Can you turn right at a green light or must you wait for the green arrow?

armabelle

I am new to driving in Ireland. I used to live in South Africa where they also drive on the left and have very similar road rules. My question is this: When you are on a main road and wish to turn right at an intersection do you have to wait for the green "right turn" arrow or can you turn if the main traffic light is green and there is no oncoming traffic? In South Africa you can turn right at an intersection if:

1. the traffic light is green and there is no oncoming traffic or
2. if the green "right turn "arrow is lit up.

so just wondering, is it the same here?

thank you for your help

xabi

Normally you can, but if you cant, there should be another red on the side of the green filter.

Jacovs

Im from south africa myself and it took a bit of getting used to over here. If the main light is green and there is no red arrow in the direction you want to turn then you can turn.

armabelle

xabi wrote: »

Normally you can, if you cant, there should be another red on the side of the green filter.

Ok so when you see two traffic lights in red like this

http://cdn.citylab.com/media/img/citylab/2014/09/4747872021_cd8c1ee91b_z/lead_large.jpg

and the left one turns green and there is no oncoming traffic, do you still have to wait for the pesky arrow on the right traffic robot?

Halfbaker

Green light means go, but you must yield to oncoming traffic if there is any. If there is a right filter arrow and it is lit then it means you have the right of way and oncoming traffic has a red light.

Jacovs

armabelle wrote: »

Ok so when you see two traffic lights in red like this

http://cdn.citylab.com/media/img/citylab/2014/09/4747872021_cd8c1ee91b_z/lead_large.jpg

and the left one turns green and there is no oncoming traffic, do you still have to wait for the pesky arrow on the right traffic robot?

Yes you have to wait for it to turn green too. In SA the lights don't cater for pedestrians like they do over here. If the light is red for someone wishing to turn, it usually means the light is green for pedestrians crossing that road.

armabelle

Jacovs wrote: »

Im from south africa myself and it took a bit of getting used to over here. If the main light is green and there is no red arrow in the direction you want to turn then you can turn.

yes ok, if there was a red "right turn" arrow then that is clearly saying "do not turn right" but in some cases (please see other image I posted above) you will see two traffic lights up next to each other and both are red. As in the image, the red light on the right "robot" is a normal red light not a red "right turn" arrow. when you get to an intersection like this, does this second right red light mean that you must wait for a green arrow to turn?

xabi

armabelle wrote: »

Ok so when you see two traffic lights in red like this

http://cdn.citylab.com/media/img/citylab/2014/09/4747872021_cd8c1ee91b_z/lead_large.jpg

and the left one turns green and there is no oncoming traffic, do you still have to wait for the pesky arrow on the right traffic robot?

yes.

Alanstrainor

armabelle wrote: »

Ok so when you see two traffic lights in red like this

http://cdn.citylab.com/media/img/citylab/2014/09/4747872021_cd8c1ee91b_z/lead_large.jpg

and the left one turns green and there is no oncoming traffic, do you still have to wait for the pesky arrow on the right traffic robot?

In that case, you must wait, and not move into the junction until you see the green arrow.

I still get people who will beep me when I wait at a red such as the above. So just stand your ground is all I'll say.

xabi

armabelle wrote: »

yes ok, if there was a red "right turn" arrow then that is clearly saying "do not turn right" but in some cases (please see other image I posted above) you will see two traffic lights up next to each other and both are red. The red light on the right one may not be an arrow but a normal red light. when you get to an intersection like this, does this second right red light mean that you must wait for a green arrow to turn?

Some of the newer light have a red arrow, means the same as a red circle.

cython

If the green light is a "full" circle and not a straight on arrow, you may also turn right as long as the way is clear/there is no oncoming traffic. However, if the green light you mention for proceeding straight on is a green filter arrow pointing straight ahead, then you must wait for the right turn arrow.

EDIT: this does not apply when there is an explicit red on the right hand turn, but usually you will not get a full green circle as well as that.

armabelle

xabi wrote: »

yes.

ok see that is different to South Africa. On the road in south africa from what I remember, you can always yield if you are turning right at a green light. The times where you do find a green "right turn" arrow it simply means right turn has right of way

Jacovs

armabelle wrote: »

yes ok, if there was a red "right turn" arrow then that is clearly saying "do not turn right" but in some cases (please see other image I posted above) you will see two traffic lights up next to each other and both are red. As in the image, the red light on the right "robot" is a normal red light not a red "right turn" arrow. when you get to an intersection like this, does this second right red light mean that you must wait for a green arrow to turn?

Yes, either wait for a green arrow or for the light to turn green itself. A green arrow would mean you have right of way, oncoming traffic has a red light. A green light would mean you can turn when there is no oncoming traffic as the light is green for them too.

armabelle

Alanstrainor wrote: »

In that case, you must wait, and not move into the junction until you see the green arrow.

I still get people who will beep me when I wait at a red such as the above. So just stand your ground is all I'll say.

Oh ok, so perhaps even some Irish drivers are unclear about this and want to turn before the "green arrow" lights up. Now I don't feel so bad for being uncertain. at least now I know that I must wait.

armabelle

cython wrote: »

If the green light is a "full" circle and not a straight on arrow, you may also turn right as long as the way is clear/there is no oncoming traffic. However, if the green light you mention for proceeding straight on is a green filter arrow pointing straight ahead, then you must wait for the right turn arrow.

EDIT: this does not apply when there is an explicit red on the right hand turn, but usually you will not get a full green circle as well as that.

AHHH ok, this does make sense. Thank you!

armabelle

Jacovs wrote: »

Im from south africa myself and it took a bit of getting used to over here. If the main light is green and there is no red arrow in the direction you want to turn then you can turn.

also, didn't you find the traffic circle thing a bit tricky... here you have to wait for everyone coming from the right before you can enter the roundabout where in SA it is, first come first serve

Jacovs

armabelle wrote: »

also, didn't you find the traffic circle thing a bit tricky... here you have to wait for everyone coming from the right before you can enter the roundabout where in SA it is, first come first serve

Yeah have to admit that took some getting used to. Also, the lack of Stop signs at intersections. Over there, every intersection has one.

Rothmans

Jacovs wrote: »

Yeah have to admit that took some getting used to. Also, the lack of Stop signs at intersections. Over there, every intersection has one.

For the most part, I find that roads here are marked very well as regards stop signs / lines. Could you give a few examples where stop lines or signs are lacking? ( bohreens excluded).

Charles Babbage

armabelle wrote: »

also, didn't you find the traffic circle thing a bit tricky... here you have to wait for everyone coming from the right before you can enter the roundabout where in SA it is, first come first serve

The general rule of the road in SA for roundabouts is the same as here.

Rothmans wrote: »

For the most part, I find that roads here are marked very well as regards stop signs / lines. Could you give a few examples where stop lines or signs are lacking? ( bohreens excluded).

I think in Ireland a T junction in the middle of housing estate will not have an Stop sign or even lines, as the right of way is obvious.

Rothmans

Charles Babbage wrote: »

The general rule of the road in SA for roundabouts is the same as here.



I think in Ireland a T junction in the middle of housing estate will not have an Stop sign or even lines, as the right of way is obvious.

But wouldn't they be privately maintained. Yup, when the right of way is obvious like that, I couldn't see the need for a stop sign.

armabelle

Charles Babbage wrote: »

The general rule of the road in SA for roundabouts is the same as here.

Not unless everyone in South Africa breaks the rules of the road at roundabouts

Let me explain: So here when you get to a roundabout you must give way to the traffic coming from the right. Even if 10 cars come from the right, you must wait for them all to pass. In South Africa, you do yield to traffic coming from the right but if you let one car go, the second one must wait for you to enter the roundabout.

armabelle

Rothmans wrote: »

For the most part, I find that roads here are marked very well as regards stop signs / lines. Could you give a few examples where stop lines or signs are lacking? ( bohreens excluded).

It is hard to say. In general the roads in south africa are very well marked as well. You will always find places where the paint is worn off. I live in Ballsbridge and Nutley lane is terrible, you cant see the bumps...almost wrecked me car

Rothmans

armabelle wrote: »

It is hard to say. In general the roads in south africa are very well marked as well. You will always find places where the paint is worn off. I live in Ballsbridge and Nutley lane is terrible, you cant see the bumps...almost wrecked me car

I agree 100% re poor marking of speed bumps! It's not such a big issue with the red speed bumps, but the speed bumps that are the same colour as the road you don't see until the last second, unless there is a sign! But I disagree re stop signs/lines.

JustAThought

Easons or any reasonable bookshop sell an official rules of the road for the test book - it gives very good Q&A's to all the random road things you sometimes wonder about & has diagrams for all those odd roadsigns & markings. When some polish idiot went the wrong way around a roundabout 'which way to go & what lane were you in' was the policemans first question to him - game over. You need to know the official & correct version of this stuff. Lots of Irish never had to sit this test & have been doing things wrong for years! Its a good investment of less than e20. A solicitor starts at about e200 per hour - if you're lucky.

VG31

The full Rules of the Road book is available in PDF format for free online: http://www.rsa.ie/Documents/Learner%20Drivers/Rules_of_the_road.pdf

mdebets

armabelle wrote: »

Not unless everyone in South Africa breaks the rules of the road at roundabouts

Let me explain: So here when you get to a roundabout you must give way to the traffic coming from the right. Even if 10 cars come from the right, you must wait for them all to pass. In South Africa, you do yield to traffic coming from the right but if you let one car go, the second one must wait for you to enter the roundabout.

Could you please show the law that requires this in South Africa, as all sites with South African traffic rules I could find say that you have to yield to all traffic already in the roundabout when entering, the same way as it is in Ireland.

Charles Babbage

armabelle wrote: »

Not unless everyone in South Africa breaks the rules of the road at roundabouts

Let me explain: So here when you get to a roundabout you must give way to the traffic coming from the right. Even if 10 cars come from the right, you must wait for them all to pass. In South Africa, you do yield to traffic coming from the right but if you let one car go, the second one must wait for you to enter the roundabout.

it seems that mini roundabouts are a bit different in SA, but the big ones are not. People may well break the rules, of course.

armabelle

mdebets wrote: »

Could you please show the law that requires this in South Africa, as all sites with South African traffic rules I could find say that you have to yield to all traffic already in the roundabout when entering, the same way as it is in Ireland.

I can't say where you would find it but I drove there for 10 years and you only have to yield for the first car coming from the right... the second one must stop for you! It is basically like a 4-way stop situation. If you arrived first you go first.

misstearheus

cython wrote: »

If the green light is a "full" circle and not a straight on arrow, you may also turn right as long as the way is clear/there is no oncoming traffic. However, if the green light you mention for proceeding straight on is a green filter arrow pointing straight ahead, then you must wait for the right turn arrow.

EDIT: this does not apply when there is an explicit red on the right hand turn, but usually you will not get a full green circle as well as that.

I have read over this post 6 times but I still have no idea what a green filter arrow pointing straight ahead is. Would I risk sounding awfully stupid in saying that I reckon I've never even seen a green filter arrow pointing straight ahead?!? :O

GrumpyMe

misstearheus wrote: »

I have read over this post 6 times but I still have no idea what a green filter arrow pointing straight ahead is. Would I risk sounding awfully stupid in saying that I reckon I've never even seen a green filter arrow pointing straight ahead?!? :O

Not 100% sure that the straight ahead filter lights without the left turn filter but here ya go - a green filter arrow pointing straight ahead.

http://tinyurl.com/zbzkj52

Lia_lia

There are a good few of those green straight filter lights down the road from me (Cork city!). They still confuse my Mother who has been driving for 20+ years. She doesn't really get out of Kerry much..

tommyhans

Failed my test on this today in Tallaght. Got confused and was waiting for the green arrow even though I had the green light. Big dirty fail.

grogi

Jacovs wrote: »

Yes you have to wait for it to turn green too. In SA the lights don't cater for pedestrians like they do over here. If the light is red for someone wishing to turn, it usually means the light is green for pedestrians crossing that road.

So the right red is redder?



The right scenario is the best one - and I have seen those being implemented around the Cork City recently...

The middle is what I typically see around. The green only allows particular direction, while the red applies to the rest.

The left scenario should never ever happened. If someone claims that in this scenario you can go straight but not turn, they are inherently inconsistent. The green light does not have any direction information and does not discriminate any direction. So if we agree one can go straight, one can turn as well - but giving way to traffic from the front.

grogi

Lia_lia wrote: »

There are a good few of those green straight filter lights down the road from me (Cork city!). They still confuse my Mother who has been driving for 20+ years. She doesn't really get out of Kerry much..

Don't blame here - it is a very bed design...

If different directions get separate signalling, the red light should be directional as well. That way you would know which red light to observe...

grogi

VG31 wrote: »

The full Rules of the Road book is available in PDF format for free online: http://www.rsa.ie/Documents/Learner%20Drivers/Rules_of_the_road.pdf

Which does not constitute law and is often misleading?

GrumpyMe

grogi wrote: »

So the right red is redder?



The right scenario is the best one - and I have seen those being implemented around the Cork City recently...

The middle is what I typically see around. The green only allows particular direction, while the red applies to the rest.

The left scenario should never ever happened. If someone claims that in this scenario you can go straight but not turn, they are inherently inconsistent. The green light does not have any direction information and does not discriminate any direction. So if we agree one can go straight, one can turn as well - but giving way to traffic from the front.

Do you know of anywhere where the left scenario did happen? :eek: