crossing double white lines
Discussion
Hi Chaps+Lasses,
Quick question, as I'm sure many here will know the answer.
On leaving my town the NSL road has double white lines around the first two corners. On a normally line spaced road I would position my car over this centreline to get a better view of the road ahead, there are no hidden entrances etc.etc.
Anyway, what is the legal situation here? Can I position myself over the line to get a good look around the bend, or should I not cross the line?
Thanks, just curious,
Stu
Quick question, as I'm sure many here will know the answer.
On leaving my town the NSL road has double white lines around the first two corners. On a normally line spaced road I would position my car over this centreline to get a better view of the road ahead, there are no hidden entrances etc.etc.
Anyway, what is the legal situation here? Can I position myself over the line to get a good look around the bend, or should I not cross the line?
Thanks, just curious,
Stu
justinp1 said:
You should not pass the line, my friend!
If you are seen by plod this is a reasonably serious offence.
I cant be bothered to check the exact punishment, but I am sure Vonhosen will be along int he next few minutes to reel of the exact offence!
If you are seen by plod this is a reasonably serious offence.
I cant be bothered to check the exact punishment, but I am sure Vonhosen will be along int he next few minutes to reel of the exact offence!
What he said !!!
Whilst it is tempting to CUT the corner, when YOU know it is safe to do so, the over use of traffic calming, double white lines etc to make roads "safer" results in nothing more than confused motorists. You will either have to drive slower or go the same speed but not in a straight line thus increasing your risk above cutting siad corner.
From the Highway Code, as I understood it you can cross them only under certain circumstances!
108: Double white lines where the line nearest you is solid. This means you MUST NOT cross or straddle it unless it is safe and you need to enter adjoining premises or a side road. You may cross the line if necessary to pass a stationary vehicle, or overtake a pedal cycle, horse or road maintenance vehicle, if they are travelling at 10mph or less.
Laws RTA sect 36 & TSRGD regs 10 & 26
109: Areas of white diagonal stripes or chevrons painted on the road. These are to separate traffic lanes or to protect traffic turning right.
If the area is bordered by a broken white line, you should not enter the area unless it is necessary and you can see that it is safe to do so.
If the area is marked with diagonal stripes and bordered by solid white lines, you should not enter it except in an emergency.
If the area is marked with chevrons and bordered by solid white lines you MUST NOT enter it except in an emergency.
Laws MT(E&W)R regs 5,9,10 & 16, MT(S)R regs 4,8,9 & 14, RTA sect 36 & TSRGD 10(1)
108: Double white lines where the line nearest you is solid. This means you MUST NOT cross or straddle it unless it is safe and you need to enter adjoining premises or a side road. You may cross the line if necessary to pass a stationary vehicle, or overtake a pedal cycle, horse or road maintenance vehicle, if they are travelling at 10mph or less.
Laws RTA sect 36 & TSRGD regs 10 & 26
109: Areas of white diagonal stripes or chevrons painted on the road. These are to separate traffic lanes or to protect traffic turning right.
If the area is bordered by a broken white line, you should not enter the area unless it is necessary and you can see that it is safe to do so.
If the area is marked with diagonal stripes and bordered by solid white lines, you should not enter it except in an emergency.
If the area is marked with chevrons and bordered by solid white lines you MUST NOT enter it except in an emergency.
Laws MT(E&W)R regs 5,9,10 & 16, MT(S)R regs 4,8,9 & 14, RTA sect 36 & TSRGD 10(1)
Edited by oilchange on Tuesday 1st May 12:58
I'd suggest you have a better look at the sections of road marked with double white lines. Whilst it often appears that it would be safe to cross them, they are usually used precisely because it isn't safe to do so due to a loss of vision, concealed entrance or some other feature of the road that isn't immediately apparent.
They're a big clue to an approaching concealed hazard, so build them into your driving plan and include a loss of speed to prepare for the unexpected.
They're a big clue to an approaching concealed hazard, so build them into your driving plan and include a loss of speed to prepare for the unexpected.
Werid Neville,
I agree 100%. Normally the use of such lines effectively slap you in the face and warn you of unseen danger. I can categorically say that these lines are overkill - at worst they really should be solid line for oncoming, and dotted line for me. Anyway, in this case your point is not the case I think.
Oilchange,
Thats kind of my point really. Double white lines are not a 'do never pass never never'. If there was a cyclist there I would feel happy overtaking them, yet to cross the line to get a much better line of sight is illegal? Is this true?
It would seem most counterintuitive to me, and hence the reason for asking the question.
Kindest,
Stu
I agree 100%. Normally the use of such lines effectively slap you in the face and warn you of unseen danger. I can categorically say that these lines are overkill - at worst they really should be solid line for oncoming, and dotted line for me. Anyway, in this case your point is not the case I think.
Oilchange,
Thats kind of my point really. Double white lines are not a 'do never pass never never'. If there was a cyclist there I would feel happy overtaking them, yet to cross the line to get a much better line of sight is illegal? Is this true?
It would seem most counterintuitive to me, and hence the reason for asking the question.
Kindest,
Stu
Agreed if you follow the letter of the law (re overtaking a cyclist @15mph), but I would be most displeased if a marked car pulled me for that.
Incidentally, here is the spot in question
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&
northbound. it would be nice to straddle when you get to where that red car is, as those trees occlude your visibility. You can see there is a siding (tractors) that is a potential hazard, but you are able to see into there before you'd want to think about straddling.
In fact, if you look at this you can see that for the northbound motorist, the double lines end just around the corner that I would like to have straddled, so the danger has passed, but the lines continue (giving advance notice to oncoming drivers).
Seems that a dashed line on my side there would be sensible. It seems that concensus is that I should not cross the line despite best intentions - thankyou
Incidentally, here is the spot in question
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&
northbound. it would be nice to straddle when you get to where that red car is, as those trees occlude your visibility. You can see there is a siding (tractors) that is a potential hazard, but you are able to see into there before you'd want to think about straddling.
In fact, if you look at this you can see that for the northbound motorist, the double lines end just around the corner that I would like to have straddled, so the danger has passed, but the lines continue (giving advance notice to oncoming drivers).
Seems that a dashed line on my side there would be sensible. It seems that concensus is that I should not cross the line despite best intentions - thankyou
Edited by stuthemong on Tuesday 1st May 14:35
Edited by stuthemong on Tuesday 1st May 14:35
- my driving instructor used to tell me to ignore a particular marking which was like this as, "if you use it, other people can progress" WeirdNeville said:
They're a big clue to an approaching concealed hazard, so build them into your driving plan and include a loss of speed to prepare for the unexpected.
Certainly this used to be the case but these days double white lines, like lower speed limits, seem to be used increasingly for no good reason.
mechsympathy said:
WeirdNeville said:
They're a big clue to an approaching concealed hazard, so build them into your driving plan and include a loss of speed to prepare for the unexpected.
Certainly this used to be the case but these days double white lines, like lower speed limits, seem to be used increasingly for no good reason.
Yet the use of proper hazard warning lines seems to be on the decrease.
Which seems on the face of it like making a rod for your own back...
mechsympathy said:
WeirdNeville said:
They're a big clue to an approaching concealed hazard, so build them into your driving plan and include a loss of speed to prepare for the unexpected.
Certainly this used to be the case but these days double white lines, like lower speed limits, seem to be used increasingly for no good reason.
And much like artificially low speed limits this kind of thing will eventually lead to wholesale flouting of the rules as people come to expect that the markings are not necessarily helping matters.Plotloss said:
Yet the use of proper hazard warning lines seems to be on the decrease.
Which seems on the face of it like making a rod for your own back...
Which seems on the face of it like making a rod for your own back...
pdV6 said:
And much like artificially low speed limits this kind of thing will eventually lead to wholesale flouting of the rules as people come to expect that the markings are not necessarily helping matters.Never mind, eh? Nanny knows best
7db said:
stuthemong said:
7dB,
Cool, incidentally, what makes the line 'proper' ?
Kindest
Cool, incidentally, what makes the line 'proper' ?
Kindest
2-3 tow-in arrows at the start or a physical obstruction, right size and spacing.
Really?
I was going to say that there are plenty of bit of road that I know where you can safely pass people by crossing the double white line (not that I have, or would), but thinking about it; whenever there are such areas I don't think that they have the warning arrows as there are sections of road where the line changes from DWL to broken a number of times within a short distance.
Does this mean that the line is illegal and unenforceable?
What classes as a physical obstruction?
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