Right of way

Franco Cozzo · 14-09-2011, 08:08 PM

I had an interesting encounter today while driving home from work, here is a little scenario I drawn up to show:

The numbered boxes are cars, the red dots on them are indicators and the coloured arrows are in which direction they are going to turn

I'm the blue box numbered 1, wanting to turn left onto the main road there, there are lots of cars moving down the road I want to get on, directly opposite me, there is green box 2 wanting to turn left onto the same road road. What happened is we both spotted a gap, and both made our turns at the same time, and we both nearly had a very slow motion accident where he would have hit the back of my car, who would have been at fault here?

I didn't actually realise we had both turned at the same time as I seen a gap and went for it, until I looked in the rear vision mirror with the other car right up my *** as I got onto the main road.

I'm not sure, apart from these roads around work I don't usually drive in metro areas, so not used to lots of traffic and I'm not sure entirely how things work on busy multi laned/intersection roads.

nstg8a · 14-09-2011, 08:11 PM

was it just one lane road you were turning onto, or two?

Zero_PSI · 14-09-2011, 08:11 PM

That's a really good question actually!

Landau Stable · 14-09-2011, 08:11 PM

In that situation, you are turning left, and he is turning right. You had the right of way.

Franco Cozzo · 14-09-2011, 08:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nstg8a

was it just one lane road you were turning onto, or two?

Two lane road, we both ended up in the far left lane.

Matty4 · 14-09-2011, 08:12 PM

A quick look at that makes it appear that car 2 was doing a U turn, in which case they must give way (IIRC, it's been a while and things may have changed!!)

FGII-XR6 · 14-09-2011, 08:15 PM

in reality from what I see in the pic the green car was actually doing a U turn and would be in the wrong

graham7773 · 14-09-2011, 08:17 PM

from your diagram, the green car is doing a u-turn. if that is the case, you have right of way as anyone doing a u-turn must give way to everybody else. The other 2 cars would be of no concern to you as they are turning away from you. If the green car had hit you from behind he is at fault and at risk of a neg driving charge.

Trevor 57 · 14-09-2011, 08:28 PM

Going by your drawing the green box as it appears he was doing a U turn and when doing a U turn you must give way to 'all' traffic.

Sorry, just saw Graham;s post above, yes he is right

**Giant Cranium** · 14-09-2011, 08:28 PM

your in the right. i always think if im going to cross infront of a car whilst turning they have right of way

kocho · 14-09-2011, 08:29 PM

Show us on Google Maps! (please).

He's going to be at fault because he hit you from behind, so he's probably at fault (if doing a u-turn).

xisled · 14-09-2011, 08:35 PM

Car 1 has right of way to over car 2. A car turning right must give way to a car turning left. Car 1 has the right to turn into any lane of the main road, as long as you give way to any cars already traveling on the main road. Car 2 must wait for car 1 to turn before completing the turn.

**cs123** · 14-09-2011, 08:37 PM

The person in the 4x4 has right of way. At least in Brisbane that is the rule

**Polyal** · 14-09-2011, 08:39 PM

I thought it was simply that if it was two lanes then you both can go, you should not cross directly into the left if you are green car.

But you have right of way if its a single lane as you are closer to the corner.

Technically you both should be fine to go if its two lanes though. We have the same issue in my town and every nuffty green car thinks they can just bound straight over into the left lane...um no (I think).

xisled · 14-09-2011, 08:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Polyal

I thought it was simply that if it was two lanes then you both can go, you should not cross directly into the left if you are green car.

But you have right of way if its a single lane as you are closer to the corner.

Technically you both should be fine to go if its two lanes though. We have the same issue in my town and every nuffty green car thinks they can just bound straight over into the left lane...um no (I think).

Car 1 and car 2 is legally allowed to drive into any lane when entering a main road with more than 1 lane. Just the left before right rules applies in this case.

**Polyal** · 14-09-2011, 08:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xisled

Car 1 and car 2 is legally allowed to drive into any lane when entering a main road with more than 1 lane. Just the left before right rules applies in this case.

Yeah I guess my point was if green and blue want to turn at the same time then easy, stick to the lane closest to you.

THE CADBURY KID · 14-09-2011, 08:47 PM

Regardless of what happened previously if he hits you in the behind it is his fault %100,and you have the right of way also.
Hitting into someones rear end is a result of misattention or travelling too close.cut and dry in most cases

Jim Goose · 14-09-2011, 08:48 PM

Did you (car 1) have a stop sign? or was it unsigned?

lilmattie · 14-09-2011, 08:50 PM

Depending on the signage.. from the diagram it looks like you both have giveway markings.

If so:

Car 1 was in the right.
Car 2 should have given way.
AND
Car 2 should have turned into the righthand lane whereas Car 1 should have turned into the lefthand lane. Basically - both cars should have turned into their closest lane and then indicated and changed lanes after the merge if they needed to be in the other lane.

Unusual to have a 2 lane road meeting on a highway because car 3 is technically on the wrong side of the road. They should have passed each other so as to be on the correct side.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zero_PSI

That's a really good question actually!

I was going to say "Not really" - now I look more at it, the setup is odd. But in any case it should work the same as any other 4 way intersection. You were in the right because you were making the shorter turn onto the same road. They had a longer turn and they should give way to you. They were in the wrong.

xisled · 14-09-2011, 08:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FREE02

Regardless of what happened previously if he hits you in the behind it is his fault %100,and you have the right of way also.
Hitting into someones rear end is a result of misattention or travelling too close.cut and dry in most cases

Most cases a person will be responsible, but I have won some insurance cases where the other car has changed lanes in front of my insureds car and the insured has ran into the back of the car.

If everyone thought like that, if car 1 turned into left lane and car 2 turned into right lane. I would think panel beaters would go out of business. LOL. But I do understand what your saying.

MITCHAY · 14-09-2011, 08:57 PM

If doing a U turn then they must give way to everyone. Even disregarding that the green car gives way because car turning right gives way to car turning left.

vanman_75 · 14-09-2011, 09:09 PM

I believe car 2 had right of way as he was turning into his lane directly , and car 1 was crossing lanes which your not allowed to do unless you have driven at least thirty metres in the left lane before indicating right to go into the right lane ... happy to be corrected on the distance and rule

z80 · 14-09-2011, 09:19 PM

Car 1 has right of way and correctly merged into the left lane when turning left.

Car 2 failed to merge into the right lane then left, as is required.

Since both cars crossed a dotted line (aka "give way") then car 1 has ROW.

Cars 3 and 4 are irrelevant.

Car 2 may be going the wrong way down a one way road?

**ebxr8240** · 14-09-2011, 09:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MITCHAY

If doing a U turn then they must give way to everyone. Even disregarding that the green car gives way because car turning right gives way to car turning left.

Yea what stuffs that up though is there's TWO lanes...
Should stay in lane on your side to turn into THEN merge...
The car doing a U turn providing it's legal ??
Could say you pulled over in front of him..
Single lane you have right of way..
But Still avoid a collision...
I Queensland I have found there are legal U at most intersections..
Unlike the Mexican states..

BHDOGS · 14-09-2011, 09:40 PM

the green car is in the right as u are entering a road way the green car is continuing on one even to perform a u turn and u must give way to cars already on the road regardless of where they come from

Franco Cozzo · 14-09-2011, 09:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim Goose

Did you (car 1) have a stop sign? or was it unsigned?

No sign but dotted lines across the road, so give way, i assume?

Thanks for the info guys, crazy area there.

Jim Goose · 14-09-2011, 09:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MITCHAY

If doing a U turn then they must give way to everyone. Even disregarding that the green car gives way because car turning right gives way to car turning left.

In QLD no.. not the case.
If car one 1 had a give way or stop sign then the car doing the u-turn only has to give way to through traffic...

phillyc · 14-09-2011, 09:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Big Damo

I had an interesting encounter today while driving home from work, here is a little scenario I drawn up to show:

The numbered boxes are cars, the red dots on them are indicators and the coloured arrows are in which direction they are going to turn

I'm the blue box numbered 1, wanting to turn left onto the main road there, there are lots of cars moving down the road I want to get on, directly opposite me, there is green box 2 wanting to turn left onto the same road road. What happened is we both spotted a gap, and both made our turns at the same time, and we both nearly had a very slow motion accident where he would have hit the back of my car, who would have been at fault here?

I'm not sure entirely how things work on busy multi laned/intersection roads.

Yes it is an interesting scenario. As it is drawn.
Car 1 only option is to turn left. (SUBJECT to Car 4).
Car 2 only option is to turn right into either of the 2 lanes.
Car 3 only option is to turn right into either of the 2 lanes (other side of island / median strip).
Car 4. They appear to be only able to go straight. BUT, and this is VERY important. Were they able to also turn left?

If Car 4 is able to turn left as well as go straightahead. Then Car 1 MUST only turn left and STAY in the far left lane. (Case 1) If Car 4 can only go straight, then Car 1 can turn left and occupy either of the two lanes. (Case 2)

In Case 1, had you gone into the lane closest to the medium strip and collided with Car 3. You would be at fault despite being rear ended or sideswiped. (Guy from work. His wife did something similar and despite being rear ended was pinged).

In Case 2, you would not be at fault. Car 3 would be as they failed to give way to the person turning left.

PS. Clear as mud!!! It's only been 2 years since I got my truck licence, so had to study up again!

No.6 · 14-09-2011, 11:21 PM

In a situation like that, if i was car 1 i would:

Give way to car 2 as he is getting onto the road FIRST before i do, regardless of the fact that car 1 is turning left and car 2 is turning right.

Why?

From the picture, it looks like a multilaned one way road, with car 2's position being off to the right of car 1.

The driver of car 1's attention is focused on the oncoming traffic from his right, including beable to see car 2.

The driver of car 2's attention is focused to his left, meaning he cannot see what car 1 is doing.

It may not be the correct rules of the road, but imo its the safest.

If car 1 and car 2's positions were exactly in line with eachother, then car 1 would have right of way.

EDManual · 14-09-2011, 11:43 PM

Id give way to the other car, as he would be first onto the road, and thats where you would be looking (to the right).

I agree with ^