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A furious debate over traffic rules erupts when confronted with this common traffic situation: ‘You’re so confident, and you’re also so wrong’
- A driver’s maneuver in Melbourne sparked an online debate
- The Honda HR-V was seen turning into the left lane
- But the motorist in the right lane asked if it was legal
A motorist has sparked an intense debate on traffic rules after a car entered the left lane of a multi-lane highway while his car was driving on the right side.
Dash cam footage posted to social media on Monday showed the Honda HR-V moving into the left lane as the filming driver moved into the right lane of a main road in Melbourne.
He said he “freaked” when the white SUV came from a left-hand street into the left lane next to him, and the move sparked an online debate about wif it was allowed.
Comments were posted both for and against the driver entering the main road.
The post was captioned: ‘Entering the flow of traffic – does the car entering the road only have to yield to cars in the lane it is entering, or in all lanes?’
The white SUV was seen entering a street on the left side (pictured) and online commenters debated whether it was allowed.
“I got a bit scared when they decided to enter the road as they approached from the right lane,” the post commented.
“It pretty much sums up my experience on the road these days. Numpties everywhere,’ said one harsh critic.
But one person claimed the move was ‘allowed’ by posting a text from the VicRoads driving instructor test book on how to test novice motorists.
He said a driver making a left turn at a two-lane intersection will not make a mistake if the nearest oncoming car in the left lane is 200 meters away.
And if the nearest vehicle is 20 meters away in the right lane and doesn’t signal to turn left, it’s okay for a tester to pull onto the road.
He also said that cars should not encroach on the right lane when turning.
“It’s allowed, but I wouldn’t do it because it’s risky,” said one commenter.
“You are extremely trusting and also extremely wrong,” one responded without explaining why.
“The entering driver must yield to traffic on the highway,” argued another.
But another cited the Right Way Driving school website that said it was okay to enter as long as there are no cars in that same lane.
“You must yield to vehicles in the lane you are turning into or pedestrians crossing the road you are entering,” it said.
Meanwhile, more online users agreed it was risky, while others argued that drivers would get nowhere on highways if they had to wait for all lanes to clear.
Dash cam footage was posted to social media showing the man navigating a main road in Melbourne before being “frightened” by the sudden onset of a Honda HR-V.
“I’m not sure of the exact law, but I’ve always thought it’s risky to go out in that situation, because you never know what other people are thinking and they could change lanes at any moment.” they said.
“Good luck getting to your destination in traffic,” said one more.
“I don’t know if that’s the actual law, but it’s a good idea either way, especially if you’re in a longer car that has a wider turning radius,” wrote another.
‘We know how to drive perfectly well. It’s just those inconvenient traffic rules that we have no idea about,” said another.
Drivers should always yield to other vehicles in the same lane and watch for other motorists signaling to change lanes.
Cars are allowed to drive on a two-lane highway from the left as long as they exercise “common sense” and do not encroach on the right lane.