle?

Hydrae · 01-25-2010, 04:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stewie

I'm an injuneer.

PC ALERT!!!

That would be Native Americaneer.

Jilly · 01-25-2010, 04:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 38yrsfan

Do you have to wear the hat when you blow the whistle?

please God, let the answer be yes.

**Rain Man** · 01-25-2010, 05:19 PM

Here's the problem. Right now, 2/3 of people think Person A has the right of way, and 1/3 of people think Person B has the right of way. If my math is right, then that means there's only a 56 percent chance that two random people will be on the same page if they encounter each other in this situation. 56 percent means chaos.

View Poll Results: Who is the right of way in the situation below?
Person A (the walker)	16	48.48%
Person B (the driver)	9	27.27%
It depends on other factors not described in the scenario.	2	6.06%
Kill them all.	5	15.15%
I honestly have no idea.	1	3.03%
Voters: 33. You may not vote on this poll

01-25-2010, 11:35 AM
Rain Man NFL's #1 Ermines Fan Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: My house Casino cash: $2758491 VARSITY	A question about traffic flow and pedestrians. Hypothetical: Person A is a pedestrian walking to a small intersection that has a 4-way stop sign. Assume that Person A is on the southwest corner of the intersection and wishes to cross the street to the southeast corner. Person A is wearing Nike crosstraining shoes, tastefully faded jeans, and a t-shirt with a picture of former major league baseball player Ted Williams, with the logo "Ahead in the count, a head in the fridge." Person B is in a vehicle approaching the same intersection. Person B is arriving from the north and wishes to go straight through the intersection to the south. Person B is driving a 2009 Ford Edge (SE model, Red Candy Metallic Tint Clearcoat exterior, Medium Light Stone interior, with optional grill inserts and chrome door handles). Person B reaches the intersection and stops, making a full stop where the vehicle settles back. At this point, Person A is six feet from reaching the corner and walking steadily toward it. If both people proceed, Person B will kill Person A and will damage the optional grill inserts on the Ford Edge, so neither person wants this to happen. Both are also law-abiding citizens who sincerely like to treat other people well unless those people are ugly, in which case they get what they deserve. Neither person views the other person as ugly, though at the same time neither person has a desire to see the other person dancing naked in front of a romantic fire. In this situation, who has the right of way? Who should wait for the other to proceed through the intersection? As a disclaimer, I am neither person in this situation. I'm just not sure who really should wait for the other person, and whether I'm doing the right thing in this situation. I have a policy and practice in place, but I want to see if others agree or disagree.
Posts: 141,873

01-25-2010, 03:39 PM	#34
ClevelandBronco I'm with the banned. Join Date: Sep 2006 Casino cash: $5658955	Window tinting and light reflections on Person B's windshield can further complicate this scenario. In the case of extreme window tinting and/or solar anomalies, Person B should have driven his apricot BMW instead of choosing to walk. Had he done that he would have passed the intersection long before this event could have become the subject of our discussion today.
Posts: 28,113

01-25-2010, 05:19 PM	#38
Rain Man NFL's #1 Ermines Fan Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: My house Casino cash: $2758491 VARSITY	Here's the problem. Right now, 2/3 of people think Person A has the right of way, and 1/3 of people think Person B has the right of way. If my math is right, then that means there's only a 56 percent chance that two random people will be on the same page if they encounter each other in this situation. 56 percent means chaos. __________________ I'm putting random letters here as a celebration of free speech: xigrakgrah misorojeq rkemeseit.
Posts: 141,873