Reader-submitted Video: Right Turn on Red Permitted, and Don’t Use A Turning Lane When Going Straight

I find that when turning right from Chestnut Street onto Route 9, some motorists will occasionally wait for the light to turn green before turning.

Please understand that this is not New York City. Not only may you turn on red, but you also inconvenience all the vehicles piling up behind you and slow up traffic for everyone if you choose not to move.

That said, I understand that at some intersections it can take some time to ascertain that the road is clear. That’s fine, but do not just sit there until the light turns green! Move up slowly and check for a clearing. It often comes quicker than you think.

This morning the red SUV at the front of the line wouldn’t move. Cars started honking but it still wouldn’t budge (my dash cam audio is turned off).

Finally, when the light turns green, the SUV goes straight!

Please be considerate of other motorists when driving. Turning lanes are for turning, not for going straight. While most drivers obey traffic rules, the few that don’t inconvenience everyone else.

Thank you.

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24 COMMENTS

24 Comments
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Safety Activist
7 years ago

When turning right at a red, don”t just lookout for cars. Always look out for pedestrians crossing

Ab
7 years ago

Even if there’s no “right turning lane” if there’s 2 lanes just stay to the left so people that want to turn right can do so. Don’t be selfish and make the people behind you that want to make a right wait because you decided to go in the right lane since there are 2 cars ahead of you in the left lane

Not so simple
Reply to  Ab
7 years ago

It is not that “there are 2 cars ahead of you in the left lane”. It is that there is a car ahead of you that wants to turn left, and you will be stuck behind that car and very possibly miss the light, especially at a busy intersection!

Know the law
7 years ago

Even though it is permitted to make a right on red, it’s still red. You must first stop . It’s not like a green light. After stopping, you may turn right when clear. It seems that people don’t know this (or many other traffic laws).
SAD.

Agreed
Reply to  Know the law
7 years ago

I couldn’t agree with @knowthelaw more

One of my biggest driving pet peeves is when you are driving on a road at the speed limit and someone turns right on red without stopping at the perpendicular road cutting right in front of you and driving at a quarter of the speed limit until they actually pick up enough speed.

Additionally, when I come to a red light and I actually obey the law and come to a complete stop first for a moment (yes even if there is no oncoming traffic), I often will get honked at by the car behind me, because, he wants to fly through.

Right on red does not equal green. A right green arrow does

??
7 years ago

Also, need to be mindful of delayed green lights. When turning right on red, the oncoming vehicles may have a green arrow to make a left turn

Anon
7 years ago

That particular light is way too long. One of the longest lights in Lakewood.

Whatever
7 years ago

People make left turns from left lanes. You can want to go straight and wait through a whole light cycle because the person in front of you is waiting to turn left

Not everyone is selfish
7 years ago

A car doesnt have to get stuck behind someone making a left turn because you’re in a rush. Not everyone uses their blinker that they are turning left so to be on the safe side , the cars would rather go in the right lane.

Anon
Reply to  Not everyone is selfish
7 years ago

That’s fine. In this case it is a right turn ONLY lane. If a someone wanted to go straight they do NOT belong in that lane, even if trying to get around a left turning vehicle. I constantly get cut off by vehicles on Cedarbridge who go from the right turn only lane that turns onto Hurley Ave.

Robert
7 years ago

You understand why….. On the ‘straight’ line, cars are making left as well (when the incoming traffic is constant) so there is only 2 cars per light that are able to go straight. He lost his patience. Don’t we all at times?

Izzy
7 years ago

Even if there’s no traffic light but the road is wide enough for two lanes people in the right lane don’t realize (or maybe they do realize they just don’t care) that when they’re stopped the person on the left side is blocked from seeing what’s going on down coming from the right side.
I’ve had this problem especially when trying to turn in to or from an angled row. So lately I’ve just gone in the middle which leaves no room for somebody to be on my right

Anon
7 years ago

Something has to be done about that light – it has a very long red and then a very short green, and being that there is no left turning lane, any cars waiting to turn left hold up the whole line and it turns red..

Waiting at the light
7 years ago

Once were on the topic of people waiting to make left turns, the light by clover and 88 is another example of that. Would love to see a turning light by that corner

Shoooo!
7 years ago

While you are allowed to turn on red in NJ, you DO NOT HAVE TO!! TBH when I pull up to a light planning to turn right on red and the person behind me starts honking impatiently while I’m trying to see if it’s clear, I will deliberately not turn. SO THERE!!!

common sense
Reply to  Shoooo!
7 years ago

two wrongs don’t make a right

Not always
7 years ago

In general,I agree. That particular intersection happens to have oncoming traffic making left turns while your light is red. This makes it very difficult and somewhat dangerous to make a right on red over there. You have to be 100% sure the second or third car on the line of oncoming traffic don’t have their left blinker on. That is usually hard to see and they could end up making their turn at same time you are making your right.

Anon
7 years ago

@shoooo
Aha so that’s you

Jimmy
7 years ago

Getting off topic, but the visual on that dash cam is crystal clear.

eli g
7 years ago

Shoooo!, cant help that you are such a troubled individual that when you get honked you get so bent out of shape that you do things deliberately. just because you dont have to turn on red theres something called being nice to people. not going to ask what the rest of your life looks like with such an attitude!

Negel Vasser
7 years ago

What about the cars leaving the plaza who want to turn left, even though there is a no left turn sign? Come to think of it, there is a no left turn sign at the Rx exit, too. So how are people who want to get to the Chestnut area supposed to go home from that plaza?

Be considerate
7 years ago

@izzy
That happens all the time by Williams and James.
You can be sitting on Williams trying to make a left onto james and when you finally feel that the cost is clear, a vehicle pulls up on the right to make a right turn and blocks your view!
It is very inconsiderate of people to pull up on the right side of a car trying to turn left.
What I do when I’m the person on the right, is to wait until the guy on my left can go (staying a little behind him so he can see) and then I turn at the same time. (Or if it’s obvious he can’t turn, say too much traffic in the opposite direction for him, I’ll turn)

Shoooo!
7 years ago

To clarify: I myself honk people who are taking too long to turn right on red. But I have the basic courtesy of giving them time to make a normal turn without having to floor it! I expect others to have the same courtesy to me-and those that don’t don’t deserve any “niceness”

My Take
7 years ago

I think people here are just too impatient. You gotta learn to chill. Relax everybody and don’t be in such a hurry. (I too get impatient sometimes, but really, it’s not good for your blood pressure to be so pushy)