Who decides where you can overtake?
Discussion
Right then, somebody somewhere decides where to paint the breaks in the white lines on single lane A road that tell people 'It's OK to overtake'.
Does anyone know who this is, is it the local council or the guy painting the lines?
There are plenty of a roads near me that I feel need revising and I want to talk to someone about it. Now it's not that I want more places to overtake, I actually want less. These roads near me are very tight and twisty with very few straights and I cannot believe how many breaks there are in the white lines.
There are some occassions near me where there's a very short straight to to the next bend and even I, with my few hundred horsepower, wouldn't dare try to overtake because of the lack of visibilty.
Does anyone know who this is, is it the local council or the guy painting the lines?
There are plenty of a roads near me that I feel need revising and I want to talk to someone about it. Now it's not that I want more places to overtake, I actually want less. These roads near me are very tight and twisty with very few straights and I cannot believe how many breaks there are in the white lines.
There are some occassions near me where there's a very short straight to to the next bend and even I, with my few hundred horsepower, wouldn't dare try to overtake because of the lack of visibilty.
I do!
The lines on the roads that I drive regularly are being totally taken over by the "you must never overtake even when the road ahead is clear and flat and free of traffic", so I've taken to ignoring them completely and deciding for myslef what is safe and what isn't
Whereas even up to 3 years ago I would follow the line guidance assidiously, now its just a line too far .......
The lines on the roads that I drive regularly are being totally taken over by the "you must never overtake even when the road ahead is clear and flat and free of traffic", so I've taken to ignoring them completely and deciding for myslef what is safe and what isn't
Whereas even up to 3 years ago I would follow the line guidance assidiously, now its just a line too far .......
Yes but what about things like motorbikes which can overtake safely in places that a car could never even think about.
What about when you are travelling behind a very slow moving tractor or caravan and these are the only possible chances you'll get for 20 miles? (Don't forget you can only cross a solid line to get past a stationary object eg parked car).
Just because the lines are their does not mean it is safe to overtake. The solid white lines just mean it definately isn't safe.
What about when you are travelling behind a very slow moving tractor or caravan and these are the only possible chances you'll get for 20 miles? (Don't forget you can only cross a solid line to get past a stationary object eg parked car).
Just because the lines are their does not mean it is safe to overtake. The solid white lines just mean it definately isn't safe.
An unbroken white line does not mean that you cannot overtake. It means that you cannot cross the line.
Therefore (subject to the positioning of the vehicle in front to the nearside of the road), you can overtake so long as you do not cross the line. Motorbikes are advantaged over cars in this.
The "solid white line means no overtaking" thought is incorrect, but is parroted by many.
- this is the sign that bans overtaking.
Streaky
Therefore (subject to the positioning of the vehicle in front to the nearside of the road), you can overtake so long as you do not cross the line. Motorbikes are advantaged over cars in this.
The "solid white line means no overtaking" thought is incorrect, but is parroted by many.
- this is the sign that bans overtaking. Streaky
I may be mistaken but I believe the local motorcyclist police used to determine the white line layout. However this task is now done by specially selected non drivers who have studied under Professor David Begg. The stringent aptitude tests they undergo before being selected for such a difficult and responsible task are :
Hugging trees
Talking while making no sense at all regardless of what mind altering substances they have been subjected to.
Chanting speed kills
Chanting cars are bad
Being members of T2000
Having and IQ of 50
Demonstrating an ability to projectile vomit at the sight of meat (of any kind)
Talking complete bollocks about traffic management despite never having travelled in a car
Demonstrating an ability to use the word biggoted in a motoring context with a matter of fact manner
When interviewed by members of the public it takes no more than 30 seconds for each candidate to induce threatening behaviour.
Hugging trees
Talking while making no sense at all regardless of what mind altering substances they have been subjected to.
Chanting speed kills
Chanting cars are bad
Being members of T2000
Having and IQ of 50
Demonstrating an ability to projectile vomit at the sight of meat (of any kind)
Talking complete bollocks about traffic management despite never having travelled in a car
Demonstrating an ability to use the word biggoted in a motoring context with a matter of fact manner
When interviewed by members of the public it takes no more than 30 seconds for each candidate to induce threatening behaviour.
I decide where I can overtake, being the only person responsible for the actions of my car. Road markings including short white lines to indicate a possible safe overtaking spot, long white lines to indicate a potentially unsafe overtaking spot and solid lines to indicate a potentially deadly overtaking spot are useful hints and are used in my decision making process.
The road markings are sometimes wrong (solid on a dead straight road with no junctions) but often right. Likewise, short white lines do not imply that you can move out onto the wrong side of the road with no further thought.
Ian A.
The road markings are sometimes wrong (solid on a dead straight road with no junctions) but often right. Likewise, short white lines do not imply that you can move out onto the wrong side of the road with no further thought.
Ian A.
This is what the Highway code says:
A broken white line. This marks the centre of the road. When this line lengthens and the gaps shorten, it means that there is a hazard ahead. Do not cross it unless you can see the road is clear well ahead and wish to overtake or turn off.
Double white lines where the line nearest to you is broken. This means you may cross the lines to overtake if it is safe, provided you can complete the manoeuvre before reaching a solid white line on your side. White arrows on the road indicate when you need to get back onto your side of the road.
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
A broken white line. This marks the centre of the road. When this line lengthens and the gaps shorten, it means that there is a hazard ahead. Do not cross it unless you can see the road is clear well ahead and wish to overtake or turn off.
Double white lines where the line nearest to you is broken. This means you may cross the lines to overtake if it is safe, provided you can complete the manoeuvre before reaching a solid white line on your side. White arrows on the road indicate when you need to get back onto your side of the road.
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
LOL at Mondeoman 
..youre not wrong though...the poor old BIB these days may as well be traffic directors and ambulance crew - they seem to be in such short supply that all they can do is respond to incidents rather than patrol the roads enforcing the law. God knows how they are expected to enforce the new mobile phone law. How many real coppers could we have to catch the drunk, dangerous and poor drivers on our roads if we got rid of all the cameras? 
..youre not wrong though...the poor old BIB these days may as well be traffic directors and ambulance crew - they seem to be in such short supply that all they can do is respond to incidents rather than patrol the roads enforcing the law. God knows how they are expected to enforce the new mobile phone law. How many real coppers could we have to catch the drunk, dangerous and poor drivers on our roads if we got rid of all the cameras? streaky said:Sorry, you are quite correct - a solid line means it's not safe to cross the line. I have given myself a stiff talking to about this and I promise not to let it happen again.
An unbroken white line does not mean that you cannot overtake. It means that you cannot cross the line.
Therefore (subject to the positioning of the vehicle in front to the nearside of the road), you can overtake so long as you do not cross the line. Motorbikes are advantaged over cars in this.
The "solid white line means no overtaking" thought is incorrect, but is parroted by many.
Streaky
I got 3 points and 160 quid fine for allegedly overtaking on a solid white line down the A281 between Broadbridge Heath and Guildford years ago. I'm 100% certain that I didn't cross a solid white line, but plod in unmarked mondeo a couple of cars behind was certain that I did. I argued the point at the side of the road. He was unimpressed, I got the court summons and took the points 
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