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I remember reading an WRAL article a while back about police in the Triangle giving out tickets to motorists blocking intersections while waiting to make left-hand turns. I think the fine was $100. They said not to enter the intersection unless the turn can be completed without stopping.
[quote=chuckreis;7169273] If you cannot make it through the intersection before the light turns red you are in violation.
[quote]
My understanding of the law is that it is illegal to *enter* the intersection after the light has changed, not that you have to be all the way through before it changes. If you enter an intersection before the light is red, you're ok to go through (but it's a bad idea to try if the light's been yellow for any length of time).
I guess it's all subjective, but it seems that if ONLY the cars that could fit in the intersection at a time (two at most intersections, three on a large one) made the left turn after the change, then the intersection would not be blocked (given the time between when one way turns red & the other turns green). I think it's the folks that think it's ok to run the red light to make the turn when they weren't in the intersection before the light changed.
Is there a NC/Raleigh/Cary traffic cop on the board that could post a legal answer?
I failed the driving test at 16 on this one. I creeped, cause everyone does it, at an intersection that, frankly, there was no way to get through without creeping. I was first in line, creeped in just a bit and was the only one who could turn during that light cycle. My tester riding with me told me that it was illegal.
Is there a NC/Raleigh/Cary traffic cop on the board that could post a legal answer?
Apparently this is an issue.
You guys should email the city dot inform them of this issue and send a link to this thread
so that they can see it more than one person who finds this intersection problematic and hopefully it will get changed
I only do it if I can see that oncoming traffic is very light.
What amazes me here are the number of people who think it's okay to turn right when there's a red right arrow. Drivers in the Southpoint area are particularly bad about this.
It may be like the issue with using the middle turn lane briefly to merge into a very busy road. You aren't really supposed to do it but everyone does.
With the "creeping" I can get out of the intersection when the light turns and traffic stops alot faster than the other cars can go on green.
I think the important thing is that only one car enters the intersection
at a time. It seems alot safer to turn left when in position than from back at the white line.
North Carolina General Assembly - General Statutes
§ 20-142.5. Stop when traffic obstructed.
No driver shall enter an intersection or a marked crosswalk or drive onto any railroad grade crossing unless there is sufficient space on the other side of the intersection, crosswalk, or railroad grade crossing to accommodate the vehicle he is operating without obstructing the passage of other vehicles, pedestrians, or railroad trains, notwithstanding the indication of any traffic control signal to proceed. Any person who violates any provision of this section shall be guilty of an infraction and punished in accordance with G.S. 20-176.
I only do it if I can see that oncoming traffic is very light.
What amazes me here are the number of people who think it's okay to turn right when there's a red right arrow. Drivers in the Southpoint area are particularly bad about this.
Unless there is a sign that says "No Right Turn on Red" it is legal to make a right hand turn once you have come to a complete stop.
No driver shall enter an intersection or a marked crosswalk or drive onto any railroad grade crossing unless there is sufficient space on the other side of the intersection, crosswalk, or railroad grade crossing to accommodate the vehicle he is operating without obstructing the passage of other vehicles, pedestrians, or railroad trains, notwithstanding the indication of any traffic control signal to proceed. Any person who violates any provision of this section shall be guilty of an infraction and punished in accordance with G.S. 20-176.
This doesn't address making a left turn across traffic. You're not waiting for a traffic control signal to proceed, you're waiting for traffic to subside. With that said, I do have a serious problem with people 'blocking' traffic because they are sitting at a dead stop in the middle of the road. This has been a serious offense everywhere I have lived prior to Raleigh including points on your license. You simply to not EVER block the roadway.
I work in downtown Raleigh with my morning and evening commute driving past the sheriff's office. I see plenty of Wake County police leave and enter that facility. I am shocked to this day to see the complacency of the police downtown to ignore people blocking the intersections! I've seen a lot of examples of these acts, but the one that got me the most upset happened on McDowell and Martin street right in front of the sheriff's station. As happens everyday on my evening commute, 3 police cars exit the sheriff's station, I'm in the middle lane and I have two to my left and one to my right. We all stop at the Martin street light and to my amazement, cars are backed up and continue to block the intersection. I'm thinking that there's about to be a show with multiple people getting tickets (and rightfully so, it's a very dangerous thing to do as EMS Ambulances and fire trucks use that route at least 10 times a day). My jaw drops as the light changes to green these police officers give their cruisers gas and slam on their brakes to try to make the point that they're trying to get by. These cars have nowhere to go. The police honk obviously getting frustrated as am I but once again nothing can be done. These cars block the intersection for a good 20 seconds and as soon as there is enough room to 'squeeze' by, the 2 cops to my left gun it and zoom past these cars. These 2 police had no sirens on and their actions appeared to be a roadrage tantrum. Eventually myself plus the cop to my right get by and speed away. I still don't understand how something like this could happen anywhere, let alone in the center of downtown Raleigh in front of the sheriff's station.
Like I said, I see this type of behavior everyday in all aspects of my commute. It needs to start being enforced so people know that they should never block an intersection.
Is it illegal here to "creep" into the intersection & wait for a left turn?
Is it illegal to make the turn after the light changes if you're already in the intersection waiting? I don't consider myself an impatient driver, but this just irks me when I could have made the light.
I'm a NC native, here is my understanding. It is illegal to make a left turn after the light has changed. NC does not permit left turns on red. As other posters have said, technically you should not block the intersection when waiting to turn. The law says that cars should safely stop when the light is yellow. Therefore you should only turn left when the light is green (solid or arrow).
Now I know that in reality very few people do this especially at busy intersections. I've creeped myself but I really try not to. I have definitely made a lot of turns on yellow!
chuckreis is absolutely right about turning on red.
The traffic signal is used to control traffic and pedestrians at some intersections and mid-block crosswalks.
A circular green signal means "go", but left turning traffic is "unprotected" and must yield the right of way to oncoming traffic
A circular yellow signal means "caution" and indicates that the signal is about to turn red.
A circular red signal means "stop".
Remember:
Stop for a yellow signal unless you are too close to the intersection to stop safely - in that case, drive cautiously through the intersection.
Never speed up for a yellow signal to "beat" the red signal.
Unless there is a sign indicating "NO TURN ON RED," you can turn right on a circular a steady, red, circular traffic signal after stopping and making sure that the turn can be made safely. North Carolina law requires the red signal to be placed at the top of the signaling unit and the green signal to be placed at the bottom.
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North Carolina General Assembly - General Statutes
