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So what happens when you pull into the intersection waiting for the oncoming traffic to clear, which it never does, and now the light has turned red again, and you're blocking the crossing traffic, which is now pulling into the intersection?
Well, that's the problem, isn't it.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dkf747
If you are beyond the line you must continue through the intersection beyond the other lines. Failing to do so is what is called "blocking the box". It does not mean the mere presence inside the "box". If you pull out to turn left, nine times out of ten you will not have a problem clearing the intersection, and will not be blocking the box. That one time out of ten, you should have been able to see that there was not enough room to turn, and stay back behind the line. Get it now?
That's why I make my left turn, regardless of whether the light is black-to-the-white-the-red-and-green, the purple and yellow.
So what happens when you pull into the intersection waiting for the oncoming traffic to clear, which it never does, and now the light has turned red again, and you're blocking the crossing traffic, which is now pulling into the intersection?
The response is here, a few posts before yours:
Quote:
Originally Posted by Cloudy Dayz
If you have a green light, or a green arrow, then you have a right to enter the intersection. If the light turns yellow, or red while you are in the intersection then you have a right to complete your turn at that time.
You have to remember that the pedestrians always have the right of way. So if there is someone waiting to cross, you should wait behind the white line.
I always pull out on a left turn straight out. I don't turn my wheels until I'm ready to go. If I sit in the intersection then oncoming traffic see me and know to wait until I am gone before they go. Unfortunately so many run the yellow to red light that I'm sometimes making a left on a red light. That's scary. So part of it depends on the intersection and amount of traffic . . . And pedestrians.
IF this is in a zone where high school students are just released . . . No. I'd go down the road and make a right and come around. Or find a convenient U-turn. I refuse to do anything 'risky' around high school student drivers.
Here in TX that would be a dangerous thing to do on a busy intersection, because of of all the red light runners. Typically 2-3 cars continue entering an intersection even after the light turns red, so there's high risk if you're waiting in the middle of the intersection to turn left across traffic.
There is no greater risk to pulling out than there is waiting behind the line. I was assuming that it was understood that yo wait for the red light runners to go through and then you turn. You're not supposed to go until you're sure oncoming traffic isn't oncoming anymore, or is at least far enough away to safely turn. There is no danger when you pull out.
Pull into the intersection if the light is green - not yellow (and certainly not red).
If an emergency vehicle needs to get around, they will. Just sit tight. I have never had that happen in 40 years of driving nor 55 years of being a passenger.
If somebody runs a red light there's nothing you can do about that - they would be just as likely to hit you if you were making a direct turn.
Some people just don't know how to drive. I've had people lean on their horns when I won't pull into an intersection that is jammed (eg the line ahead of me has no room for me to pull up with out being stuck in the intersection). I've had people lean on their horn for NOT making a right on red. I won't make a right on red when its not safe. and if I can't see the oncoming traffic because of that semi next to me I won't be pulling out.
Also hitting your horn suddenly is a GUARANTEE that I'll hit the brakes - because a horn should be a DANGER signal, not a hurry-up order. I will always treat it as the former and will ignore the latter.
You have to remember that the pedestrians always have the right of way. So if there is someone waiting to cross, you should wait behind the white line.
And where would they be crossing, in the crosswalk in front of the person trying to make a left turn?
In my state, pedestrians only have the right of way in a light-controlled intersection when they are crossing on a GREEN light, moving with the parallel traffic, not on a red light, crossing the path of moving traffic.
Here in TX that would be a dangerous thing to do on a busy intersection, because of of all the red light runners. Typically 2-3 cars continue entering an intersection even after the light turns red, so there's high risk if you're waiting in the middle of the intersection to turn left across traffic.
It's very dangerous and if there was a collision, the left turn driver would be at fault. I wait behind the line except for special circumstances.
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