TMR put this up on their Facebook asking who has to give way, but that’s too easy. A much more complicated question is: what does the law say around indicating?
I’ve seen people say only blue must indicate, others say both must indicate, and yet others say neither must indicate. Which is correct?
Yep. It also lines up with my general interpretation of indicators themselves, that they’re a way of saying ‘I want to begin moving in this direction, instead of straight’.
In your example picture, I see that as the centre lane remaining and the left lane gradually merging into it, just like the OP image but longer.
My interpretation of law: Left only must indicate.
My opinion: it’s obvious that the left has to merge in, they ideally shouldn’t even have to indicate, but if a driver in the centre lane is tired and oblivious then they might not realise that and get caught unaware so just indicate anyway to be safe. Middle should not indicate, because that makes it seem as if they want to turn off into a side road or driveway (if one exists) or over on the shoulder.
What about T-junctions where the continuing road curves?
In this case, turning left from the perspective of the camera does not involve indicating, while continuing straight requires indicating right.
My take is that this is similar. The literal direction a road goes doesn’t matter. What matters is where line markings are and how lanes relate to each other.
Going back to the image above, here’s another example of that same kind of situation. Who would you say indicates here? To me it could not be clearer that there is no one lane that ends, but instead the two lanes become one, dead centre.
Good point, and you’re right. That statement I made was not well thought through.
I agree that two lanes become one centre lane (and it’s possible that I interpreted the last photo example wrong with the photo quality).
What would you think if a car on the centre lane put their left indicator on? Personally, I would assume they want to enter that side road or a driveway. That’s my reasoning for why I don’t believe an indication would be appropriate.
I think neither is obliged to indicate here, they’re both continuing fully in the direction of their lanes. The lane changes, and just as you don’t indicate in the T intersection example when the lane curves left, you wouldn’t need to indicate as the lanes blend (rather than one merging into the other, which to be honest, doesn’t benefit from an indication either).