Should we allow rights on reds in Montreal?

Posted By: Jason Mayoff · 7/12/2012 7:58:00 AM

Should right turns on red lights be allowed on the island of Montreal?

They've been allowed everywhere else in Quebec since 2003, and now the editor of The Suburban newspaper is re-opening the debate with a petition it says has so far been signed by about 2000 people.

Beryl Wajsman says he'll present the petition to Mayor Gerald Tremblay, once he gets 5000 signatures.

"We're no worse drivers than anybody in Detroit or Washington or LA or anywhere else. We're just not," Wajsman told CJAD News. "There's no statistics that show that Montrealers are any worse drivers than [drivers in] any other city."

Wajsman disputes statistics that blame right turns on red lights for 300 accidents in Quebec since 2003 — 0.24 per cent of the total of all accidents in the province. The numbers link rights on reds to 6 deaths and to 33 accidents with serious injuries.

Rights on reds are allowed everywhere in North America except New York City and Montreal.

Sign the petition here

Photos: John Gayton, Share Bear

Leave a comment:

showing all comments · Subscribe to comments
  1. John posted on 07/12/2012 09:19 AM
    Is this issue that important?..Just bear some patience for a few minutes, then off you go vroom vroom :)
  2. sk posted on 07/12/2012 10:47 AM
    John is correct, also montrealers arent ready for it. Perhaps there is not documented proof that quebecers are not the best of drivers but........lets be realistic maybe not "bad" drivers but incredibly aggressive,impatient and lacking any courtesy at all can easily imply "bad drivers" I can already see an impatient poutine almost forcing someone into traffic.
  3. Montrealer posted on 07/12/2012 11:11 AM
    I live on the West Island and HATE waiting at the light when I could go and be on my merry way. I love being off island and can pass on a red but here at home I have to waste gas iddlying when there is no one around and it's safe to go.
  4. murrayl posted on 07/14/2012 12:06 AM
    Have the rates of accidents increased at intersections where right turns are allowed in the rest of QC. In not appreciably then there is no reason not to allow them (except that Quebec drivers have yet to learn to yield to pedestrians in crosswalks).
  5. Marc posted on 07/14/2012 07:34 AM
    When Montreal drivers learn how to stop at stop sighns, learn what a yellow light really means (slow not hit accelorator), red lights mean stop, and can properly turn right on a green light (not run over pedestrians) I'm all for turning right on reds.
  6. anastas59 posted on 07/14/2012 09:41 AM
    It is absolutely nonsense that everybody in quebec is competent and not dangerous and can turn on right but people in montreal are somehow incompetent and dangerous, It is bad enough that we can not turn right at red but when the light turns green you can not turn right or left because there is always an arrow that forbids cars from turning so that pedestrians can cross.At the very least if they have any interest in the environment they should allow cars to turn right or left once you have green and allow the pedestrians to cross at the end of the green light cycle as they do in other jurisdictions. Also if the argument is that montreal has too many pedestrians they can do what every other jurisdiction does at intersection that warrant it where there is a high concentration of pedestrians like downtown do not allow right turns. some common sense is required here, in the u.s. they allow left turns at red when both streets are one way which is the same as turning right at red. It took Quebec 50 years to allow right turns we are always behind other juristictions
  7. Eric posted on 07/16/2012 03:24 PM
    I used to live on the Island until recently. I find turning right on a red saves fuel and is better for the environment. You also tend to not be in such a rush knowing you can move along quicker.

    I have not encountered any problems with this ability to turn on a red. No accidents, no running down pedestrians. You use common sense.

    There are places that are indicated no right turns on red where deemed necessary.

    I have lived all over Canada and cannot believe that in Montreal yo cannot turn right on a red. Only other place is New York.

    I think this needs to change. Right turns on a red can be off limits only in the downtown core. Why across the whole island? I lived in Pointe Claire and there would have been no problem.

    I'm sorry but a bad as Montreal drivers are made out to be I do not think they are that stupid not to be able to turn right on a red.
showing all comments

News

You are seeing the 2 most recent blog posts.

News Videos

News Audio

Note about comments: Comments will not appear immediately after posting. Comments containing links or vulgar language and comments that are racist, sexist or offensive will not be approved.