Lane change guidance: Pushing in is prohibited at all times

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Suddenly another driver wants to change lanes right in front of us – but we are much faster and everything behind us will be clear. We pass in front of us and get headlights, horns and middle fingers. Then we want to change ourselves. The car immediately closes the diagonal gap behind us. Hello – is he allowed to do this?

Basically: If you want to change lanes, you have to wait! Traffic in the other lane has the right of way. If you want to change lanes you need to signal early enough. But winking (all wink rules here) does not create a right of way: it is just a warning, not an automatic right of way. Everyone who changes has a special duty of care and is responsible for ensuring that others are not hindered or endangered.

Sometimes kindness is wrong

Courtesy in traffic is a good thing. If you can make life easier for those changing lanes, you are welcome; It doesn’t take a second to close the gap. If you act with foresight, you can often predict that someone else wants to change. But: Anyone who violently climbs up a pillar to let a lane changer in is being rude to those behind them. On top of that, it’s dangerous.

Highway entrances are areas with heavy traffic. People like to blink and quickly walk out: “He must make room for me!” No, he can, but he doesn’t have to. Even if he has to brake hard or make delicate lane changes, he shouldn’t do it. Therefore, if necessary, you can continue on the hard shoulder (more information here, using the example of a trucker overtaking on the hard shoulder).

Stepping on zippers is taboo

The only exception to the rule since January 2021 is the mandatory zipper procedure (all about that here): In traffic jams and slow-moving traffic on multi-lane roads, the following applies in case of lane loss or obstruction (e.g. construction). site): one from the left, one from the right, one from the left. In heavy traffic this only applies at lane ends and motorway entrances. This greatly helps keep traffic flowing.

This means that every car in the ongoing lane must let one car in, otherwise there will be a 100 franc fine. However: If someone is still blocking, you, as the threader, are not allowed to use force to force the gap! Otherwise you may be reported and pay more from the blocker. Doesn’t sound fair – but why?

Disable for danger

Background: Inappropriate behavior by others in traffic should be expected and generally taken into account. Mistakes made by others do not give us the right to make mistakes ourselves or react aggressively. Obstruction (obstructionist) is a less serious offense than endangerment (obstructionist). Zipping does not change the principle: the lane changer has a duty to take care of this manoeuvre. In the event of an accident, in most cases the lane changer pays.

Another example illustrating this: A person lurking on the left in the fast lane can be asked to overtake using a (subtle!) light signal (light rules here) or horn (more here). But never by tailgating: Since the driver on the left is passively obstructing, but the person pushing is actively endangering the driver, the driver should be legally punished and pay more for his serious crime.

collision in the middle

But what if, on a three-lane highway, one person from the left and one person from the right move towards the middle and an accident occurs? Both tend to be criminals. If you can prove with a clue that you were the one who changed first, that might help – but it’s almost impossible to prove this beyond a shadow of a doubt. What if it was close? Stay calm and stay calm: None of us drives without making mistakes.

Source: Blick