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Original poster

To have waited for the green arrow at the traffic lights before turning right?

41 replies

superstarheartbreaker · 17/07/2013 18:19

I have only been driving for a short time so I would like to be corrected if need be.
I was at a crossroads today and I wanted to turn right. I was at the front of the queue.I normally wait for the green arrow rather than the green light and it sometimes can be a bit slow.
Anyway I waited but no green arrow and there was oncoming traffic coming towards me at the green light. It was taking some time then the man behind me got out of his car and asked if I was ok as I had missed two green lights.
I couldn't be bothered to argue and just turned right at the next green light but I still thought the normal procedure was to wait for the green arrow unless there is no oncoming traffic at a green light when turning right...no?
Trouble is I have been honked once or twice whilst waiting for this green arrow so I guess it's one of those traffic rules that noone abides be?

OP posts:
LindyHemming · 17/07/2013 18:21

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

wannabedomesticgoddess · 17/07/2013 18:22

If there is a gap in the oncoming traffic you should go.

What do you do if you are turning right into a road where there are no traffic lights?

PseudoBadger · 17/07/2013 18:22

Not all junctions/lights have green arrows though...

complexnumber · 17/07/2013 18:25

"I couldn't be bothered to argue "

I'm glad about that, as you would have drawn even more attention to the opinion that although you may have passed your test, you are not yet really ready to drive without a licenced passenger.

Apologies if I have misunderstood the situation.

CockyFox · 17/07/2013 18:26

You don't wait for an arrow, you wait for a green light then treat it like any junction and go when it is safe.

YourHandInMyHand · 17/07/2013 18:26

If there is a green light you should go up to where you have to wait for a gap in the crossing traffic rather than waiting where you would sit if there was a red light.

RhondaJean · 17/07/2013 18:27

If there is only one traffic light, with red, amber, green and green arrow, you go on green if there is a gap in the traffic. But don't feel pressured by traffic behind you if you crash and get shunted into them they will be held up longer.

Some junctions have two or three lights together, say red amber green arrow left, red amber and green arrows right, and one in the centre. Then you have to stop unless your arrow is green.

The all in one is usually at a really busy junction and you can go on general green if there is room but it will bring the filter light on when it stops the traffic coming towards you so there is a chance to turn.

LittleBearPad · 17/07/2013 18:28

If there's a gap sufficient to turn, you turn. You don't have to wait for an arrow if there's a green light.

ashley69ly · 17/07/2013 18:28

Is this a junction you use often so know has a right turn arrow. Not every junction with traffic lights has one. Most you just move forward when the green light shows and wait in the middle until a suitable gap in the oncoming traffic to make your right turn.

RobotBananas · 17/07/2013 18:28

If its clear, and the arrow is in addition to traffic lights fir that lane, and the light is green, you can go. You don't have to wait for the filter.

SpottyTeacakes · 17/07/2013 18:29

We have one of these traffic light systems near us. The green arrow only shows at peak times when there's unlikely to be a break in the oncoming traffic. If there's a gap and it's just on the normal green light you can go.

ThePerfectFather · 17/07/2013 18:29

You will be able to see if there is a filter (that's what it's called) because there will be a little extra light stuck on the side of the traffic light box. If there is just a green light then you are meant to nose out a bit into the area where people turn across oncoming traffic. This allows people behind you to go straight ahead, while you sit and wait for either the lights to change (in which case the oncoming traffic will stop, and you can quickly go) or for a decent sized gap.

Did you never turn right in any of your lessons? I'm hoping this might be of help to you

www.gov.uk/using-the-road-159-to-203/road-junctions-170-to-183

frasersmummy · 17/07/2013 18:31

so was the filter (green arrow not working)

if it wasn't you just have to go in a gap and if there really isn't one.. move forward over the stop line and wait .. just as the traffic coming towards you is given the red you can turn as you are over the stop line and will block the junction otherwise

RedHelenB · 17/07/2013 18:33

Some junctions state you HAVE to wait for the green arrow before turning right (usualluy on busy junctions) otherwise you wait for a gap in the traffic & turn.

Bumply · 17/07/2013 18:36

Some junctions have a separate light for turning right. If its red you can't go, if its green arrow you can go and there's no opposing traffic.
Some junctions have one light which is green with no arrow to go straight on OR right if there's no opposing traffic and turns to a green arrow when it's definitely your turn to turn right.
If your junction changed from red to green more than once without showing an arrow then you have to turn when there's no opposing traffic, generally by moving into the middle of the road and slipping right just as the lights change round - noting that there may only be room for the lead car in the queue to do this safely each cycle.

PseudoBadger · 17/07/2013 18:37

Have you passed your test OP?

wanderings · 17/07/2013 18:38

Green only: you should turn right as soon as you can, while giving way to oncoming traffic. (And if there's a yellow box junction, you DO wait in it, if your exit is clear, and you are waiting for oncoming traffic.)

Green arrow: you no longer have to give way to oncoming traffic. Rarely this arrow appears immediately.

This green arrow does not always appear. As others have said, it only appears at peak times, or sometimes it detects if lots of traffic is waiting to turn right. Waiting in the middle and NOT turning when there is a possibility is the wrong thing to do.

The Highway Code is actually very bad at explaining this green arrow. Its main explanation of the green arrow is this long sentence: "A green arrow may be provided in addition to the full green signal if movement in a certain direction is allowed before or after the full green phase."

SacreBlue · 17/07/2013 18:39

Sometimes a filter light won't come on unless you move forward a bit. There is a junction near me with two lanes leading up, a green light for straight ahead (or turn if clear) and a filter arrow for turning right (which stops traffic in peak times provided there is a car needing to turn right)

If there is no car in front of the white line it won't come on (as then it would be blocking onward traffic without need)

One poor girl awhile ago sat through two green lights and there was much beeping of horns - at least that chap got out and asked if everything was ok may have thought you'd stalled

Just pull forward a bit in future - it lets those behind out if they want to go straight ahead and will activate any sensor to let the lights know there is a car needing to turn.

Wabbitty · 17/07/2013 18:40

easy explanation in pictures

mrslyman · 17/07/2013 18:42

I think it depends. I was being beeped at a turn right recently, there was no oncoming traffic but the lights have a forward pointing green arrow and the right filter has a red light of its own, so to turn i'd have had to go through a red light.

If the filter operates at the end of a full round green light section then you can turn on full green, and you should pull forward to start the man over. I noticed the other day at a junction failing to pull forward means the filter isn't activated.

It is sometimes hard to work out what to do
Though particularly if you aren't familiar with the road.

kim147 · 17/07/2013 18:44

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

garlicagain · 17/07/2013 18:48

You generally get filter lights (arrows) when there is a filter lane. This is a special lane only for those turning off. They can be left or right filters. The filter lane has a turning arrow painted on the road. Some filter lanes don't have arrow lights.

If the main traffic light is round, green means you can go (not you must go!) The difference is that when you go on the main, round, green light, you'll then have to negotiate the traffic coming the other way - wait for a safe gap and all that. When a filter arrow goes green, the oncoming traffic has been stopped.

garlicagain · 17/07/2013 18:49

Sorry, I know we're all saying the same. It's just easier for OP to have a choice of explanation styles!

thatstoast · 17/07/2013 19:07

I'm a bit confused by your post because you seem to be implying that there was always oncoming traffic - in which case it's obvious you couldn't have turned right.

You also say you missed two sets of green, which implies that the filter light wasn't on so the driver behind was right to prompt you otherwise you would have been there all day.

In most circumstances, you can turn right on green (as others say, there's not always a filter arrow) but oncoming traffic has right of way.

How long have you been driving?

LindyHemming · 17/07/2013 19:17

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

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