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itbarbie

There is an intersection I go past often. The Strand heading to Quay Street goes around a corner. At the point of the Corner is a street coming from the right - St Georges Bay Road. Cars coming from the side street have a feeder lane with a solid white line which then becomes a dotted white line. Many cars on The Strand coming around the corner often want to cross into the right hand lane, which has started as the feeder lane and cars from the feeder lane wanting to be in the left hand lane. Often there is a muddle as to who gives way to who. I know it should be obvious, but what is the responsibility of cars from the feeder lane joining the traffic and cars are wanting to be in the right hand lane to make the next left? Who gives way? Often the cars in the feeder lane are quite slow.

Anon

Hi there,
At the broken white lines, the feeder lane becomes just a normal lane that traffic can cross and so the lane changing rules would apply to those wanting to get in or out of either lane. The struggle as you mentioned is when two cars are wanting to 'swap' lanes.

I would expect that any car rounding the Strand corner would know they are wanting to change into the right lane when they can and be able to see vehicles ahead entering the feeder lane and are in more of a position to adjust their speed and let the car pass in front of them and cross behind. Again it's a courtesy thing (if two cars are switching lanes at the same time) . It is no different to motorway lanes where you have the car next to you wanting to enter your lane and you want to exit into their lane at the same time someone will have to slow down- I can't see a rule to say who. However the rules say that a lane change can only be carried out if/when it is safe to do so- if neither car slows to let the other in front, the intended manoeuvre can't be done.