Drivers not turning left with green light

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Mr Nice

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At an intersection with a traffic light with an arrow to make a left turn, after the arrow changes to a normal green light...

Why the heck do drivers refuse to enter the intersection and wait for an opening in oncoming traffic to make a left hand turn ?

4-5 cars could have easily done the same and not back up traffic trying to turn left.
 
Is the intersection equipped with red light cameras? That would be a good reason not to be in the intersection.
 
Originally Posted By: PimTac
Is the intersection equipped with red light cameras? That would be a good reason not to be in the intersection.


Exactly not a valid reason. If you enter the intersection under a green light you are legally *in the intersection" and have a legal right to complete your turn (leave the intersection) at any time it is safe, including under a red light.

If you don't enter the intersection, as the OP is complaining about, you don't have that right. So wrong way to approach it with or without red light cameras.

A further problem is if you are trying to make a left turn under a green or non-flashing arrow, if the person opposite you heading in the other direction also attempting a left turn doesn't pull far enough into the intersection, you cannot see past him or her for oncoming traffic to yield to. So it delays your safe exit from the intersection even if you yourself have pulled far enough into the intersection to place your vehicle correctly.

I share his frustration. But people don't know a lot of the subtleties about driving anymore.
 
Originally Posted By: PimTac
Is the intersection equipped with red light cameras? That would be a good reason not to be in the intersection.


No red light cameras.
 
Originally Posted By: Mr Nice
Originally Posted By: PimTac
Is the intersection equipped with red light cameras? That would be a good reason not to be in the intersection.


No red light cameras.


Thanks for that.
 
They started using a yellow arrow at some newer intersections to indicate you can turn provided you yield to oncoming traffic, which is pretty much what a solid green means.
 
Originally Posted By: Johnny2Bad
Originally Posted By: PimTac
Is the intersection equipped with red light cameras? That would be a good reason not to be in the intersection.


Exactly not a valid reason. If you enter the intersection under a green light you are legally *in the intersection" and have a legal right to complete your turn (leave the intersection) at any time it is safe, including under a red light.

If you don't enter the intersection, as the OP is complaining about, you don't have that right. So wrong, wrong, wrong way to approach it with or without red light cameras.

I share his frustration. But people don't know a lot of the subtleties about driving anymore.




I’ve seen many times at night where a car was in the intersection and made the turn on the red only to get flashed by the camera. I guess it depends where you are.

Mr Nice says there are no cameras so that’s that.
 
Originally Posted By: PimTac


I’ve seen many times at night where a car was in the intersection and made the turn on the red only to get flashed by the camera. I guess it depends where you are.

Mr Nice says there are no cameras so that’s that.


I would try to fight that one in court, if the ticket is even issued. As long as you enter the intersection legally you can leave it legally. In some jurisdictions backing up against traffic can be an infraction itself. It almost certainly is on any controlled access highway.

I say that because a red light camera cannot legally issue a ticket, a police officer must, which means every red light camera instance is reviewed by a cop at a desk who signs the ticket. Here it's always video evidence, with 10 seconds preceding the plate flash included, no idea how it works elsewhere, so it's pretty obvious what transpired. So just seeing the camera flash does not necessarily mean a ticket was issued.
 
Originally Posted By: dishdude
They started using a yellow arrow at some newer intersections to indicate you can turn provided you yield to oncoming traffic, which is pretty much what a solid green means.


Yellow means someone else has the right away. Green means you have the right away.
 
In many cities/states I have driven in, it is Illegal to move to the center of the intersection and stop. The reason being is that you can become trapped if police or other official vehicle needs to get through the intersection quickly. Ed
 
Originally Posted By: Warstud
Originally Posted By: dishdude
They started using a yellow arrow at some newer intersections to indicate you can turn provided you yield to oncoming traffic, which is pretty much what a solid green means.


Yellow means someone else has the right away. Green means you have the right away.


Green arrow means you have the right of way to make a left turn, green solid means yield, same as the yellow arrow.
 
Originally Posted By: Warstud
Originally Posted By: dishdude
They started using a yellow arrow at some newer intersections to indicate you can turn provided you yield to oncoming traffic, which is pretty much what a solid green means.


Yellow means someone else has the right away. Green means you have the right away.


Right, but it can differ depending on whether it's an arrow or full round traffic signal. Here we don't use yellow arrows except in the same way a solid yellow is used; will flash if your right-of-way left arrow is expiring or solid if the yield right-of-way arrow is expiring.
 
Originally Posted By: Eddie
In many cities/states I have driven in, it is Illegal to move to the center of the intersection and stop. The reason being is that you can become trapped if police or other official vehicle needs to get through the intersection quickly. Ed


Here you can drive almost anywhere to get out of the way of an emergency vehicle, including against a red light. Now, if you get into an accident performing such a maneuver you will be found at fault if you are disobeying traffic laws at the time, buy you won't get a ticket; you have a legal reason to operate as such. You just want to insure it's a safe maneuver (not going to get hit by someone dozing at the wheel).

Then again I see so many drivers today who can't or won't move their necks far enough to shoulder check at any time or for any reason I suppose "making a safe maneuver" is beyond them as you have to look around and do some driving.
 
I used to work with someone that woldn't turn right on red. She didn't believe in it.
 
Originally Posted By: Leo99
I used to work with someone that woldn't turn right on red. She didn't believe in it.


Bingo! We have a winner. She can't differentiate between facts (the law) and opinion (her own).
 
Originally Posted By: dishdude
Originally Posted By: Warstud
Originally Posted By: dishdude
They started using a yellow arrow at some newer intersections to indicate you can turn provided you yield to oncoming traffic, which is pretty much what a solid green means.


Yellow means someone else has the right away. Green means you have the right away.


Green arrow means you have the right of way to make a left turn, green solid means yield, same as the yellow arrow.


My bad...I read it wrong.
 
I can't stand that either. The left turn lane will have a huge line, all because some wuss won't pull into the intersection.

Someone had an Ohio plate and wouldn't pull into the intersection to wait. I texted a friend of mine in Ohio if they all do that and she said yes.
 
There are plenty of drivers at war with everyone around them and want to back up the line and make others wait. Actually I never see the case of people not moving up into the intersection to turn. I see them taking forever to go, then moving very very slowly. If they are in front, the ones in back of the line are in a hurry to go.
You are allowed to be in an intersection to turn and the light turns red. If you are the first or only car. I can see where it gets complicated depending on the intersection.
 
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