# No Turn on Red: Am I being an over-officious driver? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 14, 2010, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-turn-on-red-am-i-being-an-over-officious-driver/557144 "2010-10-14T16:23:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Lare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/53a042/32.png) [@Lare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lare)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2010, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-turn-on-red-am-i-being-an-over-officious-driver/557144/21 "2010-10-14T18:14:31Z")
The time it happened to me, knowing how long the light was going to be red I broke a different law and got out of my car to point directly at the “no turn on red” sign. Other driver slapped himself in the head and we both waited, peacefully, for the light to turn. You were right not to run the light. Most of the “no turn on red” signs are at intersections where you can’t clearly see the car about to barrel through the intersection from your left. ---
**Author:** ![Wheelz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wheelz/32/5718_2.png) [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2010, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-turn-on-red-am-i-being-an-over-officious-driver/557144/22 "2010-10-14T18:16:25Z")
Guy Behind You was a dick, plain and simple. If there was nobody behind him, I might have been tempted to “not notice” when the light turned green, and make him wait out another full cycle. (Nah, I wouldn’t do that, but I’d probably make the slowest, most overly-cautious right turn _ever_.) ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2010, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-turn-on-red-am-i-being-an-over-officious-driver/557144/23 "2010-10-14T18:18:58Z")
> [@Chessic\_Sense](#): > > Middle of the night? Turn. Daylight? Sit there. Some traffic laws were made to be broken, and this is right on the cusp. FTR, I’m cool with you rolling up to a red light and making an otherwise-legal right hand turn. “Full stop”, my ass. > > ETA: You wouldn’t turn just because the guy wants you to. Never let other drivers muscle you into doing or not doing something. What if I’m not planning on turning though? (And if I was, the guy being a dick is a GUARANTEE I won’t, even if I could get away with it. Show him to be an obnoxious doucheball.) ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2010, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-turn-on-red-am-i-being-an-over-officious-driver/557144/24 "2010-10-14T18:33:16Z")
I agree that you were right not to make an illegal right turn on red. And note if the red light is a solid red arrow instead of a solid red ball, that means the same thing; no right turn on red. The idiots around here don’t seem to have caught onto that idea. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2010, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-turn-on-red-am-i-being-an-over-officious-driver/557144/25 "2010-10-14T18:43:10Z")
I’ve been in the same situation where an intersection changed signage. I rolled down my window and pointed at the sign. ---
**Author:** ![DiosaBellissima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a8b319/32.png) [@DiosaBellissima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DiosaBellissima)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2010, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-turn-on-red-am-i-being-an-over-officious-driver/557144/26 "2010-10-14T18:47:38Z")
> [@Erdosain](#): > > I know I shouldn’t roll through deserted stop signs, but it’s hard not to. Does anyone come to a complete stop every time? Even in the middle of nowhere? That seems a little over-officious to me. I can honestly say I do. I remember my mom getting pulled over for rolling through what she thought was a deserted stop sign in the middle of no where when I was a teen, so I’m afraid of the cops. But also, I’ve seen about 4 car accidents where people roll through stops and get straight up plowed, so I’m afraid of internal bleeding. Thus, I do not roll through stop signs. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2010, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-turn-on-red-am-i-being-an-over-officious-driver/557144/27 "2010-10-14T19:52:35Z")
Generally there’s a reason for a no turn on red sign, you know? Visibility, some people never get to go, there’s an arrow with turning people that might be a surprise to you, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2010, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-turn-on-red-am-i-being-an-over-officious-driver/557144/28 "2010-10-14T20:04:43Z")
I also agree with the OP. Also, someday the jerk behind will do this to someone who isn’t as nice. While rolling through a stop sign (or a red light where there is right on red) may seem fine, Mr. Roadshow has published plenty of testimonials from bicyclists who nearly got or actually got hit by people doing this. People have cut in front of me doing this. It soon moves from rolling right if it is safe to thinking you have the right of way. ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2010, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-turn-on-red-am-i-being-an-over-officious-driver/557144/29 "2010-10-14T20:12:24Z")
Parsing the OP’s subject line very carefully, I would say he’s not being officious at all. He refused to turn right on red, not to prevent the other guy from doing so, but to satisfy his own sensibilities as to how he himself should be driving. And FWIW, I think the OP was wise to not violate the no-turn-on-red signage; it was put there because too many people turning right on red were getting involved in accidents at that particular intersection. ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2010, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-turn-on-red-am-i-being-an-over-officious-driver/557144/30 "2010-10-14T20:18:07Z")
This has happened to me too a few times, and it drives me crazy. Usually I figure that the guy behind me just doesn’t see the “no-right-on-red” sign, so I try to point it out to him by gesturing, but it usually doesn’t help. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2010, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-turn-on-red-am-i-being-an-over-officious-driver/557144/31 "2010-10-14T20:18:16Z")
Commuting to Philly I’ve become somewhat inured to this dumb behavior. It seems like no matter what you’re doing someone is going to get pissed off about it. The guy was in the wrong. He was probably 10 minutes late for work or something. His problem, not yours. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2010, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-turn-on-red-am-i-being-an-over-officious-driver/557144/32 "2010-10-14T20:21:18Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > > [@PennyGaunjworth\_of\_chicago](#): > > > > Perhaps he didn’t want to miss breakfast…or was late for work? > > Doesn’t McDonald’s stop serving breakfast at 10am? > > Kind of puts a whole new spin on this. This is what I was thinking. Explains a lot. Once McD’s stops serving breakfast they **stop** making breakfast. ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2010, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-turn-on-red-am-i-being-an-over-officious-driver/557144/33 "2010-10-14T20:24:35Z")
OP behaved appropriately. However, I have been behind people that will stop at a light that’s red (no sign saying “no turn on red”), and not turn even when there is a merging lane after you turn, and when there’s no traffic coming.:smack: If you do this, I will honk at you and expect you to go. ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2010, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-turn-on-red-am-i-being-an-over-officious-driver/557144/34 "2010-10-14T20:28:18Z")
> [@Erdosain](#): > > So am I being an annoying stickler by not turning right when it’s prohibited by signage? Since it appeared to be safe but you still didn’t move, yeah probably. But dude behind you was way overreacting, and it would have been your ticket. I honestly wouldn’t be ok with Dude if you WERE allowed to make the right on red. The proper response would have been for him to take a deep breath and roll his eyes at the inferior (in his opinion) driver. ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2010, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-turn-on-red-am-i-being-an-over-officious-driver/557144/35 "2010-10-14T20:59:19Z")
> [@Wilbo523](#): > > OP behaved appropriately. > > However, I have been behind people that will stop at a light that’s red (no sign saying “no turn on red”), and not turn even when there is a merging lane after you turn, and when there’s no traffic coming.:smack: If you do this, I will honk at you and expect you to go. If you honk at me in such a situation, be assured I will cease any attempts to turn right on red and just wait for the green light. Right on red is not required, and should only be done if it is safe to do so. The driver at the front is the only person qualified to judge if it is safe. ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2010, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-turn-on-red-am-i-being-an-over-officious-driver/557144/36 "2010-10-14T21:35:20Z")
Was the law moral and do you want to stand up for the rights of the people for free passage? Was the circumstances clear enough that a safe right on red could have been made. Are you willing to stand up to unjust authority in your own power, or trust in a power higher then that of State authority? ---
**Author:** ![Otara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a88e4f/32.png) [@Otara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otara)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2010, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-turn-on-red-am-i-being-an-over-officious-driver/557144/37 "2010-10-14T21:42:25Z")
My attitude is go ‘safer’ whenever someone is honking or being angry unless its ‘hes getting out of the car’ material. It means theres more to keep track of, and more chance of a mistake, so better to be conservative. Otara ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2010, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-turn-on-red-am-i-being-an-over-officious-driver/557144/38 "2010-10-14T21:43:21Z")
> [@kanicbird](#): > > Was the law moral and do you want to stand up for the rights of the people for free passage? Was the circumstances clear enough that a safe right on red could have been made. Are you willing to stand up to unjust authority in your own power, or trust in a power higher then that of State authority? I would ask whether you’re serious or not, but unfortunately, i’ve seen enough of your posts to know that you are. ---
**Author:** ![Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a587f6/32.png) [@Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freddy_the_Pig)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2010, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-turn-on-red-am-i-being-an-over-officious-driver/557144/39 "2010-10-14T21:53:05Z")
> [@Erdosain](#): > > So am I being an annoying stickler by not turning right when it’s prohibited by signage? God, no. Given that cash-starved cities all over the country are increasing traffic ticket fines, and stepping up enforcement, and even installing red-light cameras, you’d be insane to do otherwise. The guy behind you was a Flaming Fuckwit. If you only you could have gotten out of your car, and then had people on the side of the road open up on him, Sonny Corleone-style. ---
**Author:** ![AClockworkMelon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aclockworkmelon/32/10803_2.png) [@AClockworkMelon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AClockworkMelon)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2010, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-turn-on-red-am-i-being-an-over-officious-driver/557144/40 "2010-10-14T22:09:00Z")
You made him miss breakfast! Well, no, you didn’t, he did. But still. Have you ever had McD’s breakfast? I would humbly hand my car over to someone who needed to get to McDonald’s in time for breakfast. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-turn-on-red-am-i-being-an-over-officious-driver/557144.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-turn-on-red-am-i-being-an-over-officious-driver/557144.md?page=3)