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Comment by mogoman | Hacker News Reader

I think the difference is that in the US you are allowed to turn right (in many cases) on red. Here in Germany it generally isn't allowed, so bikes have right of way over traffic turning / crossing over the bike lane

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This is an interesting point, and may be a clear distinction in why people are so definitive on one answer or the other (not understanding the variables involved). Is it common in Europe that you can't turn on red? Everywhere I've been in the US turn on red is encouraged, though there are a few exceptions where signs are posted to prohibit the normal behavior.

>Is it common in Europe that you can't turn on red?

Yes it's almost always the case.

Our intersections are designed a bit different from yours. In ours the stoplights are placed a bit before the intersection, compared to your lights in the intersection, or right after it. This doesn't invite to right-on-red as you do not have that clear of an overview of the incoming traffic from left.

Is Berlin an exception in this regard? When I first move here, some years ago, I almost got ran over on a handful of occasions, before I noticed that drivers are actually allowed to do right turns on red lights.

It's only allowed at some intersections. There's a sign that allows you to do it, an unlit green arrow [1]. This sign is pretty much exclusive to eastern Germany (it stems from the former GDR); you'll almost never see it in the western parts.

[1]: https://www.thelocal.de/userdata/images/article/2a9465965ec3...

They have them in a few intersections here in Munich too

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