Is this left turn an issue of right of way or courtesy? Who has the right of way?

I'm on a four or five lane major road, in America. Two lanes for each opposing traffic direction, separated by a land barrier. So I drive up to this shopping center's parking lot and prepare to turn left into it as I get into the turning lane. I wait for traffic to clear. But as I do so, I also notice there is a car at the entrance of the shopping center who is wanting to make a left turn out of the shopping center and onto the road that I am on. So traffic is now clear, and I begin to move, but so does he. We both stop, and I wonder what in the hell, and I continue to go into the shopping center, but I'll bet the other driver wasn't pleased.

So what's the deal here? Did I not have the right of way or was I not being courteous? No stop signs, and this was not an intersection, and no traffic lights.

Royal Scam

You had the right of way, no doubt about it. In fact you did the right thing by NOT being courteous and letting him go first. Very often, drivers who have good intentions can cause accidents, by letting people go first who don't have the right of way.

For example: Suppose you waved to the guy as if to say, go ahead, make your left turn, I'll wait. He was so happy to go first, he didn't see the guy coming from his left who smashed into him.

I HATE it when people try to rewrite the rules of the road by being courteous. It screws everything up.

smoothie

You were on the thoroughfare so you had the right-of-way.

Migi G

You are making the turn from a major road so you have the right of way. But this doesn't mean you should just abruptly make the turn without minding the other car. Always make sure it is safe before you make the turn.

On some occassions where I am on a major road that is not that busy and I would not cause disruptions I actually communicate with the other driver (wave) to let him know that I am letting him make the turn first.

skeptical

You had the right of way. He was wrong.

In no case should 'courtesy' be thought to be more important than the legal rights of way. We are all safest when everybody knows what to expect, and there are no surprises. Violating rights of way laws to be 'courteous' violates this principle by introducing surprises, which can lead to accidents.

foolishheartjam

The guy waiting to pull out was incorrect-- your being on the main road gives you the right of way. He needs to wait for you to clear the intersection before proceeding.

Jennifer W

You had the right of way. Traffic in parking lots and side streets turning left should yield to traffic on main/busy roads. Think about it this way...that person probably had a stop sign and you didn't, so that one should have waited for you.

eric

You have the right of way since you're on the main road. But you should be in the right place in the turning lane. If you are right in front of where you were making your left turn, then there's no reason why you both couldn't have went at the same time while you were turning. He would be on your left side as your turning and he'll go around you and not in front of you. But he shouldn't of tried to go in front of you, which could cause an accident. Unless there was room and you weren't directly in front of him in the turn lane, some people actually go instead of waiting for that car in the turning lane to.

I've had incidences where I'm coming onto a main road from a side road and I'm watching traffic from both directions and as I'm about to go all of a sudden some car is right there in the turning lane in my way. It made me mad one time when a minivan was in the turning lane as I'm about to pull out even through it wasn't their fault. Basically when you're watching traffic, you're not looking straight ahead and he may not have seen you if you weren't sitting in the turning lane that long.

Turning left onto a busy road can be frustrating and that driver you dealt with was probably sitting there for some time. Not that that's an excuse. Basically if there's a line of cars in the turning lane waiting to turn in and you see someone who wants to get out, you could wait and signal them out as courtesy. Or if you are approaching the turn lane and see someone who's about to come out, you could slow down before your turn point to see if or let them come out out of courtesy and not be right of front of them when they want to pull out. But technically, if you are right in front of your turning point, they should wait for you to go first before pulling out left.

iiidontknowdoyou

You had the right of way because you were already on the road, the person in the parking lot should have yielded to you!

D J

The car already on the road in the flow of traffic has the right of way, but it's not worth risking an accident to prove your right. Stupid or aggressive drivers will often go ahead & take the right of way.
Always try to make left hand turns at a light. If you are making a left & someone hits you, you are most likely going to get a ticket.
Life is too short to deal with crazy drivers, I say if they are in a hurry, let them go on & get away from me.

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