Driving 101: Who has the right of way in this situation?

Yes, the red vehicle should always have to yield. However, you are illegally u-turning in the diagram. You have to get to the opposite side so that you are not blocking the other direction of traffic's line of sight.

 

i hate people who turn from the inside of the median like you did in the diagram. its wrong, theres a reason you take the outside. its so you can see oncoming traffic..

 

There was a thread about this a few months ago. I don't think it is actually illegal but I was taught in driver's ed to always do it the way I described. Yes you would be crossing over each other, but that is less dangerous than entering the roadway when you cannot see the traffic coming. It seems more dangerous that way. Here's an article with a similar diagram that is really just an open question:

Spoiler

http://keephoustonhouston.wordpress.com/2013/02/13/near-far-wherever-you-are/

The Diagram

Spoiler

 

We should have a thread just for things we hate in traffic. I hate when people cross the double white lines when exiting/entering the freeway!

 

Here is the thread dealing with the near/far u-turn problem:

http://bbs.clutchfans.net/showthread.php?t=245226

 

You're in a gray area.
First, you need to consult your states law. Is this texas?
Are there any signs on your median break?

Texas says: (and this is not necessarily official)

If you are to treat it like a yield, then the other person would have right of way. Unfortunately, yields are treated like "a stop sign w/out the actual stopping". A yield basically says "you're allowed to go, but you have the very last ROW".

 

http://onlinemanuals.txdot.gov/txdotmanuals/sfb/divided_highway_intersections_and_crossovers.htm

 

Wait, I was under the impression that on U-Turns, you yield on the opposite side of the median only if there is no specific left turn lane...otherwise, like the picture shows, if there is a lane to make a left/uturn, then you stay on that side of the median. Think about it...if there is an indicated left turn/uturn lane coming against you, and there are 3-4 cars in that lane, then making U Turn on the opposite side of the median not only blocks them, but you still cant see because those cars are in the way.

 

this. Also red car has right of way.

 

All this can be avoided if you just make eye contact and make a notion that you are yielding to the other guy, or vice versa.

 

If a centerline is marked, even if under 30', you should be following the wide median illustration. Broadway in Galveston is an example.

 

In California the Blue car would have the right of way. The red car isn't on a roadway and is entering the street from a parking lot. The red car is supposed to yield.

 

I always learned that the red car is not allowed to take a right turn into the left most lane for this exact reason. The blue car U-turns into the left lane, the red car can take a right into the right lane.

But if there was only one lane, I treat these situations like a stop sign. Whoever got there first has right of way, and then other cars behind the blue and red cars alternate.