Right turn on red

The Dude · March-12-10, 10:01 PM

I didn't know that right turn on red was legal in Michigan in the 1930's. Didn't think it was legal until the mid 1970's.

**eriedearie** · March-12-10, 10:47 PM

I think you're correct. I don't remember being allowed to do that when I started driving. Maybe Ray1936 will chime in and set the record straight on that law.

**Huggybear** · March-13-10, 12:01 AM

Gerald Ford popularized it nationwide.

**MDoyle** · March-13-10, 12:28 AM

Having lived in CA for the last 7 months yet growing up in Michigan, coming back I find Michigan lefts unbearably annoying. I'm extremely disappointed every time they make another intersection downtown a "no left turn". It works fine everywhere else with 2 times the traffic volume. Why the Michigan left?

**Hamtragedy** · March-13-10, 12:29 AM

Maybe Ray can chime in on all those "Complete Left Turn On Red When Traffic Clears" which line Outer Drive. As a result of those signs, I treat most similar intersections [[East bd Davison Ave to Jeffries entrance, for example), where there is no sign. Right or Wrong?

**Big Dog** · March-13-10, 12:52 AM

Most drivers today do not know that when turning left at an intersection, an on coming car turning right has the right of way. At a light, people turning left, cut in front of my right hand turn, most of the time. It they hit me, they will receive a ticket and heavy fine. Didn't mean to hijack the thread

**SMRJim** · March-13-10, 02:54 PM

It may have been legal back in the 30s but it definitely wasn't when I got my license in 1976. From what I can remember it became legal again some time in the 80s, maybe the late 70s.

**SMRJim** · March-13-10, 03:00 PM

Originally Posted by Big Dog

Most drivers today do not know that when turning left at an intersection, an on coming car turning right has the right of way. At a light, people turning left, cut in front of my right hand turn, most of the time. It they hit me, they will receive a ticket and heavy fine. Didn't mean to hijack the thread

One of my pet peeves. I have to wonder what they're teaching people these days in drivers ed. And people get REALLY carried away with using the turn lane as a 'merging' lane when making lefts out of parking lots, etc. Then there's the right-on-red folks who think they have the right of way over someone going thru the green light. Could start a whole other thread on this type of stuff!

**Ray1936** · March-13-10, 03:18 PM

Right turn on red was initiated about 1972 during the Arab Oil Embargo, along with the 55 mph speed limit. It was enacted to save a bit of gas, which it does. I believe it initially was permitted in the 30's, but ended late in that decade.

I just have to comment that the "right turn on red" still means you must come to a complete stop before proceding and making the right turn. Most people just roll through the intersection without stopping, and for that you CAN receive a ticket for "failing to stop for a red light".

As for the lefts on Outer Drive, I have no idea. Been away too long.

One more comment. We all complain about stupid drivers, or drivers doing stupid things. Well, I see 'em, too....but for every dumb move, I see a thousand drivers proceding normally and in a safe fashion. The yokels just seem to stand out, don't they?

Back in the sixties, the DPD had a program of traffic officers watching for drivers making especially safe or courteous moves. They were stopped and rewarded with gift certificates for some merchants, and those with perfect driving records [[checked later) were invited to a final "drive-off" to see who was the safest driver of all. The winner got a nice $250 US savings bond, with $100 bonds to the rest of the participants. It was a nice program; would like to see it again.

**xphillipjrx** · March-13-10, 03:45 PM

Originally Posted by Ray1936

They were stopped and rewarded with gift certificates for some merchants...

People these days would get pissed about getting stopped, even if there was a compliment or a reward behind it.

**Thames** · March-13-10, 03:52 PM

Originally Posted by Big Dog

Most drivers today do not know that when turning left at an intersection, an on coming car turning right has the right of way. At a light, people turning left, cut in front of my right hand turn, most of the time. It they hit me, they will receive a ticket and heavy fine. Didn't mean to hijack the thread

Also, most drivers don't know that when they turn onto a street that has more than one lane in the direction they wish to travel, they are to stay in the lane closest to them. If they need to change lanes, they should do so after they have completed their turn, not while they are turning.

If a right turn driver turns into the left side lane, they shouldn't be too surprised if they get hit from a left turner, turning into the proper [[left) lane.

**313WX** · March-13-10, 03:57 PM

Well since everyone wants to be a driving nazi, it pisses me off when people in the left turning lane at a busy intersection sit behind the stopping line and wait unti the light turns red to make their turn [[messing up everyone else behind you).

MOVE UP!

**Thames** · March-13-10, 03:58 PM

Originally Posted by 313WX

Well since everyone wants to be a driving nazi, it pisses me off when people in the left turning lane at a busy intersetion sit behind the stopping line wait unti the light turns red to make their turn.

MOVE UP!

Yep, that's another piss off. Good point.

**313WX** · March-13-10, 04:05 PM

Originally Posted by Hamtragedy

Maybe Ray can chime in on all those "Complete Left Turn On Red When Traffic Clears" which line Outer Drive. As a result of those signs, I treat most similar intersections [[East bd Davison Ave to Jeffries entrance, for example), where there is no sign. Right or Wrong?

I suppose it would depends on the size of the median in between the intersection & the overall size of the road ones turning onto. For example, on narrow streets such as Mack through Grosse Pointe, it would prevent congestion on the side you're turning from because there's only so much stopping room for each car.

However, I don't believe this applies on the turning left intersections along 8 Mile [[Kelly, Gratiot, Groesbeck, Hoover, etc.).

**MikeM** · March-13-10, 04:13 PM

Originally Posted by 313WX

For example, on narrow streets such as Mack through Grosse Pointe, it would prevent congestion on the side you're turning from because there's only so much stopping room for each car.

Also, if you can't fit in the median quit blocking the left lane. Drive up to the next break to turn, it's only a hundred feet.

**Jimaz** · March-13-10, 04:52 PM

If there are two adjacent right-turn-only lanes, can you turn right on red from each of them? [[This is a case where it's particularly important to stay in your lane.) I'd assume so, but this is all the state's What Every Driver Must Know booklet says about it:

Right Turns on Red Lights

Unless a sign tells you "no turn on red," you may turn right at a red light after coming to a complete stop. You must yield to pedestrians and approaching traffic. Make sure after you look to the left for approaching vehicles and pedestrians, that you also check again for pedestrians in front of you before turning. Then turn carefully.

The Dude · March-13-10, 04:58 PM

Originally Posted by Big Dog

Most drivers today do not know that when turning left at an intersection, an on coming car turning right has the right of way. At a light, people turning left, cut in front of my right hand turn, most of the time. It they hit me, they will receive a ticket and heavy fine. Didn't mean to hijack the thread

That's true, Big Dog, except where I have a green left arrow and you have a redlight, even though there is not a "No Turn On Red" sign there.

**Gistok** · March-13-10, 06:37 PM

What really irritates me is the newly implemented "blinking left yellow arrow"! At some intersections in the day time these go from blinking yellow left arrow... to solid green left arrow... to solid red light. But at night they go from blinking yellow left arrow... to solid red light.

That catches a lot of drivers off guard!

**douglasm** · March-13-10, 08:00 PM

In Washington, you can make a left turn on red on to a one way street. Can you do that in Michigan?

**MikeM** · March-13-10, 08:04 PM

Originally Posted by douglasm

In Washington, you can make a left turn on red on to a one way street. Can you do that in Michigan?

Yes, and you can do it from a two-way street as well.

**Jman** · March-13-10, 08:15 PM

Originally Posted by MikeM

Yes, and you can do it from a two-way street as well.

I believe that is wrong. You can only turn left on red onto a one way street from a one way street.

**MikeM** · March-13-10, 08:23 PM

You can turn left from a one-way street onto a one-way street.
You can turn left from a two-way street onto a one-way street.
You can't turn left onto a two-way street.

**Johnnny5** · March-13-10, 09:37 PM

Originally Posted by MikeM

.
You can't turn left onto a two-way street.

Yes you can! Just not on a red light..

**goggomobil** · March-13-10, 10:17 PM

[[c) If the signal exhibits a steady red indication, the following apply:
[[i) Vehicular traffic facing a steady red signal alone shall stop before entering the crosswalk on the near side of the intersection or at a limit line when marked or, if there is no crosswalk or limit line, before entering the intersection and shall remain standing until a green indication is shown, except as provided in subparagraph [[ii).
[[ii) Vehicular traffic facing a steady red signal, after stopping before entering the crosswalk on the near side of the intersection or at a limit line when marked or, if there is no crosswalk or limit line, before entering the intersection, may make a right turn from a 1-way or 2-way street into a 2-way street or into a 1-way street carrying traffic in the direction of the right turn or may make a left turn from a 1-way or 2-way street into a 1-way roadway carrying traffic in the direction of the left turn, unless prohibited by sign, signal, marking, light, or other traffic control device. The vehicular traffic shall yield the right of way to pedestrians and bicyclists lawfully within an adjacent crosswalk and to other traffic lawfully using the intersection.
[[d) If the signal exhibits a steady green arrow indication, vehicular traffic facing the green arrow signal, shown alone or in combination with another indication, may cautiously enter the intersection only to make the movement indicated by the arrow or other movement permitted by other indications shown at the same time. The vehicular traffic shall yield the right-of-way to pedestrians and bicyclists lawfully within an adjacent crosswalk and to other traffic lawfully using the intersection.

**Don K** · March-13-10, 10:52 PM

While we're on piss-off factors at lights, when there's a light with two lanes with no indication that the left lane is for left turns only [[or that the right lane is for right turns only), why do people wait until the light changes to green to signal their left turns? I like leaving the right lane clear for people to make right on red if they can, but not if it means I end up held up behind some moron making a left who didn't put his turn signal on until it's too late for me to do anything about it.

This applies primarily in suburban settings, I'm sure. I suppose in the city the wise thing is to assume the guy in the left lane is making a left.