Turning right with red traffic light ?
 

Just back home to Europe from a 2 weeks driving trip to Florida. I was very surprised when approaching traffic lights in the very first right lane to turn right drivers behind me were honking at me trying to force me turning right even with red traffic lights. Did I miss some "local rule" ? I anyway waited for the green light but other drivers were upset with me. I would like to hear your comments on this because I have driven in the US many times in other States and this never happened to me.

As far as I know, everywhere EXCEPT New York City you can make a right on red unless there is a "No Turn on Red" sign

This rule was passed to save fuel before US cars began to get better mileage. If it is prohibited at individual intersections, and it may well be, the prohibition will be marked.

Save fuel = my 1995 Jeep gets 14 miles per gallon in traffic. At best.

"...I have driven in the US many times in other States and this never happened to me.'

Perhaps you have forgotten.

It may have been "passed" since California had it in effect for years prior to it being "nationalized."

Perhaps you should hone up on your road rules before your next trip Fabio. I'd have been honking too.

http://www.stateofflorida.com/Portal...aspx?tabid=213

And since many of Florida's roadways have nicely designed and marked turning lanes and traffic lights, it is probably safer to make right turn on red there than many other places. It's the law in all 50 States - maybe people are just ruder in Florida.

Just one thing about that rule. Yes, you can turn right on red unless marked otherwise, but unless I'm wrong everywhere that turn is legal the true rule (at least in Florida) is "you can turn right after coming to a complete stop". I'm so tired of people honking at me because I even slow down before making that turn, yet alone come to a complete stop. I watch as people don't even slow down but zoom right around the right hand turn through red lights, often unable to see continuing traffic going that direction. And a number of times I've kind of grinned with glee as police pull them over and ticket them for not coming to a stop before turning.

A couple of notes:

Yes - except in NYC - or as marked other places (many in the NY Metro area) you can turn right on red

BUT

1) you must come to a complete stop
2) you must give way to pedestrians - they always take precedence - and if they are still crossing the street when the light change - you can't honk or pressure them - they have whatever time needed to get to the sidewalk

In the US a "right turn on red" (after making a complete stop) has been in effect since the late 1970's. NYC is one exception.

Did you spend all two weeks not turning right on red? Why didn't you ask someone in Florida?

Maybe drivers are more polite in other states.:)

I am surprised you have never heard of this rule if you have driven before in the U.S., or if you have ever read any guidebooks on the U.S.

Thank goodness you were in Florida. Up here, outside DC, you probably would have had drivers get out of their cars to, um, have a discussion with you.

Yes, it's legal unless there's a sign posted saying it's not. Just come to a complete stop and yield to pedestrians.

What am I missing? I know that I CAN turn right on red, but what if I don't want to, and intend to drive straight ahead across the intersection? Unless I am in a "right turn only" lane, which is clearly marked on the pavement, I have no duty to turn right just because some bozo behind me is honking his/her horn.

What are you missing? If you come to a right hand turn and stop and can see that there is no cross traffic, why wouldn't you turn to help keep traffic moving? It has nothing to do with someone behind you honking -- you are free to go if it is clear and there is no reason not to. Would you also pull up to a green light and just sit there?

Oh, sorry. I was missing something. No, if you are in a lane that goes straight through and you want to, then of course you ignore the bozo honking behind you.

People in Florida are very impatient drivers. I believe it is too many cars on not enough roads. Or roads that have too many orange barrels and cones. Or exits that are non-stop every 1/4 mile so no one wants to drive in the slow lane.

As an American I still find driving across the country so different by region.

Up and down the East Coast, the highway SLOW lane is empty. People in the MIDDLE lane vary between the speed limit, 5-10 over, or even 5-10 under (since no one drives the slow lane). People in the FAST lane fly by like there is no tomorrow and get up on your bumper if you are one of the driver that are forced to enter the fast lane to pass someone doing 50 mph. The fast lane is their travel lane and they never leave it.

Across the rest of the country it's a different story. Exits are few and far between. People "keep right except to pass" like you are suppose to. They use the PASSING lane for passing and then get back over. You don't need signs along the highway telling trucks to use the left two lanes because trucks don't ride the right lane like they do in the East.

Same rules of the road, but not the same drivers.

Different states have their peculiarities. Exiting the Interstates in Colorado into a roundabout was one thing I didn't see everywhere and jug handles in New Jersey took some getting use to. I mean, when you see a sign that says, "All left turns right lane"...???...wtf.

Drive and learn. lol I'm surprised it took so many trips to the US to wonder why people were honking.

Obviously you have no obligation to turn right if you intended to proceed straight ahead - unless you were driving like many bozos in Florida with their directional signal permanently on. Then all bets are off.

There are certain behaviors that, while legal, are at least rude and perhaps traffic hazards. Driving 55 mph in the middle lane when the flow of traffic is 65 would fit that category.

<i>Across the rest of the country it's a different story. Exits are few and far between. People "keep right except to pass" like you are suppose to. They use the PASSING lane for passing and then get back over.</i>

Not in California. My experience has been the exact opposite.

"There are certain behaviors that, while legal, are at least rude and perhaps traffic hazards. Driving 55 mph in the middle lane when the flow of traffic is 65 would fit that category."

I agree, but it is absolutely true that that is how east coast drivers behave. They also have no idea what their indicators are for.

A learning situation for us moving from Missouri to Boston area...here there are indeed restrictions most everywhere about no right on red.

I love the 'right turn on red' rule. It works very well in our city. But, of course, you have to come to a complete stop first, and check oncoming traffic.

We can also make a left turn on red, if going from a one-way street into a one-way street. It doesn't happen often, and if I do it, it feels really strange. I don't think many drivers know this is allowed.

Another lesser known fact is that at intersections where U-turns are permitted and controlled by an arrow from the left-most lane, motorists turning right on red onto the same road must yield to those making U-turns before turning, as the motorists making U-turns have the right of way. When the city I live in constructed concrete medians throughout much of the major roadways there were many accidents due to people not realizing this rule. They had to post signs stating the rule and inform people via the local news and paper. All the more reason to come to a complete stop and check oncoming traffic.

I can't imagine that a driver thinks it's ok to go through a red light to make a right turn, without stopping. That would be really dumb. It's a RED light.

We do have a few intersections where there is a right turn arrow, which is my favorite. Then you don't have to stop if you have a green arrow.

Michael, I agree. California city driving is a section all its own. You must know where you are going if you are from another state. The signs are so low to the ground that it makes them useless if there is traffic, the exits aren't numbered in some cities, and to top it off, roads have names. Not I-10, but the San Bernardino Freeway or Santa Monica Freeway. You must know Route numbers instead of Avenues or Streets, and you have no clue when you are approaching your exit because they aren't numbered.

Everyone mentions the gridlock and slow driving in LA. While I've seen it up and down the coast, I've never been in slow traffic near LA. My advice is know which exit is yours via GPS and an early warning system, then just get to the left hugging the concrete wall until your exit and drive 100mph like everyone else. That is truly the safest way. haha

Actually, it's just like that in South Florida near Miami. Anywhere on I-75, not I-95.

The proper lane driving is from coast to coast sideways.

As someone who lives and drives in NYC, but works and drives in NJ, I find it funny how simply crossing a river changes the way people drive. It's where I was introduced to "whoever hits the gas first does what they want" - that took some getting used to and some close calls when someone making a left darted out in front of me. Of course, this will only happen on local streets. And I must admit I am a jug handle convert.

The reason most east coasters drive in the middle and/or left lane is that it is easier for motorists getting on and off if the right lane is free. NY/NJ/CT/MA have a lot of old parkways that are 2 lanes with a lot of traffic and lots of entering exiting, if everyone drove in the right lane it would really slow things down.

What states do not allow right turns on red?

Where did you get the idea that entire states don't allow it?

intersections where U-turns are permitted and controlled by an arrow from the left-most lane, motorists turning right on red onto the same road must yield to those making U-turns before turning,

Well, bully for you, but that is not necessarily true elsewhere. So check it out.

"if everyone drove in the right lane it would really slow things down."

Nonsense. It just requires people smart enough to understand merging. Europeans manage it fine, Americans seem to have difficulty.

"Nonsense. It just requires people smart enough to understand merging. Europeans manage it fine, Americans seem to have difficulty."

The ability to merge varies widely in the US. In my experience, drivers in NJ are an order of magnitude better than in New England.

I wasn't trying to one up you Gretchen. I was just sharing something I did not know previously and learned relatively recently. I did try to check it out, as you so rudely suggested but was unable to find where that was not the case. Would you be so kind as to let me know where this is not true?

I'm trying to picture that whole UTurn thing. So I'm sitting in a right lane to turn right and the light is red, but to my right there is a car with a green light making a UTurn and thereby turning into the lane that I need to also go in. Where in the world would it be legal for me to cut in front of him rather than yield to him since I have a red light and he has a green light?

So I'm with travelerfromtx on this one. Gretchen please explain where it wouldn't be necessary to yield to that Uturn maker, but it would be legal to cut if front of them as they make their green UTurn and I take the right of way?

<i> What states do not allow right turns on red? </i>

I can't think of any.

There are some busy intersections that will have signs that you're not allowed to turn right on red light but overall it's allowed everywhere.

Finally, you do have to stop and give pedestrians the right of way, so unless there is a sign prohibiting it then you're good to go.

Thank you to all of those people who do not live in Florida and have decided we are "very impatient" (yet we apparently remain IN our cars rather than jumping out to "have a conversation" as is reported in the DC area above.

I am so relieved I cannot tell you.

As to how things are in Charleston, they are still trying to figure out why they lost "the recent unpleasantness" so you can understand the thing about U-turns.

What states don't allow a right turn on red after stop? Apparently none.

From Ask.com

"All states permit drivers to turn right on a red signal after a complete stop if the intersection is not designated otherwise by posted signs. New York City now is the only major jurisdiction that prohibits the turn."

So, please note -- it is worth mentioning that such a turn IS illegal in NYC. I don't think I've ever known that, and I'm pretty sure I've done a few of those.

Wow ! Good lesson ! Thank you. Now I know it for the future. As it is illegal in EU to make right with red light I wrongly assumed it was the same in the US. Here red = stop and not = stop + go with above mentioned rules. It was my fault not to check it in advance, but I could not even imagine that it was allowed. That's why I did not even check it.
I did not turn right with red because I was afraid to be ticketed. The reason why I was never honked in the past I simply do not know. Probably I was just lucky to find less impatient drivers.

What about the red arrow on the right turn light? There's no sign saying don't turn. but...

Dukey1, You're welcome. I'm glad you're so relieved. *insert wink of sarcasm* Having driven in Florida for nearly 50 yrs, I stand by my opinion that patience is not a virtue many drivers here possess.

Fabio - thanks for going a good sport about all this. Although they are trying to standardize traffic signals in US, there are still some confusing oddities. Red and yellow lights flashing at the same time used to mean stop for pedestrians - but since you are always supposed to do that, not sure the point. A flashing red light means stop and proceed if safe while a flashing yellow light just means "caution". Near where I live there is a flashing green signal, but I have no clue what that means. Many areas in Florida have sensible road patterns, well marked intersections, turning lanes - so perhaps people expect cars to behave.

If you ever want a US driving adventure, come on up to Boston and try to figure out roads, signage and traffic - since many roads were paved onto old cow or cart paths.