Debate erupts over which driver is in the right when turning into multiple-lane roads

A motorist has sparked vigorous debate about road rules after a car entered the left-hand lane of a multi-lane road while his car was driving down the right-hand side. 

Dash cam footage posted to social media on Monday showed the Honda HR-V move into the left lane as the filming driver moved along the right lane of a major road in Melbourne.

He said he got ‘a fright’ when the white SUV came from a street on the left into the left lane beside him – with the move prompting online debate over whether it was allowed.

Comments were posted both for and against the driver entering the main road.  

The post was captioned: ‘Entering the traffic stream – Does the car entering the road only have to give way to cars in the lane they are entering, or all lanes?’ 

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The white SUV was seen entering from a street on the left side (pictured) with online commenters debating over whether it was allowed

‘I got a bit of a fright when they decided to enter the road whilst approaching in the right lane,’ the posted commented.

‘It pretty much sums up my experience on the road these days. Numpties everywhere,’ one harsh critic said. 

But one person claimed the move was ‘allowed’ by posting text from the VicRoads Driving Instructors Drive test book on how to examine learner motorists. 

It said a driver turning left onto an intersecting two-laned road will not be in error if the nearest approaching car in the left lane is 200metres away. 

And if the nearest vehicle is 20metres away in the right lane and not indicating to turn into the left lane, then it is OK for a tester to enter the roadway.

It also said cars should not encroach into the right lane as they turn.  

‘It is allowed but I wouldn’t do it because it’s risky,’ one commenter said. 

‘You’re extremely confident and also extremely wrong,’ one responded without elaborating why. 

‘The driver entering should give way to traffic on the road,’ another argued.

But another cited the Right Way Driving school website which said it was fine to enter as long as there are no cars in that same lane. 

‘You must give way to vehicles in the lane you’re turning into, or pedestrians crossing the road you’re entering,’ it read. 

Meanwhile, more online users agreed it was a risky thing to do while others argued drivers would get nowhere on the roads if they had to wait for all lanes to be free. 

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Dash cam footage was posted to social media showing the man sailing down a major road in Melbourne before getting a ‘a fright’ from the sudden entry of a Honda HR-V.

‘I’m not sure of the exact law, but I’ve always felt that it’s a risky thing to do going out in that situation as you never know what the others are thinking and that they might just change lanes at any moment,’ they said.  

‘Good luck getting to your destination in traffic,’ one more said. 

‘I don’t know if that’s the actual law, but it’s a good idea either way, especially if you’re in a longer car that has a wider turning circle,’ another wrote. 

‘We know how to drive perfectly well. It’s just those inconvenient road rules we have no idea about,’ said another. 

Drivers should always give way to other vehicles in the same lane and be mindful of other motorists indicating to move lanes.

Cars are allowed to move onto a two-laned road from the left as long as they exercise ‘common sense’ and do not encroach into the right lane.