A Sydney motorist’s question about who goes first at an intersection is being met with surprise online, with most people saying the answer is obvious.
The Australian presented a scenario on Reddit on Thursday with two cars on opposite sides of an intersection: one turns left within their lane and the other has to cross a lane to drive in the same direction.
There was one problem, however: the Redditor said that the car that wanted to cross the roadway had arrived first: “Does car B have the right of way because it arrived first, or does car A have the right of way because it doesn’t go through the intersection?” ?’
Commenters on the post almost unanimously said that car A, which did not need to cross the lane, had the right of way, despite arriving at the intersection after car B.
‘Car A has priority. Car B must cross oncoming traffic to enter the lane. But if car B has already started moving, car A must give way to B,” someone said.
A driver took to Reddit to ask who has the right of way in the above scenario
“I’m pretty sure I remember someone saying that the person turning left in these situations has the right of way,” said another.
“Car A but Sydney is Sydney, toss a coin and hope for the best,” said a third.
Another agreed: ‘Car B must make way. The safest policy, however, is to assume that all other drivers are trying to kill you, and expect them to break the rules. And always have a dashcam.
The original poster then added an update saying that even they had assumed it was Car A that drove first, but their experience on the road had made them doubt it.
“Usually I’m car A and I thought I had the right of way, but the number of car Bs that were in front (and may or may not have waited longer) makes me reconsider everything,” they said.
The full response from NSW Transport
Stop signs and lines at intersections
When stopping at a ‘Stop’ sign or ‘Stop’ line, you must yield to vehicles entering, entering or approaching the intersection, except for:
– an oncoming vehicle that is also at a ‘Stop’ sign or line and is turning right
– an oncoming vehicle that is at a ‘Give way’ sign or line and is turning right
– a vehicle turning left through a driveway
– a vehicle making a U-turn.
When turning left or right at a ‘Stop’ sign or line, you must also yield to pedestrians crossing the road you are turning onto.
Two cars are at a ‘Stop’ sign on either side of an intersection. The car turning right (car A) must give way to the car going straight (car B)
Give priority to signs and lines at intersections
When you are at a ‘Give Way’ sign or ‘Give Way’ line, you must give way to vehicles entering, entering or approaching the intersection, except for:
– an oncoming vehicle that is also at a ‘Give way’ sign or line and is turning right
– an oncoming vehicle standing at a ‘Stop’ sign or line and turning right
– a vehicle turning left through a driveway
– a vehicle making a U-turn.
When turning left or right at a ‘Give Way’ sign or line, you must also give way to pedestrians crossing the road you are going on.
Two cars are standing on either side of an intersection at the ‘Give way’ sign. The car turning right (car B) must give way to the car turning left (car A)