Right turn at the traffic lights

[anotheoldgit]

What is the rule, when you come to a set of lights with the turning to your right.

The lights are on green but you cannot turn right because of the oncoming traffic, so you go over the line ready to turn right when the road is clear.

But in the meantime the lights change to red and you are then stuck in no man's land. Can you lawfully turn right into the road, and can the vehicles behind you who have also crossed the halt line? Bearing in mind that all these vehicles have to clear the junction to allow the vehicles who wish to come out of their road to turn either right or left?

[SeaJayPea]

If I understand what yopu're describing correctly, you not only can turn right, but you must. Otherwise you'd be guilty of causing an obstruction.

[Rollo]

If you have gone over the line at the lights, and then had to stop, you should continue your right turn as soon as it is safe to do so. That's irrespective of the state of the lights you have just crossed.

But if there is a yellow hatched box at the junction you should not enter it unless your exit from it is clear.

[Panic Button]

Wrong Rollo.

You can stop in a yellow box, if waiting to turn right and the only thing stopping you is oncoming traffic.

[Buenchico]

As others have indicated, traffic lights control the flow of traffic across the white line. If you've already crossed the line your progress is no longer subject to regulation by the lights.

And, as PB states, the only time that you're allowed to enter a yellow hatched box (when you can't immediately continue beyond it) is to take up position for a right turn. It's obviously a long time since Rollo took a driving test ;-)

Chris

[anotheoldgit]

Thanks for your answers.

This situation regarding the yellow boxed junction is interesting.

Why else should they go to the trouble of painting a box if you can hang around in it waiting to turn right.

I agree with Rollo, I also thought the only time you were allowed to enter a yellow box was if your exit from it was clear.

[another-view]

You can go into the yellow box if you are waiting to turn right. I don't drive and even I know that.

[4getmenot]

I didnt think you should proceed at all over any line until your exit is clear.

[Rollo]

There were no such things a yellow hatched boxes at junctions when I too my test.

I remember having to give hand signals on my test.

Nevertheless, I would not enter a yellow hatched box unless my exit was clear. If I did I would risk getting caught in the junction with nowhere to go if the lights changed again and oncoming traffic started and blocked me from turning. Why block a junction?

[sddsddean]

My go!! Lets assume you are in High St and turning right into Main Road and its a yellow box junction. If there is no backed up traffic in Main Rd, your exit (that is the exit from the box junction)is clear. Therefore you can proceed into the box and wait for the oncoming traffic to stop before proceeding into Main Rd. If there is a tail back in Main Rd and you would not be able to turn in to it, clearly your exit is not clear, so you cannot enter the yellow box. The reason for being allowed to wait in the box to turn right is this. Imagine you weren't allowed in, as soon as the lights went red and stopped the oncoming traffic, you would have zero time in which to perform the right turn, so you would never get to do it unless there was no traffic coming the other way. This would be frustrating to say the least!

[Panic Button]

Scroll to rule 174

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/TravelAndTransport /Highwaycode/DG_070332

[magicmerlin]

Panic Button.

Rollo is correct, if your exit is not clear you cannot enter a yellow box irrespective of whether you are going straight on or turning right. The only time you can stop in a yellow box is when oncoming traffic prevents you from turning right AND the exit is clear

[Panic Button]

I accept that.

Apologies to Rollo.

[Rollo]

No problem!

:-))