I am so sick of drivers. You have to come to a complete STOP before you turn right on red. It isn’t pause on RED.
Yesterday and today I observed at every intersection I was in NOT ONE driver stopped. They barrelled thru. ALL OF THEM.
I see a way for cops to make money
The rule (in states where it is legal at all, that is) is “Right turn on red – after stop – when clear – unless prohibited at that location by signage.”
Far too many people take it that they have the right of way. At least five times in the past year I have had to brake sharply while entering an intersection with a light that was green my way or where the route I was traveling had the right of way because some yokel decided that because his right turn through the red light/stop sign was legal, he therefore had the right of way over me.
I failed my second (out of 3) driving test for doing exactly this. Now I know better!
Zette
Amen. Another danger is when there a TWO right turn lanes, and drivers do a RTOR from the 2nd one (farthest from the curb). That’s really scary when you’re coming thru on green.
There’s also an intersection downtown of two one-way streets, so its a left-turn-on-red. The first lane is left-only, the 2nd is left and straight, the next two are just straight. When pedestrians have activated the Walk light, the left-only lane has a red, the 2nd lane has a green straight ahead arrow AND a red ball. There is no “No Left Turn on Red” sign, so pedestrians still get to dodge red light turners. And folks who want to go straight ahead in the 2nd lane are often stuck behind someone who wants to turn. Loads of fun to watch, from another lane.
Wow, they make 2-lane RIGHT turns? I’m just starting to get used to the 2-lane left turns that started popping up 4-5 years ago.
As for right-of-way - if there are two turn lanes turning onto a three-lane street, which lane gets to claim the middle lane?
As for right turn on reds - I’ve noticed that many people who are planning to turn right get reaaaaally upset if the first car at the light is actually going straight (thus, obviously not turning on red). Look - they have just as much right to be in that lane going straight as you do turning right! They really didn’t get into that lane just to ruin your chances of getting to turn right on a red light, and it’s not going to absolutely ruin your day if you have to wait for the green to make your turn!
I personally like the “right turn on red only with the green arrow” lights - takes all the guesswork out of it.
My friend always barrels through red lights when making a right turn. Every now and then, I criticize him for it (“Y’know, you’re supposed to come to a complete stop before going.”) He just gives me a blank stare and says, “Why? There was nobody coming.”
I’d like to press the issue, but I like my sanity. Suffice to say, I don’t drive with him unless I absolutely have to.
Damn right, every morning when I’m driving to work I have to hit the brakes at least once, thanks to some wad who just pulls right out into oncoming traffic. There’s one intersection where they usually do it, and to be fair, the visibility isn’t the best, so I can see where sometimes people will cut it close through no major fault of their own. But just for kicks, I started paying attention to the drivers behind the wheel of the cars turning right, and what really gets me is THEY HARDLY EVER LOOK AT THE DAMNED ONCOMING TRAFFIC. And when they do, it’s usually just a quick sneering glance, as if to say “You see me, right? I’m going now, whether you like it or not.” It’s supposed to be “left, right, left”…right? They just stare straight ahead, glassy-eyed, as they make the turn, making it my responsibility to keep their asses from being smeared across the pavement. I ask you, what kind of friggin’ justice is it, where I would be liable for killing or maiming one of these right-turn-whenever-I-damned-well-feel-like-it dumbasses? A lot of 'em don’t even have the courtesy to at least hit the accelerator. They just mosey on out and expect me to brake.
And another thing. When I’m making a left turn, and opposing traffic has a red light, and an opposing car wants to make a right turn on red, I HAVE THE RIGHT OF WAY. I don’t care how many lanes the street we’re both turning onto has - in California, I have the right to turn left into any one of them (that is, unless there are two left turn lanes). Just because the street has 4 lanes does not give a right-turning moron the freedom to sneak into the rightmost lane and just assume that I’ll pick one of the left lanes. They assume this because it is inconceivable to them personally to drive in the right lane - they need to feel like they’re zooming along, and the left lanes are “faster.” Never mind the fact that I may have to make a right turn in half a block, and I’d rather not be forced to make an unsafe lane change at the last minute with their fat ass hanging just off the starboard bow, waiting for me to get out of their way - if you can imagine! - so they can merge left, and moving at just the right speed to force me to either jam on the accelerator and cut them off, or hit the brakes and wait for them to get far enough ahead to merge in behind them, causing people who made a left turn behind me to have to hit their brakes and, as often as not, get into the right lane to go around me and block my opportunity.
Ahem. Sorry for the rant. It was a hell of a commute today.
One time in Denver, I was in a hurry and I turned on a red light after pausing for a millisecond … and came uncomfortably close to being flattened by an oncoming light-rail shuttle. Now I tend to be a little more careful.
I can one-up the OP:
Near where I live, there is an S-shaped intersection (shaped like this: _|- ) After making a left onto the main street, EVERYONE rolls through the red to turn right.
What’s more, when I come to a full stop before right-on-red, I get honked at more than half the time by folks behind me. For following the law!!
The last straw came about 2 months ago, when I saw a police-car honk at a guy for stopping before right-on-red. Now I just roll through like everyone else.
Lucwarm, I’ll raise you. A few years ago , I got honked at twice for not making a right turn on red when the person behind me thought I should. The reason I didn’t take the gap? Simple. Iwas driving a 3-cylinder Geo Metro convertible. Acceleration was not its strong point. Both times I revised my plans and waited untel the light turned green. I also, as a result of this, gave up swearing at other drivers for Lent, but that’s a different story.
CJ
These right turn on red folks are also especially annoying when one is a pedestrian. As you try to cross the street in front of them because the freakin’ WALK sign is on and it’s your turn to go, they’re nudging out into the crosswalk and the intersection impatiently, looking for all the world like they want to hit you. Of course they’re going approximately 1/2 a mile per hour, so they’re probably thinking it’s OK to hit you at that point because they’re going to slow to hurt you, or some moron-ass rationalization like that, but almost being hit by a car is no fun at any speed. The worst ones start to move just as the light is changing to red, and just as you are stepping off the sidewalk, as if they didn’t even notice you standing there waiting to cross. You have to employ lightning-quick reflexes to not walk straight into them. And here in Boston, of course, if someone is polite enough to stay at a full stop for the 3 seconds it takes me to walk in front of their car, the drivers behind them honk at them for wasting their valuable time. Unbe-fucking-lievable!
In the spirit of the day, Melandry, I can even one-up you on the pedestrian thing. Twice.
The second-scariest experience I’ve ever had as a pedestrian came as a direct result of a right-on-red driver with all the social skills of a one-legged goose. I’m patiently waiting my turn to cross the street, not entering the roadway, because the light has just turned green and a few cars on my side of the street are making left turns that would cut right through the middle of the crosswalk. I, you see, can wait all of twenty seconds if it woll save a bunch of people several minutes of their own time. Not the dogfucker in question; the minute I decide it’s safe to step into the intersection, he honks at me. Seriously. Gets worse, though; when I’m not disintegrated by his sonic blast cannon, he decides he’s got to intimidate me a little, such as by accelerating full speed into me. I managed to my asshurrying out of his way, but he came within a damn inch of hitting me. Scary part is, in order to get out of the way, I had to do a half twist of my hindquarters to clear the space that he was heading into. Since I was focusing entirely on that, and not on anything else, I ended up landing sitting down (half lying down, really).
In the path of oncoming traffic.
With the light mostly over.
You’d beter believe that I hauled my ass out of there pronto, and I sure wasn’t looking to see what the Amazing Asshole Wart was doing, but I saw enough to tell that he had stopped “just short” of hitting me. Probably he thought me a chickenshit for being scared of his multiton vehicle when I myself wasn’t wearing one. Certainly he didn’t apologize or even look to see if I was all right; he had places to be, after all, and stopping briefly at that light had already made him late. I was only thinking about the First-Scariest experience I’ve ever had as a pedestrian, and how that could have potentially blown it out of the water?
What was scariest experience I ever had as a pedestrian? Easy. Picture a similar scenario, except that I end up getting hit by a speeding car. That’s what happened.
I used to live near an intersection that could only be safely crossed against the light. That sounds stupid and dangerous, and indeed the whole intersection was and is stupid and dangerous, but it was slightly less dangerous if you broke the law, because everyone else would surely violate the law egregiously.
It worked like this: there was a turn from a busy street onto an equally busy street. The intersection is at a shallow angle, rather than a square corner, which makes it very easy to complete a right turn there. The right turn lane has a specific right turn signal, which means that if you’re turning right you have to obey the signal. The same lane has a big sign that says, specifically, “NO RIGHT ON RED”, which means that you CANNOT TURN RIGHT ON RED. It is exactly the same as running straight through an intersection against the red signal. Inevitably, every single person who ever approached that intersection breezed through it at 45 MPH. If you ever tried to cross when the light was green in your direction, you would surely get flattened by a procession of cars who not only didn’t stop or even slow at the red light, but actually ran directly through a red light. It was (and is) much safer to wait for a red light on the cross street, meaning a green signal on the main street, and wait until all the cars have cleared the intersection. Nothing else is ever safe.
I forgot this, one day. It was midday, plenty of visibility, I had the right of way, and I decided to cross. The minute that I stepped out, the crown prince of bad drivers roars out of a fast food exit driveway adjacent to the intersection. He’s clearly trying to make the intersection while the light is still red, so that he can be sure to break the law. Problem is, he didn’t look to see if perchance someone was trying to cross.
I was damn lucky. I sensed him coming as I stepped off the curb. I managed toget my arms in front of me. I actually managed to push off with my arms. I somehow, on instinct and adrenaline, figured out to jump back with the balls of my feet, rather than try to make my knees backward. On top of all this, there happens to be a grassy hill right behind where I was; I was pushed back into it, and I was not hurt, other than going absolutely insane with panic for ten seconds or however long it took.
Fuckbreath actually rolls down the window and asks me, “Holy shit, are you okay?”
Me: Well, I think s…
[he peels off at approx 80MPH over the posted speed limit]
Call me an asshole, but I always stop at red lights, even when I’m supposed to.
There’s an incredibly confusing and dangerous highway exit/entrance near where my oldest sister lives. When one is heading towards the entrance to the southbound half of the highway, one comes to an intersection with a sign that reads “No Right On Red.” The sign is the kind that lights up in red letters on a black background because it’s only applied during rush hours.
The road faces west.
I’ve made a couple of illegal right turns at that road because I couldn’t read the frickin’ sign. Fortunately someone at the DOT must have run out of the wacky juice because they’re actually fixing the exit to make it less confusing and dangerous. But until then, the construction makes it even worse. Logic? What’s that?
I wish some people would remember that the law states that you may turn right on red…not must. There are some occasions where I may need to turn right, and have indicated I’m going to, but I don’t take the first opportunity. Perhaps I am using the few seconds I am stopped to mediate a dispute that is taking place in the back seat. Perhaps I have to sneeze. Or I want to check the map quickly. My reasons are my own. But be warned that if you honk at me to take the turn, I’m not going anywhere. You will sit behind me with your blood pressure rising until I’m ready to turn or the light turns green. Nobody is going to rush me into making a turn just because they can’t bear to slow down for a minute. If I were going straight you’d have to wait, so just deal with it. Hopefully you will burst a blood vessel soon and the world will have one less jerk on the roads.
I have TWICE been hit by cars turning right on red! Luckily, they haven’t managed to acquire enough speed to do me any damage.
In both cases, I was at an intersection which was an off-ramp from a freeway in an industrial area, where there aren’t a lot of pedestrians. But there was a sidewalk, which should have at least provided a clue for the clueless.
In both cases, while walking, midway across the intersection, in front of the car, I just happen to look at the driver. And he is looking only to the left, at oncoming traffic, not once looking to the right.
In both cases, the same thought enters my mind: “Oh crap, he doesn’t see me.”
Immediately following, I find myself sprawled across the hood of his car as he attempts to make the right on red.
In both cases, I pound on the hood, yelling “Watch where you’re going, idiot!” and walk away shaking my head. I can only hope that these people were scared enough to change their driving habits.
When turning right on red, you must yield to ALL other traffic, including pedestrian.
I, too, have been hit once and had one near-miss as a pedestrian in the crosswalk who was foolish enough to get in the way on a right-on-redder. One of them glared at me, annoyed that I had been rude enough to walk in front of his car just because the sign said ‘WALK.’
Except where the smaller sign under the Stop sign says “Continuous Right Turn”, in which case, do not stop if you’re going right. If, when presented with one of these signs, you stop when going right, you completely screw-up traffic.
[slight hijack on road rules]
I’m from Australia, and we drive on the left side of the road, so the equivalent for us would be turning left.
We are NEVER allowed to go ANYWHERE on a red light.
To turn left we have to wait for the green, unless there is a turning lane which vears off to the left. You don’t have to stop, effectively you have to give way.
Said turning lanes have a sign, something like “Turn left at any time with care.”
Obviously these lanes are only present where there is an easy view of a long distance of the road.
[/slight hijack on road rules]
I have lost count of how many times I have gotten honked at for coming to a full stop before making my right turn on red, or worse yet waiting for pedestrians in a cross walk to cross before making my right turn on red!
Why are people so quick to honk? Everyday I have to drop off my friend at a corner. We carpool. I signal, pull over and let her out. Although I signal and come to a gradual stop, I nearly get hit and I often get honked at. Some cars seem to be playing chicken as if they can make me get out of their way rather than stop. She doesn’t dilly dally and there is plenty of room for traffic to continue around me but they would rather honk.
They also pull right up on my ass and honk when I make a left turn onto the street where I live. It is a left turn on a busy road into an intersection with a restaurant and a gas station. I make the turn as sson as I feel it is safe. If the ass holes would stop a half car length back, then they could go around me as soon as traffic cleared in the right lane. If I have any room and a car is stuck waiting behind me, I even pull up a bit so they can get around me. BUT some assholes would rather pull right up on my tail and honk, EVEN WHEN THE RIGHT LANE IS CLEAR FOR A MILE!
Count me in as another pedestrian who’s been nailed. I go it in Philly at the corner of 22 and Spruce where there is even a sign saying “NO TURN ON RED” (the only thing I will ever thank Frank Rizzo’s evil heart for, ever.) Well, I was crossing the street while inbred-boy decided the law didn’t apply to him. He started to barrel with his head turned fully to the left.
I’m agile, this was the age before SUV’s were the norm. I jumped up, and lanede with my but square and hard on his hood. Net damage to me: some pumping adrenaline and a slightly sore butt. His car, a crease or dent…and I’m not heavy at all. He screeches to a halt.
So I roll, off glaring at him, him glaring at me. I see that damage done and realiase I’ll fine so I continue to go get my chinese food.
Meanwhile, fucker finally decides that looking stright is a possibility and sees the damage done.,
<Rolls down window>
“HEY!”
“<I turn aroun and glare”>
“HEY!”
WHAT?
“What the FUCK” < gestures at his hood>
What about it?
"What the fuck you… <gestures more, as if that will make it all better or I’ll hand him a wad of cash>
<I shrug>
You want to call the police?
“Fuck that! What you gonna do about…”
You.want.to.call. the.police?
“FUCK YOU!” Starts top get of car.
At this point he gets honked at by the car behind him, becasue th light is now green. The Van driver next to him saw the whole thing and was about to jump out and pound either him or me, but I was betting on him.
Go ahead, and call the cops if you want. <I gestured at a pay phone> I’ll wait if you want.
Finally he gets back in his car after another honk, he gets his “revenge” by blasting his horn all the way down the street.
ohhh. I’m impressed.
:rolleyes:
I had another similar incident. But the guy did seem to feel bad about his actions. Nonthless, I gave yea old stare of death.