Anxious Driver Begs People To Stop Expecting Her To Make A Right On Red — 'Can We Normalize Not Honking?'
Even if it may be legal, it is not required.
Kleber Cordiero | Shuterstock Making a right turn at a red light is standard driving for most people. However, to anxious drivers, it is a nightmare. For nervous motorists, there is nothing worse than being the first car in the right lane at a red light, being the sole judge of when it is safe to go (and the honking from inpatient drivers behind certainly doesn’t help).
One anxious driver is putting her foot down (on the brake pedal, in this case) when it comes to anyone who isn't patient enough to wait for the light to turn green before turning. She took to TikTok to share that if you are ever stuck behind her in the right lane at a red light, you’re just going to have to wait.
An anxious driver begged people to stop expecting her to make a right on red.
Like many anxiety-ridden drivers, this woman (@asillopi) gets particularly stressed when she is at a red light in the right lane since other drivers will likely expect her to make a right when there is no incoming traffic. Even though most states legally allow drivers to make a right on red (unless there is a no turn on red sign), the woman said it is not a requirement.
Some people may feel safer waiting for the light to turn green, knowing there is no risk that they may cut off other drivers they can’t see. Still, other drivers behind them may not have the patience to wait for a green light and honk at you to nudge forward. According to the woman, they can honk all they want because she won’t budge.
“I'm the one that's at the light. I can choose when it's safe to go,” she explained in a TikTok video. “And even if it wasn't safe to go, I don't have to go. It's a red light. I can just sit there and wait till it turns green.”
And for anyone who does honk at her, they just bought themselves some extra time. “Now that you've honked at me, I'm gonna take my sweet time and I'm gonna just sit there and wait for the light to turn green,” the woman said. “Have fun!” Needless to say, her opinion stirred up quite a debate in the comments.
Some people were on the same page as the driver, agreeing that while it is legal, it is not a requirement to make a right turn at a red light.
“Those people are not gonna pay for the ticket you get if you get into an accident or pay for the damages either. Ignore them,” one TikTok user commented. “Turning on red is not a requirement, it’s an option. God forbid someone has to wait one extra minute behind me,” another wrote.
“Your one minute of time is not worth my life. In this economy, we can’t afford accidents. If you’re really in that much of a rush you should’ve left the house earlier,” another shared.
Photoroyalty | Shutterstock
The dangers associated with making a right on red led some U.S. cities to consider making it illegal. Washington, D.C., Chicago, Ann Arbor, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Seattle, and Denver proposed this idea in response to growing concerns about pedestrian and driver safety.
Pedestrians often face a risk when crossing intersections, as drivers making a right on red often fail to see them. In heavy traffic, visibility may be poor, and drivers often fail to see oncoming vehicles, especially when they are pressured to go by inpatient drivers behind them.
However, some people argued that it is socially respectful to make a right on red when there are other drivers behind you.
“Right on red is optional because you can go straight. If you’re turning right and don't go when it's safe, that's just being DUMB and NOT considerate of other people’s time,” one TikTok user commented. “I don't want to sit behind a car who won't drive. I don’t know why you automatically equate that with endangerment,” another shared.
Even if you are someone who doesn’t mind making a right on red and prefers not to wait around if you don’t have to, you may find yourself stuck behind other drivers who don’t hold the same beliefs (and honking at them won’t make you go any faster).
When you are behind them at a red light, you are at their mercy. They may be able to see incoming traffic that you cannot, and may have just saved your life! Getting to your destination a minute or two quicker is not worth pressuring someone into a serious accident.
Megan Quinn is a staff writer with a bachelor's degree in English and a minor in Creative Writing. She covers news and lifestyle topics that focus on justice in the workplace, personal relationships, parenting debates, and the human experience.
