who has right of way??

[lazy daisy]

If you are at crossroads by the give way lines waiting to turn right, and there is a car opposite also at the give way lines and they want to turn left. You both want to go the same way.

Who should give way to who?????

Does it just depend on who is the more courteous.

[PhilBy]

They have right of way,

[lazy daisy]

can you explain why as the one turning right is trickier manouver.

but i accept your answer and thankyou

[roguepink]

i think it's kind of because the right turn is the trickier manouever that they dont have right of way.

[PhilBy]

They have a much easier exit.... it's as simple as that.

[stanleyman]

I think in practice it depends on the traffic, the one turning left can often proceed first but in theory you should give way to the right and so the vehicle turning right has priority. This is from the highway code and nothing to do with how tricky the turn is.

[Loosehead]

Just for information, there is no such thing as "right of way" the highway code indicates when you should give way. generally the vehicle that is to cross the path of another is to give way, in the example given imagine the car turning left is going straight on, you would give way to it if you where turning right so as it's turning left you would be crossing it's path therefore you should give way. In reality it's much easier to turn left so the car will be long gone anyway.

[stanleyman]

I don't quite agree with you loosehead. You say that generally the vehicle that is to cross the path of another is to give way... I agree with that but it is the vehicle coming from the right that would have its path crossed being then on the main road if the other vehicle is turning left or just crossing over.

The same thing applies at roundabouts, if a vehicle is coming from the right you give way. The vehicle turning right does not have the other vehicle coming from the right, it is going in another direction. If you pulled out on me as I turn right causing a collision you would be in the wrong.

[kempie]

The vehicle waiting to turn right has to cross a carriageway, has further to travel, and thus would take longer, to reach the same point as the car waiting to turn left would.

Common sense would tell you to allow the car turning left to proceed first.

As for the slightly different situation described by stanleyman where the car wishing to turn right is already in motion, of course it would take priority.

[tubeway]

If the car waiting is a Audi, Merc, BMW or Peugeot - then they will think they have right of way - just let them go.

I know this is unfair to some drivers - but I spend a lot of time on the road - and these usualy are the worst drivers

[BenDToy]

I am with you stanleyman. The car turning right establishes its position on the main road before reaching the other car. So the car turning left has to cross its path, and should therefore give way. The complexity or time taken is irrelevant.

[kempie]

...of course the timing is relevant.

The original question states that the two cars are stationary, not that the one turning right is already making its move.

[stanleyman]

I checked with my brother in law who is a policeman and he said he'd like to nick both if there was an accident for wasting his time as both should be aware of each other!

But who does go first? In reality we get around these problems without too much fuss by a bit of consideration and give and take to the other driver, maybe thats the way to handle it rather than who's right and who's wrong.

[ianess]

tubeway.......you forgot to mention Volvo drivers in their safety cells who think they're invulnerable.