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The lane changing rule confusing motorists


A lane changing rule in Queensland has left people scratching their heads.

Department of Transport and Main Roads shared a picture of the road rule on Facebook asking people if they knew the answer.

Pictured is a three-lane road with all lanes travelling in the same direction. Two cars are driving in both outside lanes with the middle lane empty – an orange car on the left and a red car on the right.

“Both cars have indicated to merge into the middle lane, which car should go first?” the department wrote.

Both cars want to join the same lane but not many could determine correctly who goes first. Source: Department of Transport and Main Roads, Queensland
Both cars want to join the same lane but not many could determine correctly who goes first. Source: Department of Transport and Main Roads, Queensland

Many attempted to answer the question – and they were almost unanimous in who they believed should merge first.

One man suggested the red car should merge first.

“Always give way to the right,” he wrote.

Others agreed with him in that the orange car should give way.

However, it turns out they were all wrong as the department later clarified.

“When changing lanes, you must give way to any vehicle in the lane you are moving into. In this instance, both vehicles must give way to each other,” the department wrote.

“The drivers need to wait until it becomes clear that it is safe for one of them to continue to complete the lane change.”

A collision in NSW last month recorded on dashcam saw a truck and car merge at the same time.

In February, a NSW road rule infuriated many people after video was shared online as part of Bus Safety Week.

It reminded drivers to give way to buses but many were angry claiming bus drivers don’t “follow this rule correctly” when entering traffic.

“What law? The buses just pull out in front of you regardless,” one woman wrote.

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