# Do you ever not turn right on red? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 15, 2012, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-ever-not-turn-right-on-red/621983 "2012-05-15T13:15:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2012, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-ever-not-turn-right-on-red/621983/101 "2012-05-18T19:03:34Z")
Ugh. Your, not you’re. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2012, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-ever-not-turn-right-on-red/621983/102 "2012-05-20T02:22:47Z")
> [@amarinth](#): > > When someone honks and flashes their lights, do you also see them as trying to piss off other drivers deliberately and contributing to road rage? Maybe - you’d have to give more context. 🙂 > [@IvoryTowerDenizen](#): > > But how will the other drivers know your intent? > > You’re standing still at a red light. Turning is optional. The driver doesn’t know if it’s not clear, or you’re distracted, or you’re adjusting your seat etc. > > How could it possibility escalate? > > If its something obvious- blocking a turn, not going at a green, zooming past- then yes. Standing still at a red light and not taking an optional turn? Not so much. It’s an optional turn- people behind you have no place demanding you take it. {Fixed your “you’re” for you. 🙂 }It is technically an optional turn, but everyone is in their cars trying to get somewhere - if you want to do the stuff you do while parking, just park. If you want to drive, then drive. As for escalation, it’s usually pretty clear when a driver is retaliating against another driver or trying to teach them a lesson - you cut me off, I honked at you, and now you aren’t turning on the red to show me who’s boss, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2012, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-ever-not-turn-right-on-red/621983/103 "2012-05-20T02:35:11Z")
If I’m not taking an optional turn, it’s because for one reason or another, I don’t feel safe taking it. And if I’m sitting behind someone who’s not taking an optional turn, I assume they’re not taking it because they don’t feel safe doing so. It doesn’t harm me any. ---
**Author:** ![Ellen\_Cherry](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellen_cherry/32/3600_2.png) [@Ellen\_Cherry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellen_Cherry)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2012, 11:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-ever-not-turn-right-on-red/621983/104 "2012-05-20T11:07:54Z")
> [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > Maybe - you’d have to give more context. 🙂 > > {Fixed your “you’re” for you. 🙂 }. I know you were doiing it to be kind to Ivory, but we do have the rule about not changing text in quotes, which still applies even in jokes or for well-intentioned purposes. Just a reminder. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2012, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-ever-not-turn-right-on-red/621983/105 "2012-05-20T13:23:34Z")
> [@Ellen\_Cherry](#): > > I know you were doiing it to be kind to Ivory, but we do have the rule about not changing text in quotes, which still applies even in jokes or for well-intentioned purposes. Just a reminder. Don’t you dare change it back… 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2012, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-ever-not-turn-right-on-red/621983/106 "2012-05-20T17:31:25Z")
> [@Ellen\_Cherry](#): > > I know you were doiing it to be kind to Ivory, but we do have the rule about not changing text in quotes, which still applies even in jokes or for well-intentioned purposes. Just a reminder. Huh - I thought that would be okay since not only did I note the change, but the original writer requested it. Okay, duly noted. ---
**Author:** ![ZenBeam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/3ab097/32.png) [@ZenBeam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZenBeam)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2012, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-ever-not-turn-right-on-red/621983/107 "2012-05-20T18:04:00Z")
If you hadn’t said anything, you could have claimed the grammar/spell checker did it automatically. That’s what [del]I do[/del] my browser does with typos. 🙂 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-ever-not-turn-right-on-red/621983.md?page=5)