OT: right turn on red arrow
- Thread starter RUBigJ
- Start date
What does the red arrow mean?
A red RIGHT arrow means that you must come to a complete stop at the marked stop line or before moving into the crosswalk or intersection. After stopping, you may turn RIGHT on the red arrow at most intersections if the way is clear. Some intersections display a "NO TURN ON RED" sign, which you must obey.
A red LEFT turn arrow means that you must come to a complete stop at the marked stop line or before moving into the crosswalk or intersection, and shall remain stopped until a signal indication to proceed is shown. After stopping, the motorist facing a red LEFT turn arrow or red circular signal indication is permitted to enter the intersection to turn left from a one-way street onto a one-way street with traffic moving to the left except when a " NO TURN ON RED" sign is displayed.
Come to a complete stop at the marked stop line or before moving into the crosswalk or intersection. After stopping, you may turn right on red arrow at most intersections if the way is clear. Some intersections display a "NO TURN ON RED" sign, which you must obey. Left turns on red arrow from a one-way street into a one-way street are also allowed.
Florida Traffic Signals
Florida Traffic Signals
While you are down there, pick up Coach Boyle and bring him home to the RAC. The Basketball board is apoplectic right now and needs some cheer.
Here's a question about an intersection I've seen in NJ. It always has a green right turn arrow, it never red regardless of what the "main" traffic light is showing BUT it also has a NO TURN ON RED sign. So which is it?
SO,One STILL has to FULL STOP before turning. Thanks for the info, I have lived in S. Fl. for 28 years and I thought that the regulation had been suspended because NOBODY FULL STOPS DOWN HERE!.
I am actually quite surprised how frequently police officers get traffic laws WRONG. A recent one was a person got a ticket in NJ for snow on the roof and the officer said if he sees it is still there on the way home he would give the driver a second ticket. Turns out you can only get one ticket for that in 24 hours. And the officer messed up something on the ticket as well.
When the green light goes off you have to stop and then pay attention to the main light. Some lights only have a green and yellow arrow and then the main light is the man.
During the waning moments of the last big snowstorm we had one of the local yokels was tooling around in their stupid MRAP with 2' of snow on the roof.
I learned to drive in Florida over 45 years ago. (Gad, am I getting old.) Even then, Florida had right turn on red, which New York, from which we moved did not. I was taught to stop before turning red. Now that New Jersey has it, I stop unless I am part of a line of cars turning right on a green arrow. Even then, I try to be cautious because of the possibility of a pedestrian.
Thanks for the response but the thing is the green right arrow never goes off. It's constantly a green right arrow. It's never red, never yellow and never off just constant green arrow on regardless of what color the "main" traffic light is. BTW it's a separate signal off to the side, it's not one of those that's attached to the "main" traffic light. Then you have the NO TURN ON RED sign so to me it's confusing.
If the main light is red, I'll stop and then go but I couldn't tell if you if that's right. Most don't even do that.
There's a signal like that on Route 20 North right after the exit for Broadway/ Route 4. It's a through highway at that point but there is a left-turn lane that allows you cut across 20 South and go into Paterson. The left-turn signal is a full red/yellow/ green arrow and the southbound lanes have a full standard traffic light. The northbound lanes have a permanent green signal, as there is no reason for traffic to be stopped there (you can't make a left onto 20 North from the side street and the Passaic River borders it on the east).
Joe P.
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I usually come to a full stop at a stop sign and a right on red location, and have had the person behind me beep their horn at me, like I was doing something wrong..... These people need to get a ticket at some point in time.
Agree it is one of the most abused laws, along with using a phone while driving.
Did you also know that in NJ, right on red is not an option, it is a law. If you are stopped at a red light waiting to turn right where right on red is allowed and don't go even when its clear, you can be given a ticket for obstructing traffic. It happened to a friend of mine who was stopped at a red light with a police officer right behind him. My friend was afraid he had passed a no turn on red sign without seeing it so thought it was safer to wait til the light changed. After a minute or two, the light wen green, my friend turned right, and the lights immediately came on behind us. He tried to fight the ticket but lost in court. The judge told him he needed to be more aware of his surroundings as he approached the intersection and that if right on red is allowed and its clear, he must proceed.
Thank you NJ police and judiciary. Such lovely people. At least they got home safe and the city got its money. That's really all that matters.
Wow. Cop should have just demanded $200 cash on the spot, and gotten it over with.
First time I drove in Miami, I did not know you had to count to three after the light turned green, to avoid getting nailed by people running red lights. I also found it fascinating that the snow birds would be driving 55 in a 65 in the fast lane on I-95, and all the fast and furious drivers a going 85 in the right lane.
I have seen many intersections where the "No Turn on Red" sign can actually be behind you when you stop, and there is no sign on the other side. In that case, if you are stopped and missed seeing the sign behind you (and have a police car right behind you), you would be in trouble making the right on red...... There should be a law requiring signs on the opposite side (or next to the light itself) when right on red is not permitted.
The cops by me use that one late night to check for drinking. He sits in the gas station, and if you don't make the right on red, he pulls you over. Although I generally think the cops by me are predatory, that one actually makes a lot of sense, because anyone sober late at night is in a hurry, and would definitely go. Only people with no idea what is going on get to the light, arent sure of themselves, and decide to just wait at an empty intersection without making the turn. They see the cop, get nervous and figure its better to wait it out. They are wrong.
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yes, one of my complaints is that the "no turn on red" can be at various spots at an intersection, and that if you pull up to an intersection you might have not seen it, being past it...
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I remember reading that when the law was first written, the wording was changed after the fact, switching between "might" and "shall" turn on red.... I dont remember which way it was, or wound up
I think the law is still unclear about might or shall.... here is a passage from the law, it sounds like it
is not mandatory...
"New Jersey law permits motorists to make a right turn at a red light after coming to a full stop, unless a No Turn on Red sign is posted. Yield to all oncoming traffic and pedestrians before turning right at a red light. Look for difficult-to-see vehicles, such as bicycles and mopeds, which may have a green light."
and from another reference guide put out by the state:
Right Turn on Red
- This is permitted after you have come to a complete stop unless prohibited by a sign
the word "permits" in both passages makes it sound optional to me
it also was supposed to be against the law for the car behind you to beep at you to make the right on red.... I guess all that went out the window.
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Don't see any "shalls" in there which would allow a cop to give a ticket for not making the right on red...... "Permit" means you can, but you don't have to.
What law is cited such that a ticket can be given?
And, it SHOULD be mandatory to have the "No Turn on Red" signs posted across from you so you can actually see them when you are at the intersection....
Here's the exact quote from the new jersey statute containing the word shall "The driver of a vehicle or the motorman of a streetcar intending to turn right at an intersection where traffic is controlled by a traffic control signal shall, unless an official sign of the State, municipality, or county authority having jurisdiction over the intersection prohibits the same, proceed to make the turn upon a Stop or Caution signal with proper care to avoid accidents after coming to a full stop, observing traffic in all directions and yielding to all pedestrians and other traffic traveling in a direction in which the turn will be made. Both the approach for and the turn shall be made as close as practicable to the right-hand curb or edge of the roadway, unless such intersection is otherwise posted." It's from 39:4-115
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thanks, could not find the statue, only references to the law using "permitted".... anyway, I think the law should have left it up to the driver to decide without penalty for not doing it......I would think that if someone got a ticket they could argue that they saw a possible vehicle or pedestrian off in the distance, and not sure if they should proceed, etc...
Thanks for the info on the "shall"... Didn't know that, and I bet that 99% of NJ motorists also don't know that. I think it should be changed to a "may".
So beeping at someone not making the turn is OK then? Since they are breaking the law?
So beeping at someone not making the turn is OK then? Since they are breaking the law?
No
The driver of a motor vehicle shall, when reasonably necessary to insure safe operation, give audible warning with his horn but shall not otherwise use such horn when upon a highway
My question. Does a No Turn on Red sign have to be the traditional white/black sign? When I was driving to work this week, I turn from Rt. 1 onto Scudders Mill Road. When I get near the hospital, the right turn lane has a red arrow. However, there is no white/black sign. Across the street on the same side of the road is one of those blinking construction signs that says "right red arrow, no turn on red". Is that a legitimate form of traffic control and does it counteract what I've learned previously in this thread?
It doesn't really bother me because I don't work at a hospital, I'm just curious.
It doesn't really bother me because I don't work at a hospital, I'm just curious.
Here in NY we don't have Right on Red unless it is posted as such. Near my house there is a sign that reads
- "Right on Red EXCEPT between 8AM and 4PM when School is in session".
Two things about that. First the nearest school in about a half mile away and 3 stop lights before you get to it.
And Second, you're asked to be extra careful when there are NO children around since they are in school then.
Makes no sense.
- "Right on Red EXCEPT between 8AM and 4PM when School is in session".
Two things about that. First the nearest school in about a half mile away and 3 stop lights before you get to it.
And Second, you're asked to be extra careful when there are NO children around since they are in school then.
Makes no sense.
As a general rule, black-and-white regulatory signs, STOP, AND YIELD signs that are registered by the applicable D.O.T. carry the full weight of law enforcement. The same is true for traffic signals and flashing-red lights.Yellow-and-black warning signs with any flashing amber lighting and posted speeds, as well as more temporary orange-and-black construction signs, are typically not enforceable. However, there are exceptions to every rule, such as construction signs lowering speed limits on the NJ Turnpike & Garden State Parkway that have been unsuccessfully challenged in court by those issued speeding tickets as a result, and any cop who could choose to ticket a motorist for "careless" or "unsafe" driving for, say, travelling 65 mph around a curve whose warning sign posts 45 mph.
If one wanted to be real technical, they could argue that an officer is technically wasting everyone's time and not benefiting anyone when pulling over motorists for exceeding posted speed limits by 5 or less mph, since that would still be within the standard minimum safe design travel speed of said roadway (this safety margin can jump to 15-20 mph, depending on the posted speed limit, design characteristics, and service level of the highway in question). But I wouldn't recommend it.
Please see my post above. The sign technically has be registered with the corresponding county and/or state Department of Transportation (usually with a small inscription at the bottom, and noted in public records) in order to be enforceable. There are exceptions, however; if said stop sign is placed at a marked crosswalk, then it would be enforceable under New Jersey law by virtue of failure to stop for pedestrians in a crosswalk, assuming that there are any at the time.
