Now that you are here in VA... (Fairfax: shop, safe)

[SteelCityRising]

Do you always have to come to a complete stop first? I say this because during my morning commutes I get in the right-hand turn lane from Baron Cameron Avenue in Reston onto Route 7 Eastbound towards McLean, and people in that entire lane just go one right after the other without stopping.

[novadude]

Originally Posted by ScranBarre

Do you always have to come to a complete stop first? I say this because during my morning commutes I get in the right-hand turn lane from Baron Cameron Avenue in Reston onto Route 7 Eastbound towards McLean, and people in that entire lane just go one right after the other without stopping.

You are suppose to come to a complete stop if the light is red.

It is treated the same way as a stop sign. It must be a complete stop.

A cop can pull you over if you do a rolling stop or don't stop at all for stop sign or red stop light.

Now you know. Go Captain Planet!

[The Dissenter]

OK, this may be stupid but Does "Stop here on Red" mean i can't turn right on red? I usually just stop (i wont take a chance with the UNFAIRfax police lurking at every corner.)

[movingtodcfromseattle]

I thought that was the law everywhere as well (minus the posted sign of course). I've only been here for 10 days or so. Any other helpful driving hints? We still have our WA plates so I'm nervous that I'm going to "picked on" so to speak. Not to mention the fact that I don't know where I'm going most of the time....actually I take that back.... I can get to Target, Trader Joe's, Starbucks, the park, Giant and Shoppers w/out my GPS. See - I'm stimulating the economy!!!

[Mike From NIU]

Originally Posted by Alanboy395

OK, this may be stupid but Does "Stop here on Red" mean i can't turn right on red? I usually just stop (i wont take a chance with the UNFAIRfax police lurking at every corner.)

No, you can still turn right after coming to a complete stop, if you are in the right-most lane and no other signs to the contrary. However, it does mean that because of some reason, you must come to a complete stop by that particular point or you risk a ticket. These signs are often posted because of a crosswalk at that intersection that would otherwise be consistently blocked by cars turning right on red.

[qwertman]

Originally Posted by Denton56

Thank you for posting this, so many in NOVA don't seem to aware of our laws here, particularly the FOB's.

Not to be racist, or hoping not to sound racist, but what is it with Asian women driving mini vans and the small SUV's? They are horrible in parking lots, back out without looking, and so many refuse to turn right on red. Heaven forbid if there's a sign that says pedestrians have the right of way, they seem to think this means "never turn right on red" and they won't, no matter what. The line of cars behind them can honk until the cows come home, but nothing will make them turn right. Is it a cultural thing? Do they drive like this in Asian countries?

1. Traffic in many Asian countries is more chaotic then here. Getting honked at, cutting people off, not staying in lanes, could be pretty normal in some asian countries.

2. Driving is a lot less common in many asian countries although probably becoming more common. Still, many asians who immigrated to the US as adults probably did not grow up watching other people drive.

3. Along those lines, many (particularly women, who drive in less numbers and less frequently then men in many asian countries) didn't learn to drive until immigrating to the US. Thus, many asian women learned to drive later in life (we know its harder to learn things the older you are) and have less driving experience then many comperably aged persons who grew up in the US.

[okletmein]

Originally Posted by car54

You MAY turn right on red (unless prohibited),....you are not REQUIRED to.

If, as I suspect, you were behind someone that elected not to turn right on red....TOO BAD!

(Metrobuses even have a decal on the back that says "This vehicle does not turn right on red")

that ******* must be you right? it's traffic courtesy and some ppl, like urself, don't have any
yes you are not require to turn, but why would you wait for the green to do so? if you don't feel safe turning on red then you should move to the left or center lane when possible

yes i do know buses don't turn right on red...

[jmking]

Originally Posted by camrynh

You can also turn left on red, if turning from a one way street onto another one way street.

This is true, I believe, and unnerving. This I've seen in Old Town Alex. and was hesitant doing it.

[okletmein]

Originally Posted by qwertman

1. Traffic in many Asian countries is more chaotic then here. .

i was in Vietnam several weeks ago and i see men and woman turned right on red, turned left on red, some even kept on driving regardless of what color it was.
i don't think they would have a problem with permission to right turn on red here

[qwertman]

Originally Posted by okletmein

i was in Vietnam several weeks ago and i see men and woman turned right on red, turned left on red, some even kept on driving regardless of what color it was.
i don't think they would have a problem with permission to right turn on red here

that's kinda my point i was referring to asian women in general being viewed as poor drivers, not specifically failing to turn right on red.