perhaps before your time, when turning right on a red traffic light at an intersection was forbidden everywhere. This is still true in New York City, today. In North Carolina there are "No Right on Red" signs at selected intersections to enable particular traffic flow. But really, "right on red" is the rule in most places and most intersections. So a red traffic light is equivalent to a Stop sign, (but only if you want to make a right turn). If it's safe, i.e. at your own risk, you can turn right.
This is progress. With some rules, choice of action is left to the driver. I guess Bill wants to extend that kind of thinking to other circumstances.