can someone tell me if yielding when turning right is the law here??? (Atlanta: safe, moving)

[bryantm3]

Originally Posted by tomoveornot

i have never seen anyone do this before until moving to georgia. i don't know if it's a southern polite thing to do or if it's actually the law. i noticed yield signs when turning right and i assumed they meant yield if there is someone in the crosswalk. but i often see people about to turn right and then stop and let the oncoming left turning car go in front of them! i think this is very hazardous. if i'm behind the right turning car i would never expect him to stop when we have what i assumed was the right away. is the right turning car supposed to wait until all the traffic clears in the lanes next to him so that the left turning car can go? this is crazy. can anyone help me understand this so i don't rear end someone or crash into the guy turning left in front of me when he thought i was yielding?! thanks

yes. i'm from here and bumped a guy's fender a year ago when i was behind a guy turning right. if it says yield, and there is no one coming, you slow down a bit to turn to make sure. if there are cars coming, you have to stop and wait until you have an opening to go in.

[Momdog]

When I first moved down here, I had a situation where I was about to turn left at a stop light, and a car was coming toward me the opposite way and turning right. I stopped and wait for them to turn right but then they stopped and wait for me to turn left!! That's when I learned that "I wasn't in Kansas anymore". ha ha ha!

P.s. I'm not a fan of this whole "yield on green in right lane" thing...

[brook2ga]

There are a number of "keep moving" signs which, imo, can and do cause accidents. Does this mean one should yield? If the right is red, then what? Not everyone reacts to them the same way.

[billl]

Originally Posted by brookdaleresident

There are a number of "keep moving" signs which, imo, can and do cause accidents. Does this mean one should yield? If the right is red, then what? Not everyone reacts to them the same way.

The "keep moving" sign means exactly that. They only use those in situations where there is no need to yield, such as a right hand turn in to a dedicated lane.

But I do have a picture of a "Stop" sign right next to a "Keep Moving" sign, taken at an exit from a parking lot in Alpharetta. Talk about confusing!

[HeyEng]

Originally Posted by brookdaleresident

There are a number of "keep moving" signs which, imo, can and do cause accidents. Does this mean one should yield? If the right is red, then what? Not everyone reacts to them the same way.

These are usually used when as you join a perpendicular road, you are in a newly created lane. I really wish they had those here in Texas...people will freakin' stop and wait even though they have their "own" lane.

[10scoachrick]

Thought I'd chime in here. After 30 years in Atlanta suburbs, I moved to Austin, TX where we have even more of the 'right turn' yield intersections. Essentially, the right-turning vehicle must yield to any vehicle already in the intersection(some REALLY big intersections out here, just like ones in Atlanta). So, no, the oncoming left-turners don't have the right-of-way over 'your' straight or right-turning traffic; but, if they have turned and are clearing the intersection, your right turn must yield to them.(Imagine an 18-wheeler or big Texas truck started their left turn while the intersection was clear and your zippy turbo-car approached the intersection as they were clearing it)...that's what the right-turn yield is about...NOT about stopping always...but YIELDING. It's counter to the 'old way' of thinking the left-turning vehicle must yield to all on-coming traffic; but is more necessary in larger intersections. Whew!

All bets are off regarding the 'keep moving' lanes. They had those at Holcomb Bridge & 400 twenty years ago and people STILL can't figure them out!

[cbreeze22]

Originally Posted by 10scoachrick

... So, no, the oncoming left-turners don't have the right-of-way over 'your' straight or right-turning traffic; but, if they have turned and are clearing the intersection, your right turn must yield to them.(Imagine an 18-wheeler or big Texas truck started their left turn while the intersection was clear and your zippy turbo-car approached the intersection as they were clearing it)...that's what the right-turn yield is about...NOT about stopping always...but YIELDING. It's counter to the 'old way' of thinking the left-turning vehicle must yield to all on-coming traffic; but is more necessary in larger intersections. Whew!

My 16yo has had this issue come up over and over again. Her big question was this: If the left-turning vehicle is in the intersection waiting for a gap, and you are turning right with a yield sign, who has right of way?

Since I learned how to drive on the mean, non-moving streets and freeways of LA, I come close to road rage when left-turners don't enter the intersection while waiting for a gap. If they're behind the line, aren't they yielding their right of way to the right-turners?

Not that I don't want to be lawful, but I'd rather she (and I) just have a better idea of what other drivers around here are thinking.

[10scoachrick]

Originally Posted by cbreeze22

My 16yo has had this issue come up over and over again. Her big question was this: If the left-turning vehicle is in the intersection waiting for a gap, and you are turning right with a yield sign, who has right of way?

Since I learned how to drive on the mean, non-moving streets and freeways of LA, I come close to road rage when left-turners don't enter the intersection while waiting for a gap. If they're behind the line, aren't they yielding their right of way to the right-turners?

Not that I don't want to be lawful, but I'd rather she (and I) just have a better idea of what other drivers around here are thinking.

If that left-turning vehicle hasn't begun the turn, there will be no one to cause you to yield...no need to stop at the yield sign to wait for them to begin their turn. IF, however, they have entered their turn and you would end up sharing the same space after you make your right turn, then you must yield to them. The bigger the intersection, the easier it is to see why this works(kinda, sorta).

[Georgiafrog]

Originally Posted by 10scoachrick

If that left-turning vehicle hasn't begun the turn, there will be no one to cause you to yield...no need to stop at the yield sign to wait for them to begin their turn. IF, however, they have entered their turn and you would end up sharing the same space after you make your right turn, then you must yield to them. The bigger the intersection, the easier it is to see why this works(kinda, sorta).

I don't get what the big deal is. I suppose I learned to drive with this rule, but it makes sense to me to have the car that is in the middle of the road get the right of way over the one in the far right turning lane. Not only that, but I really don't think it is that difficult to figure out when to go or not if you are paying attention at all as you approach the intersection.

As far as the "Keep Moving" signs are concerned, I like them. I've only seen them used (like a previous poster said), when turning into a merge lane. They are also generally the only time I feel justified in using my horn in traffic. It's just not at all polite here.

[neil0311]

The one law that no one here seems to be the least bit aware of is that you can make a left turn on red from a one way to a one way street. If I drive around downtown, I am amazed at how many people sit at the lights when they could be turning.