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SUNNY Temp: 41 °F Wind: CLM at 0 mph Thursday, November 28, 2002 SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map EXTRA HomeLife Magazine W3 Magazine Jobs @ Mail Tribune Tempo A & E Oregon CarZone Wellness Connection Real Estate Newspaper in Education Prime Times Outdoor Journal Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People CLASSIFIEDS Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Find Everything E SOUTHERN OREGON Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar ABOUT US FAQ What's New Advertise Home Delivery Classified Ad Contact Us Media Kit Email Story to a Friend October 1, 2002 Since you asked Oregon lets drivers turn left on red I just moved to Medford from out of state. I have noticed drivers turn left onto a one-way street on a red light. They stop, check for oncoming traffic and when it’s safe they make a left-handed turn. I thought if the light is red, the driver must wait for a green arrow or light in order to turn left. Who’s right? — Sherry S., Medford You’ve discovered one of the quirky ways Oregon has distinguished itself from other states, traffic-wise. One is the courtesy that left-turn laners give by stopping several feet back from the stop bar (to allow cars to cut across the turn lane while turning left from the street on the right). Another quirk is the left-on-a-red-light. It is legal in Oregon, unless otherwise posted, to make a left turn onto a one-way street while stopped at a red light. To do this safely after making sure traffic is clear, you need to make certain your own light hasn’t changed while you were checking traffic coming from the right. Otherwise, you could end up tasting bumper from the cars facing you at the intersection. At some intersections, however, where the view is blocked by structures or parked cars, some drivers prefer not to turn left on red because they would have to pull into the line of traffic in order to see the traffic, as is the case at Sixth and Riverside and at Fourth and Riverside in Medford. Send questions to "Since You Asked," Mail Tribune Newsroom, P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501; by fax to 541-776-4376; or by e-mail to [email protected] Printer Friendly Version Email Story to a Friend Subscribe Archive: Click to Search Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright 1997-2002 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy webmaster feedback A D V E R T I S E R S