3 ms·

The first time I was in the US I was shocked to see a car go straight through a crosswalk when it was red and I was crossing. I was very surprised when a friend

The first time I was in the US I was shocked to see a car go straight through a crosswalk when it was red and I was crossing. I was very surprised when a friend later told me that this is normal in the US, it seems sensible that this should be banned. I also wonder how traffic routing works with right on red; since you cannot prohibit right turns under any circumstances, how do you direct traffic on T-junctions and 4-way junctions?

flashback2199 3y ago
I was taught it's illegal to drive thru a crosswalk when a pedestrian is in any part of the crosswalk, actually regardless of what the traffic signal is. Now, nobody follows that, but yeah..
- Freedom2 3y ago
  A lot of Americans believe that it infringes on their freedoms, hence why this behavior has become acceptable.
  - amelius 3y ago
    Isn't traffic law #1 in the book that you are not allowed to cause an unsafe situation, regardless of all the other laws?
- jcranmer 3y ago
  The precise rules vary from state to state, but the general rule of thumb is you must stop for a pedestrian that has not yet cleared your direction of the road.
- teaearlgraycold 3y ago
  Honestly as a pedestrian people following that rule are more confusing than anything else. I’ll be 50 feet from the lane they could be turning into and they’re just chilling. Good to see they’re not a road maniac, but also they should feel free to use their senses to realize there’s absolutely no way I could get hurt.
yjftsjthsd-h 3y ago
> The first time I was in the US I was shocked to see a car go straight through a crosswalk when it was red and I was crossing. I was very surprised when a friend later told me that this is normal in the US, it seems sensible that this should be banned. Went straight through in the sense of not stopping at all? Running a light is still illegal. (Also pedestrians have right of way if cars have a red light, so that sounds illegal regardless) > I also wonder how traffic routing works with right on red; since you cannot prohibit right turns under any circumstances, how do you direct traffic on T-junctions and 4-way junctions? The traffic with the green light has right of way; everyone else is only allowed to turn if there's an opening. Does that answer the question, or did I misunderstand?
morpheuskafka 3y ago
It's not at all uncommon to see No Turn On Red signs at some intersections even in smaller cities, although enforcement may not be very strong. Additionally, where a specific right turn arrow signal has been provided, in some states that implies no turn on red ("no turn on a red arrow"). Traffic making a right on red must yield to all other traffic (driving straight from your left, and making a left turn from the opposite side) and pedestrians (in front of you and to the right). I think there is a law that U-turns yield to right turns on red though? Not sure about that.
JonathonW 3y ago
What? Right turns being generally permitted on red (after stopping, while yielding to traffic that has the right of way) does not mean you "cannot prohibit right turns under any circumstances"-- there just needs to be a sign prohibiting them (or a red right arrow means the same-- you may not turn right while it's lit, although around here you'll usually see that paired with a sign because people are stupid). Cases where it's prohibited are plentiful, usually in cases where a right on red can't be executed safely (like if there's poor visibility around a corner) or if right on red would be disruptive to traffic flow.
cameldrv 3y ago
They are supposed to yield (to pedestrians or cars) on a red light. That said, I walk across a road that is the exit from a freeway every morning, and you have to make sure you have eye contact with the driver that’s turning right, even if you have the walk signal or you may get run over…

flashback2199 3y ago

I was taught it's illegal to drive thru a crosswalk when a pedestrian is in any part of the crosswalk, actually regardless of what the traffic signal is. Now, nobody follows that, but yeah..

Freedom2 3y ago
A lot of Americans believe that it infringes on their freedoms, hence why this behavior has become acceptable.
- amelius 3y ago
  Isn't traffic law #1 in the book that you are not allowed to cause an unsafe situation, regardless of all the other laws?
jcranmer 3y ago
The precise rules vary from state to state, but the general rule of thumb is you must stop for a pedestrian that has not yet cleared your direction of the road.
teaearlgraycold 3y ago
Honestly as a pedestrian people following that rule are more confusing than anything else. I’ll be 50 feet from the lane they could be turning into and they’re just chilling. Good to see they’re not a road maniac, but also they should feel free to use their senses to realize there’s absolutely no way I could get hurt.

yjftsjthsd-h 3y ago

> The first time I was in the US I was shocked to see a car go straight through a crosswalk when it was red and I was crossing. I was very surprised when a friend later told me that this is normal in the US, it seems sensible that this should be banned. Went straight through in the sense of not stopping at all? Running a light is still illegal. (Also pedestrians have right of way if cars have a red light, so that sounds illegal regardless) > I also wonder how traffic routing works with right on red; since you cannot prohibit right turns under any circumstances, how do you direct traffic on T-junctions and 4-way junctions? The traffic with the green light has right of way; everyone else is only allowed to turn if there's an opening. Does that answer the question, or did I misunderstand?

morpheuskafka 3y ago

It's not at all uncommon to see No Turn On Red signs at some intersections even in smaller cities, although enforcement may not be very strong. Additionally, where a specific right turn arrow signal has been provided, in some states that implies no turn on red ("no turn on a red arrow"). Traffic making a right on red must yield to all other traffic (driving straight from your left, and making a left turn from the opposite side) and pedestrians (in front of you and to the right). I think there is a law that U-turns yield to right turns on red though? Not sure about that.

JonathonW 3y ago

What? Right turns being generally permitted on red (after stopping, while yielding to traffic that has the right of way) does not mean you "cannot prohibit right turns under any circumstances"-- there just needs to be a sign prohibiting them (or a red right arrow means the same-- you may not turn right while it's lit, although around here you'll usually see that paired with a sign because people are stupid). Cases where it's prohibited are plentiful, usually in cases where a right on red can't be executed safely (like if there's poor visibility around a corner) or if right on red would be disruptive to traffic flow.

cameldrv 3y ago

They are supposed to yield (to pedestrians or cars) on a red light. That said, I walk across a road that is the exit from a freeway every morning, and you have to make sure you have eye contact with the driver that’s turning right, even if you have the walk signal or you may get run over…