Robin May wrote:

"Piccadilly Pilot" wrote the following
in:

A number of people have referred to the "give way to the right"
method that is in force in parts of Europe, Isn't it about time we
had a similar "give way to the left" rule in the UK?

Wouldn't that just be the reverse of a mini-roundabout? If so, why not
just have a give way to the right rule so that unmarked junctions were
treated as mini-roundabouts.

I was quite amazed by the reference to the UK having no equivalent of
France's "give way to the right" rule, because here in Australia we have
a "give way to the right" rule, and I assumed the rights of way were the
same. It makes sense in left driving countries, because the traffic on
the right has priority in other situations (notably when merging).
Having France do likewise despite driving on the other side of the road
sounds very dangerous.

However, at least in Adelaide, very few crossroads require all traffic
to do so. Many are marked, and nearly all of the rest have the gutter
crossing the road where traffic has to give way.

Even so, I'm quite concerned. Back in 1993, when I originally applied
for a learner's permit I failed the written test. The first section,
which required every question to be answered correctly, required the car
with the right of way to be circled. At an unmarked crossroads, I
circled the going straigt ahead, but the car turning right into the same
road had priority. They'd even put the same question in a second time,
rotated 90°, to try and catch out more people. At least I was
consistent!

Considering you can trade in one country's licence for another's, I'm
wondering how many people out there misunderstand the rights of way.


BTW John, you're theory about the council thinking it's a private drive
seems rather unlikely to me. The council are unlikely not to know
whether a road is theirs or not, and if you look in your phonebooksize
street directory, you'll find it isn't a private road. Unless the AA
have got it wrong, of course.