Ok, maybe it'll kick off, maybe it won't.

post your "who has right of way?" questions/answers here.

three lane rd, middle lane is empty. Two cars, one in the left lane, one in the far right lane. Car in the far right lane is a bit behind the car in the left lane, but close enough to parallel that they'll collide if they move toward each other. Both indicate and begin entering the middle lane at the same time.

who has right of way?

(no points gained if you come out with "theres no such thing as right of way")

I assume they're going in the same direction? I would say car ahead has right of way

his question really flummoxed us in Greece several years ago. outside lanes going in opposite directions middle lane for passing. Went over hills and round blind corners with no indication of direction!

Overtaking vehicle gives way
but also
Give way to vehicles on your right

Why is there a vehicle in the far right lane if it isn't overtaking a vehicle in the middle lane ? Without too many details I'd say that vehicle is in the wrong before either start to manouvre.

Then again, the vehicle keeping left in the left lane and presumably pulling out to overtake a slower vehicle in the same left lane should recognise a vehicle sat in the far right lane when there is no traffic in the middle lane is a ****-wit and should therefore give all the necessary precautions ****-wits require. Hence they only have themselves to blame. Otherwise I'd say they are in the right, the other dude should give way.

If I am driving up the M1 / A1 / Gold Coast Highway in a four lane road at night with bugger all traffic around and I am in the left lane doing the speed limit on cruise control and there is a car in the third lane doing 30kmph below the speed limit, just sat there, seemingly oblivious to the world, do I have to change lanes SIX friggin' times just to pass them on the right, or it is OK to just stay in the left lane, pass them on the left and make a gesture as I pass them indicating I believe they have a penis for a head ?

Select to expand quote

Carantoc said..


Why is there a vehicle in the far right lane if it isn't overtaking a vehicle in the middle lane ? Without too many details I'd say that vehicle is in the wrong before either start to manouvre.

Think morning traffic on the freeway (so its basically choccas, but still moving at 100kmh, with three lanes moving same direction.). Sorry my bad. I shoulda been more clear about the situation. By middle lane being empty, i meant theres a clear gap that a car can move across into. The other two lanes are full.

Im sure just about everyones come across this situation at some stage of their driving career.

Select to expand quote

decrepit said..
I assume they're going in the same direction? I would say car ahead has right of way

his question really flummoxed us in Greece several years ago. outside lanes going in opposite directions middle lane for passing. Went over hills and round blind corners with no indication of direction!

Thats what i would say too, but i know the law and common sense don't always align, so i thought id ask. Happy to be told i'm wrong if thats the case.

Select to expand quote

Subsonic said..

decrepit said..
I assume they're going in the same direction? I would say car ahead has right of way

his question really flummoxed us in Greece several years ago. outside lanes going in opposite directions middle lane for passing. Went over hills and round blind corners with no indication of direction!

Thats what i would say too, but i know the law and common sense don't always align, so i thought id ask. Happy to be told i'm wrong if thats the case.

Yeah, I was thinking, this sort of thing can go wrong really easy. If someone was behind you and should really concede right of way, what happens if they suddenly decide to speed up and then move into the same lane?? You had right of way, but by accelerating hard, they now think they have it.

I think its more the case that you can give right of way, but not really take it. I think the ultimate rule is that you are meant to avoid a collision.

In Perth I would just be happy if people drove at their own speed instead of matching mine when I catch up to them...

Select to expand quote

FormulaNova said..

Subsonic said..

decrepit said..
I assume they're going in the same direction? I would say car ahead has right of way

his question really flummoxed us in Greece several years ago. outside lanes going in opposite directions middle lane for passing. Went over hills and round blind corners with no indication of direction!

Thats what i would say too, but i know the law and common sense don't always align, so i thought id ask. Happy to be told i'm wrong if thats the case.

Yeah, I was thinking, this sort of thing can go wrong really easy. If someone was behind you and should really concede right of way, what happens if they suddenly decide to speed up and then move into the same lane?? You had right of way, but by accelerating hard, they now think they have it.

I think its more the case that you can give right of way, but not really take it. I think the ultimate rule is that you are meant to avoid a collision.

In Perth I would just be happy if people drove at their own speed instead of matching mine when I catch up to them...

Lane hoggers! Even in the wee hours of the morning. Uber are champions at it.

Gateway in Brissy is snail pace in the arvo's, bike are allowed to use the LH verge, 35kph max but they whip up there at 60+. Cars going off don't check this non lane, who gives way, the car going off or the bike in the non lane?

Select to expand quote

FormulaNova said..

Subsonic said..

decrepit said..
I assume they're going in the same direction? I would say car ahead has right of way

his question really flummoxed us in Greece several years ago. outside lanes going in opposite directions middle lane for passing. Went over hills and round blind corners with no indication of direction!

Thats what i would say too, but i know the law and common sense don't always align, so i thought id ask. Happy to be told i'm wrong if thats the case.

Yeah, I was thinking, this sort of thing can go wrong really easy. If someone was behind you and should really concede right of way, what happens if they suddenly decide to speed up and then move into the same lane?? You had right of way, but by accelerating hard, they now think they have it.

I think its more the case that you can give right of way, but not really take it. I think the ultimate rule is that you are meant to avoid a collision.

In Perth I would just be happy if people drove at their own speed instead of matching mine when I catch up to them...

Yep, avoid an accident at all costs, if possible.

this did actually happen to me a while ago. I was in the left lane moving across to get to the right lane to make my exit on the approach to the city. Glanced over my shoulder, all clear, indicated and moved across. I was two thirds into the centre lane when old mate jumped on his horn. Too late for him. I just saw him in my side mirror as he moved back into position in the right lane. No collision, but yeah, it got me thinking after.

Select to expand quote

airsail said..
Gateway in Brissy is snail pace in the arvo's, bike are allowed to use the LH verge, 35kph max but they whip up there at 60+. Cars going off don't check this non lane, who gives way, the car going off or the bike in the non lane?

I'd say bike gives way? I tend to take the position that if you're doing something out of step with the rest of traffic, like placing yourself somewhere where other traffic won't be looking for you (even if allowed by law) then it's your responsibility to recognise the oncoming possible situation and yield.

presumably the car turning off is indicating and bike can see it? Overtaking a vehicle indicating to cross your path, is an act of suicide.

A lot of these situations don't really require any one to fully "give way". They just require that sometimes drivers should ever-so slightly ease off the go pedal before waiting and having to slam on the brakes.

I'm always amazed (and amused) watching those dash-cam videos on youtube with how many people manage to hit the horn before they hit the brakes. Most of the dash-cammers believing they are in the right seem to stay completely the same even when they see a car up ahead approaching a junction or in a position where it could quite easily do something dumb. In such situations moving your foot from pressing the go pedal to hovering over the stop pedal really does nothing bad for your journey, it just saves fuel and might save something else.

Now hang on. If you delay somebody by a nanosecond you are the worst driver on the road and deserve to be honked and shouted at or even assulted.

Hahahhaa I simply do not believe you that two drivers indicated to move into a gap IN PERTH

You just swerve in.

The little orange light in your side mirror is not illuminated? Just go! Don't worry if some other vehicle may be there by the time you complete the lane change (swerve). Don't even turn your head.



Anyyyway, there is no rule re: this situation AFAIK, but common sense would dictate that if they both indicate at same time and start to move, the one to the rear has to yield as they simply have to have better visibility - they must have seen the side indicator on a car slightly ahead - but the one a bit further ahead may not have seen the one a bit behind them.

Select to expand quote

Mark _australia said..
Hahahhaa I simply do not believe you that two drivers indicated to move into a gap IN PERTH

You just swerve in.

The little orange light in your side mirror is not illuminated? Just go! Don't worry if some other vehicle may be there by the time you complete the lane change (swerve). Don't even turn your head.

my favourites are the ones doing twice the speed limit, slaloming their way through the rest of us slow plebs. Then you get to that next set of traffic lights, "oh, fancy meeting you here?" "Was that fun?"

Select to expand quote

Subsonic said..

my favourites are the ones doing twice the speed limit, slaloming their way through the rest of us slow plebs. Then you get to that next set of traffic lights, "oh, fancy meeting you here?" "Was that fun?"

I am pretty sure they never even notice. I think that's why they are there.

Often I will see someone get onto the onramp, flick across to the middle lane, then straight into the right one, without even looking at what the flows are doing.

I will almost always sit in the middle lane, and leave a gap. Gaps apparently are bad as people jump into them because "it's a gap". They then jump back out again when they realise it is just a gap and the lane is no different.

Perth is the only place I have seen someone run up the back of another car in almost no traffic on the freeway in good visibility. To be fair, I think there was a rain cloud in the sky, so that maybe they got scared?

As per the OG question, Perf freeways are their own world where the Laws of Physics and Commonsense do not apply to all drivers,...apparently. Might is right, a Ranger ute is always right, and if all else fails, give way on your right.