Pedestrians and turning right on a green light

[fifib 3]

This may be a silly question but I need to know the answer for sure as my boyfriend and I disagree.

 

The traffic lights in Germany turn green to turn right and at the same time the pedestrians light also turn green. So you (the driver) have to stop and let them (the pedestrians) cross. Is it the same in the UK or are traffic lights always on red when pedestrians are crossing?

 

Been a while since I drove there so can't remember.

[eurovol 124]

Pedestrian lights here turn green before the traffic lights do. Gives them a head start at getting run over by people who shouldn't be driving in the first place. Have not a clue about the UK, but since you drive on the wrong side of the road, its probably worse. ;)

[chickenmadras 62]

In the UK, pedestrians can never cross when lights are on green for cars to turn left (the same as turning right in Germany!). When I moved to Germany I thought their pedestrian crossings were crazy and almost ran a couple over the first day I drove my car around the city.

[Tomasino 5]

In Germany, it's like in the States. If you are driving over a crosswalk you look to see if there are pedestrians.

 

To answer your question (without irony), yes, both do turn green at the same time, and drivers then have to wait.

[Topsy 34]

in the uk, the traffic lights are always on red when pedestrians are crossing

there's none of this scary carry-on that you get over here, whereby as a pedestrian/cyclist you have right of way against cars turning right, but nonetheless always have to keep your eyes open for some crazed nut-job of a motorist (specially those without german plates, who might not know the bizarre system)

[Grinner 3]

If you are turning in to another road, ie at a junction, traffic or pedestrians already at that immediate junction have priority, only if they have started to cross or make their intended manoeuvre.

 

So even if they have crossed on a red man. the vehicle turning into the junction is at fault.

 

G

 

But to answer your question all lights should e on red whilst the pedestrian lights are green!

[fifib 3]

So i was right thank you - moving back soon so will find out i guess!!

[jayhay 31]

 

there's none of this scary carry-on that you get over here, whereby as a pedestrian/cyclist you have right of way against cars turning right, but nonetheless always have to keep your eyes open for some crazed nut-job of a motorist (specially those without german plates, who might not know the bizarre system)

Oh, do I hate how they do this in Germany.

[Raffles 52]

Yep, it sure is a crazy sytem.

 

Also the rule of giving way to traffic coming from your right, even if you appear to be on a more " major " road. (But without yellow diamond. ) Little side streets taking precedene over more frequently used streets. Drives me crazy.

 

And that old favourite ... getting fined for parking facing the wrong way...Oh Dear...LOL.

[Johnny Norfolk 29]

I wonder how many have been killed or injured with this stupid system.

 

You could not make it up could you.

[Yeti 276]

Feed in the power very carefully when you turn on a pedestrian otherwise they tend to fly back and hit the vehicle behind you.

[Small Town Boy 6,671]

I agree that it is a quite ridiculous system. I'd be a little more tolerant of it if the Germans weren't so anal about crossing the road only when the light is on green. Since it's not a dedicated green light for pedestrians, why does it command so much respect?

 

I find it is frequently safer to cross on red when there are no vehicles coming than to wait until the light is green and there's an enormous lorry crossing your path, with no way of knowing if the driver has seen you or not.

[fifib 3]

Just been back to uk and yes you can cross the road safely while all cars are on red. I will not miss trying to see a cyclist flying across in front of me (with no lights), on a rainy dark evening in Germany. Take care out there :rolleyes:

[Guest]

The benefit of the German system is that everyone doesn't have to stop for 30 seconds as one person crosses. Not that I think the German system is better. But for a German it might be because they all seem pretty considerate of pedestrians, we Brits just run into them if they dare step on the road.

[Wheel 404]

I think this system is in use all over the continent: it certainly is in Spain. So maybe us Brits are the ones out of step here.

[jayhay 31]

 

The benefit of the German system is that everyone doesn't have to stop for 30 seconds as one person crosses.

I'll take basic road safety over this. The person in the car is going to get where he's going quicker anyway, being in a car. I say let the pedestrians live.

[Hutcho 2,226]

What happens then at an intersection in the UK. Say you have something like this:

 

 

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If a pedestrian wants to cross from A to B, do they have to stop all cars going south to north on the intersection if there is no right turning lane with dedicated red light? If so, then I think the German system is better and more efficient.

 

I can't remember cause there really isn't that many traffic lights in the UK, hell of a lot of round abouts though!

 

The only stupid rule over here is give way to the right before left in every case, unless you see that yellow/white diamond sign. There's been topics on this though.

[jester 53]

 

What happens then at an intersection in the UK. Say you have something like this:

 

 

`

	 ||

	 ||

	 || B

=====  =====

=====  =====

	 || A

	 ||

	 ||

	 ||

 

 

If a pedestrian wants to cross from A to B, do they have to stop all cars going south to north on the intersection if there is no right turning lane with dedicated red light? If so, then I think the German system is better and more efficient.

 

I can't remember cause there really isn't that many traffic lights in the UK, hell of a lot of round abouts though!

 

The only stupid rule over here is give way to the right before left in every case, unless you see that yellow/white diamond sign. There's been topics on this though.

 

In this case no, if the car coming from the south can't turn right then there is no point in stopping them.

 

I really hate the system they have here, can't count the amount of times I've nearly been run over in the morning going to work, and it's usually a guy in a BMW. I think they anticipate the lights and put the foot down going round the corner and just don't give a shit. Must carry a rock with me some morning and let it fly through the back window, bet he'll stop then <_<

[Guest]

 

If a pedestrian wants to cross from A to B, do they have to stop all cars going south to north on the intersection if there is no right turning lane with dedicated red light?

Yes, the pedestrian light will only be green when there is no way any cars can use that bit of road. For most junctions, that means when *all* lights are red, unless there is some other way (eg red on right from S *AND* no left turn from N).

[Small Town Boy 6,671]

In other words, there is normally a 20-second or so period when ALL traffic lights are on red and ALL pedestrian lights are on green. This is usually enough time to cross two roads if necessary. There aren't many things I miss about Britain and I never thought that the traffic light sequence would be one of them.