Turning right on a red?

therealnerd2 · 21 Dec 2008 at 18:01

How are people managing to argue about this? How can you guys drive without knowing how to turn right at junctions??

Clarkey · 21 Dec 2008 at 18:51

put it this way, if some muppet was just sat at the line while the lights were green just because someone else is already waiting to turn right, they would get a good long blast of my horn. Sitting there blocking everyone who wants to go left or straight on is unacceptable IMO.

Ross1234 · 21 Dec 2008 at 18:54

I was told you only go past the line if you are the first or second car waiting.

Dogbreath · 21 Dec 2008 at 19:28

Clarkey said:
It's very rare that I use the horn.
The way I see it there is no point in starting a road rage incident over nothing, as Fox says, we all make mistakes.

Clarkey said:
put it this way, if some muppet was just sat at the line while the lights were green just because someone else is already waiting to turn right, they would get a good long blast of my horn. Sitting there blocking everyone who wants to go left or straight on is unacceptable IMO.

I think the phrase that springs to mind is "tough luck". Driving into a box junction when there is already cars waiting to turn right is exactly how the OP got himself noticed by the police. Unless you can be fairly sure you will get through on the current green you shouldn't do it.

timbob · 21 Dec 2008 at 19:52

Dogbreath said:
I think the phrase that springs to mind is "tough luck". Driving into a box junction when there is already cars waiting to turn right is exactly how the OP got himself noticed by the police. Unless you can be fairly sure you will get through on the current green you shouldn't do it.

A lot of them aren't box junctions though - at least the big one in Bedford isn't. It's just two lanes (there is no left turn) - left lane for straight, right lane for right.

All traffic on the main road is let loose at once, so going straight on is fine, but if you want to turn right, you need to wait for a gap - a pensioner being slow on the getaway for example - or wait till the amber at the end. You pull into the middle of the junction (no yellow box), and as soon as the lights go amber, the 4 or 5 cars that have pulled into the junction can get through and clear off down the side road before the other lot get their green lights.

Lum · 21 Dec 2008 at 19:52

Ross1234 said:
I was told you only go past the line if you are the first or second car waiting.

It depends on the size and layout of the junction. I was always taught (both before and after my test) that if you're turning right then you just enter the junction and wait in the middle until a suitable gap comes or the oncoming traffic is stopped by the red light, there's always plenty of time to get out of there before the traffic from the sides gets near you.

It's also legal to do this when turning right, even if it's a box junction (Highway Code Rule 174 - "...You MUST NOT enter the box until your exit road or lane is clear. However, you may enter the box and wait when you want to turn right, and are only stopped from doing so by oncoming traffic, or by other vehicles waiting to turn right..." TSRGD regs 10(1) & 29(2))

munge · 21 Dec 2008 at 19:53

Dogbreath said:
...Driving into a box junction...

Thought he was in a normal junction? If it's a box junction then you shouldn't be queuing on the junction, in which case serves him right.

Sugar Free · 21 Dec 2008 at 19:59

munge said:
Thought he was in a normal junction? If it's a box junction then you shouldn't be queuing on the junction, in which case serves him right.

Let's quote the highway code shall we:

Box junctions. These have criss-cross yellow lines painted on the road (see 'Road markings'). You MUST NOT enter the box until your exit road or lane is clear. However, you may enter the box and wait when you want to turn right, and are only stopped from doing so by oncoming traffic, or by other vehicles waiting to turn right.

-----
It seems like from this you may enter the box if your exit is clear and you're only prevented by oncoming cars and other vehicles waiting to turn right

Overlag · 21 Dec 2008 at 20:21

LizardKing said:
only enter a junction if the exit is clear

thats impossible to do in london, everyone behind ya would be going nuts as your sitting at a standstill at a green light?

Sone · 21 Dec 2008 at 20:58

Hate said:
Only in certain parts of America can you turn right on a red, I think.

Definately not over here.

Did you read the thread :confused:

Justintime · 21 Dec 2008 at 21:39

FTR it was not a box junction (how did people come to that conclusion??) and i was the second vehicle..

Lum · 21 Dec 2008 at 21:44

Doesn't matter if it was a box junction or not, you were entirely in the right and the copper who had a go at you was an idiot.

Vertigo · 22 Dec 2008 at 10:53

Regardless of whether you should or shouldn't enter the junction when the exit is blocked, it's not always practical to wait at the line before entering, especially on large junctions.

It's a case of using your common sense, which it sounds like you did. The morons that really annoy me are those that think they have a divine right to enter and exit the junction when the light against them has gone red, simply because they have their front wheels three inches over the white line.

ZG002 · 22 Dec 2008 at 11:42

The op exit was not blocked. He was simply waiting for on coming traffic to clear. cop in panda car was in the wrong imo.

whitecrook · 22 Dec 2008 at 12:00

Yeah theres a few junctions like this that I drive through regualry round here. It's a bit of a pain, especially if you are car 3 or 4 in the queue turning right and car 1 is slow to perform the turn after the oncoming traffic has stopped. Nothing for it but to continue. Unless it's to congested and there is room to wait 'in the junction' for the next turn.

Also, the panda car what was his problem exactly? Green means 'Proceed if possible/safe to do so' NOT "Go, and if anybody prevents me going they should DIE!" If the OP was in the way it wasn't possible for him to proceed - so what, tough titty.

Attu90 · 22 Dec 2008 at 12:27

Id imagine the Police car didn't know you were originally there as the Transit was blocking his view and he thought you had entered the junction under a red light.
Other than that what you have described sounds perfectly OK to me, OH and it makes no difference whether it was a box junction or not.

excaliborg · 22 Dec 2008 at 13:34

I have to do this at a busy box junction in Manchester; most people including myself wait beyond the white line and when there is sufficient space (i.e. we get a green arrow at the beginning of the light cycle, or as all lights turn red) a couple of cars go.
If you are the last car waiting to turn right this usually involves flooring it across the junction to avoid being T-boned.

tripitaka · 22 Dec 2008 at 18:08

therealnerd2 said:
How are people managing to argue about this? How can you guys drive without knowing how to turn right at junctions??

3 lefts make a right

act smiley · 24 Dec 2008 at 22:28

Otherwise known as the motto of whoever set up the traffic lights in Cardiff.

-Ad- · 24 Dec 2008 at 22:57

timbob said:
My driving instructor taught me to do that (in regular driving, not on the test)... Pull into the junction, wait for oncoming traffic to clear, then quickly pull across as it changes onto red, before the other lights have changed to green.

There's one particular junction in Bedford where you just have to do this, else only a single car will get through on every light cycle, and you'd be waiting for half an hour to get through the junction.

Up on goldington road coming from the Tesco, turning down towards Newham school ?

There yesterday trying to take a shortcut and not go through near the Hi-strt and all those damn lights