Right turn yield to unprotected left turn on a green?
Posted by VirtualAdvanceNA@reddit | driving | View on Reddit | 43 comments
I was driving the other day and came across a situation where I was doing a right turn on a yield while another driver was doing a left turn at the same time.
https://imgur.com/a/7gvqzTC
I assumed that when there’s a green light, I didn’t need to yield for a right turn, but this is just an assumption. I asked my friends about it and they mentioned how I always needed to yield to people doing a left turn even if my light is green.
Also does the absence/appearance of a yield sign on a right turn matter, or does the rules of a regular right turn stay the same?
StarrCaptain@reddit
Left turns don’t have the right of way— they’re going across traffic lanes, so if there’s oncoming traffic—you, with a right signal on, with a green light—they don’t have the right of way. Your light is green, you’re in the turning lane, all you had to do was make sure that the crosswalk was fully clear of any pedestrians and complete your turn.
cshmn@reddit
If that right turning lane has a yield sign, this is incorrect.
PM_ME_GRAPHICS_CARDS@reddit
it’s implied that there isn’t a yield sign in their comment
obviously you have to yield to a yield sign
StarrCaptain@reddit
I don’t even see a sign, but like.. there’s a traffic light, why wouldn’t there be a yield sign? I’m confused 🙈
PM_ME_GRAPHICS_CARDS@reddit
i don’t understand, not every traffic light has or need yield signs
InfamousFlan5963@reddit
I don't see a sign so Im confused with the post - but I have an intersection near me with a yield + light. Its a T intersection going into an on/off ramp into the highway. The light is for straight traffic and right turn (onto highway ramp) is yield sign. You yield when the left turn arrow is green, but otherwise you can ignore the light and get more cars through "faster" with the yield than a light since you don't need to stop on red before going, so long as theres no left turn arrow, green or red you can just go straight through without pause
blakeh95@reddit
YIELD means yield, all day long. It doesn't mean yield...sometimes.
InfamousFlan5963@reddit
I mean, yes but the only time there's oncoming traffic to yield to is the left turners and they have to yield to people driving straight. So I suppose in green light situation you might have a few times you are yielding to a left turn, but very rare at that intersection (usually busy enough for straight through traffic that the left turn is only on green arrow + the 1-2 that go through the yellow.
I just meant most of the time there's no one you have to yield to, and therefore faster than a red light where you have to come to a full stop before you can go, even if no one is turning left, etc
blakeh95@reddit
Yes, we are in agreement then. I concur that the reason that these were put in was to speed up right turns to avoid a need for a stop every time. They just have the side effect of potentially causing right turns to yield to left turns (I don't think any were put in intentionally to flip the right of way to prioritize left turns).
I do wonder if we will see these be replaced with right turn flashing yellow arrows, since these would solve the problem nicely. Right turns would be turning with "caution" and left turns would no longer have the weird flipped-right-of-way scenario.
Pushfastr@reddit
I am under the impression that right turn yield is specifically to prioritize left turning traffic (seeing as they have the advanced left turn light and how right turn has free flow the rest of the time)
StarrCaptain@reddit
Why would there be a yield at a traffic light though? It makes no sense… plus, they have to green light and aren’t turning in front of traffic. It’s very confusing. I also don’t even see a yield sign in the video.
blakeh95@reddit
I don't think OP's video actually has a YIELD sign, but they do exist.
Normally, the reason why you would put one in is to help the flow of the right turns on red when they have good visibility. Because the YIELD sign controls--and not the signal--a dedicated right turn lane is no longer turning right on red, so there is no need to stop. The vehicles just yield, like they would anyways after stopping.
It just has a side effect of requiring that they yield at other times too, and the only other conflicting traffic is left turns.
Pushfastr@reddit
If the road they're turning into is a single lane, then the right turn will usually have a yield sign.
cshmn@reddit
https://maps.app.goo.gl/waj2h4tSkdEuZkza7
Sorry, i didnt watch the video and misunderstood OP's comment. Here is an example of a traffic light controlled intersection with a yield sign at each right turn, for reference.
jesselivermore1929@reddit
Exactly why I never use my right turn signal when someone is waiting to turn left in my direction.
bdougherty@reddit
What does this accomplish exactly? Besides making you unpredictable.
jesselivermore1929@reddit
IT KEEPS PEOPLE FROM TURNING IN FRONT OF YOU WHEN YOU HAVE THE RIGHT OF WAY.
Sexy-Flexi@reddit
Wow, that's quite the intersection! The guy turning left was in the wrong. You are lucky you got through unscathed. I would go slower when turning right because many drivers who are turning left at an intersection do not know the rules of the road.
elves2732@reddit
Left turn yields to oncoming traffic. Period.
If you are making a right turn and you have a green light then you have the right of way.
It's the terrible drivers down south that yield to left turn. So stupid.
blakeh95@reddit
You not liking something doesn't make it wrong or stupid.
You are wrong. The Federal MUTCD is clear on this, and they get to make the rules. Not you.
C-Misterz@reddit
It doesn’t give the person making the left turn the right of way over you. Right-turn yields are usually to protect the “straight” traffic (perpendicular to your path prior to your turn) from you turning into them. Left-turn guy is on his own, he just cut you off.
blakeh95@reddit
A YIELD sign does, in fact, change the right of way rules. A vehicle approaching a YIELD sign must yield.
MishoneIsMyFavorite@reddit
I didn't see a yield sign in your video. Was it visible? (I've never seen a yield at a normal right turn lane before. That's bizarre. So, I want to see it.)
blakeh95@reddit
I don't think there is one in OP's video, but they do exist.
Here's one near me. The key thing under Federal law is that they are only permitted when there is a channelizing island (concrete or paint) and the YIELD sign now controls the turn lane, not the signal.
xiaopangdur@reddit
As aforementioned, drivers making a left turn always yield the right of way to other motorists unless there is a protected green arrow, or the road being turn onto has two or more lanes. Motorists must always turn into the first available lane.
blakeh95@reddit
"Must turn into the first available lane" is state-dependent. Some states permit turns to be made into multiple choices of lane.
MediumBreadfruit3131@reddit
no if your light was green their light should be red unless there is something wrong with it.
pedalsmasher@reddit
The opposing left turn had a flashing yellow arrow. The opposing left turn must yield, which the left turning driver did not do. The operation is running as designed.
MediumBreadfruit3131@reddit
somehow forgot about that...
blakeh95@reddit
Both directions almost certainly have a flashing yellow for the left turn.
MediumBreadfruit3131@reddit
you're right
scottwax@reddit
Left turn yields to everyone unless they have a green arrow.
Fantastic-Display106@reddit
If there was a yield sign for right turners in the dedicated right turn lane you would have needed to yield. I didn't see one.
THAT said...
The guy turning left had already made their move to turn left before you got to the intersection, so while you have the right of way, the prudent and defensive move would be to yield to them as it is much less safe to force your "right of way" causing the left turner to stop in the middle of the intersection to avoid a collision.
taratarabobara@reddit
The primary issue is whether or not you have a physically separated channelized lane for the right turn, sometimes known as a “slip lane”. This creates two separate intersections and as the left turner is through traffic at the second intersection, you must yield to them. There should be a yield sign posted in this case. The state of the signal light is irrelevant to the right turner.
Without a separate lane for the right turner, the left turner should yield to them. It sounds like people in your area are making up their own rules, though.
VirtualAdvanceNA@reddit (OP)
Thanks, clears up a lot of confusion for me.
The_Werefrog@reddit
As far as right of way is concerned, that's been answered. However, never forget the last clear chance doctrine. Whichever driver had the last clear chance to avoid the collision can be held liable for the damage that happens. As such, you did right to yield even though you didn't need to do so.
WorstDeal@reddit
In this case, your friends are wrong. The car turning left should have waited and if you were to have hit the car, they would have been at fault
Otterbotanical@reddit
You are correct in how you maneuvered, you have green which means that the other person had (depending on state) a blinking yellow. In ALL states afaik, the person who would need to cross in front of moving traffic to turn most yield.
You have indication to NOT STOP (green). I failed a driving test for coming to a stop at a green. You did the right thing, other driver jumped the gun.
I suspect they maybe didn't see you if they weren't fully aware of the road, as the truck passes in front of you and they begin turning directly after the truck moves. They probably gunned it because there was other traffic on the way. They turned into the intersection where your direction had green, was maybe about to stop because they saw you, but then realized more cars were coming in the other lanes, and decided that the least inconvenient option was to slam the gas and get in before you.
blakeh95@reddit
While this is correct, it is worth pointing out that there ARE places where a yield sign is posted on right turn lanes. Where that is posted correctly, it does modify the right of way rules such that the right turning vehicle would need to yield.
Otterbotanical@reddit
Yes! Signage takes priority in all cases, very good point! Having a yield sign on the right turn lane doesn't exist in my state of Washington, unless it's a island-protected right.
Austin_Native_2@reddit
The other driver may have had an unprotected green light. But you did not have a yield sign; you had a green light. The other driver is in error.
pedalsmasher@reddit
The green is for the thru movement. Right turn on green is a permissive movement. Permissive to any pedestrian or bicycle traffic going straight. A right green arrow would be the protected indicator for right turning vehicles. But you are correct that the other driver is in error. He must yield to all opposing movement, including this right turning driver.
blakeh95@reddit
I do not see a yield sign posted on that particular intersection.
With that said, a posted yield sign DOES make a difference. They don’t put them up for no reason, after all.
A yield sign modifies the normal right of way rules and DOES require the person turning right to yield in obedience to the yield sign.
Under Federal law, yield signs for right turn lanes at a signalized intersection may only be placed if there is a channelized separate right turn lane. The channel doesn’t have to be concrete—paint will work—but it must be something.