Lane closures and merge in turn question

[largelunchbox]

Firstly I’d like to point out that I’m in the merge in turn camp or zipper merge for our usa friends. So on the m27 yesterday ( applies to any motorway) and lane 3 gantry has a lane close Red Cross so I pull over to lane 2, lots of other cars ignoring Red Cross and continuing , now afaic the lane is closed from the gantry and at this point drivers have no way of knowing why lane is closed, ( except regulars I spose) could be an accident/ object in road/ animals or road works etc. now after about half a mile temporary road works signs are now visible with count down intervals 800 yards 600 and so on. So the cars that ignored the Red Cross continue till the cones and merge in turn, now some cars are moving out of lane 2 and into the faster moving lane 3. At this point I’m tempted to do the same as I’m in the merge in turn camp but stay in lane 2 as I’m thinking the Red Cross supersedes the temporary signs. So the question is , is it ok to go back into lane 3 once you see that it’s only road works and nothing else and merge in turn. I understand that the Red Cross was a warning but it just impacted on the closed lane being empty for far longer than it needed to be, also the other gantry signs reduced the speed down to 40 so there was plenty of time to slow down at the 800m sign as normal, no need for the Red Cross imo.

[2 sMoKiN bArReLs]

Never ever ignore the red cross. It's as simple as that really.

(More than one reason might exist for example).

[brillomaster]

Are you hoping for a different answer second time around?

[Glenn63]

I don’t get why they do this now on smart motorways. You have the roadwork signs with the 800 yard etc but then slap a red X before they start, why? Gantry should just be direction arrows for which way the lanes are closing.

[largelunchbox]

I didn’t ignore the Red Cross , just asking if acceptable to reuse blocked lane up to the merge in turn once its established that it’s just road works with the count down signs after passing the Red cross

[mac96]

Seems like a misuse of the redX as the merge point if further along, but you still have to obey it, and it may be enforced by camera.

Just like inappropriate speed limits, still enforceable!

[littleredrooster]

largelunchbox said:

I didn t ignore the Red Cross , just asking if acceptable to reuse blocked lane up to the merge in turn once its established that it s just road works with the count down signs after passing the Red cross

No, not acceptable. The Red X is an absolute - ignore it and risk a fine and points.

The Red X would not have been used as part of a roadworks signage - something else must have caused it to have been set whether it be stationary vehicle, other obstruction or whatever. The fact that you didn't see anything suggests that it had been cleared from the lane but not yet confirmed to the control centre perhaps.

[Pica-Pica]

It does not matter if you are in the merge-in-turn camp or not, Red Cross = potential fine.

[GolfDragon]

Was driving home from work on a dual carriageway and approaching a tunnel. One lane had a red X. A Mondeo in front didn’t change lane completely oblivious to it.

As we got to the end of the tunnel there was a broken down car in his lane. He had to stop and couldn’t change lane as people were approaching in lane 2 at 50mph.

I don’t see how people miss a glaring Red X repeated at least 10 times in a tunnel so must just actively choose to ignore it.

[South tdf]

You mention the M27 so I assume this is the part of the A27 west around Portsmouth. As the 3rd lane is shut at the M275 junction they keep putting the red X on before the 1st Portsmouth junction but it’s not displayed to people joining from the same junction.

There are no cameras on that section and the locals know it so just carry on until the merge point.

[NRG1976]

Lesson one in driving, never roll the dice on a red X…