Two lanes into one. Who's right of way?

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Thu 28 Jun 2007 19:20
Two lanes into one. Who's right of way? - Norman77
This happened to me recently on an A road and got me thinking.

I'm in the left hand lane in a moving flow of traffic
Car in the right hand lane parallel to me at the same speed
His section of road finishes shortly
He forces me to brake sharply or else reprofile the whole side of my car.

Question is should i have let him pull in front (no time) or should he have slowed down and pulled in earlier?

How would it stand if he had struck me?

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Thu 28 Jun 2007 19:30
Two lanes into one. Who's right of way? - dxp55
To my mind you have right of way -if he indicated and shown willingness to stop I would let him in -if it's your car I would let him in - if you have a company van/truck/car I would have taken the side off his car.
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Thu 28 Jun 2007 19:35
Two lanes into one. Who's right of way? - scrapmetal
We drive on the left, so i would assume the left hand driver to have the right of way. I also think it is common courtesy to 'merge in turn'.
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Thu 28 Jun 2007 20:04
Two lanes into one. Who's right of way? - Stuartli
As you state his stretch of road ceases, then he has to ensure that he can merge safely into the left hand traffic flow.

There is at least one such setup in my town and I stay in the left hand lane and, if anyone is trying to push in belligerently, I ease over slightly to the right. They get the message...:-)

However in most cases, traffic from the right generally has priority, such as at roundabouts.
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What\'s for you won\'t pass you by
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Thu 28 Jun 2007 20:06
Two lanes into one. Who's right of way? - bell boy
just get a transit and have the lane you prefer,a yellow light on the roof scores extra points ;-)
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Thu 28 Jun 2007 21:43
Two lanes into one. Who's right of way? - Lud
a yellow light on the
roof scores extra points ;-)


A totally illegal blue one is even better bb
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Fri 29 Jun 2007 00:41
Two lanes into one. Who's right of way? - Wee Willie Winkie
Where's that Stuart? End of the Formby bypass?
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Fri 29 Jun 2007 00:44
Two lanes into one. Who's right of way? - Stuartli
End of the Formby bypass?>>


Got it in one - at the Liverpool Road end...:-)
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What\'s for you won\'t pass you by
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Thu 28 Jun 2007 20:26
Two lanes into one. Who's right of way? - Norman77
Thanks dxp55. Unfortunately my car is privately owned although, i was briefly tempted to reprofile its shape. Oh how i long for a 4x4. Drove a transit tail lift recently and was amazed how quickly roads ahead emptied (although the black smoke from behind was an embarassment!)
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Thu 28 Jun 2007 20:34
Two lanes into one. Who's right of way? - OldHand
I think you had the right of way but should have made allowances as the better driver for someone who was obviously a bit of an idiot.

I just let them in and on the way to their next accident.
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Thu 28 Jun 2007 20:49
Two lanes into one. Who's right of way? - Robin Reliant
To give the strictly pedantic answer -

Nobody has "right of way" in any situation on the road, there is no such thing. At the most you have priority, and then only if the other driver has given way to you. That even applies when going through a green light.
--
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Thu 28 Jun 2007 20:55
Two lanes into one. Who's right of way? - Norman77
Couldnt agree more Old Hand. I remember last year being passed at over 100 by a young lad driving a mid nineties cavalier like a bat out of hell. I thought to myself he will wrap himself round a lampost before he's very much older.
10 miles further on he had removed the front end of his car on a central reservation barrier!


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Thu 28 Jun 2007 21:02
Two lanes into one. Who's right of way? - Peter D
Who had to cross a road marking/white line. The RHL probable had move left/merge arrows as he does not have the right of way. Regards Peter
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Thu 28 Jun 2007 21:08
Two lanes into one. Who's right of way? - Norman77
Thanks for the reply.

The RHL (his) had arrow left painted on the road along with narrowing hatching further ahead. The road immediatly then passes under a bridge so not much room for manouvre!
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Thu 28 Jun 2007 21:40
Two lanes into one. Who's right of way? - drew1103
Happened to me, but unfortunately, the van driver decided to ram the off side of my car. Insurance dealing at present, but not hurrying. I think letting him in makes sense and you dont know what kind of driver you're dealing with.
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Thu 28 Jun 2007 21:46
Two lanes into one. Who's right of way? - Lud
Usually the road markings make it clear who has right of way. If the lane you are in has a curved arrow pointing into the other lane, the other lane has what is laughingly called right of way.

But don't count on the wally in that lane understanding that or anything else. If they don't run into you or you manage to avoid them, just thank your lucky stars and chase them with a sawn-off shotgun or something even nastier.
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Thu 28 Jun 2007 22:49
Two lanes into one. Who's right of way? - Bill Payer
There a road near me where this an everyday nightmare ? 2 lanes come off a roundabout and very quickly merge into one.

Most traffic is coming straight through ? from 6 o?clock to 12 o?clock. I?m generally joining from 3 o?clock, so inevitable end up in the right hand lane. There are no ?move across? arrows ? the lanes simply merge.

I would say 75% of people in the left lane try to block out cars in the right lane. I?m a very calm driver but I came extremely close to ramming a Porsche Boxster who was tracking my movements and refusing to allow me to merge. I just drove at him in the end, and he accelerated out of the way.

If I happen to be in the left lane, I back off and let people in ? this really annoys the other drivers behind me. However there?s no loss of face if you leave a big space and let people in ? only if you try to block people and then concede!

My understanding is that whoever is ahead has priority, so it?s important not to ram people with the front of your car, which means you can?t really win if you?re in the left lane!
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Thu 28 Jun 2007 23:46
Two lanes into one. Who's right of way? - Zippy123
I know a few roads like this and try to avoid them, as I don't like aggressive drivers pushing in. I try to let polite drivers in.

A few years ago I holidayed on Jersey and there were signs at the end of the very short dual carriageway there, indicating that you had to merge in turn, just like a zip.

Perhaps this should be implemented here?

Of course some people have the sort of mentality to ensure the system would be abused.
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Tue 3 Jul 2007 14:20
Two lanes into one. Who's right of way? - Muggy
Bill Payer, is that roundabout you describe the one at Tolworth? If you're coming up the A240 from the Epsom direction and joining the A3 towards London?
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Tue 3 Jul 2007 14:35
Two lanes into one. Who's right of way? - Bill Payer
Bill Payer is that roundabout you describe the one at Tolworth?

No, it's on the outskirts of Chester.
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Fri 29 Jun 2007 00:21
Two lanes into one. Who's right of way? - FotheringtonThomas
I'm in the left hand lane in a moving flow of traffic
Car in the right hand lane parallel to me at the same speed
His section of road finishes shortly


He cannot "barge in". If his carriageway ends, he'll have to stop and wait for a safe gap to pull into.
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Fri 29 Jun 2007 00:25
Two lanes into one. Who's right of way? - Stuartli
>>and wait for a safe gap to pull into.>>

Exactly the point I made earlier.
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What\'s for you won\'t pass you by
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Fri 29 Jun 2007 00:40
Two lanes into one. Who's right of way? - Nsar
If I'm in the unblocked lane (ie traffic merging into my lane) then I tend to make it clear I'm making space to let you merge: it gets the process over quickly and I'm taking control of the move. Occasional exceptions when someone is being an annoying git and I let the other guy sweat a bit and let him know I know exactly what he's doing.

If I'm the one doing the merging, again lots of signalling to show intent, slow to the pace of the other lane whilst keeping to the middle of my lane. This hopefully shows I'm not trying to barge in or presume and generally someone recognises the non-threatening behaviour and opens a gap. If I end up coming across a collection of idiots who refuse to allow a merge, then I tend to acclerate ahead and drive decisively into a space.
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Fri 29 Jun 2007 00:29
Two lanes into one. Who's right of way? - Lud
If his carriageway ends he'll have to stop and wait for
a safe gap to pull into.


Stop? In the outside lane? Until there's a 'safe gap'?

*******************************************!
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Fri 29 Jun 2007 09:01
Two lanes into one. Who's right of way? - L'escargot
I'm in the left hand lane in a moving flow of traffic
Car in the right hand lane parallel to me at the same speed
His section of road finishes shortly
He forces me to brake sharply or else reprofile the whole side of my car.


This happens to me frequently at a situation where there is a dual carriageway leading up to traffic lights and only a single carriageway after the lights. The more arrogant locals seem to think that they have the right to barge into the left-hand lane after the lights when their right-hand lane peters out, and they're most annoyed (giving the finger etc) on the occasions I out-accelerate them to that point.
--
L\'escargot.
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Fri 29 Jun 2007 09:15
Two lanes into one. Who's right of way? - Ruperts Trooper
It's not a "right of way" but the car in the outer lane should "give way" before crossing the lane marking line to the inner lane (in this case) as lane marking lines should always be treated as "give ways".
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Fri 29 Jun 2007 09:22
Two lanes into one. Who's right of way? - NARU
The issue of two lanes merging has never been properly answered in the highway code. One recent draft did include the rule to 'zip' - ie take it in turn, but it didn't make it to the final version.

I'm regularly delayed in the left lane because I'm turning left ahead of the merger, but because everyone gets into the left lane early (they don't like to take the right lane because of people doing the sort of things described above), the traffic blocks the exits.
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Fri 29 Jun 2007 09:35
Two lanes into one. Who's right of way? - IanJohnson
Wasn't this covered in the recent post about overtaking - if he is in the outside lane then he could be considered to be overtaking and you should let him in.

Now if you are overtaking on the left the insurers / BiB might ake a dim view of any accident!

Generally not worth the hassle - even when I am driving a big white van. And yes the roads clear miraculously for them. There is one like this near me (A446 Coleshill just after the traffic lights) - anywway what is wrong with zip merging, if those in the lane with the longer queue don't like it they are free to use the other lane and keep the queue even in both! We don'r all have to behave like sheep!
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Fri 29 Jun 2007 09:43
Two lanes into one. Who's right of way? - Cliff Pope
There is one in Aberystwyth where the right hand lane has priority. The left hand lane comes to an abrupt end with dotted lines across the road and a Give Way sign.
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Fri 29 Jun 2007 10:19
Two lanes into one. Whose right of way? - KMO
Whose, not who's. Who's = who is / who was.
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Fri 29 Jun 2007 10:47
Two lanes into one. Whose right of way? - LHM
snipquote - also in pendant mode - PU

[pedant mode] who's = who is / who has [/pedant mode]
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Fri 29 Jun 2007 10:55
Two lanes into one. Whose right of way? - L'escargot
snipquote -still in pendant mode - PU

Who care's? ;-) We all understand the question. Correct grammar is not the strong point of most under-50's nowaday's. ;-) I'll be watching your post's ;-) very carefully in future, KMO!

--
L'escargot.
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Fri 29 Jun 2007 10:44
Two lanes into one. Who's right of way? - normd2
there's one in Perth (Dunkeld Road beside TKMax) where the left lane simply disappears - two lanes with lane markings, the markings cease and the pavement comes out to take up the space of the left lane, no other markings. A regular 'road rage' spot for non-locals. Another in Edinburgh just west of the zoo where the left lane disappears as the road narrows for housing but at least this has arrows.
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Fri 29 Jun 2007 10:19
Two lanes into one. Who's right of way? - Stuartli
>>if he is in the outside lane then he could be considered to be overtaking and you should let him in.>>

Not if he/she is fast running out of road and creating the potential for an avoidable accident - it's a situation of their own making.
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What\'s for you won\'t pass you by
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Fri 29 Jun 2007 11:20
Two lanes into one. Who's right of way? - Westpig
the problem with this is that the road planners often design the road with two lanes to assist traffic flow.....which causes problems later when two lanes merge into one

the most efficient way to merge is the alternate (called a zip further up the thread)......however, those that avoid confrontation, are unaware or are not in much of a hurry use lane 1 from the outset....and often resent those that use lane 2 as they are seen to be gaining an advantage (which often they are)

this means that lane 1 drivers will actively prevent lane 2 drivers from merging.....hence the conflict......(and this actually slows traffic down)

I for example will always use the emptiest or most efficient lane, as long as that is what the lane has been intended for i.e. there are no lane marking etc that suggest otherwise

I sometimes come in to conflict with the lane 1 driver who resents my passage along lane 2

As far as i'm concerned my conscience is clear if the road planners intended for me to use that lane under those circumstances...

although when you see 3 lanes at the lights and 2 lanes afterwards I do sometimes wonder what planet the planners are on.....although 240 bhp in a V6 auto usually sees me alright on that one....... :-)
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Fri 29 Jun 2007 11:30
Two lanes into one. Who's right of way? - LHM
Westpig - that sounds a very reasonable approach to take.

As for the road planners, maybe they're mainly foreigner types who do not appreciate the British values of queueing and 'not wanting to make a fuss'..... ;-)
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Wed 17 Oct 2018 19:25
Two lanes into one. Who's right of way? - PETER FLATT

Here in Norwich we have the usual stupid two lanes up to a set of traffic lights then straight after the lights the right lane goes into the left lane, in my opinion we drive on the left in this country so the left lane takes priority over the right. and its always the same you come up to the lights and they are on red and if car approaching see a lorry in front of them in the left they automatically race to get in the right lane and barge their way in once they have gone through the lights as they don't want to get stuck behind the lorry and they blatantly know the right lane finished after the lights so push their past and then in front of the lorry. although they don't do it to me as I will not allow them in and if they want to right their car off down the side of my lorry please carry on you will come off worse and my car sits in the carpark back at the depot.

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Wed 17 Oct 2018 21:24
Two lanes into one. Who's right of way? - 72 dudes

Here in Norwich we have the usual stupid two lanes up to a set of traffic lights then straight after the lights the right lane goes into the left lane, in my opinion we drive on the left in this country so the left lane takes priority over the right. and its always the same you come up to the lights and they are on red and if car approaching see a lorry in front of them in the left they automatically race to get in the right lane and barge their way in once they have gone through the lights as they don't want to get stuck behind the lorry and they blatantly know the right lane finished after the lights so push their past and then in front of the lorry. although they don't do it to me as I will not allow them in and if they want to right their car off down the side of my lorry please carry on you will come off worse and my car sits in the carpark back at the depot.

You've revived an 11 year old post.

Observation, anticipation and courtesy. Three things you should have as a "professional driver".

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Thu 18 Oct 2018 09:11
Two lanes into one. Who's right of way? - NARU

It sounds like the planners have deliberately designed the junction to allow faster accelerating cars to get past lorries.

Perhaps you need to drive a little differently? After all, its only for 50 yards or so.

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Thu 18 Oct 2018 13:40
Two lanes into one. Who's right of way? - Gibbo_Wirral

It sounds like the planners have deliberately designed the junction to allow faster accelerating cars to get past lorries.

Or done it to stack the queueing traffic into two shorter lines rather than one long one which trails back and blocks other side roads and exits.

I've no gripe with this setup, I just people would merge in turn and not be in such of a rage because they feel they've been cut up because they're not smart enough to use both lanes.

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Sun 21 Oct 2018 16:20
Two lanes into one. Who's right of way? - Gateway88

they automatically race to get in the right lane and barge their way in once they have gone through the lights as they don't want to get stuck behind the lorry and they blatantly know the right lane finished after the lights so push their past and then in front of the lorry. although they don't do it to me as I will not allow them in and if they want to right their car off down the side of my lorry please carry on you will come off worse and my car sits in the carpark back at the depot.

And why would they want to get stuck behind a lorry when they have an opportunity to get past? Also the lane doesn't "finish" after the lights does it? it merges....big difference.

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Sun 21 Oct 2018 11:40
Two lanes into one. Who's right of way? - Leif
I found this interesting page:

www.rac.co.uk/drive/advice/driving-advice/zip-merg.../

A year ago I was on the Basingstoke ring road, and lane one was packed, Lane two was empty. So I drove along lane two, until I was forced to merge, and of course drivers in lane one forcibly prevented me merging. No surprise. I did force my way in, not kosher perhaps, but there you go. However, the tail back in lane one was causing congestion at the earlier roundabout, which inconvenienced people needlessly, blocking other road users who were not even going past the roadworks, whereas had drivers used both lanes and merged like adults, the roundabout would not have been congested. I see this often, drivers not using both lanes. Sometimes it does increase everyone’s journey times.

I believe that drivers should merge in turn when the lanes merge. Time and time again, even when I am almost a car length ahead of a car in lane one, the driver will deliberately drive nose to tail to block my merging. It’s petty. The way to prevent a few cars zooming past cars in lane one is to use both lanes, and merge.

I think this is part of our national obsession with queueing, and getting angry if someone is seen to queue jump. I do admire British politeness but in this case it’s misguided.
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Sun 21 Oct 2018 14:35
Two lanes into one. Who's right of way? - Bilboman

"I do admire British politeness but in this case it’s misguided." Spot on. Again and again there's an inbuilt "queuing/courtesy instinct circuit" which overrides all other considerations - "How DARE some Johnny-come-lately take advantage and cut in front of ME, when I've been patiently queuing in this interminable lane for at least 4 minutes, grrr... I'll show him....." (If the "Johnny" happens to be in a German-badged executive car, it seems to send certain drivers into apoplexy.)
Headlamp flashing is almost never used in its proper Highway Code Rule 110 sense, since the "after you" function is more valued: flash a 44-tonner before overtaking him on a continental motorway and he's more likely to notice you and NOT pull out; do it on a British motorway and you'll likely cause a massive pile-up.

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Thu 25 Oct 2018 21:48
Two lanes into one. Who's right of way? - Brit_in_Germany

That's the way to do it.

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6316533/Land-Rove...l

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Mon 29 Oct 2018 12:50
Two lanes into one. Who's right of way? - Gibbo_Wirral

That's the way to do it.

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6316533/Land-Rove...l

Its quite funny. The driver of the Landy was appealing for witnesses on a Sheffield based web forum. He was claiming the BMW deliberately went into him.

When this footage came to light the forum deleted all evidence that the thread existed!

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