Thread: Road Rules questions - got me stumped - traffic lights and merging lanes

At the traffic lights you don't need to stop if you're going through a green and turning. The only time is if there is a red, or a red and a turn on red sign. If you're turning right and not going through a green arrow then you have to give way to any oncoming traffic.

For the merge, you only need to indicate if you're crossing a lane line. The forward most vehicle has right of way if both lanes merge into one and neither need to indicate AFAIK. OR the person who has to change lanes during the merge has to indicate and give way.

As I suspected for the merging lanes.

But the thing that gets me is that at an intersection, there is a green, orange and red round light for the straight ahead lanes. BUT, on the left and/or right turn lanes which are marked with an arrow, in some cases there is NO red arrow. It is blanked out. Where does one stand when there is no red arrow? Ie the lights change from green, to orange to Blank?

If you are faced with nowt but a plain red stop light, you stay behind the stop line, period. I'm not sure what the issue with the lack of a red arrow is. The plain red one covers both ahead and left turns. The only times I've seen a red left turn arrow still on after a main light goes green is when a pedestrian or cyclist has a green light across the side street. It usually doesn't stay red for long. It goes blank if there could still be a pedestrian on the crossing, so you still have to give way to them. A green arrow would mean the pedestrian hasn't got green and you've got right of way to turn.

As for the merging of two marked lanes into one super wide lane, I actually got chatted once by an officer about my maneuver to the left. Finally, I don't remember where, I found that you should indicate your move to the left regardless of the lack of lane lines. I got away with it that time but now I know I was wrong to move over to the left without indicating.

Found it:

Giving way when changing lanes

If you are driving on a multi-lane road and want to move into another lane of traffic, either to your right or left, you must first check that it is safe to change lanes, give a change of direction signal clearly for long enough to warn other road users, and give way to traffic in the other lane (Examples 39 and 40). This also applies to bike lanes and where the road is wide enough for two lines of traffic but there are no lanes marked on the road (Example 41).


G
- See more at: http://mylicence.sa.gov.au/road-rule....KJciM8rf.dpuf

Yep, if there is no arrow showing then you are bound by whatever light IS showing, e.g. if facing a red light, you stop. An arrow light only has a role when it is actually illuminated.
With merging lanes where both lanes become one lane without one lane ending, there is no requirement to indicate as you are neither turning nor changing lanes. Often it is wise to indicate though as a driver behind you might not be able to see that the lanes are merging.

Originally Posted by Toxic_Avenger

Can anyone offer advice on the road rules (NSW particularly) regarding traffic lights? My question relates to turning left (or right) at an intersection when the turning arrow is blank (ie NOT red, but will show the orange or green arrows when necessary).
I've always been taught to stop at the intersection, then proceed into the intersection once safe to do so. Although it appears most of the drivers where I live either don't do this, or don't know the rules. I'm starting to think I'm in the wrong!
I've had a full licence for 14 years now, and took a significant number of professional driver training lessons whilst on learner plates (approx 50hrs), and most recently, a driver awareness training thru work. No accident history, nil points against my licence. I think I'm safe enough, but it never hurts to freshen up on the road rules.

What's the understanding of this situation? I couldn't find much info here.


I'm also confused about indicating at the 'zipper lanes' that are more commonplace these days - the lanes which don't merge, two lanes immediately end, and form one very wide lane. Last week in the ACT, drivers were indicating left or right when their lane ends. There is a pic here, but no mention of indicating. The rules in my uncerstanding are that you need to signal to "give plenty of warning before you turn left or right, or change lanes". In this instance, the lane ends abruptly, and you don't cross a line... confusion abounds.

Help?!

As I understand it, if two lanes merge and there are no broken lines then whichever vehicle is in front has the right of way and no signals are required as you're not changing lanes. However, if two lanes merge and there are continuing broken lines then the vehicle which has to cross the broken line has to give way to the one which is already in the continuing lane, if they are close together.
As for turning, if there is no red arrow then I assume you do whatever any other light is showing indicates i.e. go if its green and stop if it's red. Is that right?


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Originally Posted by DiscoMick

As for turning, if there is no red arrow then I assume you do whatever any other light is showing indicates i.e. go if its green and stop if it's red. Is that right?

Agreed on the lane merging question.

As for the traffic light conundrum, it's up for discussion! Imagine this conundrum- would you wait for the green arrow, or make your turn when safe to do so?
(fyi, this is just a google image, disregard the orientation of the arrows)


In the past, I may have Turned left and or right on a Blank turning arrow, (of course, only when safe to do so) while the straight ahead light shows red.
Somebody lock me up if I'm wrong!

Originally Posted by Toxic_Avenger

Agreed on the lane merging question.

As for the traffic light conundrum, it's up for discussion! Imagine this conundrum- would you wait for the green arrow, or make your turn when safe to do so?
(fyi, this is just a google image, disregard the orientation of the arrows)


In the past, I may have Turned left and or right on a Blank turning arrow, (of course, only when safe to do so) while the straight ahead light shows red.
Somebody lock me up if I'm wrong!

No (turning left) green arrow there would mean you are allowed to proceed to turn if its clear and safe, ie give way to pedestrians across the side road, a green arrow means you can turn without any other traffic or pedestrians having the right to cross in front of you. Simple really.

Originally Posted by Toxic_Avenger

Agreed on the lane merging question.

As for the traffic light conundrum, it's up for discussion! Imagine this conundrum- would you wait for the green arrow, or make your turn when safe to do so?
(fyi, this is just a google image, disregard the orientation of the arrows)


In the past, I may have Turned left and or right on a Blank turning arrow, (of course, only when safe to do so) while the straight ahead light shows red.
Somebody lock me up if I'm wrong!

You can't proceed if the main light is red unless a turning arrow is green and you turn as indicated, I think.

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