Automotive

Do people even understand what red light means?

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  • May 24th, 2018 1:56 am
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Aug 13, 2006
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Do people even understand what red light means?

Inspired but this post and discussion that follows (it should have been a thread on its own. Mods can fix if they want). The amount of people thinking that blue car is not at fault because it stopped just baffles me and they are all drivers on our roads. I was in exact same situation couple of years ago: I was in a car doing a U-Turn on green and the other driver making right turn on red didn't give me the right of way. I honked at him and the guy chased me 3 intersections down the road trying to engage me in some sort of road rage. I simply ignored him.
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Just got up to speed on that discussion. I think red's at fault.
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eugene_2005 wrote: Inspired but this post and discussion that follows (it should have been a thread on its own. Mods can fix if they want). The amount of people thinking that blue car is not at fault because it stopped just baffles me and they are all drivers on our roads. I was in exact same situation couple of years ago: I was in a car doing a U-Turn on green and the other driver making right turn on red didn't give me the right of way. I honked at him and the guy chased me 3 intersections down the road trying to engage me in some sort of road rage. I simply ignored him.
Its bc its commonly unknown that youre allowed to u-turn like that in an intersection.
It really throws people off. But yes... Aside from all the indepth discussion... Simply put they teach in driving school

When doing a Right turn on red.
Stop! Check both ways, check for pedestrians.
Proceed only when safe to do so.
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It is their fault, but you invited trouble by making a u-turn at intersection. Even it is allowed, but it is so awkward to do in a busy intersection.

So time an arrow green is given on the left turn and u turn use the left lane, but arrow green is also given on the right turn lane from the other side, very curious to find out who's at fault, when both is given green arrow.
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napoleonbot wrote: It is their fault, but you invited trouble by making a u-turn at intersection. Even it is allowed, but it is so awkward to do in a busy intersection.

So time an arrow green is given on the left turn and u turn use the left lane, but arrow green is also given on the right turn lane from the other side, very curious to find out who's at fault, when both is given green arrow.
You mean intersections that have an advanced left AND an advanced right? I've seen those before but I can't remember a specific intersection; I certainly hope there's a no u-turn sign for those intersections.
When given enough time, all threads on RFD can and will go off on a tangent.
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aeba7 wrote: You mean intersections that have an advanced left AND an advanced right? I've seen those before but I can't remember a specific intersection; I certainly hope there's a no u-turn sign for those intersections.
yes, eglinton + kennedy in mississauga, for example, u turned car using left arrow on eglinton heading east will merge into right turn car from kennedy heading south.
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napoleonbot wrote: So time an arrow green is given on the left turn and u turn use the left lane, but arrow green is also given on the right turn lane from the other side, very curious to find out who's at fault, when both is given green arrow.
Car doing U-Turn will be at fault. Since both cars lawfully use the intersection(both have green light) HTA 141 (5) applies:

Left turn, across path of approaching vehicle
(5) No driver or operator of a vehicle in an intersection shall turn left across the path of a vehicle approaching from the opposite direction unless he or she has afforded a reasonable opportunity to the driver or operator of the approaching vehicle to avoid a collision.
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Haha, op is ridiculous. Green light mean you have right of way going straight. Assume the blue arrow car has made their full stop, they can turn right. What make you think crossing 3 lanes making a u-turn give you 100% right even if you have green. You still need to look for safety before making your u-turn and you are blocking traffic while you stopped before you u-turn. And if you didn't stop before you u-turn, you are 100% wrong.
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JasonCao wrote: Assume the blue arrow car has made their full stop, they can turn right.
Wrong. Read HTA.
144 (18)
Red light
(18) Every driver approaching a traffic control signal showing a circular red indication and facing the indication shall stop his or her vehicle and shall not proceed until a green indication is shown. R.S.O. 1990, c. H.8, s. 144 (18).

There is an exception from this rule

Exception – turn
(19) Despite subsection (18) and subject to subsection (14), a driver, after stopping his or her vehicle and yielding the right of way to traffic lawfully approaching so closely that to proceed would constitute an immediate hazard, may,
(a) turn to the right; or
(b) turn to the left from a one-way street into a one-way street,
without a green indication being shown. R.S.O. 1990, c. H.8, s. 144 (19).

See the bold?

JasonCao wrote: Green light mean you have right of way going straight
Wrong again. HTA 144 (12)

Green light
(12) A driver approaching a traffic control signal showing a circular green indication and facing the indication may proceed forward or turn left or right unless otherwise directed. R.S.O. 1990, c. H.8, s. 144 (12).
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eugene_2005 wrote: Inspired but this post and discussion that follows (it should have been a thread on its own. Mods can fix if they want). The amount of people thinking that blue car is not at fault because it stopped just baffles me and they are all drivers on our roads. I was in exact same situation couple of years ago: I was in a car doing a U-Turn on green and the other driver making right turn on red didn't give me the right of way. I honked at him and the guy chased me 3 intersections down the road trying to engage me in some sort of road rage. I simply ignored him.
You're allowed to make a U-turn, but it's your responsibility to make it safely. The person approaching the intersection and turning right can see you in the left turning lane. They should be safe assuming you're turning left, not making a U-turn. So after they stop (they still need to do that), they can continue their right turn. You're on your own.

In the link you posted, the person doing the U-turn is doing that, plus sliding across multiple lanes of traffic. It's their responsibility to make not only the U-turn safely, but the lane changes safely as well.

IMHO

C
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CNeufeld wrote: You're allowed to make a U-turn, but it's your responsibility to make it safely. The person approaching the intersection and turning right can see you in the left turning lane. They should be safe assuming you're turning left, not making a U-turn. So after they stop (they still need to do that), they can continue their right turn. You're on your own.
The car doing U-Turn lawfully using intersection. The car doing right turn cannot go until it faces green light or made a complete stop AND given the right of way to cars lawfully approaching intersection. I have already quoted HTA numerios times on that. What 's in there so hard to understand? Assumptions are not good buddies when it comes to the law. Following your logic someone couldn't be deemed at fault hitting a pedestrian on a crosswalk just because someone has assumed that pedestrian was not going to cross the road so it was safe to go.
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How can the car turning right know that the car making a U-turn is not turning left?
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napoleonbot wrote: yes, eglinton + kennedy in mississauga, for example, u turned car using left arrow on eglinton heading east will merge into right turn car from kennedy heading south.
Same as intersection of Kennedy & Hwy 7 in Markham.

WB Hwy 7 gets advanced left turn for SB Kennedy, but NB Kennedy also gets advanced right turn for EB Hwy 7. If a car does a uturn they'd definitely hit the person turning right onto Hwy 7.
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eugene_2005 wrote: The car doing U-Turn lawfully using intersection. The car doing right turn cannot go until it faces green light or made a complete stop AND given the right of way to cars lawfully approaching intersection. I have already quoted HTA numerios times on that. What 's in there so hard to understand? Assumptions are not good buddies when it comes to the law. Following your logic someone couldn't be deemed at fault hitting a pedestrian on a crosswalk just because someone has assumed that pedestrian was not going to cross the road so it was safe to go.
When you're doing the u-turn, you're no longer "approaching" the intersection. And the other car is lawfully in the intersection just like the person doing the u-turn. What's so hard to understand that?

Your "assumption" example makes no sense, as any assumptions made have to be supported somewhat by observation. Otherwise, if called to court, saying you assumed a pedestrian wasn't going to cross even when you can see them approaching or standing by the intersection would get you a slap-down by a prosecutor and/or JP.

Assumptions do happen all the time in life. When we approach an intersection and there's a car in the on-coming left turn lane, we assume that car is turning left, even if they've neglected to turn on their signal or their light is broken. This means that we assume that we can also turn left without fear of that car suddenly deciding to go change their mind straight through.

Feel free to test your u-turn theory and crash into someone. See who gets nailed. I'll await the results. If the person with the red light stops as they should before turning right, I'd bet $50 that the person doing the u-turn is at fault or it's at worst a 50/50 fault by insurance standards.

BTW... From the Fault Determination Rules:
19. The driver of automobile “A” is 100 per cent at fault and the driver of automobile “B” is not at fault for an incident that occurs,

(a) when automobile “A” is backing up;

(b) when automobile “A” is making a U-turn; or

(c) when the driver of, or a passenger in, automobile “A” opens the automobile door or leaves the door open. R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 668, s. 19.
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cheapmeister wrote: How can the car turning right know that the car making a U-turn is not turning left?
It doesn't. That's why it's important not to make such assumption on the road. After complete stop wait until all cars clear intersection and then proceed.

I can give you another example when making assumption is dangerous. I've seen it many times trying to enter road from shopping plaza when car on the main road turn right signal on showing intention to turn right where in fact it's just goes straight. I always wait for the car to do an actual turn regardless on the turning signal status. Sometime it's safe not to make any assumptions.
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Yeah, driver making the u-turn should have been aware of the car waiting to make a right. They were the one doing something unexpected.
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Don't u-turn at an intersection, if you need to change direction continue through the intersection until the next side street, make a right then do your u-turn/3 point turn come around and make a left on the original street. This is much safer.
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CNeufeld wrote: When you're doing the u-turn, you're no longer "approaching" the intersection.
Beautiful logic. I guess same applies to cars going straight. Once they entered intersection you can safely T-bone them without being at fault because they are "no longer "approaching" the intersection"
CNeufeld wrote: And the other car is lawfully in the intersection just like the person doing the u-turn
No, it's not. See HTA 144 (18)
Red light
(18) Every driver approaching a traffic control signal showing a circular red indication and facing the indication shall stop his or her vehicle and shall not proceed until a green indication is shown. R.S.O. 1990, c. H.8, s. 144 (18).


CNeufeld wrote: BTW... From the Fault Determination Rules:
First of all your link is wrong. Second I've already commented on this. Your are quoting the wrong section. Find the source where you quoted it from and see where it applies (hint: Rules for Automobiles in an Intersection are from 13-15. Your copied stuff is 19).
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cheapmeister wrote: How can the car turning right know that the car making a U-turn is not turning left?
Exactly, ask op this question. Does everyone making a right have to look for u-turn car Every single time for crying out loud.
Last edited by Redmask on May 18th, 2018 12:56 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Reason: Removed personal attack.

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