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Comment by potato3732842

4 days ago

Would you rather they floor it and beat the straight through traffic when the light turns green? 1-2 cars entering the intersection and then getting through when traffic clears on the red is less worse than the alternative.

One of us has misunderstood the other. Maybe I’m misreading you. Let me clarify my position.

If you’ve entered the intersection on green or orange, and must await oncoming traffic before you can safely turn left, then the light turns red before oncoming traffic clears, once that traffic has indeed stopped for the red, you need to complete your left turn to clear the intersection, even on red.

This situation is clearly spelled out in the driving manuals for my state.

If you are not willing to continue on if the light turns red while you are in the intersection, then don’t enter the intersection until it’s clear - wait behind the line.

  • For the last sentence, do you mean continue on straight if the desired left turn is not available?

    • Indeed. Clear the intersection by continuing along a ‘forward’ path. Meaning if you’re left turn became unavailable (crash, blocked by utility workers or police, sink hole opened up, etc), continue on moving back into the correct lanes for your direction of travel.

      Other traffic (who are now, or have been) waiting at a red light should be able to tell you’re in the way and wait for you to move.