Right of way

walter sobchak

Might be displaying my ignorance of rules of the road here, but I'd prefer to know...
At a crossroads I go through each day (on an 'R' road) it's not clear which of the roads is the larger - no signs to indicate (ie one road narrower than the other).
My route is straight through the crossroads, and there are often cars coming the opposite direction turning right.
I stop to let them come on first, assuming that they would have right of way, but generally, the person waits and waits, assuming I have priority going straight across.
Whats the score in this case - who should go first?
Hope this is clear enough description...
Thanks for advice

vengeance52

http://www.drivingschoolireland.com/junctions.html (look at the section "Right of Way")

walter sobchak

Sorry - I'm a dope - you're going to have to spell it out for me - from what i read there,
"If you are at a junction where the roads are of equal importance, the traffic on your right has right of way. You must let that traffic pass before moving on." - this seems to imply that I should let traffic come across me, (it's coming from my right)
But is that not contradicted by -
"If you are turning right at a junction, the traffic coming straight through the junction from the opposite direction has right of way."
- meaning they should stop for me???
Sorry for stupidity

Wishbone Ash

walter sobchak wrote: »

At a crossroads I go through each day (on an 'R' road) it's not clear which of the roads is the larger - no signs to indicate (ie one road narrower than the other).
My route is straight through the crossroads

I find it difficult to believe that a crossroads involving an 'R' road has no signage. Even the smallest crossroads of secondary roads have right of way signage now.

If you are going straight through, I say that 'your' road must be of greater importance and the YIELD/STOP signage is on the roads to your left and right.

Why don't you take a left turn next time to see if there is signage there?

qballirl

Im pretty sure if you are going straight and this person is taking a right hand turn you have the right of way because they are crossing your lane. Icould be wrong but thats all.

Wishbone Ash

qballirl wrote: »

Im pretty sure if you are going straight and this person is taking a right hand turn you have the right of way because they are crossing your lane. Icould be wrong but thats all.

I think you may be mis-understanding the scenario.

If it was a coossroads of four roads of equal importance, no vehicle would be "going straight" as such. They would be entering and then exiting a junction (albeit without turning).

If it was a crossroads with four roads of equal importance then the vehicle turning right would have right of way as it was at the junction first (assuming that there was no vehicle arriving at the same time on its right).

Tomas_V

I think one of these two rules would apply:

SI 182.1997: - 8.
(3) A driver of a vehicle approaching a road junction shall yield the right of way to another vehicle which has commenced to turn or cross at the junction in accordance with these Regulations and to a pedestrian who has commenced to cross at the junction in accordance with these Regulations.

(7) A driver of a vehicle approaching a road junction and intending to turn right at the junction shall yield the right of way to a vehicle approaching on the same road from the opposite direction and intending to proceed straight through or turn left at the junction.

My interpretation of the above: If you're turning right at a cross road junction of equal priorities, on arrival at the junction you must give way to oncoming traffic (against your original direction of travel). Once you've started to make your turn, other traffic arriving at the junction must give way to you.

walter sobchak

Thanks for the advice folks...
I must go the other way some day to check for signs, but it seems I do have priority - they could do with putting up a sign or two though