Accidentally running a yellow light that turned red.
09-09-21, 06:56 PM
#2
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In AZ for instance, you can enter the intersection on yellow.
In some states you may NOT enter an intersection on yellow.
When riding a bicycle, it's best not to enter an intersection on yellow even if legal, unless travelling at or near the speed limit.
09-09-21, 06:57 PM
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Bikes and car, same laws. If it were a red light camera intersection, you get a ticket if the light turned red while you are in the intersection. If it stays yellow no ticket, ASFAIK. Cops I think follow this at their own discretion.
09-09-21, 07:06 PM
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09-09-21, 07:12 PM
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Welcome to Bike Forums.
I hope this topic is not a sign of things to come.
I hope this topic is not a sign of things to come.
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09-09-21, 07:15 PM
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I am assuming they passed the ped crosswalk on the opposite side, rather than the near/entering side - since you were not specific. Regardless, if any part of a vehicle (car, truck, bike) is still in an intersection and crosswalks are considered part of an intersection, then yes they can be cited (at least in the all the west coast states I have lived.
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09-09-21, 07:16 PM
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Always check if anybody is behind you if you were planning to stop on the amber light.
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09-09-21, 08:32 PM
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I was riding through a car sewer in northern Virginia at about 3 in the morning. My compatriots made it through a light, but it turned yellow just as I got to the intersection, so it turned red while I was still in the intersection.
The red light camera went off. It was one of the ones that has a very bright flash and it was really obvious. So there was some poor guy looking at pictures of cars running the red light who found my picture instead. I did wonder if they had heard of Strava because that ride is on there. I think I also might have set one off later that morning.
A lot of lights aren't really timed that well for bicycles, especially if they have cameras.
The red light camera went off. It was one of the ones that has a very bright flash and it was really obvious. So there was some poor guy looking at pictures of cars running the red light who found my picture instead. I did wonder if they had heard of Strava because that ride is on there. I think I also might have set one off later that morning.
A lot of lights aren't really timed that well for bicycles, especially if they have cameras.
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09-09-21, 10:08 PM
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It varies by jurisdiction, usually at state level.
In AZ for instance, you can enter the intersection on yellow.
In some states you may NOT enter an intersection on yellow.
When riding a bicycle, it's best not to enter an intersection on yellow even if legal, unless travelling at or near the speed limit.
In AZ for instance, you can enter the intersection on yellow.
In some states you may NOT enter an intersection on yellow.
When riding a bicycle, it's best not to enter an intersection on yellow even if legal, unless travelling at or near the speed limit.
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09-09-21, 10:17 PM
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https://www.drivinglaws.org/resource...ts-and-stop--1.
.
Seems like a lot of people worry about getting out of the intersection before the light goes red, maybe that's the other version of the red light rule.
09-09-21, 10:22 PM
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Looks like Oregon has a stop on yellow law, UNLESS you can't do so safely. Nice vague law there 
(4)
Steady circular yellow signal. A driver facing a steady circular yellow signal light is thereby warned that the related right of way is being terminated and that a red or flashing red light will be shown immediately. A driver facing the light shall stop at a clearly marked stop line, but if none, shall stop before entering the marked crosswalk on the near side of the intersection, or if there is no marked crosswalk, then before entering the intersection. If a driver cannot stop in safety, the driver may drive cautiously through the intersection.
09-09-21, 10:32 PM
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Ridding in a local neighborhood I nearly got clipped by a car running a stop sign. I remember seeing his face of horror as he locked up all four wheels and loosing control spun his car around slipping on to a tangential curb before coming to a stop. I turned around and went back to make sure he was alright...
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09-09-21, 10:37 PM
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at the discretion of the cop if they saw you - might get a finger-wagging or might get a ticket, depending on how hard you kiss their arse.
09-09-21, 10:40 PM
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camera might capture your image, but where would they send the ticket to?
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09-09-21, 11:22 PM
#16
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bikes can run stop signs now up here. they call it the Idaho Stop if you want to research it.
in Calif if you are across the limit line of the intersection when the light flips red then you are a legal beagle.
as long as you did not have to break the speed limit to get across the line in time.
the best way to improve your sprint is jam thru a stale yellow on a regular basis.
that's what Eddy Merckx used to do. 53-12.
if that sounds like irresponsible advice let me remind you of one thing.
if you inhabit a human body, then......
YOUR GONNA DIE!
in Calif if you are across the limit line of the intersection when the light flips red then you are a legal beagle.
as long as you did not have to break the speed limit to get across the line in time.
the best way to improve your sprint is jam thru a stale yellow on a regular basis.
that's what Eddy Merckx used to do. 53-12.
if that sounds like irresponsible advice let me remind you of one thing.
if you inhabit a human body, then......
YOUR GONNA DIE!
Last edited by cjenrick; 09-09-21 at 11:27 PM.
09-10-21, 05:02 AM
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09-10-21, 06:08 AM
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Thanks for the thread. I've sort of wondered about the yellows turning red situation but not enough to look it up. Driver's Ed was so long ago. Old folks should be required to take it again.
09-10-21, 06:20 AM
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I thought red means the next three cars are okay to go....
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09-10-21, 06:21 AM
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Where I live in Northern VA, you will definitely get ticketed while driving if you enter an intersection during a yellow light. The law must be similar to Oregon's, with the interpretation being "stop at limit line on yellow, if safe to do so". I know this because I've been ticketed.
Great thread, BTW.
Great thread, BTW.
09-10-21, 07:30 AM
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I believe in my state it's "Stop on yellow if safe to do so." I haven't looked up the statutes in ages, though, but I think that's what it says on the test to get your license.
09-10-21, 07:43 AM
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I've never heard of any jurisdiction that has a law that would make entering an intersection on a yellow light illegal. In practice, this would require motorists to anticipate and fully stop on a green light BEFORE the light turned yellow, which doesn't seem realistic.
09-10-21, 07:54 AM
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Okay, this is a tangent, but it's something that really bugs me when I'm visiting the in-laws in VA: why the heck don't left-turning people get in to the intersection when waiting for oncoming traffic to clear?
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09-10-21, 08:00 AM
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I sometimes find myself watching those "how the hell did I get here?" YouTube videos, and one of those instances was a colorful judge from, IIRC, Maine. He dealt primarily (exclusively?) with traffic violations, and I was mildly surprised to see that, in his jurisdiction, at least, they gave you a red light buffer, something on the order of 0.2 seconds. IOW, they wouldn't ticket you if you entered the intersection (hitting the crosswalk) 0.2 seconds after the light turned red.