But It's My God Given Right...

[mikoyan29]

to turn right on Red.

We have this wierd set of lights. There is a half block and railroad tracks between the two streets. The main road is fairly busy, so there is a traffic light. There is also a traffic light before the railroad tracks (in case of a train). The two sets of lights are not well sychronized, the lights before the tracks will turn red before the set of lights after the track. More often than not, people will run the first light. This wasn't a problem when that street was fairly deserted, now there is an apartment so it's like a real street. Anyways, that's the not the issue...just back ground.

This morning as I was heading to work, I was in the left turn lane on this street and I noticed a car with blinkers ahead of me. I waited for the right lane to clear before getting into that lane. I had the green, so I merged over. At this point, some jackass in an HHR decided to turn from the side street. Fortunately, I was both awake and paying attention, otherwise I would have smacked into them.

Why do people think that it's their god given right to turn right on a red?

[Mike Taylor]

It IS legal in the U.S. to make a "right on red" provided two conditions are met: 1. There is no oncoming traffic from your left. 2. There is no sign indicating the turn is forbidden.

[WhiteRose]

I've had people honk at me for stopping at a STOP SIGN because i had my right blinker on and there were no signs saying to not turn and there was no oncoming traffic....if THEY want to break the law, go right ahead. but I obey stop signs...when i see them.

[slavetotheman]

The two sets of lights are not well sychronized, the lights before the tracks will turn red before the set of lights after the track.

I've seen this before in different situations, in this case I think the idea is that traffic past the railroad track gets a little extra time to clear the area, in case there's traffic. Sometimes it makes sense, sometimes it doesn't. Actually, it would make more sense to have just the red flashing railroad crossing light (possibly with the poles that come down) control traffic around the tracks when there is a train, rather than having people stop by the tracks for a red light when there isn't a train (if I understand this right). But all too often things that make sense escape the notice of the traffic planners... :rolleyes:

[artifical sweetner]

it depends on the state laws actually.

[mikoyan29]

it depends on the state laws actually.
I can't imagine a state law that allows it when there is oncoming traffic present.

[LillFilly]

I'm a pretty cautious driver, so I only turn right on red if it's completely safe to do so. If I'm in doubt, I don't, and F--- the people honking behind me.

[mikoyan29]

This one goes hand in hand with the people that will turn left from a driveway only leaving about 3 feet behind them as they cut someone in traffic off. It's really bad when you see that there is noone behind the car they just cut off. So they are basically saying that the 30 seconds they gained is more important than their safety.

[Andara Bledin]

I watched some asshat in an SUV pull this just today.

I'm heading home and approaching a left turn. My direction has the green. I see the SUV come from the right and whip around the corner, only slowing enough to not roll from the force of turning. If anyone had been coming, it would have been a royal mess.

^-.-^

[Dave0523]

I was once stopped at a red light when this asshat comes up behind me. He has his blinker going, and just lays on the horn when I don't turn on the red. Luckily for him, the light turned green so I was able to go straight through the intersection.

--Dave

[WhiteRose]

yeah....i think there should be laws (and ways to catch them) against violent asshats who don't deserve to have licenses...no more ANY turns for them!

[Aethian]

I can't imagine a state law that allows it when there is oncoming traffic present.

It was meant that some states do NOT allow right on red for ANY reason.

[Andara Bledin]

A lot of drivers from states with more liberal turning laws get in trouble when they visit other states.

In California, for instance, you're allowed to turn right or make a u-turn at any point where it is safe and there are not signs (or other markings) specifically prohibiting it.

A lot of other states, however, require signs speficially allowing it before you can make a u-turn, and some who require signage for making a right turn on a red light.

^-.-^

[Stormraven]

I've had people honk at me for not turning right on red when there's a clearly posted sign prohibiting that move. Needless to say, I just point to the sign and let them fume.

[DGoddessChardonnay]

I was once stopped at a red light when this asshat comes up behind me. He has his blinker going, and just lays on the horn when I don't turn on the red. Luckily for him, the light turned green so I was able to go straight through the intersection.

--Dave

That's happened with my Mom on several occasions at the intersection one street over from our house. Usually it's early in the morning when they like to do this.

You can turn on red there (no sign prohibiting it) but she'll stop and wait for the green light anyways. And half the time, some moron will be blowing their horn - or worse yet, attempt to squeeze their vehicle around and whip out in front (we had this happen once).:eek:

One of these days, some "Iminahurryanddontgiveadamn" moron is going to pull that and get rammed by oncoming traffic for pulling that at that particular intersection. It's already happened several times at the light right below our house (and that intersection is tricky because it's on top of a small hill and you can't really see oncoming traffic until it's right up on you at the intersection.) :doh:

And this is the main reason why we don't like to use that intersection right at the house . . . we'd rather turn off at the one west of it and take the side street.

[Andara Bledin]

I've had people honk at me for not turning right on red when there's a clearly posted sign prohibiting that move. Needless to say, I just point to the sign and let them fume.
I do the same thing. They can honk all they want, but I'm not breaking the law on their account.

^-.-^

[blas]

On the other hand, I can't stand when I see people from out of state who must not have such liberal "right on red" laws who will just sit and sit and sit and wait for the arrow or green light.....when there is NO ONE coming.

Ugh I hate it.

[BookstoreEscapee]

On the other hand, there are a couple of No Turn on Reds in my area that just make no sense whatsoever. One of them is just after you cross over a 4 lane (or is it 6, there?), 55mph highway. You can turn right on red onto the highway, but not into the entrance to the shopping center with nothing across the street but a bank parking lot.

The other is at a T stop, and the only conceivable reason there is no turn on red from the one direction (the one with nothing on the left but a field) is that there is a left-turn arrow in the opposite direction. It's not even a busy intersection. Coming out from the other street you can't turn on red either, even though the view to the left is perfectly clear.

[JLRodgers]

Hmm... I just went looking online for info on the right on red thing and one thing (such as wikipedia) said all states allow it -- but some allow it to be forbidden if a sign says otherwise....


So what states don't allow a right on red (assuming, of course, you stop, look to make sure no traffic, etc - as that's normally the condition to the legality many places)?

[PepperElf]

what i hate is when i'm in the right hand lane at a red light.... and the guy behind starts honking cos i'm not turning...

um helloooooo i'm going straight ya moron!

[mikoyan29]

what i hate is when i'm in the right hand lane at a red light.... and the guy behind starts honking cos i'm not turning...

um helloooooo i'm going straight ya moron!

He'd probably pay attention to the lack of a turn signal if more people actually used them. He probably assumed you were some lazy person that couldn't expend the energy to flick the blinker on.

[Crossbow]

It IS legal in the U.S. to make a "right on red" provided two conditions are met: 1. There is no oncoming traffic from your left. 2. There is no sign indicating the turn is forbidden.

Allowed, yes. Required, no.

[Aethian]

So what states don't allow a right on red (assuming, of course, you stop, look to make sure no traffic, etc - as that's normally the condition to the legality many places)?

Never let wiki's do all your searching for you but your right, at one time there were some states that did not allow right on reds. Instead it has moved to only cities that don't allow right on reds. If your going travelling it's best to look up that states info to see if any cities don't allow it. IE NYC.



We have one no turn on red that a lot of people get caught turning at. Which makes sense...it's right out side of the police department.

[JLRodgers]

Never let wiki's do all your searching for you but your right, at one time there were some states that did not allow right on reds. Instead it has moved to only cities that don't allow right on reds. If your going travelling it's best to look up that states info to see if any cities don't allow it. IE NYC.

I normally look multiple places, just using wiki as a starting point for quick info -- just with this topic, it was hard even find things related to it. I heard that some cities allow, others don't. I think most I've been in allow it (or when I did ask, the people didn't know).

I generally follow a simple thing: if I'm somewhere and there's no sign for "no right turn", no obvious "right turn allowed", and no streets have a "no right on red" sign, and I've not been there nor seen others making rights on red/etc, I'll just sit there. (basically, if I don't know and haven't seen any evidence one way or another if a right on red's allowed, I'll just sit).

As far as cities (big ones... my town of 6700 people is a "city"), I've never made a right on red in them -- it's not even safe to do so even if you could most of the times I've been out.