What Determines Where a Vehicle Enters an Intersection?

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MSI
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What Determines Where a Vehicle Enters an Intersection?

Post by MSI »

Q: (from other forum) Along the lines of who entered the intersection first, where is the line that determines where a vehicle enters an intersection? The imaginary crossing curb line? The imaginary crossing fog line? The imaginary crossing edge of pavement? Crosswalk? Stop bar? I did a quick search of the archives and didn't see anything on point. Maybe the answer varies by state?

A: What we've found in general is:
  • 1. If a stop bar THAT represents the start of the intersection for any vehicle in that lane
    2. if NO stop bar then an extension of the curb line is used
    3. If no curb, then an extension of the pavement/lane line
I recall from years back (8-10+?) that red light bandits used the paint line as the demarcation for a ticket
  • If front tire on or before the line, you're OK, if not TICKET!
The problem with red light bandit companies was the folks who installed them put them in former intersections with 35 MPH light timing whereas the speed was increased to 45 MPH (so less time to PR to short yellow light and stop!)
Also many local govts had to pay all legal fees for complainers AND only got 10% or so of the proceeds from the tickets.
Wish they'd bring them back and the speed bandits too! They provided a LOT of video coverage of who ran the red light/was speeding/etc!
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For info on those lovely light and speed bandits, see
MSI
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Posts: 2303
Joined: Thu Jun 18, 2009 12:37 pm

Re: What Determines Where a Vehicle Enters an Intersection?

Post by MSI »

Other answers posted up:
  • We teach within the confines of the intersection of the road edges
    intersection.jpg
    intersection.jpg (62.92 KiB) Viewed 813 times
    AND
    nj iNTERSECTION.jpg
    nj iNTERSECTION.jpg (27.27 KiB) Viewed 813 times
To which i responded:
  • A problem with using an imaginary line over a painted stop bar line is:
    • What happens if a left turning vehicle strikes a vehicle OVER the pain line?
    • who's fault is it?
    Why the person OVER the stop bar!
    (generally but perhaps in some states not so)
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