More ‘classic Adelaide merging’ in Dashcams Adelaide video of cars at Cavan

The road rules are clear but that hasn’t dulled the debate over this tense dashcam footage.

Call it the sequel – another video of “classic Adelaide merging” has emerged.

The video, posted to Facebook by Dashcams Adelaide, shows a 4WD and a white Suzuki apparently unable to decide who gets to go in front.

In the video, the two vehicles drive side-by-side on Port Wakefield Rd and then turn on to Diagonal Rd at Cavan.

But as Diagonal narrows to a single lane, the two vehicles continue to drive side-by-side.

The Suzuki indicates to turn left but continues to drive beside the 4WD, before eventually giving up and falling back.

It comes after a video in July in which two utes refused to budge, also along Port Wakefield Rd, resulting in a minor collision.

Both videos have sparks huge online discussion about the rules of merging in Adelaide. So, in the interests of education, here they are again:

SA's merging and give way rules when changing lanes.

The state government’s Driver’s Handbook is pretty clear, and even answers the age-old question that many Adelaide Hills dwellers and commuters seem to struggle with – who has to give way entering the freeway?

“If you are on a road where the traffic is merging from two lines to one line, you must give way to a vehicle on your left or right if any part of that vehicle is ahead of your vehicle. This is called the Zip Merge (example 38).

“The Zip Merge does not apply where lane lines are marked between the vehicles and one lane is ending (example 39) such as at the end of overtaking lanes and when entering the freeway.”

SA's merging and give way rules when changing lanes.

So it means drivers entering the freeway don’t have right of way if they’re in front – and need to get up to speed and merge into a gap.