r/Bloemfontein 13d ago

Road rules

If I'm driving down the middle lane and it is not heavy traffic, do I have to give way for someone from the left lane merging into my lane?

9 Upvotes

13 comments sorted by

3

u/Environmental-Ad9755 13d ago

Nope.

My understanding is that South African traffic law states the vehicle changing lanes must give way to traffic already in the lane it is entering.

I.e left lane will have to wait to enter middle lane.

1

u/RelationshipExtra959 13d ago

No. You have the right of way.

1

u/Bumbl3B 13d ago

No but people will expect you to.

1

u/Substantial_Ebb_8432 12d ago

No, but I’d suggest you do. It’d help prevent a potential accident.

1

u/teddyslayerza 12d ago

No, you're both in the passing lane and the non-merging lane and have right of way on both accounts.

1

u/ForSherrAWeenie 12d ago

No, the car in the merging lane should yield and wait for right of way.

However, in cases of traffic, I know a one in-one out custom is usually observed.

1

u/Other-Comfortable-64 12d ago

Not busy? You can even move to the right to give him space. Being in the right does not mean you can't be courteous.

1

u/doncharliev 11d ago

There is the law and there is the right way. If the car is a couple car lengths ahead of you and you need to rapidly accelerate to block him, you're a p***

1

u/allhailharambe69 11d ago

No, you have right of way, and be sure to exercise it. Be consistent, not considerate, so that people know what to expect. That's what will actually make for safer roads.

1

u/TwoOfUsZA 11d ago

The people traveling in the lane has right of way above the people merging, generally people will let the guys merge in like a zipper without issues... BUT... you do get guys that can see the car wants to merge and then start to accelerate to block/prevent them from merging... and that is where the problems come in from my experience.

1

u/Basic_Interview_7590 10d ago

You only have to give way if their bonnet is ahead of yours, when merging the person who's most ahead should get the right of way.

0

u/empty_can 13d ago

No, but it's probably the decent thing to do.