If you drive in New York City then you should know that right turn on red is illegal unless posted (as the sign above shows). It is all due to Mayor Abe Beame almost getting run down while crossing the street on August 28, 1975. The NYPD officers in Beam’s security detail were only able to ticket the driver for failure to yield to pedestrians. Today, thanks to Beame almost getting run over, drivers who turn on red in the five boroughs are running red lights.