Friday, March 30, 2007 | 4:06 PM

Repeat after me: cross traffic does NOT stop

It used to be called the Flat Iron: the triangle-shaped land near the intersection of Michigan Avenue, Sheldon Road and Geddes Road. It was a focal point for rural Sheldon Corners community in the slow-moving 19th century.

Well times have changed there, so pay attention: Sheldon Road traffic does not have to stop at Geddes. I guess these signs are often not effective. Still, some more clever drivers have figured out the Flat Iron by observing there is no light, stop sign or brick wall blocking Geddes at the intersection, which comes a few feet before the light at Michigan Avenue. Some other souls may have once or twice traveled east or west on Geddes, where a big red sign informs us that we must stop, but cross traffic does not.

Sometimes the confusion results in a four-way deadlock. Will he go? Sometimes it’s just the opposite: Will she stop?!

I found this out the hard way long ago, when I expected someone to stop and found they would sooner turn the front end of my Taurus into, well, a flat iron.

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