[Prev][Next][Index][Thread]
Re: Freeway: Lane change vs. merging from onramp
>From: Steven Blackwelder <SBLACKWELDER@FIRSTBYTE.DAVD.COM>
>Suppose:
>The rightmost lane on the freeway has reasonable space for one car.
>At that place, an onramp approaches its end.
>One driver is merging his/her car from the onramp.
>Another driver is in the next-to-rightmost lane and wants to move his/her
>car to the righmost lane.
>There isn't space for both of them there at that moment.
>
>Who has the right of way in this situation?
First, it's a lot easier to understand if one starts from the correct
perspective regarding right of way law. No one ever has the right of
way; rather, cases exist where it is required by law to yield the right
of way. In some cases it may make sense to refer to a car which is not
required to yield as "having the right of way", but thinking in terms of
"having right of way" is what creates ambiguity in the question as posed.
Both cars are equally responsible for making a safe lane change, which
is the law covering the case. In effect, both are required to yield.
Neither "has the right of way", in any sense of the term.
Dan Hepner
References: