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_Haverford_ OP t1_j9uysk4 wrote

Reply to comment by Weekly_Drawer_7000 in Biting the Bullet and Driving in the City by _Haverford_

In the grand scheme, I really haven't. I drive multiple times a month, but always just around my rural town in Jersey.

When there's a lot of traffic, and you have to turn left at the light, the only opportunity to turn is when the light is red. Isn't this considered running the light??? God help me.

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xaraca t1_j9v3t09 wrote

> When there's a lot of traffic, and you have to turn left at the light, the only opportunity to turn is when the light is red. Isn't this considered running the light??? God help me.

You enter the intersection while your light is green and wait for an opening. If the light turns red, it's okay because you've already entered the intersection and now you can turn.

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_Haverford_ OP t1_j9v43fr wrote

>it's okay because you've already entered the intersection and now you can turn.

Thank you, this is what always confused me. So you begin the turn when the light is green and complete it as soon as it turns red/there is another opening in traffic.

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Arcom8065 t1_j9v6yhm wrote

I remember the rulebook says you are allowed to enter the intersection and finish your turn after the light turns red. Based on responses I think having some lessons in the city would be helpful. You may not be aware of nuances like what happens if I turn left and there is an island that separates the two directions in the middle of the road? You're supposed to turn into the island and wait until the cross street's light turns green. Yes this means on some roads like Park Avenue, pretty much only 2 or 3 cars ever get to turn left so try to avoid that if you can.

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aalex596 t1_j9vb4nj wrote

This red light situation is all in the DMV driver's manual. It sure sounds like you need to reread it. Carefully.

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meantnothingatall t1_j9v3x8x wrote

You would pull up into the intersection (as long as there is space for you to turn onto that street because you should not block it) and when the cars finish coming from the opposite way (red light), you can make your left turn to get out of the intersection.

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CensorshipIsTheDevil t1_j9v28r7 wrote

I think you mean to turn right, turning left is always illegal without a green light (you can cross traffic if there is no light, just has to be done safely.) Turning right on a red is illegal in NYC, but not in many areas.

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_Haverford_ OP t1_j9v32bq wrote

No, I mean turning left. Many times traffic is so dense that the way will not be clear unless you turn illegally. Do people just nose out into traffic and expect the oncoming lane to stop?

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Sickpup831 t1_j9v4agt wrote

If there’s no cars ahead of me and my light is green, I usually drive about halfway through the intersection with my left blinker on and either traffic will clear and you turn, or the moment the light turns red and traffic stops you can quickly make your turn before the thru traffic gets the green.

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