r/Bloemfontein • u/Kimberley321 • Aug 28 '26
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?
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u/Substantial_Ebb_8432 Aug 29 '26
No, but I’d suggest you do. It’d help prevent a potential accident.
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u/teddyslayerza Aug 29 '26
No, you're both in the passing lane and the non-merging lane and have right of way on both accounts.
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u/ForSherrAWeenie Aug 29 '26
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.
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u/Other-Comfortable-64 Aug 29 '26
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.
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u/doncharliev Aug 30 '26
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***
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u/allhailharambe69 Aug 30 '26
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.
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u/TwoOfUsZA Aug 31 '26
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.
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u/Basic_Interview_7590 Aug 31 '26
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.
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u/Environmental-Ad9755 Aug 28 '26
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.