What’s the common courtesy when driving through 4-way stop signs in Taiwan? I know what’s legal, but I’m asking what people actually do.
They don’t seem to stop and take turns like they do back home. They also don’t seem to just “wing it”. There seems to be a common unwritten rule that people follow, but I haven’t figured it out yet.
Can anyone enlighten me? I don’t plan to get on the road until I have it figured out.
What is this “stop” sign you mentioned?
Guy
Personally in all my years in Taiwan it seems like they just wing it and drive full blast through not even thinking if someone is coming the other way
There is a video I saw last week where three people went through at the same time and everyone got smoked.
Not all of them necessarily have posted signs, but have 停 painted on the road.
Those decorations on the road are for reference.
Unless a cop is right there. Then definitely stop!
Guy
I would understand if everyone on all sides just went straight through, but that wasn’t the case tonight.
I was on a scooter as a passenger when my rider stopped, as did everyone else going in the same direction, but everyone in the cross street just rode straight through the intersection at full speed.
Is there a rhyme or reason why everyone around me knew they had to stop, but everyone going the other direction didn’t? That can’t be coincidence, right?
The streets were the same width, and had 停 clearly painted at all four sides of the intersection.
Did they have a single coloured light over them?
People yield to the larger road or coast through carefully if they are the same.
Nope. Just a normal four-way stop at a small intersection. Both were single-lane roads.
can you grab a screenshot of the intersection from google maps?
Yup. I believe it was this intersection. Could have been a couple of blocks down, but essentially the same. Here are all 4 sides of intersection, starting from where we were, then clockwise.
We approached the intersection in Pic 1 and stopped (as did everyone else next to us and behind us). But nobody riding between Pic 2 and Pic 3 stopped.
I know this street and that area, the general rule is slow down and have a look, if you see some one already waiting in your lane then its not safe so you stop too. if some one is crossing its safe to overtake them on the crossing.
If no one is in front of you on your approach you stop and check or take your chance, but if you didn’t stop and you hit some one its your fault.
So the “one vehicle goes per stop” rule isn’t followed then? That’s so weird to me because this rule seems to be followed by cars with no issue at all, just not scooters. (Cars don’t necessarily come to a complete stop, but they at least know to take turns.)
Not always, sometimes you will end up waiting as a line of cars go through. I tell you from experience of driving a car, a scooter and a motorcycle along that exact street many times. (its odd you choose that road)
I’ve always thought the stop lines are weird here. People just drive right through, even tight streets where you can’t see if anyone is coming.
I do sometimes see people using them correctly.
But seems to me you can basically just slow down, look, and go. I generally don’t slow down that much cause they’d have to be pretty close to him me while I’m passing through
Oh damn. Luckily I’ve only experienced that once, and it was in Kenting near the ferry. We were trying to catch our ferry too so it was super annoying. Finally we just forced our way through the intersection while holding down the horn. People didn’t like that, even though we were already waiting at the intersection 5 minutes before they even arrived.
Why is it odd? It’s the shortest and most direct road from my house to Pier 2. If I’m on a YouBike I’d just take the bike path/light rail tracks, but that’s off limits to scooters. So instead we take the next road after the bike path, which is that road.
Ok, so let me see if I understand you correctly. So essentially:
Rule 1: If you can use other riders as human shields through the intersection, even when it’s not your turn to go, just join them.
Rule 2: If there is nobody to use as a human shield, then you best stop and check.
Rule 3: If somebody else has already stopped to check, then that means there are no human shields for you to use up ahead. Best to join them and stop too.
Rule 4: If there are a bunch of riders not letting you take your turn, you just suck it up and wait until they’re all gone. Even if they’re breaking the law and you’re in a hurry to catch your ferry.
Rule 5: Make sure that no one hits you from behind because they are not expecting you to stop at the intersection.
Oh dear. This just takes riding in Taiwan to a whole new level.
Ok I think I’ll just stick to YouBikes and the MRT.
Thanks.
I rented studio space on that street for a couple of years, so random i reply to a post not even knowing what city your in and that street pops up.
Ah I see. Yeah that is super odd! I just figured you only knew that area because it’s right at Pier 2.
I almost rented a co-working space on that road too, but ended up deciding to just work from home.
