From: Mortimer on
I'm starting to doubt that I understand the highway code correctly.

Suppose you have a car on a major road, indicating to turn left into a side
road. Another car is approaching from the opposite direction and is
indicating to turn right, across the traffic, into that same side road.

http://a.imageshack.us/img807/5531/turning.jpg

Who has priority over whom? I've always understood that the left-turning
traffic has priority, and that the oncoming right-turning traffic has to
wait for gap in the left-turning (and also straight-on) traffic.

But this morning I (car A) was waiting to turn left, in a long stream of
traffic. An oncoming car (C) was waiting in the middle of the road. Both of
us were indicating correctly. The straight-on car in front of me (B), that
had previously been blocking me from turning left, moved off and I started
to turn. So did the oncoming right-turning car. I was slightly ahead of him
so he had to wait, though he nearly went into the side of me.

And he was furious! He was flashing his lights and sounding his horn all the
way down the side road, and gesticulating at me. I don't know whether he
thought that *I* should have given way to *him*.

From: Adrian on
"Mortimer" <me(a)privacy.net> gurgled happily, sounding much like they were
saying:

> I'm starting to doubt that I understand the highway code correctly.

I doubt it. You've heard of it, which is a big improvement over most road
users...

> Who has priority over whom?

B, then A, then C.

> And he was furious! He was flashing his lights and sounding his horn all
> the way down the side road, and gesticulating at me. I don't know
> whether he thought that *I* should have given way to *him*.

I think you're forgetting the adjunct to the HC. The one that says that
when one person is more important than the other, all other rules of
priority take a back seat.
From: boltar2003 on
On Wed, 14 Jul 2010 11:34:34 +0100
"Mortimer" <me(a)privacy.net> wrote:
>I'm starting to doubt that I understand the highway code correctly.

Does anyone actually care about it anyway? Other than knowing enough to pass
the test and avoid a fine. Obviously to some of the anal retentives on here
is their version of the Koran , to be studied at length and learnt by heart,
but do any normal people give a damn about it?

B2003

From: Adrian on
boltar2003(a)boltar.world gurgled happily, sounding much like they were
saying:

>>I'm starting to doubt that I understand the highway code correctly.

> Does anyone actually care about it anyway? Other than knowing enough to
> pass the test and avoid a fine. Obviously to some of the anal retentives
> on here is their version of the Koran , to be studied at length and
> learnt by heart, but do any normal people give a damn about it?

Clearly not. That's why there's so many fuckwits playing pushy-shovey on
the roads.
From: mileburner on
Mortimer wrote:
> I'm starting to doubt that I understand the highway code correctly.
>
> Suppose you have a car on a major road, indicating to turn left into
> a side road. Another car is approaching from the opposite direction
> and is indicating to turn right, across the traffic, into that same
> side road.
> http://a.imageshack.us/img807/5531/turning.jpg
>
> Who has priority over whom? I've always understood that the
> left-turning traffic has priority, and that the oncoming
> right-turning traffic has to wait for gap in the left-turning (and
> also straight-on) traffic.

As Adrian has stated, I agree, B then A then C

> But this morning I (car A) was waiting to turn left, in a long stream
> of traffic. An oncoming car (C) was waiting in the middle of the
> road. Both of us were indicating correctly. The straight-on car in
> front of me (B), that had previously been blocking me from turning
> left, moved off and I started to turn. So did the oncoming
> right-turning car. I was slightly ahead of him so he had to wait,
> though he nearly went into the side of me.
> And he was furious! He was flashing his lights and sounding his horn
> all the way down the side road, and gesticulating at me. I don't know
> whether he thought that *I* should have given way to *him*.

There is a possibility that he thought that you *should* have let him go and
was angered at you being inconsiderate by *not* letting him go. Some drivers
expect to be able to barge through in situations regardless of priority.
Equally as bad, there are some drivers who are sticklers for priority and
insist on taking *their* right of way even if it means clogging up the roads
to do so.