Question For Slymeat About Merging Lanes

[937]

When you are driving along and there are two lanes and then they merge into one who has the right of way, left lane, right lane or the person who is furtherest (is that a word?!) ahead when the lane ends?

The other day I was driving along in the left lane (as you should when not overtaking) and the lanes merged into one. There was a car in the right lane, he was behind me but as the lane ended he sped up to overtake me. I held my line but then had to put two wheels in the other lane at the last second to avoid a collision with this turkey (next time I won't), luckily there was no one in this lane. Who is in the right here?

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This is from the NRMA

[kramo]

When two lanes merge AND there is a dotted line for one of the lanes to cross at the merging zone, the vehicle which has to cross the broken line must give way. If there is no broken line then the vehicle furthest ahead has right of way.

I have always assumed (not that you should assume anything I suppose) that this is correct. This seems to be the most logical approach.

I would suggest common sense would prevail and whoever is behind at the merge, should give way

It's obvious this person didn't have any common sense or was just a fcukwit. Probably the latter. These are the people that really make driving unenjoyable sometimes.

he who has the least rwkw gives way

[Turbofalke]

I good question! A little research and I have learnt somthing, albeit for those a little longer in the tooth!:

Merging Traffic or Forming One Lane

Do you know what the rules are for merging lanes of traffic? Do you realise that merging is different to forming one lane? Many people still think that the car on the left must give way to the car on the right in both cases, but that is not correct. Consider:

Merging Traffic

Merging is where a lane is ending and a driver is required to cross a broken or dotted line to merge with other traffic. In this case, the driver who is about to cross the broken line must give way to traffic in close proximity in another lane regardless of which vehicle is in front.

In this diagram, CAR A must give way to CAR B.

Form One Lane

The 'Form One Lane' rule requires a driver to give way to a vehicle in another lane is that vehicle is in front of the driver's vehicle as the lanes merge. 'The driver in front has Right of Way'.

In this diagram, CAR B must give way to CAR A.

Source: Information for Older Road Users!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[ms700]

he who has the least rwkw gives way.

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That rule is correct.

[Guest newl]

I always tend to use the Form One Lane rule as outlined above although will use common sense when merging into traffic as outlined in the first diagram.

[Iconic Bionic]

Alot of drivers believe that as you have a clear straight through lane you have right of way and that the vehilce in the terminating (ending) lane must give way to you. As above it has been clarified quite clearly and this rule (Law) was changed in about 1999. Prior to this year the rule didnt apply and was the other way around, where by the driver in the terminating lane must givewway to the driver in the straight through lane. Alot of confusion still existst from driver who have been driving for alot of years, inparticular those drivers that have been driving well before the implementation of this rule.

One of the reasons this rule was introduced, was because heavy vehilces (big trucks) would have great difficulty merging when there lanes had terminated. Trucks usually keep to the far left on freeways but often encounter there lanes ending and must therefore merge. Now this rule assists them and others. Ifyou do not allow them or other cars in than you will be deemed at fault in any collision.

[seventytwo]

I have been caught out with this one, on both sides of the augment.

One was being over taken by a Magna who decided to overtake in the last 50m of a K long overtaking lane and the other was following another car that was in the overtaking lane, we where both doing about 110k and passing a few slower cars on the left.

Got to the end of the lane when the lane starts to merge and the car in front had passed all the cars but I was still level with the last car and at that point the car in front slows right down and shuts the door on me. Having now no where go I have had to get as far right as I could, as to not run the poor guy in the left lane, even then I still got an ear full of his horn for cutting him off.

Merging is not that hard but why do so many people F#ck it up

Edited 05/12/06 12:11 AM by seventytwo

[kramo]

Ok, so in that second diagram posted by Turbofalke, how many people in car B put their left hand indicator on??

Can you be fined for not putting on your left hand indicator?

I know someone who was fined for not putting their right hand indicator to form one lane and they were not crossing a broken line as in the second diagram.

[Iconic Bionic]

Ok, so in that second diagram posted by Turbofalke, how many people in car B put their left hand indicator on??

Can you be fined for not putting on your left hand indicator?

I know someone who was fined for not putting their right hand indicator to form one lane and they were not crossing a broken line as in the second diagram.

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Its somewhat simialr to roundabouts, whereby you drive straight through and make no turn right or left, you are still required to indicate your exit, even though you make no turn. It appears pointless to indicate and confuse other drivers about the fact your going straight through the roundabout but your are still required too.

Now with your question, who does in the lane merging diagram above, well no one does it and ive never seen it done but we are astill required too. If you are involved in collision and you have not indicated than you can become liable for the collision and have action taken againts you.

[Turbofalke]

Ok, so in that second diagram posted by Turbofalke, how many people in car B put their left hand indicator on??

Can you be fined for not putting on your left hand indicator?

I know someone who was fined for not putting their right hand indicator to form one lane and they were not crossing a broken line as in the second diagram.

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Answer: 1: Nobody I know including me. 2: It looks like it although I think the old "Must give way to the right" would always apply.