Right turn on red has never been legal in NYC. There are specific exceptions that are always clearly marked.

Would this not also apply to right turns at stop signs? I think there is a deeper problem that needs fixing and even if we banned RTOR, it will still impact people waiting at stop signs.

Having recently been teaching someone to drive, I have strongly encouraged them to not engage in right turns unless it is clearly safe and there is no on coming traffic. Better to wait a minute than to risk hitting someone. The problem is there parents feel differently, as do the drivers waiting behind us. If people were more patient drivers, less pedestrians (and drivers) would die.

RTOR doesn't exist in France and was a source of stress when I started driving here (to not do it), and then again when back in the US (drivers honk if you don't).

My point though is that people do just fine without it.

I was almost hit when jogging through a crosswalk from this, but I saw the driver was looking left as he came rolling through the stop sign ... in his police cruiser.

That's so enraging. Honestly if I caught that on video, I would absolutely go to war to get that cop disciplined or fired, along with anyone else in uniformed who tried to defend them or pat me on the head with the usual "Hey man, relax— at least no one was hurt. Can't you let this go?"

100% agree, both as a pedestrian and as a driver. RTOR introduces deadly ambiguity in exchange for marginal convenience. It's not worth it.

I would like to be able wait for the light to change without feeling like I'm being an asshole to other drivers behind me.

New York City agrees with you.