An ode to four-way stop signs.

If street signs could speak their political affiliations, four-way stop signs would be the leaders of socialist party. They eliminate any sense of hierarchy and dominance. Your street is no more important than my street, we may all be somewhat less efficient, but at least we are all equal,  we all must come to a complete stop.

Four-way stop signs create a positive human connection where few others exist.  At  other times on the road, eye contact is interpreted as…

Sleazy and Invasive: "Hey…Check you out, sweet thang."

Judgmental: "That is not someone who should be drinking a 64 oz Slurpy."

Apologetic:  "Oh! Did I just cut you off? My B."

Competitive:  "When that light turns green, my beamer is SO gonna kick your honda's ass, vroom. vroom."

At the four-way intersection though, eye contact is cordial, often accompanied by a smile; it's a conversation:

"You go."

"No, you, really, go ahead."

"No it's ok! See that pedestrian approaching?  I'm going to wait here and let him cross so everyone here knows that as someone who powers her transportation with metal and fuel, I understand that I am morally inferior to he who transports himself via his own physical exertion. So really, since your coast is clear, go right ahead."

"Fair enough, thank you. It was nice chatting (with our eyes).  Have a lovely day!"

And finally, four-way stop signs introduce a potential  for beauty and symmetry in the paths of the moving cars.  Consider the following three success states of the four-way intersection:

1)  When every car, coming from every direction , is headed straight, a certain rhythm can be achieved. North/South. East/West. North/South. East/West.  Up/down. Left/Right. Top/Bottom Side/Side. Longitude Latitude. Horizontal. Vertical.  Waves lapping.  Armies marching. Cowboys dancing.  It's electric. Boogie woogie woogie.

2)  When opposite-facing cars both  turn left, score two  for the underdogs.  "Yes!"  They shout in unison. "Without anyone heading straight (as are our typical legal oppressors) we're  free to make these turns just as soon as we've come to a complete stop. And while such victory alone tastes sweet, it's made that much sweeter by the fact that you, oncoming stranger, are experiencing the same rare glory." 

3) Yatzee! Four cars, all turning right. It's like a black jack dealer sitting in the middle of the intersection just dealt himself twenty-two. We all played, we all won, and the subtle but important corollary: no one lost.  Not even the dealer who sits in the center totally unscathed, because what initially appeared to be two crossing paths, is actually, to four right-turning vehicles, the sweet European kiss-on-the-cheek of four distinct tangential lines.