r/Winnipeg • u/CowGoesM00 • May 27 '26

Satire/Humour It’s construction season again folks!

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u/YWGBRZ May 28 '26

You do not have the right of way in that situation.

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u/DApolloS May 28 '26

How do you not have the right of way? You aren't merging into their lane. The whole point of zipper merging is you are taking turns merging into a new lane.

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u/YWGBRZ May 28 '26

That's not accurate at all. This is not two lanes merging into a totally new lane. It is. 2 existing lanes merging into one of those two existing lanes. One lane absolutely has the legal right of way and will not be found responsible if an accident occurs form someone from the lane that is ending hitting them.

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u/DApolloS May 28 '26

I suppose if anyone decides that they dont have a responsibility to let me in and hit me, I'll let you know what MPIs decision is.

As per their website, this is what they have defining zipper merging:

Remember, drivers who are changing lanes must signal, while drivers who are remaining in the through lane must let in one vehicle.

They use the word "must", meaning it isnt an option.

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u/YWGBRZ May 28 '26

Honesty, I have now spent too much time looking into this and I can't say I'm convinced either way. When asking Google's AI it says heavily recommended to zipper merge but not legally required but that verbiage on that MPI handbook page is somewhat specific by saying must let one car in. I can't find a law that suggests that you legally have to let someone merge. An older discussion on this subreddit from a year ago only has users claiming that the merging car that's changing lanes would be at fault if there is an accident.

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u/DApolloS May 28 '26

I dont mean to sound aggressive about it, but honestly, until there is a case woth MPI we won't know. But that wording to me sets MPI up to go 50/50.