Texas Traffic Laws: Waiting in the intersection to turn left. (Houston: to move, estimate)
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Something to consider: if you enter the intersection part way, anticipating an unprotected left turn, please keep your wheels pointed straight until you can actually make the turn. In the event that you are struck from behind & your wheels are turned to the left, the accident will be much worse than if you are just driven straight forward.
Also, it seems to me that the rule on a left turn would be the same as the general rule about entering intersections: if you can't go all the way through the intersection, you shouldn't enter it (e.g. traffic ahead & you have to wait behind the line, even though the light is green). That said, if I'm taking a left turn & it appears that oncoming traffic has available holes in it, I'll pull into the intersection & wait. If it is a solid stream of traffic, I'll wait behind the line.
ok - here is the answer...I have already researched this earlier this year.
Texas criminal code states it is against the law to ENTER an intersection after the light turns red. You will get a ticket for running a red light if you ENTER the intersection after the light turns red. You should not get a ticket if you are already in the intersection.
However, in Houston, we have a city ordinance that concerns red light cameras. It states that if you are IN an intersection when the light turns red, you will get a violation from the City of Houston and will need to pay a fine. It is different from the criminal code. There are still people arguing this difference with the city council so we will have to see if it changes. Many people have gotten "tickets" from city of houston for being stuck in traffic IN the intersection when it turned red and the flash on the red light camera went off. I know because it happened to me and thats when I started all my research.
If you wait out in the intersection, I'm sorry but I HATE YOU. YOU are the reason accidents and holdups are caused.
Sincerely, Responsible Person with a spotless driving record
lmao that's the dumbest thing I've ever heard.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Nairobi
Exactly.
People are trying to make it work in their favor. They drift out into the intersection, so that they have no other choice but to turn. That's cheating. The next green light at the intersection is now going to have to wait for that person to get their ass outta the way.
In my opinion, if you are past the white line when the light turns red, you have just ran a light.
If you know the light is green and there's no protected turn (<--) so you're having to yield to traffic in the opposite direction, but you KNOW you have enough time to beat the light then it should be okay. But don't drive out there when there's dozens of cars coming and you know you aren't gonna make it.
Wow I'm surprised there are ppl that are so dumb and blame others for "holdups" when THEY are the ones holding everybody up!
I don't know about Texas, but here in Vancouver, Canada the proper way to make a left turn on a green light is to pull into the intersection just a bit before the center. The reason for this is simple.
1. WHen there's a safe gap in traffic you can complete your turn quicker and won't need as big a gap (much safer than beginning your turn from behind the stop line!)
2. When the light changes to amber then red, you are LEGALLY allowed to complete your turn. Cross traffic must yield to you. You just have to watch out for oncoming drivers who run the yellow light.
3. The above ensures that AT LEAST 1 car is able to complete the turn when the light changes to red. (usually 2 cars can make it per light here except for very large intersections where 3-4 can make it when the light turns amber)
According to your dumb logic about waiting behind the line, what happens if there's no gap in traffic and then the light changes to yellow while you're behind the line? Now it is illegal to enter the intersection. What do you do? Wait for the next green? Who's the one holding up traffic now?
In some intersections here in vancouver, if you wait behind the stop line you will NEVER be able to complete your turn, especially during rush hour. That's why you're supposed to wait in the middle. This keeps traffic flowing and frankly, MAKES SENSE.
One final note. What's this nonsense about blocking the intersection? Worst case scenario the light is red while ur in the intersection. By this time oncoming cars will have stopped and you can complete your turn. I don't get how the heck can you possibly block the intersection on a red light. The only time this can happen is if oncoming traffic is too thick and the cars are stuck in the intersection. In THIS case, those cars blocking the intersection are wrong (you're not allowed to block an intersection when heading through unless you can clear it). Now, if this were to happen, you're not the only one blocking the intersection (the heat won't be on you), and when those cars clear (while light is still red), you can finish your turn....
Even thoough this is in Vancouver, I've been to the states many times and have never seen anyone wait behind the line on a green light.
Give me a break. If I was waiting behind you you bet i'l honk your ass. I'll move my car in front of yours if I have to since you're too ***** to wait in the intersection. This method (should be the only method) for turning left works great here. I can't possibly imagine anyone waiting behind the stop line.
at 0:32, see the oncoming car make that turn when the light has changed? (You can see that he waited in the intersection) See how safe it is to complete the turn when the light has changed (and when all drivers who run the yellow have cleared)? Had he waited behind the stop line, he wouldn't have been able to make the turn at all! (at least not legally!)
1:13, see the car from the right completing his turn. And the 2 cars from the left who obviously waited in the intersection, finishing their left turns after the light has already changed to red (you can see the light just changed to green for driver in the video). How can they be blocking the intersection? It's perfectly fine the way they turned. I don't see how one can possibly block the intersection unless one's car breaks down.
Note, I am using vancouver as an example, but it's not restricted to Vancouver. In Canada that is how left turns work.
As for the US, I've been to Philadelphia, LA, Las Vegas, Chicago, Portland, Seattle, and never seen anyone wait behind the line.
I will give you the benefit of the doubt and say that driver's ed is to blame for teaching you the wrong method. However, with that said, common sense and logic should lead you to agreeing that waiting in the middle is the best way (and it's not any more dangerous!) to turn left.
Waiting behind the line makes absolutely no sense at all.
I'm glad I never have to deal with that problem here in Canada and when never had to deal with it when I was in the states.
She is adamant that this practice is dangerous and illegal. I would like some backup here, preferably from law enforcement types, but anyone is welcome. Thanks.
Tell her it's pretty obvious why waiting out in the intersection makes perfect sense. See my post above, watch the youtube vids.
Ask the DMV if you have to. Here in canada, that's how left turns work. Guess what too, it has never caused any problems with gridlock ever.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mom2Feebs
While moving into the intersection is not illegal, blocking oncoming traffic when you get yourself stuck after your light turns red is.
How on earth do you get yourself stuck in the intersection after the light turns red????? Waiting in the intersection means you WILL turn during that light cycle. If you have to wait til the light changes to red, you can still legally complete your turn (provided that you watch out for cars running that yellow-red light).
Only a moron would park themselves in the middle of the intersection after the light has changed to red.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ShelbyGirl1
So true! That being said, I only ease out IF I am the first car....If not...I'm hlding back. I don't cherish being T-boned!
Ok how on earth can you possibly get t-boned? If you're waiting in the intersection on a green, that means there's oncoming traffic (otherwise u wouldnt be waiting), so the oncoming traffic would act as a shield in the event that some idiot runs a red from your left side. From your right side, it's still quite hard to get t-boned because you're waiting about 2/3 of the way to the middle of the intersection. Cars from the right can't reach you because they are on their side of the yellow line!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sampaguita
I do this as well as long as I'm not going to cause gridlock as I think mom2feebs might be describing.
as mentioned, only a moron would park themselves in the middle of the intersection after the light has changed to red.
You're supposed to complete your freakin turn by then!
watch the video as stated in my previous post. That's how left turns work!
Tell her it's pretty obvious why waiting out in the intersection makes perfect sense. See my post above, watch the youtube vids.
Ask the DMV if you have to. Here in canada, that's how left turns work. Guess what too, it has never caused any problems with gridlock ever.
How on earth do you get yourself stuck in the intersection after the light turns red????? Waiting in the intersection means you WILL turn during that light cycle. If you have to wait til the light changes to red, you can still legally complete your turn (provided that you watch out for cars running that yellow-red light).
Only a moron would park themselves in the middle of the intersection after the light has changed to red.
Ok how on earth can you possibly get t-boned? If you're waiting in the intersection on a green, that means there's oncoming traffic (otherwise u wouldnt be waiting), so the oncoming traffic would act as a shield in the event that some idiot runs a red from your left side. From your right side, it's still quite hard to get t-boned because you're waiting about 2/3 of the way to the middle of the intersection. Cars from the right can't reach you because they are on their side of the yellow line!
as mentioned, only a moron would park themselves in the middle of the intersection after the light has changed to red.
You're supposed to complete your freakin turn by then!
watch the video as stated in my previous post. That's how left turns work!
I realize it is a difficult concept to get. Believe me, it happens, and it happens before the light turns red. People do it all the time. It's annoying.
I realize it is a difficult concept to get. Believe me, it happens, and it happens before the light turns red. People do it all the time. It's annoying.
huh?
how do you cause gridlock (gridlock where it's your fault) waiting in the intersection, while the light is still green? Explain that to me.
keep your vehicle and wheels pointed straight ahead and you won't have any troubles.
THIS is not a hard concept to grasp.
again watch the video
youtube.com/watch?v=JZNCSmvOhkc&feature=PlayList&p=7F972A0520E D196F&playnext=1&index=12
0:32 watch that jeep complete his left turn when the light changed to red.
1:13 car from right was waiting in the intersection and completed his turn. Then u see 2 cars from the left finishing their turn after the light changed to red (the light ahead just turned green for the driver recording the video).
there are no scenarios possible where the driver waiting in the intersection is the one at fault for causing any 'backups'. However, if the driver is an idiot and waits behind the line, thereby forfeiting his right to turn left once the light changes to yellow, he's the one holding back the vehicles behind him.
The Drivers Ed and Defensive Driving classes in Texas teach that the first car is to proceed into the intersection and wait until you have clear passage to cross over. In many areas or at certain times of day, if you do not, you will NEVER get a chance to turn. This insures that at least the first car will get through even if they have to wait until the light turns red and the oncoming traffic stops finally. This also puts them out of the way and the cross traffic and into the flow of traffic for the direction they are turning into.
As mentioned above entering the intersection and waiting there when the light is green is not illegal.
However, I think you should know the intersection and the light cycle before doing this. My wife who grew up in Chicago was under the impression that if her light turned red, it would be turning red for those cars coming in the other direction as well, so she would proceed to take a left and assumed the oncoming traffic would stop. This is not the case and she had several close calls her first few days in Houston before learning how the lights work here.
In Houston you can never assume oncoming traffic will stop, even if they have a red. This is where most of the hold-ups occur. If you are already in the intersection, you can get stuck blocking cross traffic as you wait to insure that the person speeding up to the intersection isn't going to run the light that has been red for several seconds. It happens, I've seen it. Even if it is their fault, i don't want to deal with the accident and the hassel.
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