Turn right - lane behind the lights
Hello. I would like to hear your opinion. Normally I don't have a problem with right turns at a controlled junction, but last time I got a little bit confused.
Please, see the following pictures:
http://oi68.tinypic.com/258vwnq.jpg
http://oi67.tinypic.com/azb715.jpg
The lights were the same as on the picture (green and green filter arrow below). I wanted to turn right and there were two cars in front of me. The first car started to turn right, then the light turned amber and the second car proceeded forwards very slowly as the exit was jammed and then the light turned red when I was right where the right arrow is in the picture. Now the question I asked myself: Should I follow this car slowly and risk that the traffic in front of them will stop and I will block the oncoming traffic if the light turns green for them or stay there and risk that the light for the traffic to my right turns green and I will be in their way (if they want to turn right)? What's the correct thing to do in this situation? I suppose it wouldn't be right to stop there as I crossed the first stop line when the light was green (and the other light is just a repeater, right?), so I followed to turn right slowly, but as it was really jammed, the light for the pedestrian after the right turn turned green in the meantime and I had to stop behind it to let them cross... Did I do anything wrong or would you do the same in this situation?
Please, see the following pictures:
http://oi68.tinypic.com/258vwnq.jpg
http://oi67.tinypic.com/azb715.jpg
The lights were the same as on the picture (green and green filter arrow below). I wanted to turn right and there were two cars in front of me. The first car started to turn right, then the light turned amber and the second car proceeded forwards very slowly as the exit was jammed and then the light turned red when I was right where the right arrow is in the picture. Now the question I asked myself: Should I follow this car slowly and risk that the traffic in front of them will stop and I will block the oncoming traffic if the light turns green for them or stay there and risk that the light for the traffic to my right turns green and I will be in their way (if they want to turn right)? What's the correct thing to do in this situation? I suppose it wouldn't be right to stop there as I crossed the first stop line when the light was green (and the other light is just a repeater, right?), so I followed to turn right slowly, but as it was really jammed, the light for the pedestrian after the right turn turned green in the meantime and I had to stop behind it to let them cross... Did I do anything wrong or would you do the same in this situation?
There's a similar junction where I live and what should happen is: Your lane and the opposite lane should go green. The other's should be red.
If there is a queue in the road to the right where you were going, wait at the first set of lights.
If there is no queue, go to the lights with the arrow. Once the opposite lanes lights turn red, yours should stay green for a little bit longer so you can turn.
Then the other lanes lights will go green.
Is that case?
But yeah if its really jammed in your lane, dont block the others. Just wait until a gap appears for you to go into without blocking anyone.
Also dont stop in the cycle box either as you will get fined if caught.
Hope this helps
If there is a queue in the road to the right where you were going, wait at the first set of lights.
If there is no queue, go to the lights with the arrow. Once the opposite lanes lights turn red, yours should stay green for a little bit longer so you can turn.
Then the other lanes lights will go green.
Is that case?
But yeah if its really jammed in your lane, dont block the others. Just wait until a gap appears for you to go into without blocking anyone.
Also dont stop in the cycle box either as you will get fined if caught.
Hope this helps
Yes, you made a mistake, unfortunately. It could have ended in a lot of drivers becoming frustrated and blaring their horns at you for being in their way, although it sounds like you got away with it this time because of a pedestrian phase at the lights as well as a "micro-safezone" you found while letting the pedestrians cross.
The problem you had stemmed from entering the junction when your exit wasn't clear. The colour of the lights is immaterial, as is the layout of the junction. The golden rule of any situation, junction or otherwise, is not to enter unless you can clear the situation safely.
Next time you're at that junction, look beyond the two cars in front of you. Look right and ask yourself if those two cars (and your full car length) can clear the junction completely. If the answer is a clear no, or you're just not sure, wait near the stop lines until more movement has taken place and you can reassess that answer.
If you are in the middle of the junction and your light changes from green to red, you MUST clear the junction immediately (and have the necessary room to do this). As you hinted at in your post, it is unacceptable to block oncoming traffic or traffic from your right from entering the junction.
The problem you had stemmed from entering the junction when your exit wasn't clear. The colour of the lights is immaterial, as is the layout of the junction. The golden rule of any situation, junction or otherwise, is not to enter unless you can clear the situation safely.
Next time you're at that junction, look beyond the two cars in front of you. Look right and ask yourself if those two cars (and your full car length) can clear the junction completely. If the answer is a clear no, or you're just not sure, wait near the stop lines until more movement has taken place and you can reassess that answer.
If you are in the middle of the junction and your light changes from green to red, you MUST clear the junction immediately (and have the necessary room to do this). As you hinted at in your post, it is unacceptable to block oncoming traffic or traffic from your right from entering the junction.
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