Right of Way at intersecations (Seattle, Wenatchee: school, living in, safe)

[ant73]

Who has the right of way in these examples?


Please hele out. I came from Toronto area. I would like to make sure I get used to the traffic rules in the state.


Example 01-



Vehicle in Green – Turning Right after complete stop. The traffic light is red
Vehicle in Red – The vehicle is making “wide u-turn.” The traffic light is orange & flashing


As far as I know, u-turns are generally illegal unless posted. Is this correct?






Example 02.


Both cars have green light.
Who has the right of way this time?

Blue, correct?

[Ruth4Truth]

OP, when I'm in a new city, new state, I hire an instructor from the local driving school to ask those kinds of questions of, to learn the local streets (out-of-towners not knowing where they're going can cause accidents), and if necessary, get practice handling local weather conditions (snow driving, for people from California or western Washington). It's only around $35-$40 for an hour, and it's well worth it. It will give you much more confidence. But right turns have right of way over left turns, even if it's a u-turn. And some intersections don't allow u-turns.

[pnwguy2]

Not sure I understand the question, but in most jurisdictions if you come to a "tie", the right vehicle has the right-away. Think right, and let the right vehicle move first.

[chol1a]

Example 2: both cars have a green light is impossible at least in WA, PA, NY and NJ.

Example 1:
u-turns are generally illegal unless posted. Is this correct? YES, it is correct.
If that was the scenario the green vehicle has a right of way, and the red screams for a LEO attention.

... but if the intersection was marked as a U-turn one, the right-of-way is for the red vehicle. Driver is on the main road and has a flashing yellow traffic light means slow down and proceed with caution. Left turn drivers must yield to traffic that moves straight or turns right... A flashing yellow arrow means left turns are allowed, but you must yield to oncoming traffic and pedestrians.
Green vehicle is topped at ared light - If turning right, it may turn after coming to a full stop if it is safe and if there is no sign prohibiting the turn on a red light. it must yield to oncoming traffic The red vehicle will be part of the oncoming traffic.

[Minntoaz]

Green has right away because u turns always yield. Assuming a u-turn in that state is even legal.

While we are on it, cars have the right to pull to the middle of the intersection and wait to turn and the oncoming traffic has to wait. Whewww glad I got that off my chest. It doesn't seem to be well understood here in WA.

[ant73]

To chol1a,

Thank you~

About "Example 01" - I do not think I clearly explained the scenario.

A vehicle (Red line) is making u-turn instead of turning left while the light is flashing orange. Keep in mind, no sign and/or post, allowing u-turn, which I think makes it illegal.

2nd vehicle (green) is turning right while the light is red. Keep in mind this occurs ater a full stop in order to ensure no-oncoming traffic from both directions and no pedistrians + no sign, showing "Do not turn on Red"

The reason why I am confused is I keep getting conflicted info from people who have been living in the state for a long time.
Some people believe a Red line vehicle gets to go first as the light is flashing orange while a Green line vehicle has red light.

I did some researching online & it seems to me that everyone sees this scenario a bit differently.

ex. I'm making a U-turn - I HAVE THE ****ING RIGHT OF WAY, *******! [Archive] - Straight Dope Message Board

Regardless, I think I am going to ask this question to a defensive driving instructor who happends to be a real/active police officer. There is a class available in mid December.

[509]

Originally Posted by Minntoaz

While we are on it, cars have the right to pull to the middle of the intersection and wait to turn and the oncoming traffic has to wait. Whewww glad I got that off my chest. It doesn't seem to be well understood here in WA.

Uh, maybe because the cops write tickets for blocking an intersection.

You can move to the middle of the intersection, but you better be out of there when the light turns red.

The city of Wenatchee finally had enough and started writing LOTS of tickets for blocking intersections. Now the intersections are kept clear and traffic is moving much more smoothly.

[pnwguy2]

Originally Posted by 509

Uh, maybe because the cops write tickets for blocking an intersection.

You can move to the middle of the intersection, but you better be out of there when the light turns red.

The city of Wenatchee finally had enough and started writing LOTS of tickets for blocking intersections. Now the intersections are kept clear and traffic is moving much more smoothly.

I think these are two different things. The poster, I believe was talking about a turning left driver moving into the middle of the intersection then waiting for the light to turn yellow then red and finally making the turn. This is pretty common.

"Blocking the intersection", as I understand it is what happens when straight ahead drivers move into the intersection even though traffic ahead is either slow or stopped. This creates folks with nowhere to go and thus creates traffic anarchy. Seattle has struggled with this for decades, but smaller towns are not immune.

[Botev1912]

U-turns are allowed at intersections with traffic lights unless this sign is present.

[GraceKrispy]

Example 2: both cars have a green light is impossible at least in WA, PA, NY and NJ.

How is that impossible? There are several intersections around me where both the cars in the example would have green arrows.