Let's talk driving: Roundabouts and left/right turning...

[bigtrees]

Originally Posted by HX_Guy

Another example of sort of the same thing is when I'm making a right hand turn at a regular intersection (not roundabout) and people are making a left going the same direction I'm turning toward. From my understanding, when you make a left, you're supposed to turn into the left most lane. So let's say there are 3 eastbound lanes...the left lane being #1, the middle #2, and the right #3.
The way I understand it, people making a left should continue onto the #1 lane. I, trying to make a right turn, should be able to turn into the #3 lane and everything should move along smoothly.

It never seems to happen this way...either people making the left turn go into #2 or #3, or they honk at me for turning at the same time into my #3 lane, or people in front of me sit there until everyone making a left is finished...when in fact I think they should be able to make their turn.

Correct me if I'm wrong here...

In Arizona, the driver making the right on red after stop is required to yield the right of way to drivers making a legimete turn in the intersection. So you're required to yield to anyone in the intersection regardless of which lane they decide to go into.

Technically, they're not allowed to make a lane change in the intersection so they should stay in the same lane. But since the light gives the driver the ok to make the turn, you're required to yield to the moving car even if the car makes a illegal lane change.

[bigtrees]

Originally Posted by aj661

The car with the green light does have the right of way, even though it should not matter if everyone is making a legal turn.

In Arizona (and many other states), no cars "have" the right of way. The law only specifies that other vehicles are required to yield the right of way.

The difference is wording, but they changed it to promote defensive driving instead of aggressive driving.

[HX_Guy]

Originally Posted by bigtrees

Technically, they're not allowed to make a lane change in the intersection so they should stay in the same lane.

Perfect!

That is the perfect logic for anyone who ever has the argument of "I can go in whatever lane I feel like!". I completely forgot that you cannot change lanes in an intersection...therefore their argument is complete crap.

Thinking back, I've actually gotten a ticket for this once (I think?). It wasn't a left turn lane...it was going straight through a stop light on green and I switched lanes while going across the intersection and got pulled over for it.

[bigtrees]

Originally Posted by HX_Guy

Perfect!

That is the perfect logic for anyone who ever has the argument of "I can go in whatever lane I feel like!". I completely forgot that you cannot change lanes in an intersection...therefore their argument is complete crap.

Thinking back, I've actually gotten a ticket for this once (I think?). It wasn't a left turn lane...it was going straight through a stop light on green and I switched lanes while going across the intersection and got pulled over for it.

However, the vehicle at the red light is required to yield the right of way to any vehicle in the intersection, regardless of whether they made a violation while being in the intersection. The car in the intersection is never required to yield the right of way to a car stopped at a red light.

For comparison, cars at a stop sign (two way stop intersection) still must yield the right of way to a vehicle on the through street even if the moving vehicle is speeding. The moving vehicle may be making a violation by speeding but that violation does not require them to yield the right of way to the stopped car.