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Why are Stop Lines (in the US, at least) often set too far back to see any crossing traffic? (sub.wetshaving.social)

submitted 6 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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I've seen them called "Stop Lines", "Balk Line", etc. The thick line painted on the road at a Stop Sign.

You're supposed to stop before the line, but a lot of the time there's a bush or other obstruction so you can't see any crossing traffic. You have to creep forward until you can see anything.

Is there a reason for this? Is it done on purpose? It makes sense if there's a crosswalk or something, but I see it a lot where there shouldn't be any pedestrian activity.

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[–] [email protected] 3 points 6 months ago

This answer is spot on. I know this varies by state but in my state every intersection is legally a crosswalk, regardless of markings, and drivers are required to stop at them and yield right of way to pedestrians. This applies whether the pedestrians are in the crosswalk or appear to be attempting to enter the crosswalk. The area legally designated as crosswalk is the space between the stop sign and the road, and in the vast majority of cases in suburban areas is unmarked. There is no way in most of these that a driver will be able to see pedestrians or cyclists coming, especially from the right, unless they stop at that stop sign. The correct procedure is to stop at the sign, determine that the pedestrian way is clear, and then pull forward to the road. There's almost 1 pedestrian death an hour in the US and most of these deaths are avoidable from the driver's point of view just by following this and other legally mandated procedures.