When traffic lights go out

OK... so I have had so many things that I want to blog about but haven't done it for sheer undecidedness. But today, I made the decision for the blog, at least for today's subject.

What should happen when traffic lights go out, and what actually happens.

So... way back when we were all learning to drive, for me at 15, every once in a while parents would ask: "What happens when (insert situation here)?", testing the knowledge of the soon to be 16 year old driver and their knowledge of as many situations as possible that would/will/do arise while driving alone in the big bad world.

Parent: "What happens when you get to a traffic light that isn't working correctly and is blinking (either red or yellow... just blinking)?
Teen Driver: Well, you treat as a four way stop. Everyone, as they come to the intersection, stops. Then the person to the right of the previous car that went through the intersection is allowed to go, continuing around to the right.

Now obviously this is the best case scenario. I seriously don't think these words ever came out of my mouth in that order for this particular question, but at some point we all learned that this is how you are supposed to treat a blinking traffic light-- as a four way stop.

This unfortunately doesn't happen. At least not in Atlanta.

In the last few days, lots of parts of Atlanta have been without power due to high winds and massively crazy storms on Monday and early Tuesday morning. This caused lots of tree limbs and trees to come down on power lines, as Atlanta is a city of above ground power lines. it happens. Lots of roads closed and/or partially blocked, and hence lots of traffic lights out and blinking.

In Atlanta, apparently blinking traffic lights are not the equivalent of a four way stop. It can, if you are smart and a courteous driver. Or, it can mean whatever the hell you want it to mean, as the case is for 95% of the drivers in Atlanta. I mean seriously: how is someone supposed to get out of a parking lot at a light and a major road if no one will stop?

Needless to say this has caused me much stress being that person trying to get out onto any and all major roads, and has caused large amounts of expletives to be yelled at a very loud volume from my mouth when someone else won't let not only me, but others out (even if I am on the major road-- I have been stopping trying to let others out).

I mean seriously people-- it's OK if you are late to work. Everyone understands. Just because a light is out doesn't mean you have to be a douche.

*I have just been informed that I am apparently wrong and not all blinking lights should be treated as 4 way stops. It depends on what color the light is blinking at you. Bullshit. It should always be treated as a 4 way stop to keep confusion and asshole-ery at a minimum.