Highway Code 129 and bikers
Discussion
This seems very straightforward but I have a query over "must not cross or straddle". With the absence of any other wording, is this to be interpreted by purely meaning tyres on the road surface and the solid white line paint? I have an IAM interpretation which maintains this applies to any part of you or your vehicle. So if you have door mirror extensions for towing your caravan, panniers or handle bars on a motorcycle or even if you do an arm signal to legally cross a solid white line to turn right into a junction, are you breaking the law by breaking the vertical plane of a solid white line on the road?
Anyone any experience of this or know where there is detailed, hopefully legal, written information on this matter, please?
Anyone any experience of this or know where there is detailed, hopefully legal, written information on this matter, please?
From the rule Straddling = "This means driving with one or more wheels on or over the line, which is also prohibited. "
Ive always gone with keep wheels inside the line to be legal, not body/handlebars etc although its obviously a good idea to keep well inside on blind bends where you may meet oncoming vehicles close to/over the white lines.
Ive passed RoSPA Gold and dont remember any more discussion than above. I can remember filtering inside double white lines during assessment as there was space to do so and my bars may have been over the line occasionally.
Ive always gone with keep wheels inside the line to be legal, not body/handlebars etc although its obviously a good idea to keep well inside on blind bends where you may meet oncoming vehicles close to/over the white lines.
Ive passed RoSPA Gold and dont remember any more discussion than above. I can remember filtering inside double white lines during assessment as there was space to do so and my bars may have been over the line occasionally.
bogie said:
From the rule Straddling = "This means driving with one or more wheels on or over the line, which is also prohibited. "
Ive always gone with keep wheels inside the line to be legal, not body/handlebars etc although its obviously a good idea to keep well inside on blind bends where you may meet oncoming vehicles close to/over the white lines.
Ive passed RoSPA Gold and dont remember any more discussion than above. I can remember filtering inside double white lines during assessment as there was space to do so and my bars may have been over the line occasionally.
That would be my assessment too. Ive always gone with keep wheels inside the line to be legal, not body/handlebars etc although its obviously a good idea to keep well inside on blind bends where you may meet oncoming vehicles close to/over the white lines.
Ive passed RoSPA Gold and dont remember any more discussion than above. I can remember filtering inside double white lines during assessment as there was space to do so and my bars may have been over the line occasionally.
Thanks for those who took the trouble to reply to my query. I now have detailed information from a trusted and respected official of the IAM who has sent me this which does support their guidance whereby no part of your bike or car should "overhang" a solid white line - its not just the tyres on the paint!
Traffic Signs General Directions 2016 Part 7 paragraph 9(1)(b) is where you find the directive. The Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2016
The wording of note is:
9.—(1) The requirements conveyed to vehicular traffic on roads by a road marking provided for at items 23 and 24 of the sign table in Part 6 of this Schedule are that—
(a)subject to sub-paragraphs (2) to (4), no vehicle is to stop on any length of road along which the marking has been placed at any point between the ends of the marking; and
(b)subject to sub-paragraph (5), every vehicle proceeding on any length of road along which the marking has been so placed, as viewed in the direction of travel of the vehicle, a continuous line is on the left of a broken line or of another continuous line, must be so driven as to keep the first-mentioned continuous line on the right hand or off side of the vehicle.
Thus ‘the vehicle’ must be to the left of the solid white line. The vehicle is ‘the vehicle’ in its entirety
Traffic Signs General Directions 2016 Part 7 paragraph 9(1)(b) is where you find the directive. The Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2016
The wording of note is:
9.—(1) The requirements conveyed to vehicular traffic on roads by a road marking provided for at items 23 and 24 of the sign table in Part 6 of this Schedule are that—
(a)subject to sub-paragraphs (2) to (4), no vehicle is to stop on any length of road along which the marking has been placed at any point between the ends of the marking; and
(b)subject to sub-paragraph (5), every vehicle proceeding on any length of road along which the marking has been so placed, as viewed in the direction of travel of the vehicle, a continuous line is on the left of a broken line or of another continuous line, must be so driven as to keep the first-mentioned continuous line on the right hand or off side of the vehicle.
Thus ‘the vehicle’ must be to the left of the solid white line. The vehicle is ‘the vehicle’ in its entirety
This is one that, despite "strong statements of opinion" there is no clear legal answer to. Ride with your wheels to the left of the line and I'd bet the farm you couldn't be prosecuted for crossing the line. However, it may become a contributing factor for without due care if there are other issues.
Orchardab said:
I think this was touched on a while back on a 44 teeth video.
You can cross the line if the road is clear to pass a stationary vehicle.
Could that translate to a line of stationary vehicles?
No. I believe there is some actual case law that confirms that vehicles that are, for example, not moving in a queue, don't count as "stationary vehicles" for the purposes of this rule. You can cross the line if the road is clear to pass a stationary vehicle.
Could that translate to a line of stationary vehicles?
This makes sense if you think about it, as otherwise any car could also just decide to overtake the queue because it's "stationary".
outnumbered said:
Orchardab said:
I think this was touched on a while back on a 44 teeth video.
You can cross the line if the road is clear to pass a stationary vehicle.
Could that translate to a line of stationary vehicles?
No. I believe there is some actual case law that confirms that vehicles that are, for example, not moving in a queue, don't count as "stationary vehicles" for the purposes of this rule. You can cross the line if the road is clear to pass a stationary vehicle.
Could that translate to a line of stationary vehicles?
This makes sense if you think about it, as otherwise any car could also just decide to overtake the queue because it's "stationary".
If you passed each stationary vehicle individually, would that be ok?
Edited by Orchardab on Saturday 23 August 13:15
Orchardab said:
I’m sure the legal guy on 44Teeth said it had not been tested in court. (I’ll have to re watch the episode)
If you passed each stationary vehicle individually, would that be ok?
I went and rechecked my reference and you're right, there isn't case law on it. If you passed each stationary vehicle individually, would that be ok?
Edited by Orchardab on Saturday 23 August 13:15
outnumbered said:
Orchardab said:
I’m sure the legal guy on 44Teeth said it had not been tested in court. (I’ll have to re watch the episode)
If you passed each stationary vehicle individually, would that be ok?
I went and rechecked my reference and you're right, there isn't case law on it. If you passed each stationary vehicle individually, would that be ok?
Edited by Orchardab on Saturday 23 August 13:15
outnumbered said:
No. I believe there is some actual case law that confirms that vehicles that are, for example, not moving in a queue, don't count as "stationary vehicles" for the purposes of this rule.
This makes sense if you think about it, as otherwise any car could also just decide to overtake the queue because it's "stationary".
It makes no sense at all. You are overtaking a stationary vehicle, stationary means not moving. An example give to me on a Bikesafe course was of a 100 yard queue of traffic waiting at a level crossing, the barriers are closed in this scenario so nobody is coming the other way. The recommendation from the police inspector running the course was that you cross the solid line and ride up to the front of the queue.This makes sense if you think about it, as otherwise any car could also just decide to overtake the queue because it's "stationary".
Of course a car can cross a solid line to overtake as well, though getting back into the traffic stream might be tricky there's no law against crossing the line in that situation.
If the ‘overhanging’ rule is a thing then pretty much every lorry/coach/ bus etc would break it at some point.
Best thing to do on a bike is start your overtake before the solid white line starts and come back into your lane after it’s finished thus you haven’t crossed or straddled it
;)
Best thing to do on a bike is start your overtake before the solid white line starts and come back into your lane after it’s finished thus you haven’t crossed or straddled it

I think that the most likely time to be guilty of overhanging the line is when you have moved to the right in an attempt to improve the view into a left hand bend. This carries some risk if someone coming the other way is trying to straighten their right hand bend.
With respect to passing stationary traffic at a railway level crossing, a friend told me that he was waiting at a level crossing with other vehicles behind him. His mate drove past the queue and waited on the wrong side of the road at the barriers. He knew that the right hand barriers lifted first. He drove around them as they went up and was gone whilst everyone else had to wait for the barriers in front of them to lift. Not recommended.
With respect to passing stationary traffic at a railway level crossing, a friend told me that he was waiting at a level crossing with other vehicles behind him. His mate drove past the queue and waited on the wrong side of the road at the barriers. He knew that the right hand barriers lifted first. He drove around them as they went up and was gone whilst everyone else had to wait for the barriers in front of them to lift. Not recommended.
66mpg said:
I think that the most likely time to be guilty of overhanging the line is when you have moved to the right in an attempt to improve the view into a left hand bend. This carries some risk if someone coming the other way is trying to straighten their right hand bend.
With respect to passing stationary traffic at a railway level crossing, a friend told me that he was waiting at a level crossing with other vehicles behind him. His mate drove past the queue and waited on the wrong side of the road at the barriers. He knew that the right hand barriers lifted first. He drove around them as they went up and was gone whilst everyone else had to wait for the barriers in front of them to lift. Not recommended.
He was lucky the crossing didn't have CCTV or that it wasn't spotted. With respect to passing stationary traffic at a railway level crossing, a friend told me that he was waiting at a level crossing with other vehicles behind him. His mate drove past the queue and waited on the wrong side of the road at the barriers. He knew that the right hand barriers lifted first. He drove around them as they went up and was gone whilst everyone else had to wait for the barriers in front of them to lift. Not recommended.
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