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AIBU?

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Original poster

Two lanes, turning right at lights query

17 replies

Cherrypies · 31/12/2020 01:18

Tonight, at about 7pm, so not really busy.
4 lanes on a road, at lights, one lane to turn left, one lane to go straight ahead, two lanes to turn right, on to a one lane road.
Who has priority, the one far right, or the other car, next to the straight ahead lane?
I was in the far right lane.
Thank you.

OP posts:
Ijustdontcare · 31/12/2020 01:36

The rule for two lanes into one is that the lane that continues on has right of way and the one whose lane ended should give way. Not sure how that applies to your junction, but I'm tempted to say the left lane of the two right turn ones has right of way.

Wingedharpy · 31/12/2020 01:36

I don't know the official answer, but would assume that the car next to the straight ahead lane has the edge on "priority" since the far right lane car is, in essence, "merging" into the inner lane IMHO.

Both lanes really, should proceed with caution and hopefully, show some consideration to fellow drivers so all can merge without too much jockeying for position.

ToniTheDonkey · 31/12/2020 01:54

Can we have a diagram? Grin

Godimabitch · 31/12/2020 01:58

The lines on the road should tell you. One lane will stop, these give way. The other will be a continuous lane that curves round. If both lanes equally blend into one then both lanes should blend into each other like a zip. Although are you 100% that two lanes turn right into one lane, that's a very silly road design.

ShopTattsyrup · 31/12/2020 01:59

I presume that once the right turn is completed then the left of the two becomes the primary lane and the right of the two merges in?

Therefore giving the left hand lane priority in that scenario I presume.

BluebellsGreenbells · 31/12/2020 02:04

You always give priority to the right though?

So the far right car would have to be ‘ahead’ when setting off as the left of the two shouldn’t over take, then they should give way to the car on their right - the car in the far right lane.

ChloeCrocodile · 31/12/2020 02:15

You always give priority to the right though?

That isn't a rule. You give way to those already on the road (your right if you are turning left at a T junction or entering a roundabout for example, but your left if you're turning right at a T junction).

In your case, OP, I'd say that once the right turn is completed the onus is generally on the person on the right hand side to merge. So from the lights, the person in the far right lane should give way. Tho in reality, those who use the right hand lane when there are two going the same way tend to be more aggressive drivers so usually push their way in ahead.

OzziePopPop · 31/12/2020 02:17

Not sure but in reality I’d ‘merge in turn’

HollywoodTease · 31/12/2020 02:23

Are you in the UK OP?

There are usually arrows on the road showing who should merge.

Standard would be for the left lane to continue (and therefore have priority/right of way) and the right to merge, but if it was the other way around there should be an arrow on the road telling the left lane to merge.

altiara · 31/12/2020 02:28

Whoever gets there first, you merge in turn

Original poster
Cherrypies · 31/12/2020 02:28

I look it that, the far right car, has to just turn right, being in the right hand lane, where as the left hand lane car has to make a wider turn, therefore they are merging, and the far right car is just entering an open road.
If you are turning right, then it makes sense to use the first right lane, not sure how that makes that driver aggressive.

OP posts:
DottyWott · 31/12/2020 02:47

Nope don’t follow your logic

Aprilx · 31/12/2020 04:38

When two lanes merge, I think I have only ever seen the one on the right merge into the one on the left. So in this case I would assume that the right turn lane on the left has the priority, so in your case the other person, not you.

Never heard of always giving priority to the right.

EarlLeighIndamornin · 31/12/2020 04:45

Are you saying that because you were in the far right hand turn lane you had priority to immediately move into the left lane going then straight on?

Because if you are saying that you are wrong. It doesn’t matter who has the widest turning circle, you should move into the lane closest to you.

But your post is very confusing!

TooOldforBouncyCastles · 31/12/2020 04:50

Two lanes turning a corner retain same status as going straight ahead. Stay in your lane... if the road narrows to a single lane the driver on the left has priority and the driver on the right must merge without impeding their flow I.e. slow up and drop in behind or speed up and get out of their way.

TooOldforBouncyCastles · 31/12/2020 04:52

No you don’t always use the far right to turn right. You always use the lane on the left unless actively overtaking. Overtaking doesn’t mean cutting someone up (to avoid confusion!)

christmasathomeagain · 31/12/2020 09:50

@TooOldforBouncyCastles

Two lanes turning a corner retain same status as going straight ahead. Stay in your lane... if the road narrows to a single lane the driver on the left has priority and the driver on the right must merge without impeding their flow I.e. slow up and drop in behind or speed up and get out of their way.
This is most often the rule. Occasionally, there is a road like this where I live but it doesn't turn it goes straight ahead, where the right hand lane has priority and the left mergers into the right.

Whichever though there will be road markings to indicate which lane is merging into the other.

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