Apparently ignorance is abundant about a simple basic driving freedom that very few people seem to be aware of. Once I am calm I have no idea as to where I should direct my extreme annoyance. The deal is, in Michigan you are allowed to turn left on to a one way street when the light is red unless otherwise posted. This is basically the same as making a right on red – unless otherwise posted. Simple concept to understand, isn’t it? Oh nooooo. I have had arguments with people about this. I have been told that I am absolutely wrong but when I retort with ‘how do you know’ the person is usually struck silent. Fine, maybe my lesson to learn is patience as I wait for the driver in front of me to not turn once traffic clears. At a green light I wait as they try to decide whether or not they have enough space to make it through. And of course there are several times I think they have plenty of room and they still don’t complete the turn. And then they finally rush through after the traffic light turns red. Midwest one word phrase for ‘are you an idiot’ – REALLY?
This road whore takes the whole no turning left on red to a whole new level. On Kalamazoo heading east towards East Lansing there are two one way roads on either side of the 127 bridge. There is a light at S. Howard. This driver saw someone he knew that was in the westbound lane on Kalamazoo, stopped his car in the intersection – I was stopped underneath the traffic signal behind him, he smiled like the Cheshire cat and bobbled his head like a fool until I gently pressed my horn as if I were trying to communicate with the Edmund Fitzgerald. I followed him into the left turn lane to proceed on to S. Homer. As he idly sauntered on, the light was green, then we got the green arrow but apparently he was still excited about whomever he saw in the car that was going in the opposite direction that he failed to proceed. If anyone would have been able to hear me go off on my tirade of rage, they would have been fearful for the life of the person in front of me. If I were to begin to recite the words that were coming out of my mouth, this essay would take a dark turn and lose any flavor of humor it may have thus far. Not turning on red is one thing but to not proceed when you have a bright green arrow letting you know that it is your turn makes me wonder if it should be more difficult to receive a driver’s license.
So if you don’t know you can turn left on red unless otherwise posted could you at least remember to not stop in the middle of the damn road to smile at someone, and green means go. Gas is that long pedal on the right.
This road whore takes the whole no turning left on red to a whole new level. On Kalamazoo heading east towards East Lansing there are two one way roads on either side of the 127 bridge. There is a light at S. Howard. This driver saw someone he knew that was in the westbound lane on Kalamazoo, stopped his car in the intersection – I was stopped underneath the traffic signal behind him, he smiled like the Cheshire cat and bobbled his head like a fool until I gently pressed my horn as if I were trying to communicate with the Edmund Fitzgerald. I followed him into the left turn lane to proceed on to S. Homer. As he idly sauntered on, the light was green, then we got the green arrow but apparently he was still excited about whomever he saw in the car that was going in the opposite direction that he failed to proceed. If anyone would have been able to hear me go off on my tirade of rage, they would have been fearful for the life of the person in front of me. If I were to begin to recite the words that were coming out of my mouth, this essay would take a dark turn and lose any flavor of humor it may have thus far. Not turning on red is one thing but to not proceed when you have a bright green arrow letting you know that it is your turn makes me wonder if it should be more difficult to receive a driver’s license.
So if you don’t know you can turn left on red unless otherwise posted could you at least remember to not stop in the middle of the damn road to smile at someone, and green means go. Gas is that long pedal on the right.
Question: Can I turn left on a red light?
ReplyDeleteAnswer: MCL 257.612 (1)(c)(ii) states in part, "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 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 same rules apply to turning right on a steady red signal. Unless prohibited, a right turn on a steady red signal may be made from a 1-way or 2-way street onto a 2-way street or a 1-way street carrying traffic in the direction of the right turn.