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A traffic right-of-way question
Alternate_Theory
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Registered User regular
This question is just academic for me, but it's something I've been wondering about, and I don't remember it coming up in driver's ed (a long time ago for me, admittedly).
Two cars are traveling in the same direction on a 3-lane highway, one car in the far right lane and one car in the far left lane. They both want to merge into the center lane, but they are situated such that if they do they will collide. Who has right-of-way?
Two cars are traveling in the same direction on a 3-lane highway, one car in the far right lane and one car in the far left lane. They both want to merge into the center lane, but they are situated such that if they do they will collide. Who has right-of-way?
Alternate_Theory on
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However I imagine for all practical purposes if two cars collided under these conditions the police involved would declare both drivers "at fault" for unsafe driving.
That's how a cop explained it to me anyways.
For example: In Wisconsin, it's perfectly legal to pass on the left or the right, and pretty much chill in any lane as long as you are not obstructing traffic.
Whenever there is a car parallel to me in whatever lane, I *always* hit the breaks and have the car speed up relative to me, I *hate* having cars next to me when I drive. I can't see their blinkers and who knows what they are planning.
Just for everyone's info, since I was not taught this in driver's ed: The left lane is only for passing. You can get a ticket if you continually drive in the left lane. It doesn't really get enforced in congested areas (there is technically always someone to pass), but if you are for example driving on a 2 lane interstate by yourself you can and will most definitely get a ticket if you are in the left lane with no cars to pass. This is true nationally and is not specific to any particular state.
Can you cite that?
In Illinois I know this to be true, but in Wisconsin, I have passed speed traps left and right on I94 and never got pulled over once. There is a sign on the WI/IL border that informs you that in the state of IL, staying in the passing lane is illegal.
This is from the Wisconsin DOT. There is no mention of being required to be in the right hand lane unless you are on a two lane road with traffic that is in the opposite direction (stay out of oncoming traffic, duh)
http://www.dot.wisconsin.gov/safety/motorist/rules/overview.htm
If a collision occured they'd probably be looking at a 50/50 at fault situation.
I don't think this is true in most places: http://www.mit.edu/~jfc/right.html
I know in California I've never been or seen anyone pulled over for being in the left lane without traffic in the right lane.
It's the law in Manitoba, Canada, which I didn't know until I was pulled over, warned, and then went home and actually looked it up myself.
This is not true in Michigan.
This is not true of the majority of states sadly. God I wish it was.
Shogun Streams Vidya
Is there any such thing as a national driving law? I thought the only such things were for commercial vehicles ever since they repealed the national speed limit in the 80s. If there are, where would you look up these rules?
Ah, I was assuming the discussion was limited to the United States since nobody had mentioned otherwise. Consider my statement suitably amended.