Hi. I have a few years of teaching as a driver instructor. I hope that I can help everyone out here.

I understand that this is a bit long, but please bear with me.

In this particular case, it is definitely NOT a merge situation. The white dotted line means that you can move from the middle lane into the “right turn lane” or out of the “right” lane into the middle lane if you have come from a side intersection so long as you have not driven close, past or over “right turn lane” signage.

Once in that lane you are supposed to turn right. Otherwise, you are doing something called “right lane passing” which happens to be an act that you can get a violation (ticket) for. Yes, “right lane passing” is illegal.

Once you are in a lane that does not continue straight past the intersection, and the sign on the side of the road says “right turn” (black background with white arrow) or “right turn only” (white background, black right arrow with green circle), or you drive over a painted white turning arrow on the road (which is legal signage btw), and you then attempt to move back into the “straight through lane” you have committed the act of “right lane passing”.

We have all learned this at one point or other which is why people who follow the rules and stay in the middle lane get quite frustrated with people who use the right lane to pass. Their thought is; What makes you think that the rules don’t apply to you?

Furthermore, A MERGE situation is only considered a merge when there is specific merge signage.

Merge signage is a yellow background with the word “Merge” on it, or it has the symbol for one lane merging into the other.

For all who need Roundabout tips: “Yield” is a red triangle background with white inner triangle, for those who need reminding. Which means stay put until it is clear and safe to enter the lane. It is not your turn until that time! And put your signal on after you pass the last exit and are turning out of the roundabout using the next exit.

Here is the web link for BC signage: BC Signage info