I can't be certain that it applies to ALL states, but in Colorado, CDOT takes their instruction from the MANUAL ON UNIFORM TRAFFIC CONTROL DEVICES published by the U.S. Department of Transportation. That said, I believe all states do. In that manual, a distinction is made between a sign and a signal, therefore blocking an intersection with a SIGNAL is illegal for what should be an obvious reason whereas blocking an intersection with a SIGN isn't for what should be equally obvious reasons. If you are in an intersection with a SIGNAL, and the light changes to red for your direction of travel, you have nowhere to go, and you are now blocking traffic flow from the perpendicular direction of travel. If you are in an intersection with a SIGN, there is no light to change, and the perpendicular traffic sitting at one or two stop signs MUST wait until it is safe to cross. A reasonably intelligent person would understand that to not block an intersection with a sign creates an incentive for perpendicular traffic to cross most often when they can't see what's coming. This is true if it's two lanes or four. RUclips is filled with video of drivers that don't block a intersection with a sign (be it out of courtesy or some mistaken understanding of the law) thus encouraging a driver waiting to cross to proceed, at which point that driver lack which could not see what was coming collides with another driver.
@@sudonymh I don't know why but I did not see a notification in regard to your reply so I apologise for this extremely late reply! As I'm from Australia the rules may be different but from what you have said, they are practically the same. However, here in Victoria, Australia - Road Rule 128 states "A driver must not enter an intersection if the driver cannot drive through the intersection because the intersection, or a road beyond the intersection, is blocked." So, in accordance with Road Rule 128 where I am from, that would apply to any intersection, with signals or signs. Of course, as you said - with a sign, a driver waiting would proceed and potentially collide with another driver. But, that is their responsibility to give way and proceed with caution. We are obeying one road rule and they are obeying another road rule...
Is blocking an intersection illegal?
I can't be certain that it applies to ALL states, but in Colorado, CDOT takes their instruction from the MANUAL ON UNIFORM TRAFFIC CONTROL DEVICES published by the U.S. Department of Transportation. That said, I believe all states do.
In that manual, a distinction is made between a sign and a signal, therefore blocking an intersection with a SIGNAL is illegal for what should be an obvious reason whereas blocking an intersection with a SIGN isn't for what should be equally obvious reasons.
If you are in an intersection with a SIGNAL, and the light changes to red for your direction of travel, you have nowhere to go, and you are now blocking traffic flow from the perpendicular direction of travel.
If you are in an intersection with a SIGN, there is no light to change, and the perpendicular traffic sitting at one or two stop signs MUST wait until it is safe to cross.
A reasonably intelligent person would understand that to not block an intersection with a sign creates an incentive for perpendicular traffic to cross most often when they can't see what's coming. This is true if it's two lanes or four.
RUclips is filled with video of drivers that don't block a intersection with a sign (be it out of courtesy or some mistaken understanding of the law) thus encouraging a driver waiting to cross to proceed, at which point that driver lack which could not see what was coming collides with another driver.
@@sudonymh I don't know why but I did not see a notification in regard to your reply so I apologise for this extremely late reply! As I'm from Australia the rules may be different but from what you have said, they are practically the same. However, here in Victoria, Australia - Road Rule 128 states "A driver must not enter an intersection if the
driver cannot drive through the intersection because the intersection, or a road beyond the intersection, is blocked."
So, in accordance with Road Rule 128 where I am from, that would apply to any intersection, with signals or signs. Of course, as you said - with a sign, a driver waiting would proceed and potentially collide with another driver. But, that is their responsibility to give way and proceed with caution. We are obeying one road rule and they are obeying another road rule...