>When I was in Europe, the 'right always has the right-a-way' drove me nuts. I couldn't figure out why if I was already on the main thoroughfare, I had to yield!

Because the main road wasn't marked as such. There should be the yield sign whenever a side road meets the main. The right-has-right applies among equals.

To non-Americans, the FIFO rule here that applies to the numerous four-way-stop-sign crossings sounds pretty impossible, but actually works because of the great discipline that American drivers show. I've seen people deliberately slowing more than they need to, so the order of approaching the crossing is clear and unambiguous - and I haven't seen more than a couple of cases where the FIFO order was broken by someone just stepping on it.