Give Way Rule and Merging

When turning left from a through road, you have right of way over traffic turning right into the side road. We now all know that as a result of the give way rule change back in April this year!

But hold on…when you have a separate lane to turn into as at Boyce Street, Springlands, you must make your left turn into the near (left) lane; right turning traffic have unimpeded entry into their near (right) lane.

Following these turns as a completely separate manoeuvre, traffic now in the left-hand lane needs to execute a merge manoeuvre to get into the right-hand lane which becomes the straight through lane. Indication to change lanes is required.

So, after a left turn in to Boyce Street, you need to indicate your intended lane change and only move into the straight through lane when the way is clear. You will have also noted dotted continuity lines to indicate your merge lane is ending. Marlborough Roads have made recent changes to the white lines at the intersection to define the merging lanes, by introducing a wide flush median.

Other intersections where traffic moves onto the SH result in similar merges with merge lanes in place for this purpose, e.g. the south-bound left turns onto SH1 at Spring Creek and Budge Street. Again, merge manoeuvres may only be made when there is a gap in the straight through lane.

Where there are no merge lanes, e.g. the exit from Sheffield Street at the Riverlands Industrial estate, motorists need to give way to through traffic. Whilst this sounds obvious, many motorists are using the shoulder as a merge lane and effectively failing to give way to through traffic impeding their path and causing confusion. The shoulders are not wide enough to enable a safe merge lane. Edge lines and continuity and lane markings indicate where merging vehicles should drive.

If you have any related questions please contact the Marlborough Roads Office, Ph: 03 520 8330.