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Sounds like where your friend turned is more important than how in this situation. Possibly he was in the shoulder? I used to teach Driver's Ed and no one seems to realize the shoulder is not a lane. I know everyone turns right from there-you don't want to get rear ended and all but it is technically illegal. Many people use the shoulder to pass cars turning left but if the lane is painted you cannot use the shoulder to drive in(except to avoid an accident).
Thanks for the info. I make rights that way sometimes to "get out of the way of drivers behind me."
I will ask him and he will have to look at the pavement marking.
This was an intersection of two large, busy streets (Rockaway Tpke./Burnside Ave.). Sometimes it is not easy to notice or tell what is technically "the shoulder." On highways it is very easy to know where you should not be travelling in (and in bad traffic you know I sometimes do see people driving up the shoulder to pass all the cars anyway!).
The whole driving on the shoulder thing is ridiculous. Everybody on LI passes cars on the right on the shoulder when they are making turns..if you don't the people behind you will honk you until your ears bleed!..I guarantee you every cop on LI does it on and off duty.
I should have made clear--- I always use the shoulder to pass a left turning car! Definitely not a law that is really enforced unless someone is in a bad mood. Watch out for bicyclists though---the judge would probably be pretty angry if you try to use the old "everybody does it"
Many of us witness the police breaking traffic laws while both on and off duty. A very minor infraction like this doesn't necessitate issuing a ticket, unless the police officer is having a bad day or wants to bust chops.
I was headed north on 107 one morning and it was only 1 lane and there was a shoulder. I stopped to make a left, with my directional. I then realized I was making a wrong turn, I was supposed to make a right. I then put on my right blinker when all of a sudden, someone came up my rear in the shoulder as I was turning. she rear ended me. She tried telling the cops and insurance company that I had my left on and not my right linker but she was in the wrong 100% according to the cops and insurance. she was not allowed to pass me using the shoulder.
Was it really a right on red, or was it the usual "I'll slow down as I make this turn while the light is red" - people don't seem to grasp that to legally make a right on red, you must come to a full and complete stop, look, and there must be absolutely no traffic coming. It's not enough that you think you can "beat" traffic that is oncoming. If the p.o. saw him coasting thru a right on red, or deemed that he took too much of a chance making the turn with oncoming traffic, he could ticket him.
Bottom line is, when you've got a red light, you've got a red light. personally i would not make ROR in front of a cop.
I was thinking that maybe he didn't make a full stop before turning right on red.
Thanks for the info. I make rights that way sometimes to "get out of the way of drivers behind me."
I will ask him and he will have to look at the pavement marking.
This was an intersection of two large, busy streets (Rockaway Tpke./Burnside Ave.). Sometimes it is not easy to notice or tell what is technically "the shoulder." On highways it is very easy to know where you should not be travelling in (and in bad traffic you know I sometimes do see people driving up the shoulder to pass all the cars anyway!).
I'm fairly familiar with that intersection. Its quite well marked with signs & pavement markings.
Three of the four corners contain a business w/parking lots that could, potentially, be driven through to 'cut the corner'. The fourth contains an island that merges to W. Broadway, it also has a police booth on it with some restricted parking for police vehicles. (check out mapquest to see the layout) I've often seen folks use that island to make a sort of U-turn. It would technically be wrong, and could also give the appearance of avoiding a traffic device. Perhaps that's what happened?
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