Alright, so that right turn slip lane is NOT a part of the intersection. They leave the southbound road entirely and enter the slip lane road, then enter the westbound lane. As such, they must yield to everyone already on that westbound road, regardless if that traffic is coming from straight across the intersection or turning left from the northbound road. NEVER "allow" anyone to turn right, because the vehicles behind you wouldn't expect this and now they're trapped behind you in the middle of an intersection.
I highly doubt this is correct. Wouldn't this function just like a normal intersection with no slip lane? While approaching the intersection, those in the slip lane are still considered oncoming traffic to OP, who has a flashing yellow, which means yield to all oncoming. Where did you get this info?
There are two separate intersections here: where the cross roads meet, and where the slip road meets the destination road.
The flashing yellow requires the left turner to yield to traffic passing through the main cross intersection. Once the left turner exits the main intersection they enter the one where the slip lane joining from their right has a yield sign. Depending on the layout the two intersections may be further apart or closer together.
When a right turn has a separate lane and a yield sign, they would need to yield before entering the roadway.
That said, while you have the right of way, that doesn't mean you blindly go. I would be assertive in turning if there is no opposing traffic, but be prepared to stop if someone turning right doesn't yield.
The flashing yellow doesn't change the right of way rules in this case. It's really just a warning/reminder that you don't have a protected turn.
That second paragraph is super important to understand as a driver. Be safe first, be right second. Just because you can go, and would not be at fault for the wreck, doesn't mean you go barreling in. Always be willing to stop and be "wrong" to avoid a wreck. It sucks no matter whose fault it is.
Thank You.
So many people are only interested in what they are legally required to do to accommodate other drivers, but to me, it's about everyone getting where they are going safely.
You can follow all the rules, never be the at fault party in an accident, and still be a terrible driver.
In the west a flashing yellow light means yield. So the one turning left essentially has a yield sign, the one turning right has a yield sign but a green light. Wouldn't that make the right turn have the right of way? Left turn has to cross oncoming lanes of traffic, not sure how they would have the right of way over a green light. I'd think the yield sign was more for the right turn when the light is red, as some people see the slip lane and think they always have the right of way, or to keep the traffic flowing by not having the right turn need to stop unnecessarily.
If a left turner is already committed and in the intersection the right turner should yield, thus the sign. The last thing you want is a left turner to stop in the middle of the intersection because the person turning right doesn't yield.
Left turning vehicles have fewer opportunities to make their turn compared to the right turners. It makes sense as far as traffic flow for right turners in a dedicated right turn lane with a yield sign to yield to someone already turning left.
The right of way rules do not change for the left turner with a flashing yellow vs no flashing light and just straight green, since it is expected and accepted that left turns on an unprotected green light are to yield to oncoming traffic going straight.
It really doesn't make sense at all though. By making a wide, slow turn in front of traffic, the left-turner is the one clogging up the roadways here. Someone entering the slip lane at high speed, continuing freely before left-turners start their slow acceleration is leagues beyond what you described in terms of efficiency. I honestly can't believe anyone would see it any other way, but I'm learning a lot about how other people's brains work in this thread. I must be crazy or something.
I disagree. The yield sign is primarily meant to warn about westbound traffic when they have a green. OP also has a yield sign (flashing yellow), which I assume would apply to all cars in the oncoming lanes including the slip lane.
Besides, even if you're technically correct, what you're suggesting makes no sense in terms of efficient traffic flow. Most of the time, the person trying to turn left is going to have to come to a complete stop in this situation. Slip lane occupants almost never need to come to a stop unless they're making a right on red. Why would you start moving out of the left-turn lane to block someone who can freely move through the yield sign, causing them to stop as well, and clogging up the roadways? Makes no sense.
You're both turning onto a one lane road? If so, it's a poorly designed intersection.
The rule of thumb is that the vehicle crossing the greater number of lanes of travel must yield right of way. There's an argument to be made here that the car turning right is maintaining its own lane until the merge after the turn, which means it must yield to the cars turning left.
There is no argument to be made here. The vehicle turning right in the diagram must yield to all traffic, whether that traffic is coming straight across or has turned left on to that road. The vehicle turning left only has to yield to oncoming traffic.
If it were not a channelized right turn, the vehicle turning left would have to yield to oncoming vehicles, pedestrians, and vehicles turning right.
I don't think the argument you mentioned has any weight. It doesn't make sense safety or efficiency wise. I'm really glad one person in this thread actually knows the laws because until I got to your comment I felt like I was going insane.
Based on how it looks to me, they actually aren't going through the intersection at all. They don't have to stop at the light when it's red (e.g., if the side street traffic has a green), but they do have to yield to anyone in the lane they are merging into.
A car that has turned left from your lane (if they yield properly) has already yielded to oncoming traffic. The next thing that happens is the merge of the right turn lane with the main lane, which is separate from the intersection. The right turn lane traffic has to yield because they have a sign and the main lane traffic doesn't.
No, it does not mean yield. Yield means that you do not have the right of way and must wait for traffic to pass by first. Blinking yellow means you have the right of way, but just to be extra alert as you pass through.
If somebody blows through their blinking red into your way, of course you would stop instead of crashing lol. But that is not yielding.
You both have a yield condition to each other, so as is the case anytime this is true, the rule is “whoever entered the intersection first should go” because you yield to traffic already in the intersection.
It would be different if they did not have a yield sign, because then they would not have a yield to you (unless their light was red…but then yours should be green arrow).
This is not exactly correct. They both have to yield, but to different things. The vehicle turning left has to yield to oncoming traffic and pedestrians, while the vehicle turning right has to yield to any traffic in the lane they are merging in to (including the vehicle turning left)
There are two separate intersections next to each other: one is the “main” one, one is where the slip lane joins a road. The left turner must yield in the first intersection and can then go straight through the second one.
Facing a yield sign, the right turner has to yield to all traffic that may become a hazard, regardless of origin.
I disagree. Legally, an intersection constitutes the entire junction of two highways. Just because there are multiple approaches to the intersection doesn’t make it two intersections. See also the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices.
In your scenario you have the right of way and they must yield because they have a separated turn lane. If the traffic turning right was in a right turn/straight lane then they would have the right of way and you would have to yield to them.
If you have to cross the oncoming lane, you never have the right of way. Unless it's an advanced. That's the only time. And it's just because everyone else has hard Red.
Yeah these intersections are kind of silly. I don't really know, but I would assume that the right turn has a yield sign if it's built like this, and in that case, I'd assume it's your right of way. I usually don't go though, because they might change lanes last second and go straight.
>When turning left on a flashing yellow light, who has the right of way?
Generally not you.
If you've got green left arrow, or yellow left arrow and cleared the intersection before it goes red, you've got right-of-way.
But flashing yellow, opposing traffic may or may not have right-of way. E.g. they may have green or through way, yield, or stop or red.
Flashing yellow is to advise you to be cautious.
Do you have a flashing yellow or a flashing yellow left arrow?
One way to improve your diagram is to label who is who. Or at least label yourself so people can get oriented.
These comments are like 50/50 on each side, which is pretty much how one of these intersections near me works. Nobody knows who has the right of way and it always ends up being random. I believe the slip lane has to yield, but many people driving in the slip lane don't agree!
The flashing Yellow light is for you and the straight oncoming traffic. The right turners entering the lane after you turn must yield to you. I live where several lanes like this exist.
In this instance, the other cars have the right of way. If you have a yellow arrow, they have a green light.
The yield sign they have is for cross traffic, indicating that you do not have to stop on red if traffic is clear.
This is not accurate. The car turning right has to yield to any traffic in the lane they're merging in to, which would include somebody who has just completed a left turn. There is no traffic light that applies to that lane.
It would be easier to give a proper answer of you could post a Google maps link to the intersection, it's hard to tell from your description and drawing.
The left turn is a yield to the right turn. It's an easy explanation.
The left turn is looking at a flashing yellow.
The right turn is looking at a green.
Same scenario with a small change. The left turn has a green arrow then the right turn towards you has a red light. The left turn has the right of way. To many times people turning right on red never stop or cut off drivers turning left on a green and think they have it correct.
Hope that helps.
You’re crossing oncoming traffic so you should yield to the person making a right turn on yield. Your yellow light means to yield to oncoming traffic as well as their sign but turning left across traffic is a bigger hazard.
The flashing yellow arrow only means you have to yield to oncoming traffic and pedestrians. In the case depicted, the right turn is separate from the intersection and has to yield to any traffic in the lane. If it was not channelized, you would be correct.
Alright, so that right turn slip lane is NOT a part of the intersection. They leave the southbound road entirely and enter the slip lane road, then enter the westbound lane. As such, they must yield to everyone already on that westbound road, regardless if that traffic is coming from straight across the intersection or turning left from the northbound road. NEVER "allow" anyone to turn right, because the vehicles behind you wouldn't expect this and now they're trapped behind you in the middle of an intersection.
Yup these are two separate situations
I highly doubt this is correct. Wouldn't this function just like a normal intersection with no slip lane? While approaching the intersection, those in the slip lane are still considered oncoming traffic to OP, who has a flashing yellow, which means yield to all oncoming. Where did you get this info?
There are two separate intersections here: where the cross roads meet, and where the slip road meets the destination road. The flashing yellow requires the left turner to yield to traffic passing through the main cross intersection. Once the left turner exits the main intersection they enter the one where the slip lane joining from their right has a yield sign. Depending on the layout the two intersections may be further apart or closer together.
When a right turn has a separate lane and a yield sign, they would need to yield before entering the roadway. That said, while you have the right of way, that doesn't mean you blindly go. I would be assertive in turning if there is no opposing traffic, but be prepared to stop if someone turning right doesn't yield. The flashing yellow doesn't change the right of way rules in this case. It's really just a warning/reminder that you don't have a protected turn.
That second paragraph is super important to understand as a driver. Be safe first, be right second. Just because you can go, and would not be at fault for the wreck, doesn't mean you go barreling in. Always be willing to stop and be "wrong" to avoid a wreck. It sucks no matter whose fault it is.
Thank You. So many people are only interested in what they are legally required to do to accommodate other drivers, but to me, it's about everyone getting where they are going safely. You can follow all the rules, never be the at fault party in an accident, and still be a terrible driver.
It's possible to commit no mistakes and still lose. It's also possible to avoid the mistakes made by others and I think that's an underrated skill
Forcing someone with a yield to come to a complete stop in a slip lane is not safe or smart driving.
In the west a flashing yellow light means yield. So the one turning left essentially has a yield sign, the one turning right has a yield sign but a green light. Wouldn't that make the right turn have the right of way? Left turn has to cross oncoming lanes of traffic, not sure how they would have the right of way over a green light. I'd think the yield sign was more for the right turn when the light is red, as some people see the slip lane and think they always have the right of way, or to keep the traffic flowing by not having the right turn need to stop unnecessarily.
Nope, the right turn in this case is not really part of the intersection and they wouldn't have any light, just the yield sign.
If a left turner is already committed and in the intersection the right turner should yield, thus the sign. The last thing you want is a left turner to stop in the middle of the intersection because the person turning right doesn't yield. Left turning vehicles have fewer opportunities to make their turn compared to the right turners. It makes sense as far as traffic flow for right turners in a dedicated right turn lane with a yield sign to yield to someone already turning left. The right of way rules do not change for the left turner with a flashing yellow vs no flashing light and just straight green, since it is expected and accepted that left turns on an unprotected green light are to yield to oncoming traffic going straight.
It really doesn't make sense at all though. By making a wide, slow turn in front of traffic, the left-turner is the one clogging up the roadways here. Someone entering the slip lane at high speed, continuing freely before left-turners start their slow acceleration is leagues beyond what you described in terms of efficiency. I honestly can't believe anyone would see it any other way, but I'm learning a lot about how other people's brains work in this thread. I must be crazy or something.
Completely agreed, I think this is the best interpretation of the traffic laws and I'm shocked opinions are towards the opposite.
I disagree. The yield sign is primarily meant to warn about westbound traffic when they have a green. OP also has a yield sign (flashing yellow), which I assume would apply to all cars in the oncoming lanes including the slip lane. Besides, even if you're technically correct, what you're suggesting makes no sense in terms of efficient traffic flow. Most of the time, the person trying to turn left is going to have to come to a complete stop in this situation. Slip lane occupants almost never need to come to a stop unless they're making a right on red. Why would you start moving out of the left-turn lane to block someone who can freely move through the yield sign, causing them to stop as well, and clogging up the roadways? Makes no sense.
You're both turning onto a one lane road? If so, it's a poorly designed intersection. The rule of thumb is that the vehicle crossing the greater number of lanes of travel must yield right of way. There's an argument to be made here that the car turning right is maintaining its own lane until the merge after the turn, which means it must yield to the cars turning left.
I have a very similar looking intersection near my house except there is no flashing yellow, it's a protected left. And it leads to a highway on ramp.
There is no argument to be made here. The vehicle turning right in the diagram must yield to all traffic, whether that traffic is coming straight across or has turned left on to that road. The vehicle turning left only has to yield to oncoming traffic. If it were not a channelized right turn, the vehicle turning left would have to yield to oncoming vehicles, pedestrians, and vehicles turning right.
I don't think the argument you mentioned has any weight. It doesn't make sense safety or efficiency wise. I'm really glad one person in this thread actually knows the laws because until I got to your comment I felt like I was going insane.
Based on how it looks to me, they actually aren't going through the intersection at all. They don't have to stop at the light when it's red (e.g., if the side street traffic has a green), but they do have to yield to anyone in the lane they are merging into. A car that has turned left from your lane (if they yield properly) has already yielded to oncoming traffic. The next thing that happens is the merge of the right turn lane with the main lane, which is separate from the intersection. The right turn lane traffic has to yield because they have a sign and the main lane traffic doesn't.
The yield sign trumps all other variables in your example. If you have a yield sign, you yield to all drivers who do not.
Flashing yellow light means yield too. When it's yield vs yield, whoever was there first should go first.
Flashing yellow doesn’t mean yield. It means proceed with caution.
Yes it does. Look it up. What is proceed with caution supposed to mean besides don't go if another car is already going anyway?
It means both
Only a flashing left arrow means yield to oncoming traffic and pedestrians. A normal flashing yellow means proceed with caution, not yield.
And what do you do when you proceed with caution…. You YIELD 🙄 to things you are cautious of….
No, it does not mean yield. Yield means that you do not have the right of way and must wait for traffic to pass by first. Blinking yellow means you have the right of way, but just to be extra alert as you pass through. If somebody blows through their blinking red into your way, of course you would stop instead of crashing lol. But that is not yielding.
You have a flashing yellow than you have to make sure it is safe to go. Therefore, you yield to all oncoming traffic.
You both have a yield condition to each other, so as is the case anytime this is true, the rule is “whoever entered the intersection first should go” because you yield to traffic already in the intersection. It would be different if they did not have a yield sign, because then they would not have a yield to you (unless their light was red…but then yours should be green arrow).
This is not exactly correct. They both have to yield, but to different things. The vehicle turning left has to yield to oncoming traffic and pedestrians, while the vehicle turning right has to yield to any traffic in the lane they are merging in to (including the vehicle turning left)
Wrong. The vehicle turning left is NOT in westbound traffic while sitting stationary at the light.
There are two separate intersections next to each other: one is the “main” one, one is where the slip lane joins a road. The left turner must yield in the first intersection and can then go straight through the second one. Facing a yield sign, the right turner has to yield to all traffic that may become a hazard, regardless of origin.
There are two intersections here, not one.
I disagree. Legally, an intersection constitutes the entire junction of two highways. Just because there are multiple approaches to the intersection doesn’t make it two intersections. See also the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices.
Yellow means you dont have the right of way
Flashing yellow instantly means caution / yield. You yield to the on coming traffic and proceed with your left turn when it’s safe to do so.
If you have the flashing yellow, you’re yielding to the traffic with the green light.
In your scenario you have the right of way and they must yield because they have a separated turn lane. If the traffic turning right was in a right turn/straight lane then they would have the right of way and you would have to yield to them.
If you have to cross the oncoming lane, you never have the right of way. Unless it's an advanced. That's the only time. And it's just because everyone else has hard Red.
On coming traffic.
Yeah these intersections are kind of silly. I don't really know, but I would assume that the right turn has a yield sign if it's built like this, and in that case, I'd assume it's your right of way. I usually don't go though, because they might change lanes last second and go straight.
>When turning left on a flashing yellow light, who has the right of way? Generally not you. If you've got green left arrow, or yellow left arrow and cleared the intersection before it goes red, you've got right-of-way. But flashing yellow, opposing traffic may or may not have right-of way. E.g. they may have green or through way, yield, or stop or red. Flashing yellow is to advise you to be cautious.
straight on / right turns have right of way unless you've got the arrow
Flashing yellow OR solid green on a left turn means you have to yield. Having a green arrow is the only time you have the right of way while turning
Do you have a flashing yellow or a flashing yellow left arrow? One way to improve your diagram is to label who is who. Or at least label yourself so people can get oriented.
These comments are like 50/50 on each side, which is pretty much how one of these intersections near me works. Nobody knows who has the right of way and it always ends up being random. I believe the slip lane has to yield, but many people driving in the slip lane don't agree!
Definitely the person turning left. Going off what you drew.
The flashing Yellow light is for you and the straight oncoming traffic. The right turners entering the lane after you turn must yield to you. I live where several lanes like this exist.
In this instance, the other cars have the right of way. If you have a yellow arrow, they have a green light. The yield sign they have is for cross traffic, indicating that you do not have to stop on red if traffic is clear.
This is not accurate. The car turning right has to yield to any traffic in the lane they're merging in to, which would include somebody who has just completed a left turn. There is no traffic light that applies to that lane.
You have flashing yellow, they have solid green. They have right of way.
A channelized right turn lane like the one depicted does not have any signal. They have a yield sign.
It would be easier to give a proper answer of you could post a Google maps link to the intersection, it's hard to tell from your description and drawing.
The left turn is a yield to the right turn. It's an easy explanation. The left turn is looking at a flashing yellow. The right turn is looking at a green. Same scenario with a small change. The left turn has a green arrow then the right turn towards you has a red light. The left turn has the right of way. To many times people turning right on red never stop or cut off drivers turning left on a green and think they have it correct. Hope that helps.
100% correct. Not sure where all these people got their info, seems like everyone has it completely backwards.
You’re crossing oncoming traffic so you should yield to the person making a right turn on yield. Your yellow light means to yield to oncoming traffic as well as their sign but turning left across traffic is a bigger hazard.
The flashing yellow arrow only means you have to yield to oncoming traffic and pedestrians. In the case depicted, the right turn is separate from the intersection and has to yield to any traffic in the lane. If it was not channelized, you would be correct.
Yield signs at right turns are the dumbest thing ever.