Right turn on red? Nashville, TN

[dash riposki]

4 vehicles are approaching the red light in the right turn lane. How many will actually stop?

TN law (and most other states) requires a complete stop before making a right turn on a red, where otherwise not prohibited.

Yeah, I know, we all pretty much do some level of a 'rolling stop.'

 

[kamkar]

I would assume that fat white line mean the same as here, and it seem American drivers treat it the same way it is treated here.
Consensus seem to be slowing down = stopping.

 

[WeedeaterDM]

Here in Orlando, people fell right on red is no slowing down. But like TN, it's law you must stop before turning.

 

[DT MI]

Some folks here in Michigan are of the opinion (mind set) that 'right on red' is mandatory - even if there are pedestrians in the crosswalk.

 

[5Cowbells]

I use to call it the California rolling stop, but looks to have gone national now, or maybe international. It can get you into trouble if there is a legal U-turner in the cross-traffic street waiting for opposing traffic to clear to enter the same lane as the right-turn-on-red guy. I think the legal U-turner has right-of-way since he has the green light. The right-turn-on-red guy may have no way to tell if the U-turner is going to make a left turn into his street or do a U-turn. I usually assume they are making a left turn into my street and sometimes get a big surprise, so I try be more watchful now for that possibility, particularly at intersections where U-turns are known to occur frequently. U-turns here are permitted at intersections unless otherwise posted, which seemed to go against what I remember in the past many moons ago at other places.

 

[kamkar]

it Is pretty simple to me, so you are allowed to make a right turn while it is red, and so overrule the general function of a intersection, so to me it is pretty self evident that you then have to be extra careful and hence the full stop.
I dont know how things go south so fast, in the "old" days people visiting Denmark would tell stories of Danes waiting for green at a crosswalk though it was the middle of the night and no cars around for miles.
Some of us still do, but for me personally now i feel a little stupid thanks to the people that dont give a damn.
The same and other things make me think if there is a MAX to what a society can carry in regard to social conventions like laws and common decency, it seem things are declining fast in most countries, even countries that have been known to not have a big back catalog of social conventions.

 

[SawMaster]

Here in SC USA, if there is a crash in the intersection due to someone turning right on red, it is automaticcaly their fault. But like every other road rule or law, the people here consider it more of a suggestion and they do what they darn well please anyway Often in the presence of a Cop Who almost never does anything about it, even when you see them watching it all happen right in front of them

It's hard to justify your own safe driving habits and following the rules in a world where you're nearly alone in thinking like this.

Phil

 

[kamkar]

I really dislike police giving verbal warnings at their leisure, first of all i think it facilitate what "Saw" mention above, and second if some one have broken a law he/she should be fined or what ever the judicial system have decided are the penalty for that offense.
In my book there are no minor offenses, if they do exist in the law books the minor should be removed at once, or the entire rule / law should be removed.
Personally i support the the latter as i think in my country we have far too many BS rules, which in turn get ignored or broken far more often. And i feel if you cant uphold a law either by capturing people who break it, or the society stop respecting said law, then the law should be removed so the focus can shift to the more important stuff.

 

[SawMaster]

Some time ago, a local radio talk show was discussing how bad many drivers were and the penalties for violations. After many days ofthinking it through, when you get right down to it, every unsafe move on the road is based in the driver not paying adequate attention to the situation somehow. So there really need be only one violation- "Inattentive Driving"- and let the severity of that be the basis for the penalty.

Though I don't know if it is still this way (and I hope someone responds from there), in past times an English driver's license had the charges which had been made against a driver written on it, and if there was a conviction that "endorsed" the charge. So any time a Cop looked at your license they could see your driving history right on the spot, and take that into consideration of how they would handle the situation. Over here in my State, they can get that on their radio, but only for offenses where a penalty is currently affecting your points, and for DUI or DUS within the last ten years. Back in my earlier days when I sped everywhere, I knew this, and that allowed me to look better than I really was when I managed to talk my way out of my 20th speeding ticket. Had my entire history been available on the spot I'd have gotten what I deserved.

Now in my older (and hopefully wiser) days, I'm beginning to think that maybe there should be a lifetime limit on how many violations you may accrue before losing your license forever, for I have seen clearly that most people do not take traffic tickets seriously enough, and those people tend to continue with that mindset throughout their life never improving their driving as long as they know their past sins will be soon forgotten and they can continue like that indefinitely. Driving is a deadly serious matter, and it needs to be dealt with accordingly.

Phil