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Filter lanes and right of way question.

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135

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  • Tinks74
    Tinks74 Posts: 201 Forumite
    Both drivers were in the wrong and driving aggressively.
    Trying to work out who was 'less wrong' is just an excercise in semantics.

    The scenario I mentioned in my first post was different.
  • Tinks74
    Tinks74 Posts: 201 Forumite
    edited 2 August 2011 at 3:43PM
    The police also agreed with car a's situation after they arrested one of car b passengers for assult. However I'm not so sure how the insurance will view it. The highway code bit has given me some hope.

    Arresting a passenger for assault is not declaring that the accident was their fault, it is declaring that they had an unreasonable response to the accident.

    I am also struggling from the description of the incident you have given to determine why the selection from the highway code is giving you hope.
  • LandyAndy
    LandyAndy Posts: 26,377 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts
    !!!!!! wrote: »
    maybe it was more the case that car B had to drop back otherwise car A would carry on driving into the side of him?

    And having dropped back, for whatever reason, and let car a in, should have maintained a safe distance.
  • Strider590
    Strider590 Posts: 11,874 Forumite
    edited 2 August 2011 at 3:55PM
    The police also agreed with car a's situation after they arrested one of car b passengers for assult. However I'm not so sure how the insurance will view it. The highway code bit has given me some hope.

    Well the highway code makes it quite clear that the overtaking car has priority. It also states quite clearly what a driver should do when being overtaken and despite what most of the population practice, you should allow the car to pass.
    168

    Being overtaken. If a driver is trying to overtake you, maintain a steady course and speed, slowing down if necessary to let the vehicle pass. Never obstruct drivers who wish to pass. Speeding up or driving unpredictably while someone is overtaking you is dangerous. Drop back to maintain a two-second gap if someone overtakes and pulls into the gap in front of you.
    Me personally, if someone wants to overtake me they can. I don't speed up or behave like a knob to stop someone overtaking me... I drive at the legal posted speed limit and if they're mad enough to overtake then id rather they were way out ahead of me!
    “I may not agree with you, but I will defend to the death your right to make an a** of yourself.”

    <><><><><><><><><<><><><><><><><><><><><><> Don't forget to like and subscribe \/ \/ \/
  • Tinks74
    Tinks74 Posts: 201 Forumite
    Quoting that rule and saying that gives the overtaking driver carte blanche is disingenuous, the car that is overtaking also has responsibilities.
    162
    Before overtaking you should make sure
    · the road is sufficiently clear ahead
    · road users are not beginning to overtake you
    · there is a suitable gap in front of the road user you plan to overtake
    163
    Overtake only when it is safe and legal to do so. You should
    · not get too close to the vehicle you intend to overtake
    · use your mirrors, signal when it is safe to do so, take a quick sideways glance if necessary into the blind spot area and then start to move out
    · not assume that you can simply follow a vehicle ahead which is overtaking; there may only be enough room for one vehicle
    · move quickly past the vehicle you are overtaking, once you have started to overtake. Allow plenty of room. Move back to the left as soon as you can but do not cut in

    167
    DO NOT overtake where you might come into conflict with other road users. For example
    · approaching or at a road junction on either side of the road
    · where the road narrows
    · when approaching a school crossing patrol
    · between the kerb and a bus or tram when it is at a stop
    · where traffic is queuing at junctions or road works
    · when you would force another road user to swerve or slow down
    · at a level crossing
    · when a road user is indicating right, even if you believe the signal should have been cancelled. Do not take a risk; wait for the signal to be cancelled
    · stay behind if you are following a cyclist approaching a roundabout or junction, and you intend to turn left
    · when a tram is standing at a kerbside tram stop and there is no clearly marked passing lane for other traffic

    However I'm not sure it is helpful to confuse the matter of merging with overtaking, it is not quite the same thing.
  • Strider590
    Strider590 Posts: 11,874 Forumite
    edited 2 August 2011 at 4:18PM
    Tinks74 wrote: »
    However I'm not sure it is helpful to confuse the matter of merging with overtaking, it is not quite the same thing.

    Right hand lane is an overtaking lane unless it's a dedicated turn lane.
    We see the argument all the time with people who try to defend being middle lane morons.

    People who know the law, they use both lanes. Those who don't, they always queue in the left hand lane and hurl abuse or try to hinder their progress.
    “I may not agree with you, but I will defend to the death your right to make an a** of yourself.”

    <><><><><><><><><<><><><><><><><><><><><><> Don't forget to like and subscribe \/ \/ \/
  • westv
    westv Posts: 6,441 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    Tinks74 wrote: »

    Does being in the right but having your car in the garage for repair make you feel good? Sometimes you should assess the situation and if it is looking like it could get dangerous, abort the manouevre and complete it safely instead.

    I'd agree with that. If confronted with a potentially dangerous situation when driving you should always ask "How can I avoid it?" not "Am I in the right?"
  • Tinks74
    Tinks74 Posts: 201 Forumite
    edited 2 August 2011 at 5:19PM
    Strider590 wrote: »
    Right hand lane is an overtaking lane unless it's a dedicated turn lane.
    We see the argument all the time with people who try to defend being middle lane morons.

    People who know the law, they use both lanes. Those who don't, they always queue in the left hand lane and hurl abuse or try to hinder their progress.

    Right hand is an overtaking lane, I don't disagree.

    However the one in the example is tapering out after a junction and the road markings tell the traffic to merge to the left.
  • Tilt
    Tilt Posts: 3,599 Forumite
    Take a look at this ridiculous layout then....

    Before the lights....
    http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=Dudley+Road%2FParkfield+road+Wolverhampton&hl=en&ll=52.566934,-2.121606&spn=0,0.022638&sll=53.800651,-4.064941&sspn=14.671726,46.362305&z=16&layer=c&cbll=52.566936,-2.121813&panoid=bFXIPH0x-n8UelXFLvohjw&cbp=12,247.95,,0,-9.55

    ...and after..

    http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=Dudley+Road%2FParkfield+road+Wolverhampton&hl=en&ll=52.566947,-2.123344&spn=0,0.022638&sll=53.800651,-4.064941&sspn=14.671726,46.362305&z=16&layer=c&cbll=52.56693,-2.122898&panoid=wP4LvcggN5yIxnOU0JOtoQ&cbp=12,267.41,,0,1.79

    the lanes merge into 1 in just 50 yards! AND there is a supermarket carpark entrance right where the road becomes just one lane.
    The amount of road rage incidents it causes is unbelieveable. Its a very busy junction and 99% of the time there are 2 continuous lines of traffic battling to get in the correct lane.
    PLEASE NOTE
    My advice should be used as guidance only. You should always obtain face to face professional advice before taking any action.
  • The problem is that most people seem to think that the number of people in front of them in the queue is more important than the speed at which they are travelling... The real question is "what can I do now that will get this traffic a mile down the road as fast as possible?" - and the answer to that question is generally to allow the traffic to merge and keep moving rather than prevent the traffic from merging and come to a stop.


    In addition, when I was learning to drive (back in 1980), I'm sure the Highway Code guidance was to give way to traffic merging from the right. However, I can't find a definitive statement on this in the current Highway Code.

    Having said that, I've used this principle of giving way to traffic merging from the right ever since and it seems to work quite well as a way of keeping the traffic moving and reducing the overall level of stress.

    Best Regards,

    Zero Gravitas.
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