Would you support eliminating the right turn on red to enhance traffic safety?

In the rest of New York State, it's the exact opposite. Right on red is allowed unless there is a "No Right On Red" sign posted.

Indeed.

 How about from the pedestrian point of view? In order to see if it's safe to turn, drivers block the crosswalk and are more concerned about cars than humans trying to cross.

I thought that was one of the reasons for the 'no turn on red' exceptions, but maybe not. I do think it would be safer for pedestrians in general. I guess I would support it for their sakes.  Many people don't pay proper attention to pedestrians or cyclists. 

 

   You’re bringing up a very good point about pedestrians. Unfortunately, living in California, which is extremely embedded in the car culture, pedestrians are not the foremost in civil engineers’ thinking when they design highways, streets and roads here. While it’s true that I am not from California, nor have I always lived in California, at this point it is the one place where I lived in the longest amount of time. As such, I am extremely accustomed to many  Californiaisms. 

  There’s something I learned about when I arrived here called the California stop or the rolling stop. It’s not a stop at all, just as the name implies on the second example I gave, people simply roll through stops without their vehicles ever coming to a full stop. Many people who
were born and raised in California, and or who learned to drive in California, and or were taught by another Californian, seem to believe that hardly ever come to a full stop at intersections or prior to making turns is correct, proper and sane. That’s regardless of whether or not there is a street sign or a yellow light or even a red light. While of course that may not be restricted to California only, it is an extremely common occurrence here. Furthermore, California being one of those states where the right turn can be made from a red light after the motorist insures that it’s safe to do, or at least that’s what supposed to happen, would make the new type of law you’re referring to difficult here.

  In San Diego County specifically for at least the past decade and a half, there’s been an extreme lack of traffic enforcement by the police department, the sheriff’s department and the highway patrol. The claim is that due to the lack of officers, priorities have to be rearranged for more important measures. The majority of drivers know this, and many people drive in opposition to posted laws, ordinances and regulations without any care of being held accountable. To change the law concerning the red light and stopping to make the right turn in California would be a wasted effort because California drivers already ignore a vast majority of traffic laws, so adding another law or changing an existing law will not improve the situation much. That does not mean that it should not be done or that it’s a bad idea.

This post was edited by Randy D at June 19, 2023 12:08 PM MDT

Is that "rolling stop" roughly equivalent to the practice in the UK, where if a junction is not controlled by lights, it will be signed either STOP (and that is what you must do until safe to proceed) or GIVE WAY.

Both tell you that drivers on the road you have met, have priority; but you need not come to a complete halt at the Give Way if you can clearly see you can proceed safely.

The STOP rule is often used where both roads are of near-importance and tend to carry fast-moving traffic.

One trick in the book in England is typified by the Fosse Way. It closely follows what was originally a typically straight Roman road, and it crosses many that are more major. The junctions are fully sign-posted but most are not fitted with traffic lights or roundabouts. So to stop its users barging straight across the junctions where they should stop or give way, the County Council staggered the cross-roads by slightly more than a complete road-width.

We don't have the equivalent of the Turn Right Allowed despite a red light if clear (it would be turn left, in this country); but we do have filter arrows on many traffic-lights, to form a sort of regulated version.  

It still means "proceed only if safe to do so", of course!

 

“Is that "rolling stop" roughly equivalent to the practice in the UK . . .”

  Based on the extended explanations that you gave after asking the question, I would say there’s no similarity whatsoever mainly because what you described in the UK at least seems to be addressed by the powers that be in making an attempt to put up signage, or to have rules and regulations that dictate what drivers are expected to do. The California stop, however, is merely something that people do in practice that is in direct violation of any ordinance, law or regulation. Additionally, in many  situations, it is in direct contradiction to safety and good common sense.
~

oft frequent 

 

  Thank you, I have been in situations like that on the other side of the coin when there are drivers who are accustomed to not being allowed to turn right on a red light wait when it is allowed. Being behind such a driver, it is frustrating that he or she is not turning because he or she is following the rules of a jurisdiction where the laws are different.
~

It's impossible to know all the rules of the road in every jurisdiction, so try to be patient.

 

  Thank you for the advice. I think it should be more appropriately given to those drivers behind me at stop signs when I always come to a complete stop instead of just rolling through the way they are accustomed to doing. You would not believe the angry horn-blowing, gestures, and other reactions I get, none of which prompt me to succumb to rolling through stop signs.

  It’s so bad here that rear end accidents can arise from people like me who follow the law being hit by impatient drivers behind them who just expect me to rush through. As a result, when I approach such stops, it is deeply ingrained in me to ALWAYS be extra cognizant of the distance and speed of vehicles behind me and to drive defensively in order to avoid unintended “get-togethers”.
~

I do know how angry people get when you actually stop at a stop sign.  I, too, have been the recipient of some horn blowing and nasty comments but, like you, I ignore it and then I start moving again but v-e-r-y slowly.

Are you sure about that?  Left turn on red from a one way street to another one way street isn’t universally allowed in the US.  I know it’s illegal in South Dakota and I thought it was illegal in Missouri also.  I tried looking it up but all I found were bills to legalize it that never made it out of the legislature. This post was edited by Livvie at June 17, 2023 2:26 PM MDT

This is in IL.  My home town has one ways going both n/s and e/w.  
On the highway going N on to the one going W, we can make a left on red. Because we do not have to cross any other lanes of traffic. 
I am trying to think of any other place where this is even a possibility.   It may have even
been a local thing.
....
I looked it up. And it is legal in most states (not MO but it is in KC)



https://axleaddict.com/safety/Obscure-Driving-Regulations-Ignorance-is-no-excuse
This post was edited by my2cents at June 17, 2023 5:32 PM MDT

Lights on when it is raining is the law in my state. This post was edited by my2cents at June 17, 2023 5:33 PM MDT

I don't want a self driving car.  I don't trust them. I drive older cars, no one wants an older self driving car, lol. 

Hello my:

Oh, you'll still be able to drive on land you own.  But, the highways and byways will be reserved to the self drivers..  Think of it.  No more crashes, no more new roads, no more traffic jams, no more speeding tickets, no more car insurance... 

It's gonna be great.

excon This post was edited by excon at June 17, 2023 2:28 PM MDT