[gbog]

Wow, no, sail boat will not cut the path of a super tanker, if I remember correctly (I have navigation permit).

And you can't apply your courteous rule for traffic in places with many elder pedestrians like China: other people and vehicles would never move.

I think, however, that removing rules and applying common sense could work if we could use a communication network inspired from biological patterns.

[simonlebo]

Yes there are some logical exceptions to the motor boat always give way. These are however exceptions. http://www.gosailing.info/Navigation%20Rules.htm

The equivalent in the cycling example would be that trains have to give way to cyclists which was not my point.