So the girlfriend and I have been going around and around regarding certain traffic situations. I thought I might poll the always wise S2K community to see who is right!

Once a pedestrian enters a crosswalk, is traffic supposed to come to a complete halt in both directions? Meaning, even if the pedestrian is far enough away for a car to pass through would you get a ticket if a cop saw you doing this? Or is it legal to go through the crosswalk with a pedestrian crossing?

Here is another one.

Are you supposed to turn on your turn signal when you are in a turn only lane?

And how about this one.

When you are turning left and you get a green light (not a green arrow)... are you supposed to inch forward or sit there until you go?


I can't remember if I learned these things in traffic school. But may have learned some bad habits after years of driving!

 

Crosswalk.
It of course depends on were you live, but were I live, once the pedestrian enters the crosswalk, traffic in both directions must stop, except if there is a island dividing the crosswalk, then only traffic on his side of the island has to stop.

Turn signal.
I would assume so, since not everyone knows that you are in a turn only lane.

 

i would opt to find a girlfriend who is less opinionated and more obedient

 

I see the humor... but, she is super hottie and car savvy. A combo you don't find often!

 

In California the requirement is that traffic yield the right-of-way to pedestrians - this means that you cannot impede their progress. Therefore, if you are far enough away that you can drive across the crosswalk without affecting the pedestrians, or if they've already crossed and you would be driving behind them, it's legal to go.

California law requires that you use your turn signal only when your turning maneuver will affect another vehicle. I believe that you are entitled to assume that other drivers know which lanes are turn-only lanes and which are turn-optional lanes; but I'm not certain of this.

In California, when you are turning left with a green light you are allowed to move into the intersection as far as is safe and wait there to make your turn. I believe that there is a requirement that you must be able to complete your turn safely and clear the intersection; if traffic on the street onto which you are turning is backed up so that you won't be able to complete your turn and clear the intersection then I believe you must stay behind the limit line.

 

i cant believe anything until i see it with my own eyes! PICS?

 

Hang out in the intersection as long as you want, but when the light turns red, no matter how many centimeters of your car are in the intersection, you're prime time for a ticket.

 

Here is another one...


You have two right turn lanes. Can the right lane on the far outside only take the free right? Or can both lanes take that right?

 

Magician, I can't quote a source, but I think the law in California is that if it's a marked crosswalk, traffic in both directions must stop until the pedestrian is back on the curb! I know nobody does that. I have almost been run down in a crosswalk in the middle of the street, several times.

 

I found the answer for the crosswalk question from a Washington State drivers guide.

The rule is once a pedestrian steps out on the crosswalk the traffic on that side of the street must stop. The other side can proceed until the predestrian reaches one lane before the other side of traffic.

Then the other side must stop until the pedestrian is all the way over. Once the pedestrian is one lane past the side the walker began, then that side of traffic can proceed.

The basic rule is, you must give the pedestrian one lane distance when coming to be forced to stop.

The girlfriend won that round!

Girlfriend 1 ME 0