The Right Turn on Red That Isn't Allowed
You are driving south on a two-lane road at 6:40 p.m. and want to turn right onto a busy four-lane street. A steady red arrow points right. Two cars ahead of you are stopped, and the driver of the first car has just turned right after stopping. The cross traffic has a protected left-turn green arrow, and pedestrians are crossing the street you want to enter. Your passenger says, 'Everyone does it, just go.' You have been stopped for 20 seconds and see a gap of about 4 seconds in the near lane, but the far lane has a steady stream of cars moving at about 35 mph.
1. Can you legally turn right on this red arrow after stopping? Explain what the signal and the surrounding conditions require.
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No. A red arrow is different from a round red light: a right turn on a red arrow is not permitted unless a sign specifically allows it, and no such sign is described. The fact that the first car turned does not make it legal; other drivers' mistakes do not create permission. Even if the arrow were a round red light, you would still have to stop, yield to pedestrians in the crosswalk, and yield to cross traffic before turning. Here pedestrians are crossing and cross traffic has a protected green arrow, so turning would also be unsafe. Wait for a green arrow or a green light before turning. The passenger's pressure is irrelevant to the legal requirement.
2. Suppose the signal were a round red light instead of a red arrow. What would you need to check before turning, and does the 4-second gap change your answer?
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With a round red light, a right turn after a complete stop is generally allowed unless a sign prohibits it. Before turning you must yield to pedestrians in the crosswalk and to vehicles close enough to be a hazard. A 4-second gap in the near lane is not enough by itself: you must also confirm the far lane is clear or will stay clear, because a car in the far lane can reach you while you are completing the turn. Cross traffic moving at 35 mph covers about 51 feet per second, so a 4-second gap is roughly 200 feet - tight if you accelerate slowly. The gap does not override the need to yield; if you cannot complete the turn safely, wait.
3. What should you do if the light stays red for several minutes and no traffic appears?
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Treat a long red light as a signal malfunction only after confirming it is actually malfunctioning, not merely slow. If the light is broken and you have waited a reasonable time, California law allows you to proceed with caution after stopping, yielding to all traffic, as if you were at a stop sign - but only when it is safe. Do not simply drive through because you are impatient. If traffic is heavy or visibility is poor, wait for a police officer or use another route. Documenting the time and location helps if you are stopped later.