The Shadow
Ironically, some intersections without a signal light have stop signs placed in locations that require motorists to stop where the drivers cannot see oncoming traffic.
In order to proceed safely, a driver who has stopped at one such stop sign must pull forward past the stop sign onto the pedestrian crosswalk before the oncoming traffic becomes visible.
In some cases, two buildings are positioned on the opposite sides of the street on which the motorist is traveling, and when the motorist stops for the stop sign, the building on his left blocks his view of the street to the left where he plans to turn.
Should the motorist decide to turn right instead, the building on his right will prevent him from viewing if a vehicle is traveling toward the intersection he is about to enter.
Therefore, in order to be a safe driver, the motorist must pull forward onto and sometimes across the pedestrian crosswalk in order to get a view of oncoming traffic.
There are more than one reason for such intersections to have obstacles preventing the motorist from viewing oncoming traffic.
One reason is that the buildings that block a motorist view of oncoming traffic may have been constructed too close to the street, often with only a sidewalk separating the buildings from the street.
Secondly, over time, trees that did not block the view originally grow larger, blocking the motorist’s view during the process.
Thirdly, decorative fencing, gardening, placement of signage or parking of vehicles may serve as the culprits.
At any rate, to be a safe driver, the motorist must not simply stop at the stop sign and look both ways, but the motorist must ease the vehicle forward onto and often across the pedestrian sidewalk in order to gain a clear view of oncoming traffic.
A solution to the problem may lie in erecting mirrors in such a manner as to provide motorists with a view of the intersection and traffic approaching the intersection in both directions.
