To prepare for my road test I had my mother drive me to the test site (I wasn’t driving, so I wasn’t breaking any rules), and I noticed something strange about the stop signs in the area. Almost all of them were set about 20 feet in front of the white line and the actual intersection. I have never seen stop signs so far from the line before, and I got very confused and a little worried that I would mess it up on my road test. So my question is, should I stop at the stop sign, then pull up and stop again at the line, or should I simply stop in front of the line like I normally would? Or is there something else I need to do??
I actually am a little worried about failing, as I’ve already taken it once before, and since I’m in New York I have to wait a month before rescheduling. And I’m leaving for college in August…
Stop at the line.
Nothing to worry about, if you fail.. just do it again
I would mention to your instructor (or test proctor, what ever you want to call them) that you are familiar with the area, and are confused. Explain that you understand what your driver’s manual states, and would like clarification in this matter. Usually they are really nice about clearing up any issues you might have. The scoring is on a point system for a reason. They don’t expect you to get everything right, especially if you are new. Not to say you shouldn’t do your best! Just ask them. Best bet is, they’ll explain.
If an intersection has a stop line — that is what those white lines are — you stop at the line. Often the stop sign will be set ahead of it a bit for visibility purposes, particularly on rural roads with higher speed limits. If there is NO stop line, then you stop at the stop sign itself (or rather, a few feet before it). In either case, once stopped, you can inch forward cautiously if you need the visibility.