Anon
10/18/25, 07:13No.151434960 You’ve actually got the rule backwards. Under NSW Road Rules (2014) s148 and the equivalent Queensland Road Rules, there are two types of merges, and understanding the difference is key.First, when two lines of traffic come together without a marked lane line at the merge point (often called a zipper merge), drivers must give way to the vehicle that’s ahead of them, taking turns “like a zip.” This is confirmed in official diagrams and road safety guides from both Transport for NSW and Queensland’s Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR). Second, if your lane is marked and ends, meaning you have to cross a broken line to move over, then you’re making a lane change and must give way to vehicles already in the continuing lane. The law doesn’t require you to merge “early”, it simply requires you to give way when you cross the line.Using the entire length of a merge lane is not only lawful but encouraged in heavy or moderate traffic. Both NSW and QLD transport authorities endorse late or “zip” merging because it makes full use of available road space, reduces queuing and rear-end crashes, and allows for smoother traffic flow when drivers alternate properly. Early merging, on the other hand, often creates unnecessary bottlenecks and longer queues, which lead to stop-start traffic and more frustration for everyone.The accidents and near-misses people complain about at merges are rarely caused by drivers using the lane to its end. They're caused by poor merging etiquette: drivers speeding, blocking gaps, or failing to look and plan ahead. The correct approach is to maintain a safe following distance, signal, match speed with traffic, and take turns merging at the end when it’s safe.NSW and QLD law both support zip merging at the end when there’s no lane line, and safe lane changing when there is one. Using the full merge lane is the correct, legal, and most efficient method. Merging early just causes congestion.