Probably The Two Most Misunderstood Traffic Infracciones

[MEXICOWANDERER]

It is illegal to ENTER an traffic signal intersection when the light is glowing yellow.

If there is SAFE room to pull over onto the shoulder the law says you must do so. SAFE does not mean pulling onto a rough section of the shoulder. If you fail to do so and fail to prove (easy to do) that a ditch or rough shoulder prevented you from moving over, stopping for a left turn means you are liable for all damages if you get rear-ended.

The above is based on reading leyes de transitos and talking with Highway Patrolmen and transitos de ciudades and municipios. These are universal laws throughout Mexico based on Jalisco laws.

The law for turning left of course applies only on rural roads minus signals. This is why Americans get puzzled when the car ahead of them suddenly pulls into an oncoming empty lane to make a left. And left turn lanes out in the sticks consist of a PAVED lane with a stop sign ON THE SHOULDER of the roadway.

I know of a half-dozen Americans who could have sworn such a setup is imaginary. They were stuck with tens of thousands of dollars in damages. Believe it that this law is enforced.

Thanks to Jefe de SSP Joaquin Baez for sitting with me for hours and explaining Mexican law. He was/is the head of the Petlatlan Guerrero SSP.

Corroboration can be had at the office of Jim Lewis. He is a smart cookie when it comes to Mexican traffic laws.

[MEXICOWANDERER]

Talleyho69 wrote:
Thanks for the clarification.

We just got another vehicle this afternoon, and he just decided that it's time to talk to one of the local policia and find out what the rule is in our municipality regarding turns on red.

Might prove to be interesting.
I've been making right turns on red lights for 18 years in Zihuatanejo. Some with transitos right behind me. As a full-time resident my visits will be far less frequent because of my possessing both Nook and Kindle ebook readers. When I first shopped Waldos they sold stuff that no one else had. Now it's just another nine peso store. But the city has something I dearly love in the tropics -- a supermarket with under the store parking. Shade! And the ocean gets tamed down to wavelets instead of roaring breakers like we have up here.

And roaming centro on foot especially at sundown and a bit after sundown was always fun.

[MEXICOWANDERER]

And pay attention to the speeding Jetta on the sidewalk!

[Talleyho69]

Thanks for the clarification.

We just got another vehicle this afternoon, and he just decided that it's time to talk to one of the local policia and find out what the rule is in our municipality regarding turns on red.

[qtla9111]

Navegator hit the nail on the head. Each municipality is different. This is the reglamento de transito in Monterrey. There are nine municipalities in the metropolitan area and they can vary to some minor degree. I say that because there have been positive attempts to standardize the rules.

Una vez cumplida la instrucción de alto absoluto proyectada por la luz roja, es permitido dar vuelta a la izquierda y a la derecha con extrema precaución, una vez que se haya agotado el paso de peatones por la esquina en que se pretende dar vuelta y cuando por el sentido de la calle o avenida así sea posible.

Once you have complied with a complete stop at the red light, it is permitted to make a left-hand or right-hand turn with extreme precaution, once there are no longer pedestrians on the corner or crosswalk where you intend to turn right and when the turn coincides with the same direction as the turn.

So in Monterrey, you can make a right-hand turn on red (as well as a left-hand turn on red when you turn onto a one-way street).

Reglamento de Transito Monterrey, NL

[MEXICOWANDERER]

[navegator]

Some towns allow a turn on a red others do not, best is to stop and wait, if car behind starts honking wait a few seconds and then slowlly creep towards the turn looking out for on coming traffic and watching the red to turn green.

Most towns along the border do allow turn on red, further South it is a toss, even Mexicans do not know unless you live there, watch the drivers if they start looking front, left, right and in the mirrors the turn if not permited and they are looking for the cops, if they pull up to the intersection and they only look left for traffic and a quick right to check for any pedestrians on cross walk the turn is permited, simple situation awareness and observation will give you a lot clues.

Always drive defensive and try to guess what all the idiots arround you might do, the thee idiots in front left, center and right of you and all other in front of them, then the two idiots next to you left and right, and a minimum of six idots behind you.

On the highway if an idiot pulls up behind and tail gates, he will pass any witch way he can, even if he runs you off the road they know that you will try to avoid an accident and you will steer right, when they start to overtake, take your foot of the gas pedal and be ready to make a panic brake and if possible move a bit to the right, I know it is hard to anticipate what an idiot might do but it is a good mental excersise to try and predict idiots next idiotic move.

While driving always have situational awareness and always be alert, always pay attention to the road ahead and your mirrors, be safe.

navegator

[Tequila]

Thanks I am still trying to find out if turning right on a red is legal. I get mixed info. I was pulled over in Acapulco for this

[HTElectrical]

theoldwizard1 wrote:

MEXICOWANDERER wrote:
It is illegal to ENTER an traffic signal intersection when the light is glowing yellow.

In the US, it is usually "you must clear the intersection before the light turns red".

Actually that is incorrect!
You have to enter the intersection before the light turns red, and you also can not unsafely enter the intersection. What that means is you can't PUNCH IT just before the intersection and smoke the tires trying to beat the red light.

[MEXICOWANDERER]

Moisheh, signalling, slow and predictable is the antidote. The machokazes may honk, issue very creative groserias (off color remarks) and make hand signals worthy of a baseball pitcher.

Let's say I have to make a left then merge right for a turn at the next block. The Machokazes are swirling like pis*** off hornets.

Mid block I'll come to a dead stop with lights flashing. End of the line. Until someone gives way that's as far as I go.

Not all drivers have a stick stuck up their ***

Someone in the parallel to your lane will block traffic, honk and wave you into the lane to the right.

I have used this trick for years and it works. Keep the turn signal going. In Toluca I have had a cop pull up and blast out one of those unique police siren buzzer noises. Machokazes suddenly reverted to homo sapiens for a few seconds.

This blockage is exactly why cities have heavy truck bypasses and cops get mighty irate to find a heavy vehicle causing traffic flow mayhem where it does not belong.

I have witnessed accidents caused by Machokaze drivers. All of them to date involved two aggressive drivers. Example: A car squeezes in front of you then keeps going further into the lane to your left. Driver B alongside you to your left sees this and gooses the throttle to ace-him-out and sure as hell sheet metal bends and plastic cracks.

[moisheh]

In Sonora they have learned a new trick. If a light is red and you are right at the front just turn right in front of the stopped traffic and then turn back onto the street and keep on trucking. if necessary just use the sidewalk. When turning left onto a 4 lane divided street forget about turning into the far outside lane. Turn into the curb lane and then cut across to the outside. madness! If you are in front at a red light and there is no traffic coming from either side just stop and then run the red light. Obeying traffic laws is optional.

Moisheh

[MEXICOWANDERER]

When an idiot does this in front of me, I lay on the horn hoping a cop will notice. I save it for when the idiot clearly enters the intersection on a red light. If he crosses two seconds too late who is to say he will not do it 10 seconds late?
u
Unfortunately I have ridden with a few idiots. Cutting in and out of traffic and hitting 75 mph down a small pueblo's divided dirt street.

Every last one of them, threw dust and gravel shut off the key ran into the kitchen grabbed a can of cerveza went into the sala (living room) kicked off their shoes then sat on their A$S. Stupid, selfish, dangerous, and ignorant.

I have not to date ridden a 2nd time with double digit IQ fools and managed to disassociate with them altogether.

"Poor Juanito! He almost made it around the twentieth car in the fog".

If I come across a stop sign or railroad crossing...

And see an attached sign saying ALTO TOTAL

I know this is a STRICT stop sign, and exaggerate my stop. Usually there is a cop lurking nearby.

For a while Federal Highway Patrolmen used to hang out a quarter mile beyond a toll road toll booth. They are seeking drivers who forgot to re-buckle. I hope this practice has ended. They did not warn they ticketed.

[navegator]

The most dangerous light of the red, amber and green happens to be the green light, more accidents happen when people are desperados and slam on the gas as soon as the red goes to green with the other proverbial idiot running the amber and red light, when driving in Mexico, wait 3 to 4 seconds before you move, this also aplies to the USA by the way to many idiots wanting to beat the signal or the train.

navegator

[MEXICOWANDERER]

One solution is to lay on the brake lights for a few seconds before switching on the turn signal. It helps with most situations except idiots who would drive on a sidewalk to save a few seconds.

I always assume when I cannot visually corroborate it that someone will run a full red light. Slow, gentle and easy is the best solution I have found. I am fitting side indicator amber LEDs to the toad to help in traffic.

[daveB110]

Sorry to drive off the exact topic. But some other perhaps less popular traffic concerns are out there as well. Like how the left turn signal is perceived in Mexico. This may not be a problem for Mexicans who grew up with how this is done, but for others driving in their country it requires thought. While following someone, especially a slow truck, if you see the left start blinking on the truck, they are either signalling you to pass, or signalling that they plan to make a left turn. In city driving, and wanting to turn left, I've been advised use you blinker and to put your arm out the window and point out this next move...and watch that the vehicle behind is not attempting to pass you.

A recent trip from east to west of driving in the US made me realize that I had never seen the flashing amber lights that get placed prominently, so that approaching vehicles can know that a red light stop, is ahead. These lights are in use liberally, across Canada. They save on brakes and contribute to road safety, with a realization that intersections are often where accidents take place.