I've been wondering this for a while and have not been able to come up with any definitive answers, and the HTA seems ambiguous. Can someone more knowledgeable settle this?

Here's the scenario:

Blue & Purple cars are on a free-flow street. No traffic controls for them.

Yellow car stops at stop sign first, and is turning left.

Red car stops at stop sign second, and is going straight (or turning right.)

Both Yellow & Red have to wait for Blue & Purple to clear the intersection to proceed.

Once the intersection is clear, who has right of way and should go first? Yellow or Red?

Personally, if I was in the Yellow car, I would let Red go first, but I am not sure if this is correct. In the real world, it seems like the more aggressive driver just goes first

Thanks!

prgrmr

Typically left turning vehicles must yield to through traffic, but stop signs work a little bit differently. Heres the section covering stop signs and right of way from the Highway Traffic Act:

Stop at through highway

136. (1) Every driver or street car operator approaching a stop sign at an intersection,

(a) shall stop his or her vehicle or street car at a marked stop line or, if none, then immediately before entering the nearest crosswalk or, if none, then immediately before entering the intersection; and

(b) shall yield the right of way to traffic in the intersection or approaching the intersection on another highway so closely that to proceed would constitute an immediate hazard and, having so yielded the right of way, may proceed. R.S.O. 1990, c. H.8, s. 136 (1).

Acquiring right of way

(2) Every driver or street car operator approaching, on another highway, an intersection referred to in subsection (1), shall yield the right of way to every driver or operator who has complied with the requirements of subsection (1). R.S.O. 1990, c. H.8, s. 136 (2).

So in your scenario, the left turning vehicle would have right of way, since it already came to a full stop prior to the vehicle proceeding straight through. As youve said though, not all drivers seem to be aware of this or chose to ignore it.

Yellow car has right of way.

People don't treat the yellow car that way, however.

Great - thanks for the replies