Right of way in texas?

Question

Okay so yesterday I was in an accident, i pulled up at a stop SIGN on the left turning lane. First thing i do is check directly across cause to me who ever is at the stop SIGN first goes. well there was no car there when i made my stop so i turn to my right as im waiting for the first lane to clear (four lanes of traffic coming from my right to left) after waiting there for a brief moment it finally gets cleared i start to make my turn then all of a sudden poof! there goes my air bag i just realized i was in an accident. well apparently they were directly across trying to make it to my side I hit the side of their vehicle not too much damage tho but still. no tickets. but i got my police report today and it stated that i failed to yield and really that was the key info. so here im upset cause im like hey but i was at the stop FIRST and i can prove that through a witness. i only have liable so i really need them to pay for my vehicle. and another thing someone told me is that when turning left onto a one way that person has the right of way to go because i only have to turn onto the first lane and they have to cross all the traffic which makes sense. is this true? if so is there an article in the texas hand book of both the person who gets there first and the one way turn? i need at least one to make my case. OR am i completely wrong and even if there were a row of cars going straight i have to let every single one go before i can make my turn which doesnt make sense at all. i know i should have looked around before i went but my head is fully turned to the right and traffic is coming so fast i have to squeeze in. i know its a lot to read but im just hoping theres a loop hole here some where cause i feel i was in the right even tho it may not look that way cause technically i hit them.

Cập nhật:

its just a 2 way stop pretty self explanatory if theres one way traffic coming from my east to west shes at a stop im at a stop. shes going south my direction and im going west with traffic flow.

Debbie Queen of All ♥ · Accepted Answer

Basically with that police report, there's not a whole lot you can do.  You didn't say if it was only a one way stop, two ways or all four ways stop.  In a perfect world, yes, the first one there goes.  That's not usually how it works in the real world.  And if it was a four way stop and you had four lanes coming at you, you would really need to wait for all four of those cars to go before you should even think about it.  I would avoid that intersection like the plague.  Sorry this happened to you.

Obi Wan Knievel · Answer

You're going to have a really rough time proving this was the other vehicle's fault.  In fact it might even be impossible.  

The stop sign rules in Texas are the same just about everywhere in the US and Canada.  And there are a couple of 'loop holes' involved, but you're not going to like them very much.  The who-got-there first rule does apply, but only when the intersection is clear of unimpeded cross traffic.  I'll explain.

If you and I meet up across from each other (just like your scenario), with me going straight through and you turning left AND there's no cross traffic (unimpeded means we have stop signs and they don't), then you have right of way because you got there and stopped first.  You have right of way because you're stopped and clear to proceed, then you proceed through the intersection, but I'm still stopping.

But if you throw cross traffic into the mix, now our stop sign becomes a red light.  Once the cross traffic is clear, we're both entering the intersection at the same time.  Now I have right of way because I'm going straight, and you have to wait (and yield) because you're turning left.  The fact that one of us stopped first becomes a non-issue, because we both had to wait for the cross traffic to clear.  

That's why the report said you failed to yield, and that's why you're going to have hell's own time having the decision reversed.

StephenWeinstein · Answer

You are completely wrong.

The "whomever is at the stop sign first" rule is only if they are both going straight, or one is turning right and one is going straight.

No one turning left at a stop sign ever has the right of way (except police cars, fire engines, ambulances, etc.), under any combination of circumstances or arrival sequences.

Whenever you are turning left, with or without a stop sign, you must wait for all the cars going straight, even if it takes 3 or 4 hours.

? · Answer

RULE OF THUMB - making a left turn is at the bottom, all other cars have the right of way. You can compete your turn only when it is absolutely clear. I have won both my law suits involving left turns. Every time, the person making a left turn has lost.

Ẩn danh · Answer

Clearly you didn't bother to look to make sure the whole road was clear before making your maneuver. Your fault.

Ẩn danh · Answer

Did you explain your story it the officer fully.
If so what did they tell you about the accident.

Right of way in texas?

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