It is my understanding that you may only enter an intersection if you can clear the intersection. Pulling into the intersection to wait in the middle is unwise and at certain intersections with red light cameras will get you a bogus ticket if you clear the intersection on red !
Cops can write tickets for failure to clear but they usually only do that if there is an accident !
Most important Andy we drive on the right side of the road here - not the wrong side haha
!
You know my Texas accent used to have some cache' in England & Europe but GW Bush kinda totally f*#*ed that up !
EDIT: Usually CJ or Fastwin have the statute's to quote and since they have not I looked it up so here are law & gray area about intersections:
§545.302 - STOPPING, STANDING, OR PARKING PROHIBITED IN CERTAIN PLACES
(a) An operator may not stop, stand, or park a vehicle:
[...]
(3) in an intersection;
[...]
(f) Subsections (a), (b), and (c) do not apply if the avoidance of conflict with other traffic is necessary or if the operator is complying with the law or the directions of a police officer or official traffic-control device.
The issue of waiting in an intersection is a little tricky. The law specifically prohibits stopping in an intersection. However, subsection (f) of the same law makes an exception "if the avoidance of conflict with other traffic is necessary." Therefore, the following sections cover the two conflicting issues regarding when to wait in an intersection. It's amazing to me that many people do exactly the opposite of these!
WAITING TO TURN LEFT
Sometimes, you come to an intersection where you want to turn left and there's a green light but no green arrow. Instead of waiting behind the line, you should move about ¼ of the way into the intersection and wait there. Then, if the light turns red before you can turn, the oncoming traffic will stop and you can complete your turn. (Make sure, of course, that that the oncoming traffic is stopping before you actually turn. Sometimes they'll still have a green even when your direction has a red.) Isn't this considered running a red light, though? No, because you lawfully entered the intersection on a green and other traffic must by law allow you to clear the intersection before they can go (§544.007 (b)). This is not only legal, but it's also recommended. At intersections without left arrows on busy streets, you have to do this if you ever want to turn. How is this legal, though, when §545.302(a)(3) specifically prohibits stopping in an intersection? In this case, the exception provided by subsection (f) allows this action: you're stopping to avoid conflicting with oncoming traffic.
Additional information
If you are waiting in an intersection when the light turns red, you should never, ever back out of the intersection. Just wait for the traffic to clear and then complete your turn.
Additional information
Even if you have a green light, the law requires you to yield to traffic already in the intersection. So if someone on the cross street was hanging-out in the intersection waiting to turn left, don't roar into the intersection and pound your horn-- they're legally there and have the right to make their turn unmolested.
Many people die on the streets of Dallas "with the Law on their side" clearly in possesion of the right of way - don't let it happen to you !!
