What does a solid double white centre line mean?

[Strangely Brown]

This question caused quite an argument when asked on a Channel 5 quiz some time ago. I have also seen it as part of a "Theory Test" on a website.

Since it was quite some time ago now and there are a lot of new people who may not have seen it before, I was wondering how people would answer it here.

Mods: I wasn't sure whether to post it in GG, AD or P&P. Please feel free to move if this is the wrong place.

[Strangely Brown]

tomTVR said:

People shouldnt be driving if they dont know that!

You're right. They shouldn't.

Interesting results so far.

[Strangely Brown]

Of the three options given, there is only one correct answer.

As TomTVR says: You shouldn't be driving if you don't know this.

[Strangely Brown]

jackal said:

mackie1 said:

240 says:

"You MUST NOT stop or park on a road marked with double white lines, except to pick up or set down passengers"

The latter is the most applicable to the question.

except its referring to double yellow parking lines

No it isn't. mackie is right.

[Strangely Brown]

TankRizzo said:

Strangely Brown said:

jackal said:

except its referring to double yellow parking lines

No it isn't. mackie is right.

I never knew that. So when the council paints double solid whites on a road, it's primarily to stop people parking on it, and the secondary purpose is to stop people crossing the line unless exceptional circumstances?

That's not what the question is asking. You need to read the question and pick one of the answers. Only one is correct.


edit: to sort out quoting.

Edited by Strangely Brown on Wednesday 17th December 13:39

[Strangely Brown]

mackie1 said:

Darkslider said:

As I could only select one answer I went for Overtaking, however it is also illegal to park on a road with double white lines I believe?

See above, the "MUST NOT" is their emphasis and has no exceptions therefore it's the most applicable.

The MUST NOT is qualified by the "if".

[Strangely Brown]

TonyHetherington said:

I've gone for B).

And I suspect this is where the confusion has arisen.

Double white lines, as has been discussed, do not mean "NO OVERTAKING". They signify "NO CROSSING.....unless etc.".

Therefore the statement "Double white lines mean no overtaking" is incorrect.

However, they do signify also "Do not park where there are double white lines", which is why I went for B).

But, I will be completely honest and say that if I didn't sit and think about it I would certainly have gone for A) as my first reaction.

Correct!

That is where the argument came from when the question appeared on Channel 5 (I think is was 5... it might have been ITV).

The person who entered the competition could see that the obvious answer of "No Overtaking" was incorrect but that the lines DID mean "No Parking". He entered on that basis and, naturally, when the competition was drawn he wasn't in the winning group.

He complained but was told that the correct answer was "No Overtaking" despite showing them the Highway Code to support his case. He took it to the regulator who, unfortunately, upheld the decision of the TV company stating that it was the commonly accepted meaning of the lines that was used and not the actual, correct meaning.

He was offered free entry into another draw which was a complete nonsense given that he would have a statistically much lower chance of winning. The prize was a car.

The same thing has happened here.

As of this writing 96% of respondents have the wrong answer.

[Strangely Brown]

TonyHetherington said:

Ahhh, I remember that. It was ITV, as I seem to recall, and yes as you say the TV regulator didn't back him.

Was a couple of years ago now, wasn't it?

Yes, that's why I thought it would be interesting to see how many people don't actually know their Highway Code.

To clarify:

As some people have correctly answered, double white lines DO NOT mean "No Overtaking"; They mean DO NOT CROSS (except in certain circumstances). They DO, however, mean "No Parking". The "No Reversing" option is just a filler.

Edited by Strangely Brown on Wednesday 17th December 14:04

[Strangely Brown]

shoestring7 said:

This reminds me of a huge argument I got into over the question "What was the biggest island in the Pacific before Australia was discovered?"

... to which the answer is "Australia".

[Strangely Brown]

Steve748 said:

There are some roads (3 lane) where it is wide enough for a car to overtake a car or slow moving lorry and there is a double white line and a single carriage way on the other side.

Exactly. Apart from the case of motorcyles (or narrow cars ) overtaking on wide(ish) roads with only one lane in each direction, there are many places where you have a solid line on your side of the road but it's two lanes wide. Do people seriously suggest that the line means "No Overtaking"?

[Strangely Brown]

"Parking" and "stopping to set down or pick up passengers" are not the same thing. IMO, "parking" means that you're stopped for an extended period of time during which you usually (but not always) leave the vehicle. A brief stop to allow passengers to board or alight is, IMO, not "parking".

It could also be a milk float stopped to deliver or a bin wagon stopped to pick up.

ETA: Yes, I did notice the but I thought I'd clarify any way.

Edited by Strangely Brown on Wednesday 17th December 15:37

[Strangely Brown]

Same as here:

clicky

Two lanes travelling NE. One lane travelling SW. Double white lines separating the two parts of the carriageway. Does anyone still hold that they mean "No Overtaking"?

[Strangely Brown]

thekirbyfake said:

Well I've actually learned something today. Thanks SB.

I regularly see people parked up so that they can "safely" take their phone call on such roads.

btw is it only for double solid whites?

AFAIK it is for any double white line system where the solid line is on your side of the road. The purpose being to prevent unnecessary stationary obstructions that would force people onto the wrong side of the road where it would be dangerous for them to be there.

[Strangely Brown]

7mike said:

Strangely Brown said:

thekirbyfake said:

btw is it only for double solid whites?

AFAIK it is for any double white line system where the solid line is on your side of the road. The purpose being to prevent unnecessary stationary obstructions that would force people onto the wrong side of the road where it would be dangerous for them to be there.

Point 6 of rule 240 is actually 'a road marked with double white lines..' therefore the parking restriction applies to both sides regardless of which is solid and which is broken.

You're right, I have worded that badly. I was trying to convey that the requirement is not necessarily for double solid lines. The restriction applies to both sides of the road even if one of them is broken.

Edited by Strangely Brown on Wednesday 17th December 19:01

[Strangely Brown]

397 members polled so far and 94% wrong.

Amazing!