Who has the right of way in this scenario? | GTAMotorcycle.com

Who has the right of way in this scenario?

jay-d

jay-d

Well-known member
Site Supporter
My gf and I were having a discussion about who would have the right of way in this scenario.

zzZKmfG.jpg


My thoughts:

The purple car would have the right of way based on the fact that if he was going straight through the intersection, the blue car would have to yield to him even if the light just turned yellow.

Since he's making a right, he would still have the right of way.

My gf's thoughts:

She believes it's the blue car because the purple car is not going straight, he should yield and stop to allow the blue car to get out of the intersection and proceed afterwards.

---------

Whenever I've been in the blue cars position, I've always waited for the purple car to complete the turn before proceeding.

I'm not sure what's right now because they both make sense to me. What does the law say?
 
Purple car has right of way. But if the light is yellow for the blue car, purple car driver should show courtesy and allow blue car to turn first so blue car doesn't get stuck in middle of intersection when light turns red.
 
RetroGrouch said:
Purple car has right of way. But if the light is yellow for the blue car, purple car driver should show courtesy and allow blue car to turn first so blue car doesn't get stuck in middle of intersection when light turns red.
Click to expand...

This!
Legal right isn't always the best course. Purple has right of way but SHOULD allow blue to clear the intersection.
 
Blue car because the light is yellow and he is already into the intersection.
 
RetroGrouch said:
Purple car has right of way. But if the light is yellow for the blue car, purple car driver should show courtesy and allow blue car to turn first so blue car doesn't get stuck in middle of intersection when light turns red.
Click to expand...

Great advice, and some people actually do this. If you do this, give yourself a pat on the back.
 
DECIMIS said:
Great advice, and some people actually do this. If you do this, give yourself a pat on the back.
Click to expand...

And this scenario is all relevant to which one is in motion or isn't.

If both in motion, purple may as well go since there's lots of time and it's already at the curb.
If only the blue is in motion he may as well go but purple isn't, purple may as well let blue go.
If both are stopped, I'd say go let the purple vehicle go before light turns red.
If the purple is in motion but the blue than there's lots of time for him to make it but should be courteous.
 
Last edited:
Purple.

In the absence of something else that changes the priority (e.g. an explicit "yield" or "stop" sign or red traffic signal that applies to one of them but not the other), the vehicle approaching from the right has ROW.

How is the purple one approaching from the right ... because if the blue one were to hypothetically make the turn first, the purple one would be approaching it from the right. It's easy to see that the blue one would be approaching the purple one from the left.
 
The way I look at who has right of what does not always mean the cager/biker, etc will obey the letter of the law. Remember you can be right or dead right.
Unfortunately, common sense does not always happen. However, it is always nice to know what is correct.
 
^ No kidding. If I'm in the purple car, and I see that the blue car is threatening to go through no matter what, I'm stopping.
 
XenoVibe said:
Blue car because the light is yellow and he is already into the intersection.
Click to expand...

So is the purple car....


RetroGrouch said:
Purple car has right of way. But if the light is yellow for the blue car, purple car driver should show courtesy and allow blue car to turn first so blue car doesn't get stuck in middle of intersection when light turns red.
Click to expand...

This is exactly what I do as long as its safe for me to stop. (Not going to get rear ended)

None the less the law still states the car turning right has the right of way.

My father was in that position last month (as the blue car) and received a failure to yeild tic.


Sent from my SGH-I337M using Tapatalk
 
peterm15 said:
Btw.

http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/dandv/driver/handbook/section2.4.3.shtml
View attachment 34454

Diag 2.0 if that image is to small.
Click to expand...

Hello all, please-please-please click the link and read the information at the MTO website!!! It's good stuff!!! Full of vitamins and 100% fibre!!!

"If you are turning left, you must wait for approaching traffic to pass or turn and for pedestrians in or approaching your path to cross"

The guy turning left must wait for ....everyone!
 
RetroGrouch said:
Purple car has right of way. But if the light is yellow for the blue car, purple car driver should show courtesy and allow blue car to turn first so blue car doesn't get stuck in middle of intersection when light turns red.
Click to expand...

Excellent point, but courtesy in this case depends on a judgement call that most people cannot do (they're too busy texting and drinking coffee).

Also, when in doubt about who has the right of way, proceed with caution (read "slow down and think twice")... do not assume and speed up...
 
The problem with deciding that courtesy would be the more appropriate course of action is that it relies on EVERYONE assuming that course of action - which is a big assumption, and why the law should be adhered, and not any form of courtesy.

It's difficult enough for most people to remember all of the rules they are supposed to follow, introducing courtesy as a wildcard just throws a wrench in the whole process and is what would result in the both cars turning at the same time. The blue car would assume the purple car would wait, out of courtesy, and the purple car would do exactly as they would be expected, and make their right turn.

Courtesy is great in parking lots, but that's about it. When on the road, follow the rules that everyone is expected to follow and there will be less confusion.

(I can just image to autonomous cars in that intersection, dueling for the ROW...)
 
I never exercise courtesy when it comes to "right-of-way" scenarios; it insinuates continued traffic confusion and could result in a fatal collision.

What gets under my skin: Ontario's finest continue to make wide limo length turns with their small 4d sedans. They're unable to make a right turn into the nearest right lane... nor can they make a left turn into the nearest left lane. My head explodes when they go wide in double-left turn lanes.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Back
Top Bottom