What is the law regarding lane change?

[glyder]

In The Uk We Have

Mirror
Signal
Maneuver

Here seems to be

Signal
Maneuver
Mirror


Whats the law or road code giude lines

[R6_kid]

Indicate for 3 seconds before changing lanes. That's assuming that there is actually room for you, and that you aren't impeding and traffic already in that lane (i.e you're not supposed to pull out if traffic has to slow down to let you in)

If you're getting signal, maneuver, mirror - then consider yourself lucky, it's usually maneuver/indicate or sometimes just maneuver. I had car try the maneuver/indicate job on me yesterday (I was in my car) - I was 3/4 overlapped with her car and we were both doing ~100kmh, I swear that there was about 3cm in it before her car would have spun and more than likely flipped/rolled had I not swerved out of the way and nearly hit the median barrier to avoid the carnage she seemed so keen on.

In an ideal world it'd be mirror, head-check, indicate, mirror, maneuver, mirror, continue. That's how I drive/ride anyway. Most indicators flash at 1-2hz (the legal requirement) so if you haven't had three flashes then you shouldn't really be changing lanes yet.

[bogan]

In The Uk We Have

Mirror
Signal
Maneuver

Here seems to be

Signal
Maneuver
Mirror


Whats the law or road code giude lines

sounds about right, though quite often the signal maneuver mirror, is just shortened to maneuver.

Road code recomends; mirror, signal (least 3 secs), head-check, maneuver; i think, not sure what the exact law is though, probly a bit ambiguous like change lanes safely.

[Mully]

You forgot blind spot check.

R6 kid has it right in theory - in practice (in Auckland at least), it's more like:

Spot gap slightly too small for car.
Put car into gap. If you feel like it, flash the indicator once, but not too early cos otherwise they'll block you from completing your change.
Glance in mirror (don't move your head, just your eyes) to see if driver behind you is having a fit or is about to crash into you.
Stare straight ahead when driver behind you indicates his displeasure (honks, fingers, shotgun, etc) - don't look in the rear view mirror again. Possibly change your CD or radio station to distract yourself from the temptation to look.

[R6_kid]

We also have "stay left unless passing" in New Zealand, but I'll be fucked if any other driver on the road is aware of that concept.

[R6_kid]

You forgot blind spot check.

Anyone with half a brain has their mirrors set up in a way so that they have near full rear vision from their three (or two on a bike) rear vision mirrors. That's certainly the case in my car, the only place I can't see is right beside me which is why I head check every time. It's the same on my bike, though I usually just head check before indicating then look in my mirrors to make sure there aren't any hero's coming by at warp 10 to clean me up.

[Mully]

We also have "stay left unless passing" in New Zealand, but I'll be fucked if any other driver on the road is aware of that concept.

No, no. You've misunderstood the law again, you silly goose.

In full, it's "Keep left unless passing. And unless you are doing the maximum safe speed for this bit of road (because you are, after all, the world's best driver. And anyone who wants to go faster is a lawless heathen who clearly doesn't deserve your selfless efforts to save their life). Or if you tow a trailer."


the only place I can't see is right beside me which is why I head check every time.

Which would be a blind spot, correct? Hence the head check.

[Swoop]

We also have "stay left unless passing" in New Zealand, but I'll be fucked if any other driver on the road is aware of that concept.
That certainly isn't taught at some of the driving schools that I have seen, as they amble along in the middle lane of the motorway doing around 75(ish).

[slofox]

Hmmmm...down here in The Tron it's more like "Outa the fuckin way, I'm comin' through!"

Most of the cars don't actually have indicators fitted as far as I can tell...oh and mine's invisible as well...just like me bike.

[R6_kid]

On my trip last year from Wellington to Auckland I did notice that driver courtesy decreased the closer and closer I got to Auckland. This mainly applies to SH1, as I did all of SH4 without having to deal with a single car. From Wellington to Taupo was really good. Taupo to Hamilton was manageable. Hamilton to Auckland left me wanting to head back South again.

[Mully]

On my trip last year from Wellington to Auckland I did notice that driver courtesy decreased the closer and closer I got to Auckland. .

I've noticed this too. It's at once amusing and depressing.

[glyder]

The one thing i do notice here is cause we all bikers we do the life saver (Headcheck, blinds spot check etc), how many car only drivers do it. I spose its the down side to living in auckland too many different nationalities with different driving standards sadly they dont come up to us we drop to them lol

[davereid]

The key failure, is changing lanes when going through an intersection. Its really common to see drivers in the right hand lane, go through the traffic lights doing a right hand turn, emerging in the left hand lane at the otherside.

Many are prepared to toot at me, as I do my left turn in my 4WD right in front of them.

Much fun to be had there.

[kwaka_crasher]

Here seems to be

Signal
Manoeuvre
Mirror
Signal? Mirror? Where did you see this happen? :scratch:

But seriously, for me it's:

Mirror
Head check blind spot
Signal
Mirror
Head check blind spot
Manoeuvre

[bogan]

The key failure, is changing lanes when going through an intersection. Its really common to see drivers in the right hand lane, go through the traffic lights doing a right hand turn, emerging in the left hand lane at the otherside.

Many are prepared to toot at me, as I do my left turn in my 4WD right in front of them.

Much fun to be had there.

yeh gubbermint really needs to ad campaign that shit as I'm sure most of them believe they are in the right. Sounds like you're doing your bit to re-educate em:niceone:

[varminter]

Surely this could be remedied by a few ad's on TV showing basic stuff like how to indicate on a roundabout, not change lanes on same etc. Oh silly me that's when the buggers go out for a refill of Kentucky Fried Lard.