Turning right - what is reasonable?

[LintRoller]

Sorry for dull traffic thread but I'm a bit desperate.

Car A is waiting to turn right from a side road onto a main road (busy 4-lane type job, have to wait ages for a safe gap across multiple lanes of traffic)

Car B arrives on main road, wanting to turn right into the side road.

When there's a gap, who goes first?

AIBU to think that Car B should hang back and wait for Car A do their right turn first, as they were there first? Or does a car turning right from a main road have priority?

(I am sometimes A and sometimes B in this scenario, thanks to the nightmare junction at the end of my road - just want to know if there is a generally accepted approach)

[LittlePoot]

I'm pretty sure even though car A was there first, car B has right of way. But it would be nice for car B to wait so that both cars can turn during the gap. If I am car B, I try to let car A out first if there's space for us both. If not, I turn and poor car A has to sit there some more....

[PtolemysNeedle]

I was taught that the car on the major road has priority over the car on a minor road.

[HedgehogAtHome]

The person turning from the main road has priority. The person wanting to leave gets priority over the person wanting to join.

[BramblePie]

Yes. The car on the main road waiting to turn right has right of way.

[museumum]

The one on the main road has priority but it's kind to let the other go first if they've obviously been waiting ages.

[hellhasnofurylikeahungrywoman]

Car B has right of way.

[wanttosqueezeyou]

Car b has priority no matter how long car a has waited.

[LimeandTonic]

Car B for me too!

[londonrach]

I always thought the car that doesnt have to cross the road to the otherside gets priority even if arrived at junction last. Cars on the main road gets priortity full stop to side roads. Hope that helps. Not sure what the highway code says. Might be worth checking.

[TheSpottedZebra]

Main road always has priority over minor road. It would be madness otherwise.

Why a bit despite, OP, has something happened?

[TheSpottedZebra]

Desperate, not despite. Oops.

[Salmotrutta]

Car B definitely has priority at all times.

[londonrach]

Have reread op..in your case car on main road has priority every single time!!!!!! If nice driver you might be allowed out but main road has right of go first. Who arrives first doesnt matter.

[Silvercatowner]

Car B has right of way. In this situation, if I were in car B I wouldn't let A go first - it is too complex a situation waiting for the gaps in traffic on a busy 4 lane road.

[KoalaDownUnder]

Car B has right of way, full stop.

People who think otherwise can be fking dangerous.

If they both go at the same time, a collision is likely and Car A will be at fault, no matter how long they've been waiting.

[4kidsandaunicorn]

With 4 lanes though, if car B decided to be nice and hang back, would they not possibly be at risk of causing an accident by letting car A go first as other cars coming up behind may not see what is going on?

[PumpkinPie2013]

Car B has right of way.

If I were driving car B and could safely let car A go before me then I would but if it wasn't safe (e.g because of other cars coming up who may not see car A) then I would just make my turn.

It's a pain trying to pull out onto very busy roads when there are no traffic lights though!

[museumum]

If car B is in the right hand lane of their side of the road and flashes car A to go first and car A joins that lane in front of B rather than going far left, then there can't be an accident, even if someone is passing car B on the left.
However if it's a road with a central refuge and car B is in that and not sitting in a lane then yes, you're right about it potentially causing an accident if car A goes without checking. But anytime anybody "lets you out" against normal priorities it is your responsibility to check it's safe not just accept.

[LintRoller]

Wow, thanks for the prompt responses everyone!

That clears things up nicely

SpottedZebra I was getting desperate as the junction has been like this for a few weeks now, since they closed the adjacent traffic-light-controlled road for works (and will be for 9 bloody months more), and often when I have to turn in or out (minimum twice a day) the other person seems to have a different idea to me. When I am Car B I hang back and be nice, but then the Car A person sometimes takes ages to wake up and realise what I'm doing, so I lose my right turn gap. When I am Car A, I sometimes get a Car B person waving me out, but sometimes not.

Now I know Car B has priority I will stop giving them death ray glares if they don't let me out, and consider it a nice bonus if they do. Will still try to be nice to Car As when it's the other way round though, as it can take up to 5 minutes to get out otherwise.

Thanks again everyone!

[SorchaN]

Car B has priority. And I have to admit it annoys me a bit if I'm driving car A and the driver of car B flashes me to go. It's simpler if the person with priority just goes first, without a lot of "You go." "No, you go." "No honestly, I'd be delighted if you go." Etc.

Unless there's insufficient space for car B to pass car A after turning into the minor road, in which case car B really should yield to car A.

[AlpacaLypse]

And this is one of the many reasons I feel very glad I live out in the boondocks...

[MovingOnUpMovingOnOut]

It's in the Highway Code that car b has right of way.

[YeOldeTrout]

Car B has priority, when I am driving B I would try to let Car A out though.

[Twowrongsdontmakearight]

Car B for me too. If I'm car A and it's taking forever, I sometimes turn left then look for an opportunity to do a quick turn in a side street on the right! I actually mentioned this in a defensive driving course and the instructor thought it was ok!