Right Turn On Red!

[Yeochief]

Threefeet posted about being rear ended while in a right turn lane waiting for an emergency vehicle to pass:yikes:. The person who rammed him was watching the emergency vehicle and not what was actually in front of them.nojoke

This got me to thinking, I'm old enough to remember when the only place I knew of where a "Right on Red" turn was legal was California. In fact when the idea was introduced in Michigan where I lived at the time, it was often referred to as a California Turn. Now, it seems that it is legal all over the country unless specifically prohibited by sign.

I've lost track of the number of rear enders I've seen or heard about because of that law.

It seems that people believe that unless an 18 wheeler is baring down on you at 80+ when you get to a red light and are planning on a right turn, you just make the turn.

I'm fairly certain that the law authorizing a Right Turn on Red requires one to come to a full and complete stop and inspect the intersection prior to executing the right turn.

I witnessed some clown in a pickup rear end a little old lady in a sedan one evening. He was watching her brake lights, nothing else. She took her foot off the brake and eased forward a foot, she decided against making the turn and stepped on the brake just as the idiot behind her stepped on his gas pedal.

I guess Ron White is right "You can't fix Stupid!"

 

[boborgera]

Most people use the right on red like a yield sign. :gaah:
The law is firm, You must make a FULL stop [not a truck drivers stop!] and then precede when safe to do so.
Also if you don't want to make the turn on red there's no law that says you have to you, Can wait for light to turn green. You'll be surprised how many drivers behind you try to push you to make the turn on red.

 

[Arr MiHardies]

If the intersection is clear, and it isn't prohibited, not making the red turn is merely holding up traffic.

 

[retread]

Actually, the "right turn on red" idea was going on in Canada years before it got started here. That said, if the rollers would really stop it would be a lot safer. Less than a week ago I had to take the shoulder on a 55 mph road to miss an SUV that slowed enough to make the turn, before it pulled out in front of me. I guess the driver figured that if I hit him behind the B pillar it would be my fault.

john

 

[wyliec]

If the intersection is clear, and it isn't prohibited, not making the red turn is merely holding up traffic.

:agree:

 

[fastfraser]

I've done it for 40 + years ,up here in Canada. You must come to a complete and full stop and yield to all traffic, only enter the intersection when clear unless otherwise posted .

 

[Firefly]

Bah---- in Michigan we just do a 'Michigan stop' under such circumstances........ can't control what the idiot behind you will do. We also allow turning left on red onto a one-way.......

 

[Eraser]

I've done it for 40 + years ,up here in Canada. You must come to a complete and full stop and yield to all traffic, only enter the intersection when clear unless otherwise posted .

"A Full Stop".:roflblack: I've never seen that done other than for a road test!nojoke

 

[MarkLawson]

I was talking to a motor cop friend about this very subject a few years back. When in a designated right turn lane that has a YIELD sign, with the light red, you do not have to come to a stop before making the right turn IF there is no traffic. The YIELD sign governs this situation by having you yield the right away to the traffic with the green light.

Many people misunderstand this YIELD sign to mean you yield even if you have the right away (green light).

 

[JJW SpyderRider]

Most people use the right on red like a yield sign. :gaah:
The law is firm, You must make a FULL stop [not a truck drivers stop!] and then precede when safe to do so.
Also if you don't want to make the turn on red there's no law that says you have to you, Can wait for light to turn green. You'll be surprised how many drivers behind you try to push you to make the turn on red.

:agree: I've seen three accidents this year from the second guy in line watching the traffic and hitting someone stopped at the light waiting for traffic to clear. They do the same thing with stop signs, only slow enough to make the turn. I did see woman make a right turn on red at an intersection this week that was signed "No right turn on red" and so did the leo right behind her. He hit his lights before she finished her turn. hyea:I have been rearended once myself where I stopped at a sign and the guy behind me decided to make his turn before I was clear to go. :lecturef_smilie:

 

[Bob Denman]

I saw my first "Right turn on Red" back in the early seventies while in college in New Jersey... It makes sense to help keep traffic flowing; but ou DO have ot stop fully and yield the right of way to oncoming traffic. New York subsequently adopted its own version with the proviso that it was legal as long as there was no sign forbidding it at the intersection.

 

[bluestratos]

I watch the rear views very closely for this very reason, been rear ended many times while in a car.

 

[wyliec]

. We also allow turning left on red onto a one-way.......

NYS has that same rule. But, I don't think as many people know about that as right on red.

 

[ARtraveler]

Alaska regulations require a full stop prior to making a right turn on red and pulling out into the intersection.

What do the people do though? Calfironia stops, ignore the stop all together, etc.
Red lights are the same thing--for a lot of people they are a mere suggestion.

Its $250 or more to run a red light and get caught. The traffic officers wait at certain intersections every morning and you see people being issued citations every day. Makes me wonder about how smart some people are. :roflblack:

 

[Bob Denman]

Makes me wonder about how smart some people are. :roflblack:

No need to wonder about how dumb they are; they'll always exceed your expectations! :gaah:
:gaah::gaah:

 

[Skyraider]

Take note: The law is clear...........

Come to a COMPLETE STOP behind the WIDE white line. Then, you can pull forward past that WIDE white line until you can see that the way is clear. THEN make the right turn. If you do not STOP behind the WIDE white line, you may find yourself paying a $100+/- fine and having your vehicle searched. (Fine, as in revenue producer.


2009 Red GS SE5 Tampa, FL

 

[Followme2DQ]

One of my pet peeves!!! Especially when it comes to riding 2 wheels. It is insanely difficult (not impossible) to come to a complete stop on 2 wheels without putting a foot down. This so called "California Stop", the term I was told, is done all too often by 2 wheel riders. It seems only extra cautious and new riders tend to put their foot down. Ok rant over, thanks for listening!!

 

[bruiser]

Happened to me one time. I was getting ready to make a right turn on red and stopped short when a car coming from the other direction ran the red light and turned left. The woman behind me didn't stop. No damage to the 1 inch thick steel box bumper on my work truck, but really messed up the front of her Toyota. What gets me too are people who come to a complete stop at a yield sign when there is no oncoming traffic. HELLO! It says yield.

We now have flashing yellow left turn lights at intersections. Some people just don't get what that means either. I've seen a big jump in people running red lights here. Just the other day I was #3 in line at a red light. The #1 vehicle made a right into Lowes parking. The #2 decided it was ok to proceed straight through the red. Nearly hit a car making a right out of Lowes parking lot.

 

[oldgoat]

I've done it for 40 + years ,up here in Canada. You must come to a complete and full stop and yield to all traffic, only enter the intersection when clear unless otherwise posted .

I believe about the only place in Canada where you are not allowed a right on red is on the island of Montreal.

They think we are too dumb & erratic to be allowed to do it & also too many pedestrians.

 

[Spyder 42]

Most people use the right on red like a yield sign. :gaah:
The law is firm, You must make a FULL stop [not a truck drivers stop!] and then precede when safe to do so.
Also if you don't want to make the turn on red there's no law that says you have to you, Can wait for light to turn green. You'll be surprised how many drivers behind you try to push you to make the turn on red.

To add to the confusion, here in GA, many right turn lanes have Yield signs added. The Yield is to on coming, left turn traffic but most people treat it as a "no stop required" lane. I've been rear ended in my truck and in our Element so many times that I've lost count.

The last time it happened, the Tahoe that hit me puked out the entire grill onto the street. The driver wasn't wearing his seatbelt so he got a nice cut across the bridge of his nose. Had an off duty LEO in the car next lane over, who kindly acted as a witness while the responding officer wrote up the whole mess.