Who has priority on this road junction?

[Roo]

Every morning I come to this junction from the south and turn right, so I'm heading east (blue rectangle). I've never had an accident here, or even a close call, but have often wondered: if someone was turning right out of the road on the left (such as the silver car), who would have priority - me, as I'm turning off the main road into the side road, or the silver car, who would be on the main road (and thus have priority) if we both moved at the same time?

I had a look through the Highway Code but it didn't really help me find an answer for this specific situation.

 

[GT4 genius]

I think you the blue car has the right of way. Seeing as though you are the one on the major road and the silver car is attempting to move to the major road. Although if the silver car is even half on the main road well then he has right of way as he would be seen as oncoming traffic, I think.

Although dont drive out in front of someone based on my opinion!

 

[Famine]

You. Your vehicle is already on the more major road and your manouevre takes you off it at its completion. His vehicle his on the more minor road and will not be on the major road until he completes his manouevre.

Since you occupy the major road, priority is yours until you have left it.


Advanced drivers would further tell you that, as the silver car, they would not pull out until you have completed your manouevre, as you could quite easily change your mind. Until you have left the carriageway, you are, to them, a hazard which should be accounted for.

 

[TB]

In looking at it from our perspective (driving on the right), both of you making a right-hand turn would be irrelevant as you'll never get close to each other.

I don't know how it is over yonder, but here when two cars come to a four-way stop at the same time, right-hand rule applies. Straight also wins over turning, but neither of those really applies, either.

I'm having a helluva time wrapping my head around this!

 

[Danoff]

Agreed with the blue car (even for over here in the states). I'm pretending that you're both turning left and imagining what I'd do in that instance. Since there are no stoplights, the right of way is determined by which road dead-ends into the other. If your road dead-ends into another, then you have to yield to traffic. That includes not hitting traffic turning off of that road (either direction).

 

[Roo]

Thanks for the replies, it's useful to know. It doesn't mean that anyone in the silver car's position will know this too, but it makes me feel better if I did have an accident there.[/badgrammar]

I don't know how it is over yonder, but here when two cars come to a four-way stop at the same time, right-hand rule applies. Straight also wins over turning, but neither of those really applies, either.

Had it been a straightforward crossroads, I wouldn't have a problem. It's the fact that this one is offset that confused me.

I'm having a helluva time wrapping my head around this!

Does that help?

 

[buickgnx88]

(Since you flipped it for us LHD's) You would have the right of way since you are still moving while you are turning (due to being on the main road) and since the silver car is stopped they would have to wait for you. Now if you had to stop and wait for a car coming towards you before you could turn, and since the crossroads are offset, the silver car could turn onto the main road behind the oncoming car in which you would then have to wait for him to pass too.

 

[TB]

Does that help?

I'm usually very good at visuals, honest! (rotating 3D object in my head, etc.) This being my first day back to work since last Thursday, I guess my brain is still back at home taking care of my kids!

 

[Eric.]

(Since you flipped it for us LHD's) You would have the right of way since you are still moving while you are turning (due to being on the main road) and since the silver car is stopped they would have to wait for you. Now if you had to stop and wait for a car coming towards you before you could turn, and since the crossroads are offset, the silver car could turn onto the main road behind the oncoming car in which you would then have to wait for him to pass too.

Yeah, you definitely have the right of way. Think of it like this: If you weren't turning, would the other car have the right to pull out in front of you? Likewise, you're still in the way while you make the turn, thus he has to yield.

 

[88c-v Racer]

i could answer this but it depends on two things: 1) does the silver car know for sure that you are turning and 2) do you know for sure that the silver car is turning. when i say 'knowing for sure' i mean turn signals.

 

[Omnis]

You, of course, have the right of way. It's not a four-way stop, is it?

 

[88c-v Racer]

if the silver car knows you are turning he will probably wait for you to complete your turn. so in that case i believe that you have the right of way.

 

[Famine]

i could answer this but it depends on two things: 1) does the silver car know for sure that you are turning and 2) do you know for sure that the silver car is turning. when i say 'knowing for sure' i mean turn signals.

"Turn signals" mean absolutely nothing except that the turn signals are working.

And the answer depends on nothing. The silver car does not have right of way.

 

[ferrari_chris]

I'd have thought the silver car as if he moves out of this intersection he is now oncoming traffic to you.

In NZ it gets trickier as the sliver car (turning left now) has to give way to you (turning right) anyway. Thought I'd throw that in to mix things up a bit.

 

[Famine]

I'd have thought the silver car as if he moves out of this intersection he is now oncoming traffic to you.

The distinction is:

Blue car: Is on major road; At completion of manouevre, will be on minor road.
Silver car: Is on minor road; At completion of manouevre, will be on major road.

The silver car must not start his manouevre until the blue car has left the major road. If both cars make their manouevres at the same time and a collision occurs, the silver car will be at fault, for failing to give way to traffic on the major road. If the silver car moves first, even if no collision occurs, he's committing the offence of Driving Without Due Care.

 

[buickgnx88]

Like I said before though, since the two side roads are offset, and if the blue car has to wait for oncoming traffic before it turns, then the silver car could infact sneak in behind the oncoming traffic and the blue car would end up having to wait for it. Of course any other time the blue car would have the definitive right of way.

 

[Famine]

Like I said before though, since the two side roads are offset, and if the blue car has to wait for oncoming traffic before it turns, then the silver car could infact sneak in behind the oncoming traffic and the blue car would end up having to wait for it. Of course any other time the blue car would have the definitive right of way.

But then you're changing the situation. In the situation presented the answer is unequivocal - the silver car must not enter the carriageway until the blue car has entirely left it.

If the situation altered to include oncoming traffic from the top of the image, the blue car must not cross the stream of traffic until it is safe to do so and the silver car can, legitimately, take advantage of it by joining the flow of traffic. If the situation altered to include oncoming traffic from the bottom of the screen, priorities are unaffected - the blue car may make his manouevre, but the silver car cannot until the way is clear. If the situation altered to include oncoming traffic in both directions, neither car can make a manouevre until the way is clear to do so.

 

[buickgnx88]

Oh I know, I pointed out that any other time (such as the original question) the blue car would have the right of way at the end of my previous post. I believe my previous post was giving a scenario that would be an exception to what you said:

If the silver car moves first, even if no collision occurs, he's committing the offence of Driving Without Due Care.

 

[88c-v Racer]

"Turn signals" mean absolutely nothing except that the turn signals are working.

And the answer depends on nothing. The silver car does not have right of way.

eventhough it's not the correct way to do it, here in America, in this situation the silver car would probably gun it and try to beat the blue car. this of course depends on the driver, whether or not the think they could or should.

 

[Famine]

eventhough it's not the correct way to do it, here in America, in this situation the silver car would probably gun it and try to beat the blue car. this of course depends on the driver, whether or not the think they could or should.

It's exactly the same, here in the UK. To where the question is relevant. And I covered that part too:

If both cars make their manouevres at the same time and a collision occurs, the silver car will be at fault, for failing to give way to traffic on the major road. If the silver car moves first, even if no collision occurs, he's committing the offence of Driving Without Due Care.

 

[Moglet]

In theory, Famine is correct. But in reality it'll be whoever can pull away quickest or whoever has the biggest car.

Although having said that I had right of way going over a single lane bridge once and a bus carried on coming towards me even though I was halfway across, he could see me and he wasn't even 1/4 of the way over. I refused to move since traffic was approaching from down the hill behind me. God knows what what the pedestrians must have thought when they saw a Fiat 500 making a bus back up

I was probably in the wrong since there is probably a rule about letting buses have the right of way due to the stupid way the UK road system works sometimes, but sod him.

 

[Famine]

Similarly, in theory the speed limit on an NSL dual carriageway (or greater) is 70mph...

 

[nk4e]

Is there a sign that says" Cross traffic does not stop?"

 

[Moglet]

Similarly, in theory the speed limit on an NSL dual carriageway (or greater) is 70mph...

It is* if they've got those average speed cameras up...







*only

 

[Famine]

Is there a sign that says" Cross traffic does not stop?"

They do not exist in the UK.

It is* if they've got those average speed cameras up...

*only

Bit of a con there too... SPECs on blue poles = Average speed cameras, you get a ticket; SPECs on yellow poles = Average speed cameras for traffic survey purposes only...

 

[Omnis]

Is there a sign that says" Cross traffic does not stop?"

That is irrelevant, as Hans Monderman would say, because you shouldn't need a sign to tell you whether traffic stops. Traffic is always safest when it is not taken for granted.

 

[nk4e]

That is irrelevant, as Hans Monderman would say, because you shouldn't need a sign to tell you whether traffic stops. Traffic is always safest when it is not taken for granted.

Well,lesson learned here.