Right of Way, Rule of Thumb

[stevieb]

This is in regards to yielding the right of way while merging on to a freeway. My question who actually has the ROW while merging onto a freeway with a short on ramp? I enter this freeway daily and people on the freeway in the #4 lane either speed up to make you go 80 to get in the lane, or will not drop their speed even 1 mph to let you merge with out having 7 cars either brake or take evasive action. Then theres the vehicle in the #3 lane that decides to merge into #4 while cars are trying to enter the freeway.
If the general rule is the car on the right has the ROW would this make an accident the fault of the car in the #4 lane or is the onus (sp)? on the guy trying to merge?
Keep in mind like I said the on ramp is very short, so a vehicle has a small amount of space to attain a matching speed to merge, and about 20 yards down the road on the shoulder is about a 24" deep storm drain that will cause a major accident if hit, especially a motorcycle.
I have seen cars run that far down the shoulder while trying to merge and they end up having to stop to avoid the hole, now they have to merge from a dead stop. :shrug:

 

[Stewart]

Cars on the highway always have ROW. Thats why there's a yield sign on merge lanes.






Stu

 

[foofinator]

Cars entering a lane from the left > cars entering a lane from the right, but I always give the far right lane to merging traffic if at all possible.. Atleast this is what I heard during defensive driving, and I've seen defensive driving a million times.

 

[WraithCobra]

No one has "right of way", the vehicle merging onto the highway has to Yeild right of way to the vehicles already in the lane of travel.

 

[toomanymustangs]

My dad was driving in the #2 lane in one of our semis and a guy flew across the on-ramp through the #3 lane also and drove into the side of the trailer! It was hilarous! Just put some black marks in the paint but dam near totaled his car. He got an illegal lane change ticket.

 

[Lawman85]

Everyone is correct. The person merging is the one who has to yield ROW. Everyone on the interstate/highway are already there.

 

[stevieb]

Cars entering a lane from the left > cars entering a lane from the right, but I always give the far right lane to merging traffic if at all possible.. Atleast this is what I heard during defensive driving, and I've seen defensive driving a million times.

Damn. I just have to say that is the nicest looking yellow Cobra I have ever seen. Ive seen it around this sight and have been wanting to acknowledge a nice ride. Id give up my black one for that. :coolman:

 

[greyrob]

like the comedian said highways are like radio stations fast lane is rock and roll and you move down the dail to the on ramp ... from fast to slow and if your ass aint on the highway you ass aint on rock and roll - slow down and yeild